by Lucy Clark
‘I know. Horrible, aren’t they?’
‘No. I meant Wow. You are…Lady, you’re taking my breath away.’
‘But…’ Iris pointed to the scars on her abdomen, the ones higher up on her arms and then turned so she could show him the ones on her back, which had required skin grafts.
‘Oh, honey.’ There was pain in his voice now and a second later she realised he’d dropped to his knees and was brushing kisses across her scars. Iris gasped at the touch and closed her eyes. It was so intimate. So giving. So loving.
His hands were at her waist and slowly he turned her to face him before he proceeded to kiss the scars on her abdomen. Slowly, he kept kissing her, making his way up to the soft tissue around her cleavage. Then he nibbled her neck and then her ear and finally he placed a kiss on her lips.
‘Beautiful. All of you.’
‘I didn’t think you wanted me. That’s why I’ve been avoiding you.’
‘You didn’t think…’ He stopped and shook his head. ‘Iris, I’ve wanted you for far too long, my sweet, sweet lady. I’ve been crazy about you for ever. The life I was living before you arrived was more like an existence.’
He took a breath before continuing, knowing how important it was to get this moment right. If she turned him down…He couldn’t think about it. ‘Iris. If you’ll let me…will you give me permission to…to court you? To date you. To spend time with you…and Anya, of course. I realise she’s a big part of your life now but I want to take the opportunity to really get to know you, my lovely, beautiful Iris.’
‘Oh, Dex. You really are insane. You love me? You want to date me? Court me?’
‘I do. In the hope that one day, perhaps, you’ll come to love me as much as I love you.’
Iris laughed. She couldn’t help it but it was a laugh filled with utter joy and complete happiness. ‘You won’t have to wait long because that day is today.’
Dex looked at her, a puzzled frown on his brow. ‘Today?’
‘I love you, silly. I’ve loved you for weeks and it was only because I didn’t think you wanted me that I…’ She laughed again. ‘Oh, we’ve both been such insane fools.’
Dex’s gaze was one of complete truth. ‘Insane fools in love.’ He bent his head and brushed his lips across hers, and she sighed into his embrace. He wanted her. She wanted him. He loved her and she loved him. ‘Can this be true?’ he whispered against her mouth.
‘Is this real?’ she whispered back, before kissing him once more.
Anya, who was in the other room, gurgled loudly as though she was tired of being ignored by her two favourite people. Iris quickly pulled her shirt back on and followed Dex into the other room.
He scooped the baby up and kissed her cheek. ‘I love her, Iris.’
‘So do I.’
‘She’s going to need a mum and a dad around.’
‘Agreed.’ Iris tilted her head on the side. ‘And I think I know the perfect person.’
‘Ooh, pick me,’ Dex said with a teasing grin.
‘I do. What do you think, Anya? Shall we keep him around?’ The baby’s answer was to snuggle into Dex and place her head on his shoulder. ‘I’d take that as a yes.’
‘I love you, Iris.’ Dex pulled her close with his free arm and kissed her. ‘I promise to do everything I can to make both you and Anya so very happy for the rest of my life. Please? Marry me?’
Iris smiled up at him, her heart happy and more content than it had ever been. A man who loved her, scars and all. A beautiful baby girl who brought her so much joy. ‘You…both of you…make me so very happy. How could I not marry you, Dexter Crawford? You’re the only man for me.’
Dex looked at Anya. ‘What do you think? Was that a yes?’
Anya’s answer was to smile and gurgle happily. Iris kissed the man of her dreams yet again.
‘It’s most definitely a yes.’
EPILOGUE
‘AND now it is the time for the best man to do the toast speechy thing,’ announced Stig, who was the master of ceremonies.
There was a round of applause and Dex stood up, swatting away flies. Even though the reception was being held in a marquee, it didn’t stop the flies from getting in. He paused for a moment and looked around at all the people before them. His parents were there, and his siblings. Although it had been less than a month since he’d reconciled with them, all the anger and pain he’d felt at their betrayal had vanished.
‘Thanks, Stig, and thanks for the mouth-watering food. It’s delicious. Big clap for Stig, everyone.’
The room broke into applause yet again. When things quietened down, Dex turned to look at his sister.
‘Melissa—the blushing bride. You look radiant. You came here to Didja on an insane mission of wanting to make contact with me, your biological brother. You were patient, you were kind and instead of paying all your attention to me, you fell in love with my best friend!’ Everyone laughed at this. ‘And it’s just as well you did because I haven’t seen Joss this happy in, like, for ever.’
Dex’s smile was wide and bright, his heart filled with pride and brotherly love. ‘You’ve given me so many great gifts, Lis. Not only do I have another sister but Joss is now officially my brother-in-law. That’s awesome.’
More people laughed.
‘But there’s one other thing Lis has done and it’s something for which I’ll be for ever grateful.’ Dex’s gazed settled on Iris, dressed in a rich purple dress, her hair half swept back, the rest flowing loosely around her shoulders. His heart swelled with such powerful love that for a moment he lost all ability to speak.
‘Lis was responsible for Iris coming to Didja.’
There were a few wolf-whistles coming from the crowd now but Dex ignored them. Iris was looking at him as though he’d hung the moon, and he wanted her to feel that way for the rest of their lives.
‘Iris—the most stunningly beautiful maid of honour in the world—has brought such love to my life. Along with Iris comes the gorgeous Anya.’ He scanned the room for whoever was holding the baby now, so many people wanting to snuggle the child close.
‘Over here,’ Bub called.
‘I should have known,’ Dex remarked. ‘I don’t think any of us can get enough of that little girl. She’s special to the whole town.’
‘Hear, hear,’ someone called, and at the round of applause that followed, Anya clapped her hands as well.
Dex held up his hands for silence and then raised his glass. ‘I’d like to make three toasts and I don’t care if it goes against any sort of etiquette because you’ll probably have figured out by now that I’m not the etiquette type.’
‘No kidding,’ Bluey called, and people laughed again.
Dex waited for silence. ‘Firstly—to family and friends.’
Dex directed his glass towards his parents and siblings. Everyone echoed the toast.
‘Secondly—to the bride and groom.’
Everyone held their glasses in the direction of Melissa and Joss before echoing that toast.
He walked towards Iris and she stood, putting her arm around him as he held her close.
‘Thirdly—to true love that lasts for ever.’
They clinked glasses and looked into each other’s eyes.
‘For ever,’ Iris whispered and kissed him lovingly.
*
ISBN-13: 9781460377239
A BABY TO CARE FOR
Copyright © 2015 by Lucy Clark
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