Mr. Right All Along
Page 15
Now, in the aftermath of their lovemaking, he needed to make sure that Eve understood what it could mean if they stayed together. His heart jolted painfully at the thought.
‘I love you.’
Her voice was soft and he shivered when he heard the love it held. That she should love him this much filled him with fear. Was it fair to expect her to face the uncertainty of possibly having a child with a life-threatening condition? Was it right to accept her love and use it to his advantage? What if a time came when she regretted falling in love with him: how would it affect her then? She’d been through so much and what she didn’t need was more heartache…
‘You’re doing it again, Ryan. Over-thinking the problem.’ She laid her hand against his cheek. ‘I love you and because I love you I’m willing to face whatever the future has in store for us.’
‘Even if it means us having a child who’s affected by LQTS?’ he said gruffly, because it was impossible not to feel afraid, not to feel as though he was in the wrong.
‘Yes, even that.’ Her eyes held his fast. ‘I love you and I shall love our child too. I hope he or she won’t be affected but if it is we shall deal with it. Together.’
He wanted to believe her so much but years of uncertainty couldn’t be ignored. ‘Are you sure you can handle the strain, Eve? I know what my parents went through. Even though they were assured that I wasn’t at risk, they constantly worried about me. I can’t bear to think of you having to go through all that, my love.’
‘It wouldn’t be easy but I’d cope. I can cope with anything as long as we’re together. If that’s what you want, of course?’
Ryan frowned. ‘Of course it’s what I want. I can’t think of anything I want more, in fact.’
‘Are you sure? I know how wary you’ve always been of making a commitment and I’d hate to think that you…well, that you’ve been backed into a corner.’ She bit her lip. ‘I mean, you’re already seeing someone else, so it would be better if you told me if you aren’t completely sure this is what you want.’
‘Oh, I’m sure all right.’ He laughed as he hauled her into his arms and kissed her until they were both breathless. He drew back and looked deep into her eyes so there could be no mistake about what he was saying. ‘I’m not seeing anyone else, Eve. What I told Marie was a complete and utter fabrication. I simply couldn’t admit that my heart was breaking because we’d split up.’
‘Oh!’
‘Oh, indeed.’ He dropped another kiss on her lips, feeling the tension ooze out of her. His hand skimmed down her back, following the line of her spine as he felt desire surge through him once more. It made no difference that they had made love already; he wanted her again!
They made love slowly with a depth and intensity that brought tears to both their eyes. Eve sighed as she snuggled into his arms afterwards. Being with Ryan made her feel complete. It was as though she had rediscovered herself, found the person who had been missing for so long. She knew she had made the right decision, knew that she would never regret it either. She could face anything so long as Ryan was at her side, loving her too.
‘I love you,’ she said softly. ‘I know you’re worried but there’s no need. I know what I’m doing, Ryan. For the first time in years I know that I can cope with whatever life throws at me.’
‘You’re sure, aren’t you?’ he said wonderingly, and she laughed.
‘Yes. The old Eve is back, the one who always knew what she wanted.’ She dropped a kiss on his lips and grinned at him. ‘And what I want is you!’
Five years later
‘No! Put that down… Oh!’
Eve gasped as the twins turned the hose on her, soaking her to the skin. She made a lunge for them but they had already taken to their heels and disappeared down the garden. She shook her head, trying not to laugh because it wouldn’t send out the right message. Three-year-old Adam and Liam were a pair of little rips, never happier than when they were getting up to mischief. She’d only left the hose unattended for a couple of minutes and now look at the state of her.
‘Hmm, either you decided to take a shower or the boys got you.’
Ryan didn’t attempt to hide his amusement as he came out of the house. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, uncaring that her wet clothes were soaking the front of him. He’d been as thrilled as she’d been when tests had proved that neither of the boys had inherited the gene that caused LQTS. Eve knew how worried he’d been, especially after they’d discovered she was having twins, but there’d been no need. Adam and Liam were two healthy and happy little boys, even if they did have a penchant for getting into trouble!
‘Your sons are little monsters!’ she declared when he let her go.
‘My sons?’ His right brow arched. ‘How come they’re mine when they’re naughty and yours the rest of the time?’
‘That’s just how it is,’ she said loftily, then squealed when he swung her up in his arms and carried her over to the paddling pool, which she’d been in the process of filling.
‘Don’t you dare, Ryan Sullivan,’ she ordered as he dangled her over the water. ‘Ryan, no!’
Cold water sloshed over her as he deposited her in the pool and she gasped. Scrambling to her feet, she stared down at herself for a second then picked up a yellow plastic bucket. ‘You’re going to regret that,’ she warned him, scooping up a bucketful of water.
He tried to sidestep but she was too quick for him. Eve laughed when the water caught him squarely in the chest. ‘That should cool you down!’ she crowed, refilling the bucket.
Another dousing of cold water ensued before he retaliated by picking up the hose. Eve leapt out of the pool and fled towards the house, laughing when he caught up with her. ‘Enough! I’m soaked, you’re soaked, so let’s call it quits.’
‘Good job I’m feeling generous,’ he said, grinning at her. He dropped the hose onto the grass then turned her into his arms and kissed her. ‘Do you know how much I love you, Eve Sullivan?’
‘Enough to stop soaking me with that hose?’
‘Yep. That’s how much,’ he growled, his mouth finding hers again.
Eve closed her eyes and sighed. She hadn’t believed that life could be this good but it just seemed to get better every day. She had Ryan and their beautiful boys as well as a job she loved. She had everything she had ever dreamed of and the best thing was that she had found herself too. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him back. She was the luckiest woman in the world!
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460324837
MR. RIGHT ALL ALONG
Copyright (c) 2014 by Jennifer Taylor
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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