I opened it and frowned for a second trying to figure what it was supposed to be.
My eyes widened at the realization and I looked up briskly.
“Is that…”
“A rattle?” She nodded. “Yes, it is.”
“Does it mean?”
She nodded resting her hand on her stomach, her eyes filling with tears.
We have not really tried to make that baby, she’d stopped the pills a couple of months ago, she was about to graduate and we thought we should just give it a go.
I stood up and walked around my desk, my own eyes burning with unshed tears.
I rested my hand on top of hers and kissed her forehead.
“Our baby.” I sighed, rubbing her hand that was still on her stomach. “Timmy will be pleased with a sibling.”
Timmy was an amazing child, he was even brighter than I could have imagined. He filled me with huge fatherly pride.
Amber and I adopted Timmy officially, it seemed logical, we loved him as our son.
We’d also decided about telling him the truth when he would be old enough to understand.
“He will.” She confirmed. “He’d been asking for a little brother or sister for the past year.”
“Well,” I cocked my head to the side with a half-smile. “He also asked if his sibling could be a duck.” His love for the aviary was still not gone.
She laughed. “True.”
“Thank you, my love.” I took the hand resting on her stomach and kissed it. “Thank you for making me happy and giving me so much. You gave me love, you gave me hope, you gave me a family….a purpose.” I hugged her. “I don’t deserve you.”
She kissed my neck. “You do deserve me. You deserve it all because you are making me so happy and loved in ways I could have never dreamed of.”
I closed my eyes and let her body heat seep and I felt her stomach against mine and our child growing in her.
Lea had been right, trusting Amber, letting her in had been the best thing I’d ever done.
Because Amber and I? It was always and forever.
Fourteen years later
“Amy Lea Beaumont, what are you doing?!” I hissed at my thirteen-year-old daughter, who was popping her gum. “Now is not the time.”
Amy sat down heavily. Pouting, she turned toward Dean. She had her father’s eyes and she was a real daddy’s girl. She also had him wrapped around her little finger.
“Don’t look at me. Your mother’s right. This is your brother’s graduation, so just behave. Look at Eddie.”
Amy glared at Eddie, who was sitting on the other side of me, dressed in a gray suit. I swear, our son was eight going on fifty.
Eddie smirked at her and I rolled my eyes. Our baby was a shit stirrer too.
Turning back to Dean, I met his laughing eyes over Amy’s head. My husband, with his greying temples and laughing lines, had turned into the epitome of a silver fox.
Even now, after seventeen years, I had a hard time keeping my hands off him. And I knew I just needed to give him a certain look to wake up his cock.
As they started to call the students' names, I turned toward the stage. I watched as the students got their degree one by one. Finally, it was our son's turn. Afterward, Timmy returned to the stage as Valedictorian.
His speech was just like him - wise, spirited, inspiring, and a little humorous.
He smiled at us. "I want to take a minute to thank my mother and father. Thank you for loving me and supporting me. Thank you for always being here for me. Thank you for showing me days in and days out that true love exists. Thank you for being the best parents."
Timmy had grown up to be a young man that was close to perfect. We'd told him the truth when he was fifteen and he'd taken it well. He'd said, genetics didn't matter; we were his parents.
Watching the ceremony was bittersweet. In a few weeks, Timmy would be moving to the west coast to attend the University of California in Davis. He wanted to become a veterinarian and theirs was the best program for doing so. I was happy for him, but I was also sad to lose my baby.
Dean had also been a little bit saddened by Timmy's decision. He'd hoped our child would take over Beaumont Enterprises, but he also wanted all of our children to follow their dreams.
Plus, we were pretty certain that Eddie would follow after his father. He was a businessman at heart, which was funny given he was the spitting image of his father.
At the end of the ceremony, we met Dee, Lea, and Susan by the exit.
“Aunt Dee, I’m so happy you came.” Timmy leaned down to give her a hug. He was a tall young man - even taller than Dean, who towered at 6’2’’.
“Like I would have ever missed this.” She patted his cheek. “I’m so proud of you.”
We chatted for a while before Timmy left to join his friends for the graduation party.
Taking my hand, Dream intertwined our fingers together. “So I didn’t tell you yet, but Lea and Susan are going to take Amy and Eddie for the night.”
“Are they?” I asked with a small smile.
“Uh huh.”
“And what is on your mind, Mr. Beaumont? What would you like?"
“You naked on your knees, you naked on my desk, you naked on the kitchen table.”
I looked up, licking my lips. “Basically me naked?”
“You naked, always.” He leaned down, kissing me softly. “What do you say?”
“Yes, Mr. Beaumont. Whatever you want, Mr. Beaumont.”
His eyes darkened. He turned toward Amy and Eddie. “Kids, you’re staying with your aunts tonight. Bye,” he added, rushing us toward the car.
“Dean," I laughed. "We have time.”
“No, we don’t; we’ve got about twenty-four hours and with everything I want to do to you?” He snorted. “It will barely be enough.”
My stomach filled with butterflies like it had so many years ago. I've never stopped desiring him, never stopped loving and playing with him. I enjoyed yielding to his strength.
Dean Beaumont was so much more than my husband. He was my lover, my happiness.
We've had the best seventeen years together; I couldn't wait for the next seventeen.
First, thank you to all my readers for taking the time to read this book and take part in this journey with Amber and Dean. I really hope you enjoyed it.
I want to also thank Jolien and Fay for beta-reading this book and encouraging me when I was freaking out about it. Self-doubt is never too far away and they really eased my troubled mind.
Huge thanks to Ashley – you’re a fantastic PA and thanks for helping me navigate in all the uncharted waters.
To my squad who is always helping be getting the words out. I appreciate you more than I can say.
And as usual to my friends and family for helping me keeping sane (sort of) especially during these crazy times.
R.G
I’m a trained lawyer, world traveler, coffee addict, cheese aficionado, avid book reviewer and blogger.
I consider myself as an ‘Eclectic romantic’ as I love to devour every type of romance and I want to write romance in every sub-genre I can think of.
When I’m not busy doing all my lawyerly mayhem, and because I’m living in rainy (yet beautiful) Britain, I mostly enjoy indoor activities such as reading, watching TV, playing with my crazy puppies and writing stories I hope will make you dream and will bring you as much joy as I had writing them.