That’s when it hit him. Autumn was carrying his baby. Warmth washed over him like a wave and he grinned like crazy. “We’re having a kid?” he asked, putting the champagne glasses down on the wooden plank at his feet. His eyes were wide as he held his hand to her stomach. “Seriously?”
She put her hand over his, pressing it against her abdomen. “There’s nothing to feel yet. But there will be.”
“Yeah, there will.” He felt like he’d grown ten feet taller. He wanted to shout it out to the world. That this beautiful woman was his, and she was carrying his baby. God, it didn’t get any better.
“What was it you were going to tell me?” she asked him as he caressed her belly.
“What?”
“You said you were getting to something when you gave me the champagne,” she reminded him. “What was it?”
The ring! He ran his hand down his pocket. It was still there. Still waiting. The same way it had been all day.
“I wanted to ask you something. And I need you to know it’s not because of the baby, as freaking excited as I am.”
“Okay.” She gave him a confused smile.
He pulled the box from his pocket, then dropped to his knee, his face in line with her chest. Angling his head, his gaze met hers.
“Autumn Paxton, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. You’re the first thing I think about in the morning, and the last thing at night. I didn’t know what real love was until I met you. And you’re the only woman I’ll ever want to spend the rest of my life with.” He opened the box, and the ring glittered beneath the string lights. “It would be the greatest honor if you’d agree to marry me.” He leaned in to kiss her stomach through her satin dress. “If you’d both agree to it,” he said, his voice cracking.
Her eyes glinted as she reached for him, a half-laugh, half-sob escaping from her lips. “This isn’t just because of the baby?” she asked as he stood and pulled her into his arms.
“How could it be? I had no idea.” He pulled the ring out of the box and she held her hand out, swallowing hard as he pushed it onto her finger. “I know I said I never wanted to settle down, and I know you’re wary of ever marrying again, but I want to be your husband, and I gotta tell you, I’m desperate for you to be my wife.”
“I want that, too,” she said, rolling onto her toes to kiss him. “So much.”
He kissed her back, marveling at how soft her lips were. Then he touched her stomach again, amazed that a tiny life was growing in there. A little baby they’d made together.
A child who would always know how much it was loved. A child who would always be wanted, taken care of, adored.
For years he’d thought he’d never have that. Never have this overwhelming love that he both gave and received.
It was a brand new life – one he’d never dared to dream of. And he couldn’t wait for it to begin.
He brushed the tears away from her cheeks with his thumbs, pressing his lips to her nose. “I love you, baby,” he whispered to her, then looked down at her belly. “And you, too, baby.”
Autumn laughed through her tears. “And we love you, too. So much.”
Then she kissed him hard, as though she could never get enough of him.
“Come and dance with me,” he murmured against her lips. “We’ve got some celebrating of our own to do.”
They really did. As far as he was concerned, he’d be celebrating forever. Because his life was finally what he’d wanted it to be all along. Happy and complete.
Thanks to her.
THE END