Page 20 of Royal Surrogate 2

“How did I know what?” She straightens herself in the bed. “About the bunny? I saw the owl pick it up. I had no idea those things were so strong.”

I smile. “Why do you think I gave you that name, little owl?”

Her cheeks turn a shade of pink I don’t think I’ve seen on her, and it’s very becoming. But the smile that lights her face is even more beguiling.

“But I was asking how you knew about the baby.” I kiss the back of her hand again. “I thought you were asleep when they did the ultrasound. And you seemed so concerned when you woke up just now.”

Her eyebrows draw together. “I don’t know what you mean. What about the baby?”

“He.” I grin. “You called him ahe.”

Her mouth falls open a little and she blinks at me several times. “It’s…it’s a boy? Really?”

I nod, kissing her hand again.

But she does better, pulling her hand from mine and throwing her arms around my neck, intravenous and cardiac lines be damned.

“I can’t believe it,” she whispers into my ear. “You’re sure?”

I nod against her, holding her body against mine while she’ll allow it. I close my eyes, imagining for a moment that she knows the truth and that she’s choosing to be in my arms.

She doesn’t move. It takes me a moment to realize it. Butshe doesn’t move.

I dip my head, nuzzling her neck. She doesn’t fight me, doesn’t pull away. Instead, I can feel her pulse quicken, her breaths increase.

My god, I want her. I hadn’t known what I had until I almost lost her, and now I can’t help but realize I never actually had her in the first place.

But I must tell her the truth. Before this goes any farther, I have to tell her about our contract.

When she turns her head, though, and our lips meet, I can’t think of anything else. Her sweet mouth is so hungry, so desperate, so?—

“Renae,” I whisper. If she’s open to consummating our marriage, she should at least know the truth about it. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

She turns to me. “Anything.” She gives me the smallest of smiles.

It feels as though my stomach has dropped to my toes, but I know this is the right thing to do. This secret has gone on long enough. I want Renae to be my wife—in body, heart, mind. I want us to both shout it from the top of the mountainside. And perhaps knowing now that our baby is safe inside her, she won’t be quite so upset with me for keeping the truth from her all these weeks.

I kiss her hand again.

“What it is?” She grins. “It can’t be all bad, right?”

“No. No, it isn’t bad at all.” I clear my throat, squeezing her hand. Then I stand, but the way she peers up at me seems so awkward I drop to my knees again.

She cocks her head. “You’re making me nervous.”

“It’s not…” I clear my throat again. “It’s just that…” I nod. “Truly, it’s good news. It’s just?—”

“Ah!” A nurse appears at Renae’s bedside, shooing me away as she fiddles with the lines on her chest. I do as I’m advised, as it looks as though the woman could knock me out with a single wave of her arm. “Do I need to have you removed from the hospital?”

“No. No ma’am.” I slink back to the chair I’ve been sitting in for the past few days.

She turns to Renae. “Is he bothering you?”

She shakes her head. “No. He just said he had some news to give me.”

The nurse clucks her tongue before grabbing me by the ear as though I’m a little boy. She pulls me into the hallway, clicking Renae’s door closed behind her before she lets go of me, giving me a slight shove into the wall.

“You’ll do nothing to upset my patient. Nothing to excite her. Nothing. Do you understand, Papa?”

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