Page 62 of Secrets of Riverside

‘Oh, thank god.’ He whooshed a breath. ‘I’m so deeply sorry to tell you all of this, but after weighing up what to do, I couldn’t bear the thought of never having you in my life, let alone you hating me.’

Noting the dark shadows beneath his eyes, her heart tumbled. She felt for him. One heck of a lot. And if she were being completely honest with herself, she was also deeply in love with him. ‘I could never hate you, Jarrah.’ And even though she’d willed herself to do just that, she meant it.

‘You don’t know how much that means to me, Mills.’ He rubbed a thumb over the back of her hand. ‘So, where do we go from here?’

‘Before we go anywhere from here, I have something extremely important to tell you too.’ It was her turn to speak her truth.

‘Okay.’ He let go of her hands but remined kneeling at her side. ‘Should I be worried?’

‘That depends.’ She paused and sighed a pent-up breath away. ‘I’m pregnant, Jarrah.’

His mouth opened but no words came out. He cleared his throat, sucked in a breath, and shook his head, blinking faster. ‘You mean?’ A myriad of emotions flickered in his eyes.

‘Yes, it’s yours, ours, we’re pregnant.’ She was filling in the silence, but needed to stop to allow him to speak, to say what was on his heart, in his soul, at her news.

‘Wow, I’m going to be a dad.’ Leaping to his feet, he dragged her into his arms. ‘You’ve just made me the happiest man alive.’

‘Do you really mean that?’

‘Yes, I do.’ He unravelled his arms a little, so he could lean back and look into her eyes. ‘I hope this means you might want to give us a go?’

How could she not? He made her feel cherished, cared for, loved. And in that moment, her heart swung open, inviting his in. And all the hurt and distrust and anger faded away, leaving nothing but pure, deep, enduring love. ‘That’s a big hell yes from me.’ Rising up on her tippy toes, she laced her arms around his neck, leant in, and met his lips.

Jarrah pressed her even closer to him, and she invited him to deepen the kiss. A low growl escaped him, driving her wild. She didn’t want to talk about their past any longer – they’d have plenty of time for that in their future. For now she just wanted to feel, and surrender, and love him like he deserved to be loved. And she wanted him to love her, like she deserved to be loved. There’d be no coming back from the place he was about to take her to, and she worshipped the thought, because in reality she’d never wanted to return from the utopia he’d already introduced her to. This time around, she wanted to remain there with him. Forevermore. Of that, she was certain.

‘Are you sure?’ His gaze caught hers and held it.

No words were needed. She tore at his shirt, desperate to feel his skin upon hers, to feel his hands on her breasts and his lips trailing over the frantic pulse in her throat. Soon enough, their clothes were in piles at their feet.

Helping her onto the bed, Jarrah rested down beside her. Locking his gaze to hers, he ran the back of his hand gently down her cheek. ‘I love you, Millie, and I’m going to love you forever.’

With her heart overflowing, she was hungry to be at one with him. ‘I love you too, Jarrah, so much it actually makes it hard to take a breath.’ Never had she ever wanted anyone, or anything, so much.

His gaze regarded hers. ‘I know exactly what you mean.’

‘Then make love to me, Jarrah, please.’

Jarrah didn’t need any more of an invitation and she savoured every touch, every sigh, every whispered word, as he trailed kisses down her neck, across her collarbone, over her nipples, then lower, lower, until he reached her sweet place. Arching her back, she pressed into him, moaning at the mind-blowing pleasure. His tongue was slow, soft, teasing at first, but then he built the crescendo, licking, sucking and kissing until she was teetering on the euphoric brink of ecstasy. And just as she was about to somersault into rapture, he stopped and, retracing his kisses, met with her lips. In a moment of feverish passion, she rolled him onto his back and climbed on top of him. It was her turn to set the tempo. Slowly, she invited him inside her, and once he was there, it felt as if her entire body fizzled with bliss. He grabbed hold of her hips, and moving in unison, they rode the waves of pleasure together, climbing higher and higher until there was nowhere left to go. Indulgence rippled throughout her at the very same time he cried out with gratification. Gasping, sated and now even more in love with him, she collapsed against him while trying to catch her breath. Nuzzling her neck, he rolled her to the side and cuddled into her from behind. No words were needed right now. They’d just silently told each other everything they’d needed to know. Wrapped within his arms she felt so at peace, so safe, so filled with happiness.

Hours later, a beautiful warmth pressing into Millie’s back woke her. Blinking heavy eyelids open, she smiled when she spotted Jarrah’s tattooed arms, wrapped tightly around her, holding her as close to him as he could, with his hands resting protectively on her belly. His slow rhythmic breath brushed against her neck, giving rise to goosebumps – even in sleep, he could send sparks throughout her. As if sensing her gaze upon him, he stirred, and his eyes flickered open, and the smile he bestowed upon her was toe-curling.

‘Hey, beautiful.’ His voice was ruggedly husky, and sexy as hell.

‘Hey, handsome.’ Rolling to her other side, she tenderly placed her hand over his scarred cheek. ‘Thank you, for saving me that night.’

He placed a hand over hers. ‘I just wish I could have saved all of you.’

‘I know you do.’ She blinked faster as she bit her lip. ‘So, back to your question from a few hours ago, where do we go from here?’

‘How about you and our little one come back to Riverside Acres with me, and we all call it home?’

‘I really like the sound of that.’ She smiled brightly. ‘Very much.’

‘Good, because I plan on making you my wife in the not-too-distant future, too.’

‘Oh, you do, do you?’ Her comeback was filled with sass.

‘Yes,’ was his confirming reply.

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