Page 121 of Wed to You

Chelsea didn’t know how to respond. It sounded like he still wanted her.

“I’m a little dense about these things because I’m new at them. What do I know about love or making relationships work? Nothing. What I do know is that something is dying inside me and it feels like you’re the only one who can stop it. Is that love?”

She inhaled deeply but was still unable to respond.

He stood and paced the room. “It has to be.” He stopped and looked on her. “I know we went at this backward. It’s supposed to be first love and then marriage. But maybe that is how it happened, because I think I loved you the moment I saw you at Mitch and Sydney’s wedding.”

Chelsea closed her eyes, savoring the warmth and life that filled her chest cavity. He loved her. Or thought he did. Yet, there was so much more to talk about.

“I get that I hurt you and you probably want nothing to do with me—”

“Jagger—”

“Please, let me finish. I want to get this out.” He sat on the coffee table again. “What I want is to tear this up and for you to come home to the cottage with me or I’ll move here. The other option is that I sign this, but you let me show you I can be a man worthy of your love and we get married again, when you feel I’ve proven it to you.”

Tears streamed down her face, but she was too stunned to wipe them.

“Please tell me those are happy tears, because I don’t want to even speak option three out loud.” He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket. In a tender, sweet gesture, he wiped her tears before handing it to her. “Tell me you can work with option one or two. Preferably number one.”

She wanted option one and to throw herself in his arms, but it wasn’t time for that. Not yet. She gathered herself together. “Before I answer, there is something I need to tell you.”

He took a sharp intake of breath, as if bracing himself. She hoped what she was about tell him wasn’t going to be taken badly.

She bit her lower lip as she gathered her courage. “There’s a possibility that I’m...pregnant.”

He blinked, which was his only response. Had he heard her? Then his eyes studied her, as if he was trying to figure out what she was telling him. “Would it be mine?” His voice was hopeful.

She jerked back in surprise. “Yes, Jagger, who else’s would it be?”

He shook his head. “Yes, of course, I’m sorry. It’s just that your tone sounded negative, and I’m not seeing the downside, unless you don’t love me too. Why would you telling me this make you nervous?” Then he stopped and his brilliant blue eyes darkened. “You weren’t going to tell me, were you?”

“I don’t have anything to tell right now. I was going to take a test, and if it was positive, I would have told you. Of course, I would. I just...you made it sound like you didn’t want kids. To risk the whole custody thing again. I was afraid you’d think I did it on purpose. That I lied about being on the pill.”

He was shaking his head before she finished. “I know you wouldn’t have lied about that.” His brows furrowed. “I guess that would put us in the one percent.” Then he smiled. “I didn’t think I wanted my own children, but that was before I realized I love you.”

There it was again. He loved her.

“What I haven’t heard, Chels, is how you feel about me. What are you going to do if you are pregnant?”

“Remember how I fought so hard to keep our relationship platonic, businesslike?”

He nodded, and she saw dread fill his eyes.

“I did that because I knew doing all the things married people do wouldn’t be for fun, like an affair. I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep my feelings from being real. I didn’t want to come to the end and discover it really was all a farce. I’ve always been attracted to you, Jagger. Every woman is. But when I saw you with Kaden, when I got to know you deep inside, I couldn’t help but love you. It was difficult because I couldn’t tell what was real and what was fake between us sometimes.”

His head dropped and when he looked up, his blue eyes were filled with tears. “You’re the only one who ever really saw me.” He reached over to pick up the envelope. “Can we tear this up, Chelsea?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

He tore it up and tossed each half to the side. Then he reached for her, pulling her into his arms, and wrapping her in his love. His kiss was tender, thorough, and filled with such love she nearly wept. When he pulled away, he pushed the red tendrils of her hair away from her face. “Is there a reason you’ve been waiting on this pregnancy thing?”

“I didn’t realize it until now, but yes.”

“Will you tell me?”

She snuggled into his arms and looked into his face. “I was hoping you’d come here and tell me you loved me and wanted to be with me.”

His expression showed confusion. “What if I didn’t?”

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