Page 80 of The Irish Arrangement

“Declan…” I sniffled, hating that tears fell so easily around him now.

He stopped, facing me with his hand raised, pausing as he raked his hair back.

“What?”

I also want you to know that… I love you.

No words could come.

29

DECLAN

“What?” I turned back to her, suspended with tension for what else she might say.

This magnificent woman had given me so many ups and downs. Life was a roller coaster with her, and I wasn’t sure why she would be looking at me like this, worried and anxious.

And sad.

Does she not want this baby?

“I love you,” she whispered.

I froze, letting her sweet confession fill my mind and patch my heart.

“What did you say?” I stalked closer to her, impatient to hold her and look into her eyes for any hint of a lie as she repeated it.

She was still bound, and I rectified that as I reached her. Kneeling on the bed, I untied her as she stared up at me, her green eyes wide with vulnerability.

“I love you.”

“You couldn’t lead with that?” I challenged.

She’d amazed me with this news about her being pregnant. As soon as she told me that we would be having a baby, I struggled to breathe through the shock. I felt struck. Knocked over. Blown away. The concept that she was going to be the mother of my child was such a large one that I lagged to accept it.

It sounded too good to be true.

It seemed like I’d wanted it for so long that now that it was happening, I had to shift my mind all over again. And open up my heart that much more.

Once her arms were free, she looped them over my back.

I slammed my mouth to hers, tasting the salt of her tears. She mewled, parting her lips as she breathed into me and kissed me for all she was worth. Pushing against me, she poured her affections into the gesture, and my already hard dick ached even more to be inside her.

“I love you,” she repeated as I held her close, reveling in her naked, warm presence that molded so perfectly against me.

“I love this baby, and I am so shocked and happy that we can have one.”

I kissed her again and brushed back her red tresses to peer into her turbulent gaze. “Why wouldn’t you be happy?”

“I…” She sighed, clinging to me as I hugged her closer, lying on my side to face her.

“I never wanted a child before. When I knew my life would be nothing more than working on Mom’s farm and making as much money as I could to care for her, I didn’t want to bring a new life into that hardship. But now that I’ve found you and realized how much I could love you, from the bottom of my heart, I am excited about the future, not worried. At least I’m not worried about this child’s future. He or she will have the best dad.”

Her slow, shy smile killed me. Her tender kiss melted my heart.

“And a present mom who will always acknowledge him or her.” She grinned, confident to express how much she’d love our child.

I held her tightly, kissing her as I prompted her to roll with me. With her body draped over mine, her arms around my neck and my hands secured over her ass, I moaned at the heat of her bare pussy over my erection.

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