Page 62 of Broken Bonds

More exciting.

“Don’t cry,” he says, kissing my cheeks again. “Don’t be afraid we’ll be fine. This is a new beginning, Stella, our do-over.”

“Lionel, I…”

“I take good care of what’s mine. I know that this situation of ours is special, but the future awaits us,” he declares, looking at me with intensity, his eyes burning into me. “Now, you’re mine.”

“I’ve always been yours,” I gasp. “Always.”

“Now more than ever.” I want to argue with him, he’s the only one, the owner of my heart, but air can’t reach my lungs. He stole my breath away.

His head falls on my chest, and from his chest comes a small laugh that reverberates in mine.

“There are no words…” he murmurs, and although he hasn’t finished the sentence, I fully understand what just happened.

His hands caress my sides while mine tangle in his hair, holding him right where he is, although he has tried to move, not to crush me with the weight of his body. And the truth is that I love it. I love the feeling of his strength on me.

Alive.

Owned.

And the certainty of something falls on me like a bucket of ice water.

Mentally I begin to count. What have I done?

God, what have I done?

“Lionel,” I tell him. The concern is noticeable in my voice.

“Don’t tell me you left something in the oven, and it’s about to burn. I couldn’t move even if I wanted to. And I don’t want to.” He leaves a kiss on the side of my boob.

In response, I laugh, but this is serious.

“Lionel, what we just did…” I start, and he stops me.

“Don’t give it too much thought. We are married.”

“Lionel, I’m not on the pill,” I say in a shaky voice. “I know that since we got married, you wanted children, but we should wait.”

Moving nimbly, he lies on his back, taking me with him. Now, I’m resting on his chest. This is my home. I want to stay and live here forever.

“We’ve been trying for three months,” I continue, reviewing the facts. “It would be ironic if it happens when I tell you that I think we should wait. Right?”

I hear him take a deep breath before speaking. His left hand continues to move tenderly down my back, through my hair. I run my fingers through the short hair on his chest and down his torso. Across the wound and surgery scars. Down the muscles on either side of his body.

It’s incredible, this man is mine.

That makes me feel like a goddess and, at the same time, so humble.

Why me? A girl who doesn’t have anything that makes her stand out in a crowd.

“Never be afraid to tell me what you think,” he says. I move to look at him, resting my chin on his chest. He has his head on his right arm and is looking at the ceiling. “I agree, we should wait. Why rush when we have our whole life ahead of us? Also, I’m not ready to share you just yet. Wow, I’m not even ready to go back to work on Monday and leave you here at home.”

I pat him on the shoulder, being careful not to hurt him. He’s pretty recovered, but still…

“I hope you haven’t made any plans to get out of the house this weekend,” he laughs. “Tomorrow, I’m going to buy the biggest box of condoms they have at the pharmacy, and after that, I’m not going to let you out of this bed. You’ve been summoned, Mrs. Kral.”

This is also new. It’s been a long time since we’ve stayed in bed talking and laughing at nonsense. “What? And like a good wife, I have to fulfill my conjugal duties?”

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