Page 94 of Johnathan

“I’m not sure you’re ready to hear what I have to say.”

“I am. I want to know.”

God. Her stomach flipped. She hated being vulnerable. But this was John. The man who had saved her life. The man who had carried her home when she’d been drugged and stayed the night on her uncomfortable couch when she had a migraine. The man who had made love to her so thoroughly she was ruined for anyone else.

“It’s all so new. Everything between us.”

“It might be new, but it feels right. You fit with us. This is how it’s supposed to be.”

“I love you. And Katy. I see so much of my future here, with you, and I just am scared of it all going away. I’m scared to admit that I want this. I want forever with you.”

“You don’t need to be afraid of that, baby. I want forever with you too.”

“You do?”

“I think about it constantly. Coming home to you and Katy after work. All of us sitting around the table at dinner time. Planning family vacations. Laughing as we fight about whether the Christmas tree should be real or fake every year. Trying to keep the magic alive for Katy when we forget to slide money under her pillow from the Tooth Fairy.” His hand slid low on her stomach. “Kissing your belly as you grow our baby…”

“You really think about all that?”

He nodded. “You’re mine, Abby. You’re who I want by my side. There is nofallingin love with you because I already am. I’m so in love with you it hurts. Katy and I know you’re the missing piece to our family puzzle.”

“I feel it too. How perfectly I fit in here. But I can’t help that I’m still scared.”

“Of what?”

She reached her hand up to her scar. “Of this happiness being taken away.”

“Hey.” He pulled her hand away from her neck, pressing a kiss into her palm. “I’m never going to let anything happen to you. Never again.”

“I think you should put Katy in her bed. It seems like she’s going to be out for a while.”

“Yeah, I can do that.” The desire in his eyes had Abby squirming, but she wasn’t going to let him distract her. There was one more thing they needed to talk about before she’d be ready to truly give all of her heart to him. And she was finally going to bring it up.

“Good. Hurry back.”

John scooped Katy up from the couch and curled her close to his chest. Her fever had lowered and she’d gotten more color back in her face over the last few hours. The panic was slowly receding, and he had a feeling both he and Katy would sleep like logs that night.

He placed Katy in her bed, pulling up her comforter before kissing her head. John looked at the small trash can at the end of her bed, and moved it closer to where her head laid. There was a fifty-fifty chance she’d find it if she was sick again, but that was better than nothing.

“Lay down here.” Abby patted the pillow on her lap when he walked back into the living room.

“With my head on your lap?” he asked.

“Mhm. You had a tough day with Katy. I helped take care of her, now I’m going to take care of you.”

God, he loved the sound of that. “Okay.”

As soon as his head hit the pillow, she began to move her fingers through his hair. The touch had his eyes drifting close.

“That feels so nice, baby.”

“I want to take care of you, John. You’re always the one taking care of me. Saving me that night. My migraines. Even when I struggle with my nightmares. You were there. I’m here for you, too.”

Fuck. How did he get so lucky? They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes as Abby continued to scratch his scalp and massage away what felt like years of tension.

“Will you tell me about her?” she whispered.

His eyes popped open. “Who?”

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