Page 34 of Securing the Odds

And she did. And it was heaven.

No.

It was home.

Chapter 14

Naked,spent, and sprawled across Jake’s chest, listening to his heartbeat, with his fingers tracing lazily up and down her spine, creating goosebumps on her arms, Tammy had never been more content.

After round one in the kitchen, Jake had swept her up and carried her to the bedroom for round two. With the two of them kneeling on the bed, he’d taken her from behind. A first for her—not the position but the orgasm she received from it.

Not by choice, her sex life had never been very fulfilling, so that Jake took the time to make sure she had agood time, was a big plus. In fact, there were a lot of pluses adding up in Jake’s column. She wasn’t a pessimist, but she was worried he was too good to be true.

She also wasn’t usually a self-sabotager, but there was just one last hurdle she had to get over before things between them could go further.

Sitting up, she crossed her legs, pulling the sheet over her lap and tucking it under her arms. Jake raised a brow but stayed how he was, lying back, propped on a pillow, arm bent at the elbow with his hand shoved under his head.

“We, um, need to talk.”

His brow furrowed and he sat up, leaning against the headboard. “That sounds ominous.”

She twisted her fingers in the sheet puddled on her lap. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean it to be. But before this,” she made a waving motion between the two of them, “goes any further, there’s something you need to know.”

He remained silent, patiently waiting for her to continue. She threw him a small smile, working up her nerve. Once what she had to say was out, there’d be no pulling it back. Even loving Jake as much as she did, this was one thing she wouldn’t compromise on. She hadn’t done it for Kevin, and she wouldn’t do it for Jake.

Deciding to just spit it out and let the cards fall where they may, she blurted, “I want a baby.”

He raised a brow. “Right now?”

She shook her head. “No, but it is something I’d want within a year or two. I know it seems funny, thinking about things so far in advance when we’re so new, but I’m not getting any younger, and I wasted so much time on Kevin—”

Jake threw up a hand. Stopping her. “First rule, baby. His name, nor the name of any other man, will ever be mentioned when we’re in bed together. Especially when one or both of us are naked.”

It was now Tammy’s turn to raise a brow. “First rule?”

“Yeah. Considering I’m planning to put my ring on your finger, this, I’m sure, will be the first rule of many, for both of us.”

“So, does that mean you want kids?”

“Not sure I want a houseful, if that’s what you have in mind, but I’ve always wanted two or three.”

She was quick to agree. “Two or three sounds perfect.” She felt a weight lift from her shoulders, and a happy smile tugged at her lips. “I was so worried you wouldn’t want any.”

“Babe, come here.”

She scooted until she was sitting by his hip.

“Closer.”

“Any closer and I’ll be sitting on your lap.”

He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and muttered, “Now she gets it.”

With a chuckle, she straddled his hips, his hands landing on her ass, tucking her in close. “What I have to say is very important, so I want you to pay attention.”

He waited for her nod before he continued.

“I’ve never been married. Never met anyone I even entertained that thought. Until two years ago. I saw you and knew you were the one. The one I’ve been waiting my whole life for. The one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Have babies with. Grow old with. Do you understand what that means?”

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