Page 141 of Gracefully Yours

Despite the tears still streaming down her face, she was smiling brightly with happiness.

“I’m pregnant,” she said, not able to pull her gaze away from the sticks. She looked at them with amazement, like she couldn’t quite believe this was happening. With so much reverence, because I knew this was something she’d always wanted. “We’re having a baby.”

The only reason I didn’t fall to my knees was because I was holding on to her.

Charlotte—my lifeline. The love of my life.

“This is it. Everything you wanted.” I let my forehead rest against hers.

Charlotte shook her head. “Not everything.” She cupped my face in her hands, framing them as her eyes held mine captive. “Because everything—that includes you.”

And I let go of all my fears, my doubts, my worries, and I kissed my wife.

Kissed her with everything I had—every ounce of love, care, and affection I’d carried for her all those years. The years of loving her quietly from the sidelines, being her best friend. Kissed her with every intention I had for the future. My heart was filled with the certainty that I would love her forever.

“You have me,” I promised. “You have me.”

Her arms slid around my neck, and I could feel the warmth of her body against mine. I was lost in the moment as our lips touched. Her kiss was intoxicating, and I knew that I could never resist her.

“Make love to me,” she whispered, already a writhing, needy thing as she rocked against my thigh. “Please, I need you.”

“But—” I ran my fingers over her head, tenderly. “Are you sure you’re okay? After yesterday…”

“I’m sure.” She took my hand in hers, placing it on her breast. “I want my husband to remind me who I belong to.”

Fuck.“Baby—” I warned, my voice low, body trembling as her small hands tugged at my shirt, untucking it from my pants. Pulling it off, and I let her. Of course I let her. I did the same to her, pulling off her top, then unclasping her lacy bra, eager to have her bare in front of me.

Her hair fanned out on the light pink quilted comforter as she lay sprawled out in front of me on her childhood bed, both of us naked.

I kissed her flat stomach, knowing our baby was growing inside of there. A fact that I couldn’t get over—that we’d created alife.

As I slid a finger inside of her, she gasped and arched her back, her body responding to my touch. No matter how badly both of us needed this connection, I didn’t want to hurt her.

“Daniel.”She moaned my name, and fuck, I liked it. Too much.

I added another finger, feeling her growing wetter as I scissored them inside of her.

“That’s it,” I coaxed. “My good girl. You’re so wet for me.” I could feel her getting closer, the way her insides were squeezing my fingers, but I just kept up my slow pace, before pulling my fingers out and popping them into my mouth, groaning at her taste on my tongue.

Too long. It had been far too fucking long since I’d tasted her.

Our eyes connected, and it was like I was under a spell, because I couldn’t look away. Not for a single second, even as I slid inside of her, soaking up her gasp as I thrust in deep.

“Oh.” Her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

“Fuck, baby, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No. You could never.” Her eyes filled with tears, and I wiped them away with my thumb. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this, Daniel—and I care more about it being you than anything else. Nothing else matters but us.”

It was like I had known all along, always—“You’re mine.” I captured her lips with mine as I slid inside her again, torturously slow.

“I’m yours. I’ve always been yours. And I’ll always be yours. Always yours.” She promised, and kissed me again, deeply, and I kissed her—my wife, my best friend of almost ten years—back with everything I had.

And when we came, it was together, her soft voice whispering into my ear as I detonated, her following seconds behind me, my name on her lips.

But we didn’t say I love you. We didn’t need to.

I’d give her the words, anyway.

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