Page 117 of Lyrical

“Sorry, I wasn’t all with it then. And I know I gave you a bit of a hard time about taking care of me, but thank you. Thank you for being there for me when I really needed you. Even if I didn’t realize how much until now.”

“I’ll always be there, Jillian. You should know that by now. Not even wild horses could drag me away from you.”

I laughed. “I know.” God, had anything ever felt so right before? For the first time since the argument with Daniel, I revisited our future and what that might mean.

“I’m ready to talk about it, Chase. Truly talk about it.”

“Talk about what, beautiful?”

“A baby,” I said quietly. Or maybe I just thought it was quiet because my heart was deafening my ears.

He grasped my chin, tilting my head up. “Do you honestly think you can say something like that without looking at me?”

“I’m nervous.” I shouldn’t have been, but maybe he’d changed his mind. Which was a little ridiculous considering it hadn’t been that long. But God, this wasmajor.

He pulled away the strands of hair that kept flopping in my eyes. “What are you nervous about? Talk to me, Jillian.”

I stared into his eyes, and they both calmed and vitalized me. His green irises had softened into a shade I hadn’t noticed before. It might have been caused by that sappy moment I was having, but they looked exactly like spring. New life.

“I want a baby with you, Chase. I want that experience, and there’s no one else I could ever imagine having it with. I was scared before because I didn’t know if I could handle it, but I know I can. I’m healthy and you’re healthy, and with our love, we can create something wonderful together. We already have.”

I was frickin’ babbling while he watched me, his lips curving. “I fucking love you so much, Jillian.”

“Um… so that’s a yes, then?”

His kiss gave me the answer, and I couldn’t help feeling his cock even harder against my stomach. I broke free as his teeth nipped at my bottom lip. “Does just talking about this excite you?”

He began feasting on my neck. “You have no idea, Wild Horses.”

Mmm….I squirmed. “We still need to have a serious discussion about it. With clothes on. Maybe after all the wedding stuff’s over?”

“Sounds perfect.” His lips traveled lower.

“I want to get checked out first. Just to make sure everything’s good to go.”

“Whatever you need.” Fuck, more of that. His tongue was so hot against my breasts.

“And I want the baby before I turn forty.”

He looked up and laughed. “Even I’m not that good, Jillian,” he said, causing me to laugh with him. Yeah, even if I got pregnant that very second, I wouldn’t have him or her until I was a fortysomething. But I was okay with that.

We hadn’t discussed marriage yet either, and I was okay with that too. I knew forever meant forever with Chase, and that it’d happen for us. We couldn’t not be together.

“Any more requests?” he asked.

“Make love to me, Chase. Make me feel so good I’ll never want anything between us ever again.”

“Always.”

I swore he growled, a primal response that showed how much this meant to him. How ready he was for our life together. But as raw as his emotions were, he loved me gently, pouring his entire heart into it. Into me. It was exactly what I needed. The intensity would have torn me apart otherwise.

Later that night, I lay curled in his arms, never feeling better, my eyelids lazy in a post-pleasure haze. I was safe and secure and very much relaxed with Chase dozing beside me.

And that’s when I felt the twinge in my side.

Deep breath. Deep breath. Deeeeeeeep breath.

I had a calendar and a pad of paper spread out before me. I was going back, marking off dates and trying like hell to remember how long my longest cycle had ever been. How the fuck would I know when I got my period years ago? I only paid attention to that shit when I was actually having sex.

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