Page 67 of Jonathan

They spoke in the quiet of the night, making plans and marveling at the idea of making a child.

“Boy or girl?” She lifted her head to gauge his response and saw a quizzical smile touched his sensuous lips.

“You expect me to say boy.”

“I do, yes.”

He touched a finger to the tip of her nose.

“I want a daughter who bears a very strong resemblance to her beautiful mother. So that I can have the privilege of treating her like a princess.”

Her eyes narrowed as she studied his face. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

“Why would I lie?” He asked mildly. “And then a son or two of course.”

“To train them into being cowboys.”

“Anything wrong with that?”

“Nothing. But I reserve the right to at least teach them some culture. Any by the way, how many are we talking?”

His grin widened. “Four or five.”

She snorted. “When you start having a uterus, you get to make that call. Until that time, the decision is all mine.”

“I am the one with the sperm.” He pointed out logically.

“Hooray for you. Until you can push a baby out of you, I rule. Hands down.”

He merely grinned at her. “Three then?”

“We’ll see. Now shut up and kiss me.”

When he did, she just melted.

Their laughter filled the air, mingling with the soft whispers of the night. The stars above seemed to twinkle in rhythm with the beat of their hearts, and the moon cast a gentle glow, as if blessing their union. Wrapped in each other's embrace, they felt an unspoken promise of forever.

As the night wore on, they spoke of dreams and aspirations, weaving them together like the delicate threads of a tapestry. They imagined their future home, filled with the laughter of children and the warmth of love. They pondered the names they would give their babies, each one holding a special significance.

In that sacred moment, nothing else mattered. They were two souls, intertwined, creating a world of their own. The future was a canvas, waiting for them to paint their story, one brushstroke at a time.

And as they drifted off to sleep, the serenity of their love enveloped them like a cocoon, promising new beginnings and endless possibilities.

*****

“Hey.” Hunkering down beside the chaise lounge, he scanned his eyes over her, feeling the familiar jolt as he stared at the bulge of her belly. She was going on seven months, and they had discovered they were having a daughter. He couldn’t be happier.

She had survived a very brutal winter that had given her bad patches of worry for him as he stayed out with his men battling with the vagaries and fickleness of the weather which had caused flooding and several animals succumbing to the impossible cold.

After what seemed like a year of the brutal cold, the weather had changed. Spring had not made an appearance except for a few showers of rain that had washed the snow away to make room for the summer. And she had adjusted to being a rancher’s wife.

Her book was coming out in a few months, and she had started another. This one being on a more personal level.

“Why are you here?” Her brow cleared and she rolled her eyes in exasperation. “I specifically told her not to call you. It’s just heartburn.”

Rising, he sat on the edge of the chair and took her hand in his. The nursery was already prepared, with her supervision and he could not resist the urge to step inside the room and look around, imagining his daughter sleeping in her cot.

“I gave instructions to alert me if there was anything going on. Mother knows that if I am left out of the loop, I would be pissed.” His eyes clouded. “How bad, baby?”

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