Page 11 of Taurus
“Never,” he kisses me deeply. “I’m finally home.”
Epilogue
CORDELIA
Hearing the squeals of delight from my children drifting through the open window of our cottage wakes me from my afternoon nap. This third pregnancy is taking more out of me than ever before, but I'm so lucky for a husband like Jace to pick up the slack.
“Shh,” I hear him chuckle. “Mommy’s still sleeping.”
Marina presses her little face against the glass of the sliding door to check on me. I give her a little wave, and her beautiful smile lights up her face.
“She’s up!” she yells. “Daddy! Wade!”
Struggling to sit up with my growing belly, I breathlessly use whatever core strength I have and only barely manage it. I walk over to the door and step out onto the patio to see Jace scoop up our son Wade into his arms and tickle his sides, making him giggle.
Marina latches onto my leg, her near semi-permanent spot whenever she can.
“Hello, my sweet girl,” I say, brushing her wild blonde curls away from her face.
She smiles up at me. “Is today the day?”
"Not today," I say as I rub my hand over my round belly. "But you will be a big sister real soon."
She’s been counting down the days, loving the idea that she will be both a little and big sister at once.
“Did we wake you?” Jace asks, walking over with Wade slung over his shoulder.
I shake my head. “It was time to get up. I promised two little ones that we would all go swimming.”
Wade wiggles in Jace’s arms, forcing Jace to set him down.
“Come on, Marina!” he yells, running down to the beach.
She follows after him, pumping her little arms but never gaining enough speed to catch her older brother.
“How are you feeling?” Jace asks, resting his hand on my belly.
“Like I’ve swallowed a beach ball.”
Jace wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into his side. “You’re gorgeous.”
"You have to say that. You’re the reason we didn’t stop at two.”
He smiles conspiratorially at me. "That was a fun night, though, right?"
The memory of us sneaking down to the beach to skinny dip and have a quickie in the water flashes in my mind, and I can't hold back the smile that spreads across my face.
“It was,” I agree. “But this is the last one.”
“I know.” He nods, but the twinkle in his eyes says he's not totally on board with this plan.
“I’m not kidding,” I tell him.
“I know you aren’t, babe.”
“Say this is the last one.”
“This is—" he starts to say, but Wade interrupts, calling for us to come down to the beach.
