Page 98 of The Princess Stakes
Rhystan stilled, his glowing eyes capturing hers. So many colors swam in them—blue, green, gray—much like the ocean lit by the sun with a storm in the distance. He didn’t say a word, but his mouth trembled slightly. Sarani pinned her lips, uncertainty suddenly blanketing her.
They’d talked about children, but with his work in Parliament and the scandal broth surrounding their unconventional, highly publicized marriage, they’d decided to wait. Rhystan had been careful and she’d timed her courses, but a handful of times a couple of months ago, they’d been so consumed by passion that no precautionary measures had been taken.
“Rhystan?”
“We’re going to have a baby?” he whispered.
“I know we didn’t plan on it, but does the thought please you?”
“Does it please me?” Her duke’s smile was slow and lit his eyes with love and joy as he slid down her body to place a kiss on her bare abdomen. He peered up at her, steel-blue gaze shining. “You undo me, Your Grace. I am delighted.” He kissed her skin again. “And you, little one, I cannot wait to meet you.”
Sarani felt a tear slip down her cheek, watching this powerful man place tender kisses on her belly, cherishing the tiny being they had created. Rhystan rubbed his cheek against her and then crept back up her body to gather her into his arms.
“I hope our child has your eyes,” she whispered. “And your huge heart.”
“If it’s a boy, he better get myhugeheart!”
She chucked him in the shoulder, giggling at his awful innuendo. “You are a ridiculous man.”
“You adore me,” he said, kissing her again.
“Someone has to.”
He placed a sweet kiss on her lips and then peppered over the sun spots covering her nose. “I hope our child has your smile and your courage. And most of all, I hope they have beautiful skin like yours and freckles like these.”
Daily walks on the shore had turned her skin golden brown and made her spattering of freckles stand out. Sarani hadn’t cared—he loved her skin and her in it. And she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that any child of theirs, regardless of what they looked like, would be beloved as well.
“I love you, Rhystan.”
“It cannot possibly be as much as I love you, my duchess.” Blue-gray eyes full of joy and love held hers. “Thank you,my love.”
She stroked her fingers over his jaw. “For what?”
“For loving me. For choosing me.” He placed a hand on her heart and then the small curve of her stomach and pressed his forehead against hers. “For giving me everything a man could ever hope for.” He let out a choked breath. “And for saving me.”
“Saving you?”
He gave a solemn nod, his eyes so full of love that her throat went tight. “You did, even when I didn’t know I needed saving, you were there. You will forever be my port in the storm. My safe harbor. Myhome. Always.”
