Page 28 of Cold Snap
“Not right away if you don’t want to. We could take it slow if that’s what you want.”
I drop back down after something feels like it settles in me.
“I…I was worried, maybe, you wouldn’t want…well, that maybe you would want to keep the affection between us hidden, and I wasn’t sure I would be okay with us not…holding hands and showing each other love in front of…”
“Your family?” I nod and stare up at him. “Babe, did you forget…I am trying to knock you up, so everyone will know you belong to me.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you want to…”
“Grab you and kiss you and hold you close to me so you can’t run away. Oh yeah, sweetheart, there is going to be no chance anyone will ever doubt, including your father or brother or second cousin.”
I laugh and throw myself back at him. Our lips meet and I am certainly left in no doubt that our love will be enough to melt even the coldest snaps our relationship will go through.
Epilogue
Six Months Later
Teresa
Arms wrap around me from behind, but I’m not worried. I would know these arms anywhere. These are the arms of my lover. The very thought has me smiling.
“How are my girls?”
“Hungry. Always hungry.”
He nuzzles into my neck and puts his hands on my protruding belly. I wasn’t showing a month ago, but one day it just popped out and has been getting bigger and bigger ever since. When I was the bride’s maid for Oakley, you couldn’t even tell I was pregnant, but now…there’s no hiding it. Thank goodness Land got me down the aisle long before Oakley and Waylon went down it.
We had barely told people we were dating before he was slipping a ring on my finger and telling my mom to plan for a fall wedding. We got married about a month before Oakley. Two months after the cabin. And just like he promised while we were in the cabin, he moved me in with him as soon as we got back, and I’ve not left since.
He chuckles and takes one of his hands away, only to bring it back with a pumpkin milkshake with orange whipped cream on top. My favorite lately. My whole mood lifts, and I can’t fight back the excited little squeal that comes out. Ever since my belly’s popped, so has my love for all things pumpkin. We’ve had pumpkin pie for dessert for the last four days. Hmm, pumpkin pie. That sounds good.
“Thank you, sweet man. You know just what I need.” He comes around me so he can help me into an overstuffed chair with an ottoman in front of it. He sits on the ottoman and pulls my feet into his lap.
“You’re not overdoing it, are you, love?”
I look around at the moving boxes littering our living room. “I…might have been dragging my feet a little, so, no, I’m definitely not overdoing it.”
“Why are you dragging your feet, little one?”
The sadness that hits me is enough to slow me down from sucking the bottom out of my shake. Tears come to my eyes, and I try to fight them back so I don’t make a total fool of myself. Not that Land has ever made me feel like a fool.
“Oh, no, no, no.” He has me up in his arms and on his lap in no time, my shake sits the floor as I get the best hug in the world. “Baby, we don’t have to move into the new house if you want to stay here.”
“I…I don’t. It’s just…this is where we first…”
We need a bigger place, and we're planning on moving closer to Oakley and Waylon, but this was where we first met, where we first made love, where I've spent so many good memories. Land wants to make sure I rest and on his days off -since he hired some help with the bar- we're not bothered as much. So he went out and found us a little place two houses down from my brother and best friend.
Big watery tears streak down my face even though I am excited about our move. “I know. It’s why I’m not renting it. As soon as the baby comes, we’ll turn it into a little nursery for her and an office for you so you two can stay close to me while we both work. We’ll be here almost every day, and there’s nothing to say we can’t sneak away and make love up here every night before we go home.”
“I know. I’m just…”
He waits, but when he realizes I’m not going to finish, he does it for me.
“Emotional because of the baby and worn out from making a human all day and night? A rock star for being so strong and still kicking ass every day? Sexy as hell and makes me harder than rock by just being in the same room with me? Yes, you are all those things and more.”
“You’ve been reading the baby books again, haven’t you?”
“Always. I want to be present for each change, big and small, and know all the ways I can help you.”
