Page 70 of Mine to Protect

“Oh. I’m saying yes. I want to marry you. And we should do it as soon as possible. I don’t want a big wedding. I’m happy to get on the boat and drive to the Bahamas next weekend to do it.”

He groaned. “I don’t need a big one, either, but I do need my family. And since not all of the cops in my family can have the same day off, would you be willing to have a beach wedding here?”

“That’s fine. Are you good with doing it as soon as possible, though?”

“Name the day. I’ll be there,” he said.

“Good, because I don’t want to be fat when I get married.”

“Do you plan on doing a lot of eating between now and the wedding?”

She took his hand and placed it on her abdomen. “I am eating for two.”

“Huh?” He blinked. “What does…two?” He glanced between her face and her stomach. “A baby? You’re having a baby?”

“I’m having it, butyou’regoing to be a daddy.”

“How did that happen?” What a dumb question. “Scrap that. I know how it happened. I’m just surprised. Shocked. We only talked about having a family a couple of times. Like in the future.”

“The real question is…are you happy?”

He wiped away a tear that rolled down her cheek. “Of course, I am. I told you that I didn’t want to wait too long. I’m not getting any younger.” He untied the robe and rested his head against her stomach. “There’s really a little person growing in there?”

She ran her fingers through his hair.

“There really is.”

Rhett wrapped his arms around his future wife and unborn child. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His mother always told him that everyone needed a safe harbor to sail into.

This was his.

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