Page 13 of Claiming His Baby At The Altar

‘Have you chosen a name for him yet?’ Ramos asked soon after his return from a quick shopping trip for baby clothes and provisions. He’d bought so many cute little outfits that there was no way their baby would wear them all before he outgrew them.

Night had long fallen. Their little boy had just been fed and was now sleeping in his daddy’s arms dressed in an adorable romper suit.

Happily exhausted, Flora nestled her cheek deeper into her pillow and gazed at her husband and son.

Her husband and son...

This was going to take a lot of getting her head around.

‘I always thought if it was a boy I would call him Benjamin for my grandfather. Do you have any ideas?’

‘You did all the hard work. You should choose. If you want to call him Benjamin then I have no objections.’

‘You’re his father. You should have a say.’ And the way he’d been during the birth and the way he was behaving towards them now showed he wanted tobea father. This was something she hadn’t dared hope for her child, not after the way Ramos had severed her from his life, but, having grown up with her father on the periphery of her life, Flora would always choose for her child to have more if it was possible. She’d forgotten that the man who could be so vengefully cruel when crossed had a generous heart when touched, and it made her chest swell to see that heart so touched by his own flesh and blood.

For a long moment he just stared at her before a wry smile spread on his face. ‘I am struggling to get my head around being a father. This whole day has been...’ He shook his head, clearly unable to find the right words.

‘A roller coaster?’ she suggested. That’s exactly how it felt for her. At least she’d had a good seven months to prepare for motherhood. Ramos had had little more than seven hours to prepare for fatherhood. Yes, it was his own fault but, in her softened, hormonal baby state, Flora could appreciate how overwhelming it must be for him.

‘Sí.A roller coaster,’ he agreed. ‘This is not at all how I expected my day to end.’

‘I didn’t expect my day to end like this either. I thought I had three weeks left before this little one came along, and I definitely didn’t think I would end it as the wife of my mortal enemy.’

The wry smile turned into a grin that in itself evolved into a snicker. ‘A rather extreme method of calling a truce.’

‘Who said anything about a truce?’ she said lightly. ‘This is a mere suspension of hostilities.’

‘A ceasefire?’

‘Exactly. And it’s a ceasefire I think we should do our best to hold, for this little one’s sake.’

‘I’m glad you think that. I don’t want there to be war between us,querida.’

Understanding flowed between them that, for their son, they were both prepared to make the best of things.

Flora dragged her stare from him and settled it on their son in his arms.

She sighed.

She had to be careful and remember who she’d married.

Sharing the birth had bonded them—how could it not have?—but she mustn’t let the hormones and euphoria flooding her cloud her judgement or soften her too much against him. Whenever there was a high, a low was sure to follow. These magical first hours with their baby wouldn’t last. Ramos was still Ramos.

But, for now, it was the three of them cocooned together and she was glad her little boy got to bond with his father.

‘Are there any names that are special or meaningful to you?’ she asked. ‘What about your father’s name? Rafael, isn’t it?’

He pulled a dismissive face. ‘No.’

That surprised her. She knew little about Ramos’s father other than that he was supremely wealthy and went through wives as if they were going out of fashion, but she’d always had the impression father and son were close. ‘Why not?’

‘Just, no.’

‘Oi.’ She stretched an arm out and jabbed a finger to his arm. ‘We’ve only been married a few hours. You can’t start keeping secrets from me yet, you know.’

Melting dark eyes held hers before crinkling and looking down at their son nestled so securely in his strong arms. ‘My father is selfish. He’s always been selfish.’

She gave a sympathetic smile. ‘We finally have something in common.’

---