Page 48 of Prairie Sky


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“Yes” Ever nodded and looked toward the heavens above, knowing that their angels were watching over them as the magnificent prairie sky, in all its glorious colors, danced in celebration.

EPILOGUE

5 Years later

Ever set down her paintbrush and palette. Giving her canvas a sideways look, she took in the vibrant colors of her latest commissioned piece. After returning to Prairie Sky Acres 5 years ago, and marrying the love of her life, she opened a gallery in St. Augustine where local artisans could display their various works. This gallery became a passion project and the connections she made locally, very soon kept her busy with commission paintings.

It's coming together nicely; she thought as she rubbed her growing baby belly and felt it press against her hands.

“Hello Baby Boy,” she whispered, smoothing over where her unborn son just made his presence known.

Eight months pregnant, she felt huge, and her feet ached in the prairie summer heat. It was a hot one today, and she had been standing in front of her easel for the past hour. Lowering herself carefully onto her mother’s bench, she let out a deep breath and wiped the sweat beading on her forehead with the back of her hand. Reaching for her Sun Tea she took a long sip, letting the refreshing drink cool her. “That’s better.” She sighed as she held the cold glass to her head.

Pregnancy had not always been easy for Ever, this being her third in five years. Shortly after their wedding, Ever discovered she was pregnant. Shortly after that finding out they were expecting twins. A difficult pregnancy ensued with bed rest, but just seven months after their wedding, their beautiful pink bundles arrived, healthy and happy. Eighteen months ago, they found out they were expecting again, and they were thrilled. However, after ten weeks, she miscarried, devastating them both. A few months later, they decided to try one more time to grow their family and before long they were expecting. Their rainbow pregnancy had proceeded without complications and once they found out they were expecting a boy, Ben could not contain his excitement. Their family felt complete.

Familiar giggles echoed through the yard, drawing closer. Two rosy-cheeked little girls, her four-year-old identical twins, Violet and Poppy, rounded the side of the house both proudly carrying kittens from the barn.

“Hello, you two! You look like you’ve had fun helping Daddy with the chores.” she remarked, taking in their dusty clothes and sweet faces covered in sweat and dirt. They both nodded, their reddish-brown ponytails bobbing. “What have you got here?” she asked, taking in the cute balls of fur in their arms.

“Mama, we have kittens!” Poppy offered, her blue eyes dancing with delight as she held out an orange kitten to Ever.

“Daddy says we can keep them! Aren’t they cute?” Violet asked as she pet her purring little tabby.

“Oh, he did, did he?”

“I did”, a deep voice sounded as Ben came around the corner. His face beamed as he looked to their little girls and then flashed Ever his smoldering smile, those creases by his eyes still making her heart flip. T-shirt stuffed in his back pocket and work pants sitting low on his hips, making her breath catch at the sight of her very sexy husband.

Giving Ben a mischievous grin, she unabashedly surveyed his muscular tanned chest, stomach, and the tantalizing V at his hips making her mouth water. How is it he gets hotter and hotter? Five years of marriage and she still thought he was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. He still starred in all her fantasies. Amorous thoughts like that got her into this predicament, looking down at her huge baby belly.Seriously, these pregnancy hormones are crazy, she thought, shaking her head.

Swooping their girls into his arms, he gave them both a big hug and tickled their faces with his beard making them giggle and wriggle in his arms. Ever loved seeing him with Poppy and Violet. His love and affection for his “flowers” as he affectionately called them, always made a lump form in her throat. She would always think of her late father.

She still missed her dad and over the years would go for a ride so she could talk to him. She would visit her mother’s resting place and the summer after they discovered her mothers grave, they laid her father to rest there too, spreading his ashes in their favorite place.

Setting the girls down, they skipped down the stairs to the lawn where they settled down in the grass to play with their kittens.

Transfixing his steely blue gaze on Ever, he gave her a sympathetic look and frowned as he climbed the porch stairs. “You look tired, Sweetheart.”

“Just hot, Bear.” she replied, dabbing her forehead.

He smiled and leaned down to softly brush his lips to hers. She parted her lips letting him deepen his kiss and run his tongue alongside hers. She sighed and melted into his embrace. He always had a way of making her forget all her troubles. His musky male scent made her hormones go crazy again, she broke their kiss and raked her eyes over him, her eyes hooded and needy. Meeting his gaze, she seductively bit her bottom lip the way she knew drove him crazy.

“Don’t give me that look, sweetheart.” Ben laughed, shaking his head as he slipped in next to her on the bench.

“What look?” she questioned giving him a flirtatious grin while batting her eyelashes.

“Oh, you know what I’m talking about Ever, that sexy let’s go upstairs look.” he replied with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. “That look that says I want to do dirty, nasty things to you farm boy.”

“Yeah, pretty sure that look got us Junior, here.” she laughed pointing to her protruding belly, then winced and rubbed over where their son had just kicked her.

“Not that I mind” he offered, giving her a wink and a waggle of his eyebrows. “How is our son doing today?” he asked placing his large hand lovingly over her huge bump.

“Almost cooked. Three weeks to go. He’s been very active today.”

Ben slipped off the bench and going to his knees put both of his large hands on her burgeoning belly. Suddenly their little one kicked, and Ben smiled up at her beaming. “That never gets old.” he whispered, rubbing his hand over her bump as he smiled up at Ever, a look of pure reverence on his face.

“Tell that to my body.” she replied, leaning back on the bench. “This barefoot and pregnant thing is not easy.”

“Oh sweetheart.” He sympathized, then leaned down and kissed her bump with such tenderness, tears formed in her eyes. “Have I told you how beautiful you are today?” he asked, meeting her gaze.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com