Page 41 of The Addendum

“I’m sorry for my words earlier. I didn’t mean them. I know why you married me.” I huffed out a humorless laugh. “It wasn’t as if I gave you much choice in the matter.”

“That started off pretty rocky, but look how well it turned out,” she said.

“It’s the best thing I ever did. Hands down.”

She smiled, shaky and fast, but it was a smile.

“Ashley is really angry right now. I think once we have the test done, it’s going to take a long time to heal. I don’t even know if we can salvage a relationship. If she wants one.”

“What do you want?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. I can’t imagine knowing she is out there and not having some sort of contact. If she is mine, I want that—I think.” I dropped her hand and scrubbed my face, tugging on my tight neck muscles. “She might not want that. She is convinced I knew about her, and she might never get past that.” I shook my head. “She might have some sort of connection with her half-siblings and not me.”

“I’m sure once she gets to know you, she will. You will have to be patient, Richard. With her, with our kids. This is going to come as a huge shock to all of them. We will all need time to adjust and figure out the future.”

“Always so wise, my Katy,” I said with a smile, tracing her cheek.

She tried to smile, but I saw the tremor in her lips. “What? Say it, sweetheart. We need to be open and honest—especially now.”

“I keep thinking about something. I know it sounds crazy, but it–it hit me that Juliet had taken away the one thing I thought I’d given you that no one else had. That no one else would.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If Ashley is yours, then she is your firstborn. I thought I was the only woman to have given you children. I think that threw me a little.”

I shook my head, aghast. “No, sweetheart. No. Ashley might be my daughter, and I might be her father, but you made me a daddy. There’s a huge difference. Your place, your gift, is still number one. It always will be. Tell me you know that.”

She nodded, but I saw her worry. I fell to my knees at her feet, staring up at her. “I’m worried about how my kids will look at me. How you feel about me. I can take a lot, sweetheart, but losing your love, your sweetness, would end me. If our kids are angry with me and I don’t have your strength, I don’t know how I’ll cope. If my past makes me lose this life that I love so much, I don’t know how I’ll handle it.”

“You won’t, Richard. We’ll help our kids. I’ll help you. You will always be their dad, and they love you so much. We’ll figure it out as a family.”

“And I still have you?”

She cupped my cheek, leaning down to brush her mouth on mine.

“Always, Richard.”

That broke me. I rose, gathering her in my arms. Slanting my head, I took her lips with mine, sliding my tongue into her sweet mouth. I kissed her hard. Deep. With every emotion I was feeling. The worry and fear. The uncertainty and trepidation I was experiencing. The need to be close to her overwhelmed me. I tightened my arms, delving my tongue into the heat of her mouth, tangling it with hers, moaning at her taste. The tart of the wine, the lingering flavor of the chocolate, and the taste that was uniquely Katy. Uniquely mine. She held me tight, her fingers clutching my skin, her body pressed as close as she could get. I felt the forgiveness in her kiss, the want she carried for me, the unspoken fears that needed to be assuaged.

I stood, carrying her down the hall, our mouths never breaking apart. In our room, I laid her on the bed, easing back to peer down at her. Her lips were swollen from mine, her hair mussed, and the color high on her cheeks. Her rapid breathing matched my own, and I bent again to kiss her.

“I love you,” I said simply. “Always, Katy.”

“I love you,” she replied.

I tugged my shirt over my head, kicking off my sneakers and sweats. My cock sprang free, hard and aching for her. She curled her fingers and toes, sitting up and yanking her sweater off, making me laugh when she caught it on her elbow. I helped free it, then pulled her shirt over her head, lowering to nuzzle her nipples through the lace of her tank top. She gripped my head, whimpering, squirming on the bed. I kissed my way up her neck, teasing the soft skin with my teeth and tongue, both making Katy whimper. I nuzzled behind her ear, whispering low words to her.

“You taste so good.”

“You smell like heaven. Like home.”

“I want you so much.”

“I need you, my Katy.”

“Have me,” she cried, pulling my face to hers and kissing me with a desperation that matched my own.

I wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her, grasping the waistband of her yoga pants and pulling them off her body, throwing them over my shoulder. I didn’t care where they landed. Sitting down, I tugged her to my lap, my cock nestling into her wet heat. I opened my legs, forcing hers apart, and we both moaned as I slid deeper, the blunt head of my cock seeking her center. She gripped my shoulders, lifting herself, then slowly sank down, taking me inside her inch by inch, the heat and wet of her surrounding me. Our eyes locked, never breaking contact until I was flush and seated as deeply as I could go. Katy wrapped her legs around my waist, her arms around my neck, and buried her face into my shoulder.