Page 24 of Unruly

“Okay, then I will open it.”

“And then will you tell me what’s up?”

Catherine didn’t answer.

She simply flipped open the lid of the box.

Cross’s heart stopped.

A single piece of white and pink plastic rested inside on folded up green tissue paper. His gaze flew to the window pane of the plastic strip, and saw two pink lines in the sign of a cross on the white background.

Written on the stick were results, it seemed.

One line, not pregnant.

Two lines, pregnant.

Still, Cross couldn’t form words.

Catherine made a quiet noise under her breath and said, “So, there it is.”

“Holy shit, babe.”

“Pregnant.”

His heart hurt.

He was that fucking happy.

He was that excited.

His chest hurt because his heart was beating so hard, and so fast, but he didn’t even mind.

“Holy shit,” he said again.

“I told you.”

Cross wasn’t even listening to what Catherine was trying to tell him. He grabbed her by the waist, and turned her around in his lap. The little gift box, tissue paper, and pregnancy test scattered on the floor as she grabbed his face and kissed him once, sweet and soft, and oh, so slow.

“Pregnant,” he murmured into her kiss.

Catherine grinned. “I wanted to surprise you in the morning.”

“Pregnant.”

Her laughter was the balm to his soul.

She was his peace.

She gave him everything.

“I told you,” Catherine mumbled when he kissed her twice as hard.

“Told me what?”

“You would have me knocked up before Christmas.”

Cross tipped his head back and barked out a laugh that echoed in their quiet home. He doubted that in a few months, it would still be quiet. He didn’t care. He couldn’t fucking wait. They were going to have a baby—him and her wrapped up in a perfect little human. Catherine was going to be beautiful carrying his child.