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“Don’t worry about our family for now.” He’d do the worrying for the both of them, because he had a feeling that convincing their family would be the biggest hurdle of all.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Drinking her coffee on the front porch with an amazing view of the Rockies, Emelia felt really happy. So very happy, and the man responsible had just come up and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Dante was so loving, and she regretted missing out on all those years without him.
But as he nuzzled into her neck, she told herself to stop looking back. They could only move forward.
“What are you thinking?” He rested his chin on her shoulder.
“About you.”
He chuckled. “Hope it’s a good thought.”
Emelia pressed back into his body and delighted when he gasped at the contact. “Oh, yes. Very good thoughts.” She placed her cup of coffee on the balcony rail, before turning in his arms. Reaching up, she cupped his face in the palm of her hands and smoothed her thumbs over his lips. “I love you, Dante.”
His eyes dipped to her mouth before he met her gaze, and leaned forward to place a soft kiss to her lips. She sighed in pleasure, but it soon turned to a frown to match Dante’s. “What’s wrong?”
“Every time I think about spending the rest of my life with you, the thought that I might never be free to marry you kills me, because that’s what I want so much. I’m not sure if it’s ever going to happen. Are you prepared for that? For the possibility that I might never be free to marry you?” When Dante finished speaking, his eyes were red-rimmed, and his face had paled.
Emelia realized that Dante really was afraid that she wouldn’t want him if he couldn’t marry her, but it was so far from the truth. She assured him, “I love you, Dante. My love isn’t dependent on whether or not you become free to marry me. If that doesn’t happen, then, as long as we’re living our life together, I’ll always be happy.” She leaned forward and kissed him. She pulled back slightly, their lips a mere inch apart, and whispered, “And the good thing about us having the same surname means that any children we have will also have both our names. We’ll be a family, Dante, and that’s the most important thing—that we have each other.”
All she had ever wanted was to be with Dante, and a piece of paper wouldn’t make any difference to her feelings for him or any children they might have.
As she watched Dante, he seemed to be fighting emotions of his own, which was why she wrapped herself around him while they stood in silence.
The sun hadn’t long since risen, and while she watched the winter birds swoop down over the frozen lake, her mind went over everything that they would have to overcome. Breaking the silence, she added, “Something we haven’t considered, as well, is that we both have the same father listed on our birth certificates. I’m not sure if that is something that can be undone.”
“I’d forgotten that part…and going back to the part about kids. I’d love to have children with you, Em. You’ll make a wonderful mother.” He kissed her forehead. “Do you want to go out? There’s a small town close by.”
She thought about Dante’s suggestion, but she wanted to be selfish. “Can we stay here, light the fire, and cuddle in front of the television, and put a good movie on?”
“We can do that.” He kissed her again. “Let’s go inside and warm up.” Dante kept an arm around her shoulders as they walked back inside the cabin.
It was a luxurious cabin that Dante had owned for years, since before he ran to the church. They were lucky to have plumbing and all the other things that were taken for granted on a daily basis. She loved the open plan at the front of the cabin, and, as she took her snow boots off, she padded over in her stocking feet to the floor to ceiling window and looked back out to the lake. She loved the view and could imagine herself living in Dante’s home with him.
It saddened her to know that he’d have to leave Frederick because she knew that he loved it there, but no way could they create a life together in the parish where he’d been the priest. The cabin was only a few hours from Frederick, so even that wouldn’t be an option.
They needed a fresh start where neither of them was known, and although it made her heart beat faster, she knew that they could do anything when they had the other for support.
As it was, her body ached for him to fill her again, but if she was honest, the thought of his thick penis slipping inside her made her wince while she still felt sore—it also aroused her to amazing heights.
She hadn’t expected him to be so long or thick, not that she’d spent time imagining…well, maybe some.
With her body full of frustration, she turned from the window and smiled when she saw Dante already sitting on the sofa watching her.
“You looked lost in thought, again.” He raised a brow.
“I’m sorry,” she moved toward him and cuddled into his side. “I can’t help it. There’s a lot to think about and my mind keeps drifting.”
“They’re big decisions as well,” he commented. “But no matter how everything works out, we will be together in the end…Let’s forget about it all for the rest of today. We’ll be back in Frederick tomorrow, and then we can start dealing with everything we need to do.” He pulled her closer and she sighed in pleasure as his warmth enveloped her.
But no matter how close he held her, she couldn’t help feel sadness that he was leaving the church for her. He may have gone to the church as an escape, but she’d seen him in his church and with his congregation and he loved it. Just like they loved him.
To walk away was a very big step for him to take
and she wondered whether he ever would blame her for his actions.
“No, Em.”
