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He cupped her sweet face in his palms. “Yes. I’d have everything with you. I would have anything with you. I’m considering things I never considered before I was with you. My brain was in the way. Fear was in the way. Now I know better. I had a trial run without you and I nearly had a heart attack. I don’t want to miss you anymore. If that means upending my entire world to give you what you want—what we want—that’s an easy ask. Just...reconsider, okay? I don’t want to do this without you.”
That must’ve been the right thing to say, because she threw herself at him. He caught her, staggering backward a step before regaining his footing and holding her tightly in his arms. She felt right there. Like she belonged there. His heart thundered against his chest as if it was reaching for hers. She tipped her chin to kiss him and he didn’t hesitate kissing her back. When they parted, the most beautiful words came out of her mouth.
“I love you, too.”
Happiness unfurled in his chest. Before he could revel in the feeling of being loved by Hallie Banks, she rocked him with three more words he hadn’t seen coming.
“And I’m pregnant.”
His turn to be shocked down to his boots. “I—what?”
“You didn’t know, did you?”
He shook his head. Or thought he did. He couldn’t feel anything from the neck up.
“I’m only three and a half weeks along,” she said, still holding on to him, and thank God or else he might’ve fallen on his ass. “I’m terrified now that you know, you’ll take back every beautiful thing you said. I didn’t mean for this to happen, but I’m really, really happy about it. I didn’t want to pressure you into a future you hadn’t planned on, so I hadn’t decided how to tell you.”
“Pregnant,” he repeated, trying to wrap his head around the news. “You’re serious.”
“I’m serious. And you should know, before you say anything else, there is a very good chance I’m pregnant with twins.”
“Twins?” Now he did feel like he might fall over. But it wasn’t because he was upset. No, definitely not upset. He didn’t have to dig deep to find the love he felt for Hallie easily extended to the unborn child—or children—in her belly. His love for her instantly grew bigger and bolder than before, and he hadn’t known that was possible.
A smile crawled across his face, and, almost cautiously, she returned it with one of her own.
“Are you telling me there’s a baby on the way, and it’s mine? That I’m going to be a dad and you’re going to be a mom, and if we’re really lucky, we could end up being parents to not one but two babies?”
Her eyes shined as she grinned up at him. “Yes, I am.”
He kissed her again, his tongue sparring with hers. She clutched him tight, her fingers winding in the strands of his hair.
When he pulled away, he took one look at the dimples denting her cheeks and said, “Rule breaking suits us, gorgeous. And just so you understand where my head’s at,” he said, “I meant everything I said before you shared your news with me. I want you in my life. I want you in my house. I want you in my hot tub, in my car, making out with me on the boardwalk...”
“I get the point.” Her laugh was musical and happy.
“Can you forgive me for letting you walk out of my life?”
She nodded, fresh tears welling in her eyes.
“It’ll never happen again, Hals. No matter what, I will fight for you.” He swiped her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. “And our family.”
Their next kiss grew deeper. She pulled at his clothes. He tore at hers. They didn’t make it to the bedroom, instead making love on the couch, right beside her tabletop Christmas tree.
