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“What?” he asked as he slid back under the covers and snuggled Ashley close against his side. She was looking at him with an odd expression on her face, and he wondered where her train of thought had gone.
“I was just thinking maybe we won't be needing condoms for much longer,” she replied.
It was hard to believe that this was real.
Sawyer had been in love with Ashley basically since they’d met, but she hadn't felt the same way—or even been aware of his feelings—and they had done the friends thing for a while. But now they were engaged, they lived together, and here she was talking about having kids.
“You want to start trying for a baby?” he asked.
“Don’t you?” Ashley propped her chin on his chest so she could look at him.
“I do,” Sawyer replied. He had wanted a baby, part him and part Ashley, for as long as he could remember. Even more so since his twin sister and her husband had had their first baby in August. From the moment he had held the tiny infant in his hand, he had known how much he wanted to have kids with the woman he loved. “I just wasn't sure that you'd want to start trying so quickly.”
“It’s not really quickly,” Ashley protested. “We’ve known each other for years, and okay, yeah, we’ve only been together as a couple since last Christmas but because we were best friends for so long before that, it feels like we’ve been together forever.”
“I can't believe that our wedding is only four days away.” The last year had flown by, and it seemed so surreal that in just acouple of days he would finally be getting what he had dreamed about for so long. Between planning the wedding, work, family, friends, and what was going on with Samara, he and Ashley had barely had time to see each other and exchange a few words let alone make love and talk about starting a family.
“I can't believe that this time last year I didn't even know how you felt about me,” Ashley said, pressing a kiss to the side of his neck.
“I wish it hadn't all gone down the way it did, but I’m so glad you know now.” Just twelve months ago, Sawyer had been convinced that he and Ashley would never stand a chance and had determined to carry the secret of his feelings for her with him to his grave. And now he had it all.
“Me too.” Ashley kissed him again, but there was a troubled look on her face now.
“What’s wrong?” His hand began to trail up and down her bare back, tracing the length of her spine with his fingertips.
“Everything that happened last year, with my stalker, and you being my bodyguard, and everyone trying to figure out who it was that wanted me dead, it all just feels so similar to what’s happening now with Samara.”
Because she was plastered against his side, Sawyer felt the shiver rocket through her as she reminisced about the hell she had lived through last year. Ashley had very nearly been the target of a vicious serial killer who didn't like that one of his intended victims had survived and had been determined to correct that mistake.
“But everything worked out okay,” he reminded her, pulling her closer, he hated thinking about that just as much as Ashley did.
“It almost didn't.”
“But it did. Ash, none of us are going to let that man get to Samara again.” Sawyer tried to soothe his fiancée’s fears.
“That’s not what I'm worried about,” Ashley said quietly.
“You’re worried she’s going to cave under pressure and do what the stalker demanded.” Sawyer couldn’t deny that he was worried about that too. They all knew about Samara’s past and that her need to not let anyone down and her compulsion to be as perfect as it was humanly possible to be could wind up getting her killed.
“I hope Michael is watching her carefully.”
“If anyone would be, it’s him.”
“He can't watch her every second of the day though.”
“No, he can't, but he’s not the only one keeping an eye on her. All of us are taking shifts watching the house. If she tries to sneak out, then someone will notice.”
“I hope you’re right.” Ashley laid her head down on his chest and rested a hand on his stomach. He picked it up and entwined their fingers.
“Who knows, maybe this is what Samara and Michael need to give them the courage to let go of their fears and see if they could fall in love. As awful as what happened last year was, it did bring us together.” Sawyer lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of Ashley’s.
“Maybe. I just wish that there was something I could do for her.”
“There is something you can do for Samara,” he reminded her. “Exactly what you’vebeendoing. Be her friend. Be there to support her. Let her know that you’re there for her if she needs anything or if she wants to talk. Be the friend that you’ve always been for her.”
“It doesn’t feel like enough, I feel so helpless.”
Sawyer kissed the top of her head, he might not like seeing his fiancée worry about not being able to do enough to help one of her friends, but he loved that she cared that much. “What did you want people to do for you this time last year when you werein a similar situation to what Samara is in now?”
