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“I want to make you the house of your dreams. Mud, tires, Coke bottles, whatever.”
She stuttered, and I bent my knees so we were eye to eye. “I want to take care of you, and I think having a house you love is a good start.”
“But you already have one,” she pointed out as if I’d forgotten.
“Yes, I do. Butweneed a house. You, me, and this—” I placed a hand on her belly “—thing we made need a house.”
“Why don’t—”
“There is no way you’re talking me out of this. Your sarcasm and name-calling will not change my mind.”
“You can’t—”
I silenced her with a finger on her lips. “You said you’re afraid, but so am I. As long as we take care of each other, we can do anything. So, let’s agree to take care of each other and worry about the details later.”
I ran my hands over her hair, my eyes memorizing every line of her face, her freckles, her lips. I could stare at her forever and never tire of it.
Finally, she smiled. “I can’t believe you dragged me out to the middle of nowhere in this freezing weather when I’m pregnant. You want this baby of yours to catch a cold?”
“So, say yes already.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes. Yes, I want a house with solar panels and overhead lighting and ceiling fans and a vegetable garden. Yes, of course, that’s what I want.”
“So, we’re doing this? We’re having a baby?”
“I guess.”
I hooted and twirled her in a circle before putting her down with a kiss on the tip of her frozen nose. “Let’s get you back into the heat.” I guided her to the car, where I opened the passenger side door and helped her in.
“I’m only two months along and completely capable of getting in and out of cars myself.”
I shut the door on her argument and got behind the wheel. “Hey, I said I’d take care of you, and I will. Now, are you hungry? Is the baby hungry? Is it craving anything? You want ice cream? No, it’s too cold for ice cream. Unless you want some. Do you want some? How about breakfast? You want waffles or something?”
She leaned over the console, sealing her lips over mine, heightening the pressure of the kiss by forcing my head back against the headrest. She paid extra attention to my bottom lip, drawing it between her teeth.
When she finally shifted away, I unhurriedly opened my eyes to her. Who needed whiskey? I was already addicted to her. “What was that for?”
“You were rambling.” She strapped on her seat belt. “Now take me home and take me to bed.”
I gunned the engine. “Yes, ma’am.”
Epilogue
JASON
“You’re doing so good.”
“Shut up.”
“No, really, you’re the strongest person I know.”
“Shut. Up.”
“Just keep breathing, like we practiced. Focus on—”
“Jason. I swear to everything unholy, I will rip off your balls and shove them down your throat. I don’t want to hear your platitudes. Shut up and get me the epidural!”
I reared back as Gemma fumed in the hospital bed, her hands in a stranglehold on the rails. Sweat beaded on her upper lip and brow, her hair wrapped up in a messy bun that hung limply on the side of her head.
