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"Your Dad told me something about your horrible childhood.” She picked up a piece of the Italian loaf and offered it to him. He’d made good on his promise and came home early. Mrs. Bailey had served the meal on the patio and left for the day.
Considering the nasty weather outside, it was good to be wrapped up in the warmth of home. "He still feels guilty about the part he played in what you went through."
"Which is nonsense." Picking up his glass, he sipped the wine and settled back contentedly. He loved coming home to her.
At long last, he had what he considered to be a home. The woman he loved more than life itself was sat next to him and, even if he lost his fortune, as long as she was with him, nothing else mattered. "I already told him that."
"Telling him means nothing. He’s going to think he failed you." Taking the glass from him, she turned so that she was facing him. "You tried to please her?"
"Yes, well it didn’t work."
"You gave her your painting-"
"I don’t want to discuss it." His tone was brittle and a little cold, making his accent even more noticeable.
"I’d like to think you can tell me anything."
His expression softened as he stared at her. "I can. It's just that it hurts here." He slapped a hand over where his heart was beating. "It still does after all these years."
"She was your mother, so naturally it does."
"She was the woman who gave birth to me. There’s a difference." He smiled at her. "Loving you has done a hell of a lot for me."
"I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me." Stretching out her legs, she put them over his lap. Immediately, he started to rub her thighs.
"And risk yet another rejection?" He asked her lightly. "My poor heart wouldn’t have been able to stand it."
Tilting her head, she studied his handsome face. "You were pretty gawky back then."
"And you were skinny as a rail with bones sticking out."
"I was still growing." She reminded him.
"So was I."
"You had this annoying habit of explaining everything."
"What do you mean?"
"What makes the sky blue? Why was the earth so round? You’d give out a lot of scientific explanation that was not relevant at the time.”
“I had a lot of knowledge and wanted to impart some of it.”
“You were a geek, and it showed."
"I was and still am a very intelligent person."
"And superior with it too."
"Of course." He grinned at her. "You were a royal pain in the ass who insisted on trying to show off. You could climb the highest tree or run the fastest or hit the ball the farthest when we were playing baseball."
"I could, and still can, kick your ass in just about everything.”
“Want to place a wager?”
“I’m pregnant."
He stared at her for a full second before bursting out with genuine laughter. "That's your excuse? You’re pregnant?"
