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Chapter Fifteen
(in which there is a full house)
“Mattsaiditwasa good thing we didn’t have girls.”
Lying on her back beneath the pile of warm covers, her fingers woven with Kevin’s, Helen turned her head and peered through the dim night between them. She couldn’t make out his expression, and his voice was neutral. But he wouldn’t have brought it up if something about Matt’s comment hadn’t stuck in his heart somewhere.
Helen turned and levered up on one arm. “Why did he say that?”
“Because I’m putty with the girls.” He chuckled as he released her hand and moved to wrap an arm around her
Helen snuggled against him. “That’s the truth. You’re such a softy.”
The low rumble that came from his chest was one of contentment. For several breaths he simply held her in the darkness. Then he kissed her forehead. “Does it ever disappoint you?”
Helen chuckled, loving that his tenderness still made the tiny hairs at the back of her neck prickle. “No. But it was sure fun trying.”
Beneath her palm, his heart kicked, making her sure that his recollection of those days had been kept secure in his treasury of cherished memories. She allowed herself to indulge in those sweet and intimate moments between them.
Tyler’s third birthday had been a success.
Helen had baked a chocolate cake and decorated it with a frosting Big Bird in the middle. Tyler had loved it, as well as his present, Big Bird Story Magic. Helen had selected that gift almost selfishly. That talking bird would keep her younger boys entranced with a story for at least thirty minutes, and she could get something done before the older boys came home from school.
Life had evened out over the past decade. Helen felt like they’d hit their stride and were doing well. She and Kevin had celebrated twelve years of marriage, and they’d found a groove parenting these five boys. It all felt . . . ordained.
But for one thing.
That night, after all the boys had been jammied, storied, prayed with, and tucked into bed, she’d slipped into a nightie she’d known Kevin would appreciate.
“Hello, what’s this?” His low tone, pleased and welcoming, greeted her as she slid onto her knees beside him between the sheets. “It’s notmybirthday.”
She met his mouth with a kiss that promised more and then pushed him back. “I want to ask you something.”
“Ah, so we’re using our assets, are we?” He winked. “Obviously I’ll say yes now.”
Helen smirked, feeling sexy and wanted and more daring than usual under that warm gaze. But first things first.
“You have to honestly think on this one, Kevin.”
“It’s a little late for you to throw that in.” His fingers grazed the exposed skin of her shoulder as he traced her form down to her hip and then sat up to kiss the line he’d just traced on her arm. “Like a man could have rational thoughts with this at his fingertips.”
“I want another baby.”
That snapped him out of it. Kevin dropped back to his two stacked pillows and stared at her, wide eyed. “Come again?”
“I want to try for a girl.”
He blinked.
“Just one more and that’s all, babe. After all, we’ve figured out five. How hard could one more be? Besides, then it’ll be an even number, so we won’t end up with a weird middle child.”
After blinking three more times, his slow, sultry smile made its way back onto his mouth. “You’re seducing me to make another baby?”
Biting her lip and blushing furiously, Helen nodded.
“You think we can handle one more?”
Again, she nodded.
