Here With Me

She’s nodding before I even finish the question. “I will.”

It’s strong and firm, and I pull her to my chest, covering her lips with mine and kissing her soft and true. Lifting my chin, our cheeks are pressed together, and I listen to her breath, the sound of her heartbeat. My wife.

I’m thinking how perfect that sounds when she starts to wiggle. Relaxing my hold, I lean back, looking down at her amused. “What?”

“Can I see my ring now?”

“Shit.” I start to laugh, taking out the box again and opening it. I remove the shiny platinum band with a large, square diamond right in the center and slip it on the third finger of her left hand.

“Oh, Sawyer!” She holds it up, turning it side to side. “How did you do this? It’s perfect!”

The band is decorated with a tiny platinum anchor. The rope swirls around the diamond and runs down the other side. It’s the logo for the farm, but it’s also the symbol of us—hope, salvation, security, steadfastness…

“Let’s celebrate.” I lift the bottle of champagne and pour us each a glass. “Then I want to test out that air mattress. Maybe with you on top, riding me.”

I look back, and her face is beaming. She holds up a hand and tilts her head to the side. “None for me, thanks.”

“What?” I frown, looking at the bottle. “This is expensive shit…”

“I have a little surprise for you, too.” She stands, taking my hand and putting my glass and the bottle on the block of wood we’re using for a table. “Come with me.”

We walk to the air mattress, and I sit down. She climbs onto my lap in a straddle and puts both her hands on my shoulders. “I’m glad you decided you want to marry me, because earlier today I got some news I hope will make you happy.”

My brow furrows, and she leans forward, tracing her lips along mine softly. It sends heat racing below my waist. “You’d better tell me fast, because I’m ready to fuck my future wife.”

“Better work on your patien

ce.” Her eyes are glowing, sultry, and she leans down to whisper in my ear. “You’re going to be a daddy.”

It takes a second for that news to register, and as soon as it does, I’m hit with an avalanche of emotions, gratitude, joy, excitement, disbelief.

Turning her quickly, I lay her back on the mattress, pulling up the sweater she’s wearing and unbuttoning her jeans. When her stomach is exposed, I slide my palm over her smooth skin, kissing her right below her navel.

Her fingers thread in my hair, and when I look up, she’s gazing down at me with love in her eyes. “You’ve got my baby in here?”

She laughs quietly, nodding. “Dr. says I’m about nine weeks along.”

I turn my head to rest my cheek against her skin. “Nine weeks, that’s pretty far.”

“I looked at the calendar, and it seems like Valentine’s day was a lucky day for us.”

“Every day’s a lucky day for us.” I whisper the words, pressing my lips against her skin.

“I hope I’m about to get lucky now.”

I’m still thinking about her incredible news when I realize what she said. She props up on her elbows, smiling down at me with a heat I know well. Rising up, I whip my jacket off followed quickly by my sweater, then I dive into her arms.

She shrieks a laugh, wrapping her arms around my bare shoulders and meeting my kisses with her smiling own.

“Keep it down, the kids will hear.”

“I’m not very good at that.” She kisses my neck, and I can’t argue.

We chase each other’s mouths, landing kisses as we discard clothing, underwear. I kiss her belly, spending time a little farther south until my beautiful future bride is moaning and rocking her hips. Like old times, my hand is over her mouth as I plunge deep into her core. She meets my thrusts with her own until we’re flying on waves of ecstasy, soaring through the heavens into a future I can’t wait to begin.

Holding her in my arms as she sleeps, I don’t remember a time when I felt so whole and satisfied. I do recall the day I found a small girl in a field who’d end up changing my life.

It was on the second worst day of my life. A day so cold, I thought my heart had frozen.