“Sure are.”
“Are they bringing all those kids with them again?”
“They only have three, Jeremy.”
“Grandma’s going to bring me a Texas hot chocolate cocoa cake, right?”
Josh smiled at his son. “You know she will.” Aunt Diana and Uncle David were grandma and grandpa to the kids. It was easier and it was the way that Aunt Di had wanted it from the beginning. Hannah’s parents were called mimi and pops so there was never any confusion.
With the promise of his favorite chocolate cake tomorrow, Jeremy turned and headed for the game room where the computer station and his little sister could be found.
When Josh and Hannah were alone, Hannah closed the door and leaned against it, her hands going to her belly in a slight caress that Josh figured she wasn’t even aware of. She raised a single eyebrow. “Care to explain?”
“Explain what?” he asked, prowling over until he stood in front of her. One hand slid gently to her belly, and he wrapped the other around her waist, running it down and letting it land on her backside.
Her lips curved into a smile that he knew she was trying to suppress. “Don’t try to distract me. Why was your son crawling through the barbed-wire when he’s only seven years old?”
Josh’s lips lifted into a smile. “My son?”
“Yes. Your son.” Her eyes lit with an inner pleasure that he could plainly see.
“He was your son last week when he made a perfect score on his math test,” he accused.
She shrugged her shoulders, clearly trying not to laugh. “So he was.”
Josh turned to the subject at hand. “Baby, you know we can’t keep the kids from prowling all over the place. He’s getting to that age where he wants to investigate every little thing.”
Her face lost a little color. “He’s going to get hurt.”
Josh tried to soothe her, his hand running up and down her spine. “That’s why I’m teaching him the right way to do things.”
“That’s why we had a gate installed between the properties. So he can run back and forth without any mishaps.”
“There’s too much fence-line. He’s got to know how to crawl through it. Besides, he’s pretty damned good at it and his tetanus shots are always up to date.”
“He’s going to get hurt,” she said again, but the fire was gone from her voice.
“It didn’t even break the skin. He’s fine.” Josh wrapped her all the way in his arms and hugged her to him.
Hannah sighed. “Okay, I know. It’s different for boys. But Rainey and this baby won’t be—”
He jerked back from her and lifted her chin in his fingers. “What do you mean, this baby? Is it a girl? Are you saying that you know this one’s a girl?”
Her beautiful eyes misted and he saw joy reflected within. “Yes,” she whispered.
A jolt of happiness hit him, and he brought her to him again, careful not to hurt her or the new baby. “I thought we weren’t going to find out beforehand this time.”
“I thought we weren’t either but the doctor called her a ‘she’ at my last ultrasound.”
“Well, we knew we’d end up with one or the other,” he said on a smile as he rocked her against him.
Her hand snaked up and wrapped around his neck as he looked down at her. Her eyes were brimming with tears and the love she had for him and the kids was there for him to see. “I love you, Josh.”
His hand landed on her cheek as satisfaction and primal possession ran through his system. “I know you do, baby. I love you, too. So much, you’ll never know.”
She gave him a tender smile and slid her hand down and placed it over his heart. “I’m so glad you rescued me with that kiss at the football game all those years ago. I still sometimes can’t believe you did it, but I’m so happy you did.”
He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “It was my pleasure, princess. Totally my pleasure.”
The End