Tears spill from my eyes. “I believe. I totally believe. I just don’t know how I got so lucky,” I choke.
Paolo strokes his thumb across my lower lip. “I’m the lucky one.” He pulls one of my knees up to my chest to change the angle of entry and picks up his pace.
I drag my lip between my teeth, savoring the sensations, reveling in the confident way he handles me and my body. Even if he’s not rough, he’s always dominant.
“Look at me.”
I find his eyes again. “No more running.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
He pushes me to my belly and enters from behind. Now he finally gives it to me the way I like it, pinning my arms behind my back and holding my elbows as he rides me. “Come, little hacker,” he commands when he gets close.
“You first,” I say.
He fucks me hard, slapping his loins against my ass until I can’t help but come, and as soon as I do, he finishes, shoving deep and staying there while I tighten around him.
He eases his hold on my arms and lowers himself over my body. His lips find my neck. His teeth nip me.
Aftershocks ripple through me, and I squeeze his cock until I force it out.
“I love you.” I like saying it. I like what those words to do my chest. How they reverberate in my body. The effect they have on him.
He bites me hard. He doesn’t like to say it back. He hasn’t. But I don’t care. He shows me. Like his sister said—his actions speak for him.
He drops to his side. “Look at me.”
I turn my head to face him.
He looks me right in the eyes. “I love you.”
There’s a promise there. An oath. A swearing. I feel the words right down to my toes. In my core. In my cells.
He strokes his hand over my ass and the backs of my legs, a gentle exploring. “I’m gonna punish you for running,” he rumbles.
My grin is ear-wide. “Promise?”
He squeezes my ass roughly.
“Thank God. I was afraid you were going to treat me like a delicate flower now that I’m pregnant.”
He strokes my temple. “I might. I might do whatever the fuck I like with you.”
My smile widens. “There he is.”
He gives me one of those rare smiles.
“Paolo?”
His brow quirks.
“Do you want to be a dad?” I ask.
He opens his mouth, then shuts it. Then opens it again. “I want whatever you do. I mean it.”
“No, really. I want to know.” I realize he’s not going to tell me one way or the other. If he’s decided being my man means supporting me with whatever I choose, he won’t want to sway me. “Just tell me the truth. What was your first thought when you saw the pee stick?”
“Well, I was scared as shit because you were missing, doll. And I was just focused on what the news meant to you. But now that you’re here… I’m really fucking excited about the idea. I never thought I wanted kids, but that’s because I was never in love before. I mean the idea of multiplying you? Have more little Caitlins running around?” He hits his fist to his chest like he can’t even speak he’s so overcome.
My vision blurs. “Yeah?” I give a watery laugh. “What if they’re little Paolos?”
“Well, the poor bastards would be as lucky as I am to get to live with you.”
“Are we living together now?”
“Fuck, yes, we’re living together. Are we having this baby?”
“Yes.” Tears drip down my face. “Yes, I want to. But I don’t want to quit school or dance cardio or anything. I don’t know, I guess I want it all.”
“Then you’ll have it all.” Paolo pushes me to my side and snugs me up against him, face to face. “I’ll handle it.”
The tears fall harder. Explosions of celebrations go off in my chest. “Yeah? We’re going to do this? We’re having this baby?”
Paolo kisses me. “I’m having you,” he says firmly. “And yeah, we’re having a baby.” After a moment, he says, “Don’t freak out when I move you again.”
“Isn’t it too soon? What if I lose the baby? Twenty percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage.”
Paolo goes still, like he’s never contemplated that possibility. Then he answers with total Paolo confidence, “If that happens, I’ll knock you up again, doll. I’m having this family.”
He tips my chin up. “You worried I’m too old? I meant it when I said I’ll take care of you from the grave. No one will ever touch you. You’ll be provided for. You become a Tacone, you’ll have my family behind you for life.”
“Are you proposing?”
He goes still again. “You’re mine. But, yes, I am going to put a ring on that finger. Are you ready to say yes?”
I laugh and roll to my back. It seems huge, but also, it’s nothing. I’ve already accepted I’m his. And I knew that meant every part of me, because this man doesn’t half-ass anything.