Saved (Wanted 2)

She threw her head back and laughed. Then, the look she gave me made heart drop into my stomach. God I love this girl with every ounce of my being.

“Everything is more than okay, Jeff. You’re gonna be a Daddy in about seven months. ”

Holy shit. It felt like my knees were about to give out. I just stood there for a few seconds and stared at her smiling face.

She’s two months pregnant…two months ago. . . the day in the barn. It was the day in the barn!

I walked over to her and put my hands on the sides of her face. Leaning down, I kissed her lightly at first, nipping at her bottom lip, and then I kissed her with as much passion as I could.

After what seemed like forever, I pulled my lips from hers, both of us were breathing hard. When she smiled at me, I almost dropped to ground.

“I love you, Arianna. I love you so damn much. ”

“I love you more. ” She giggled.

I put my right hand on her stomach and looked down at it. I’m going to be a father. I smiled at the thought of Ari having my baby.

“When I’d asked you to marry me and you’d said yes, I thought that was the best moment of my life…” I looked into her eyes that were filling with tears.

“But I was wrong. This is the best moment of my life. ”

“So far,” Ari said with a wink and a smile.

I laughed and kissed her again. “Yeah, baby, so far. ”

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

ARI

I woke up and instantly smiled.

Last night had been perfect…beyond perfect. It had been amazing. I didn’t think Jeff had ever made love to me so sweetly and passionately as last night. I touched my still swollen lips, remembering his kisses, and smiled.

I could still feel his hands all over my body, touching me so tenderly. The way he’d kissed my stomach and talked to the baby just about had me melting right there on the spot. I held up my hand and looked at my engagement ring. I still couldn’t believe that I was marrying this man. This man who I’d been in love with the moment my young eyes saw him.

I thought back to yesterday when I’d sat, waiting, in Dr. Wyatt’s office. When he’d walked in the door with a smile on his face, it only confirmed what I’d already known. This time, I hadn’t taken any pregnancy tests. I’d just known. Somehow, I’d known the day when Ellie and I were running all over Austin, threatening Rebecca, getting tattoos, and just being silly and carefree. Earlier that morning on the same day, I’d somehow known that Jeff and I did something amazing together. We’d had sex plenty of times since that morning, but I truly believed that’s when I got pregnant. My little angel was watching over us.

***

When I told my mother, the first thing she did was quote the great Katharine Hepburn.

“Always remember, Arianna, ‘Children need boundaries, so they can know how far they have to go to get beyond them. ’

I had to laugh. “Really, Mom? No ;congratulations, Ari’? Just another Katharin Hepburn quote?”

“Hey, I’m so beyond excited right now, baby girl. That quote was the first one that came to my mind. ”

“I’ll take it, Mom. ”

She hooked her arm around mine as we walked to her car.

“Mom, I didn’t tell Ellie why I had her drop me off at your house this morning. ”

“Okay, why didn’t you tell her, Ari? You know that she’s going to be beyond thrilled. ”

“She’s been trying to get pregnant ever since this summer, and it’s not happening. I’m so worried, Mom. What if she can’t have kids? Gunner has all but stopped talking about it with her. She thinks he’s upset, but Jeff said Gunner just doesn’t want to pressure her. ”

“Has she talked to Grace?”