You Were Meant For Me (Wishful 10)

He drew her in, wrapping his arms around her. “I know how hard all this is for you. I know this isn’t much, but I just wanted to do something to make you smile.”

It was tape. It didn’t fix anything, didn’t make the situation any less stressful. But he’d remembered and he’d thought of her. And that, more than anything he’d said since he found out, made her feel less alone.

“Mission accomplished. Let’s go home.”

The whole drive, Tess listened to Mitch throw out more awful names as he talked about plans for the nursery and a life of little league and dance recitals, Christmas mornings and family traditions. He was legit, no faking, ecstatic about this baby. She still couldn’t quite wrap her brain around that. But neither could she stop herself from getting kind of excited herself about this Norman Rockwell life he was painting. He didn’t bring up marriage again, and that was a relief. Right now he was focused on the baby and the future. And that future included her at every turn. Tess was too practical to believe it would unfold exactly as he envisioned. But maybe…maybe, she and Mitch stood a chance where her parents hadn’t. They certainly hadn’t started out with this much joy at the prospect of family. Letting herself believe that, having some hope—dangerous though it was—lifted an enormous weight off her heart.

She’d thought he’d forgotten her request for that reenactment, but they’d barely made it inside before he backed her against a wall and took her mouth, his hands already beneath the hem of her shirt, tugging it up. He broke the kiss to strip it off, and she yanked at his shirt to do the same. They bumped through the kitchen, kissing, touching, taking, leaving a trail of clothes in their wake. When Mitch would have driven them up the stairs, she dragged him into the living room. The sofa was closer, and after all, once the baby came, it would be harder to give in like this wherever, whenever they felt like it.

Naked, they tumbled onto the couch, and nothing had ever felt as good as the weight of all his warm skin against hers. His hands were everywhere, stroking her to a fever pitch. God, she loved his hands, loved the hard body beneath hers, loved what he could do to her. Needing him inside her, she moved to straddle his hips, until his cock nudged her entrance.

“Wait,” he croaked. One hand flailed toward the floor, where they’d left his pants. Condom.

Tess, cupped his cheek. “I think that’s a little like shutting the barn door after the horses are already out.”

He paused. “Sure?”

“I need you. Just you.” She kept her eyes on his as she sank down, slowly taking him in. She watched emotion and pleasure bloom in his eyes as he murmured her name and knew this wouldn’t be the fast, frantic coupling she’d imagined.

He drew her down for a kiss, seducing her with his mouth as she began a slow, steady rhythm. So much of their lovemaking had been flash and fire, always with that edge of desperation because their time had been finite. But this…there was patience here and a trust that there was time. There was a future. Together. Years to learn and grow and love. So she gave herself over to the dream, to him. Patience mated with passion, driving them both higher, longer, until she cried out from the joy of it and he emptied inside her.

Slumping boneless and sated on his chest, her heart was full to bursting. I love you. I love you. I lov

e you. The words wanted to spill out like the music of a full gospel choir. But she held herself back, not wanting to hear a reflexive response that was really just about the baby. Instead, she set out to lighten the mood.

“I wonder if on-purpose conceptual sex is that amazing.”

Mitch stroked a possessive hand over her ass. “I don’t know, but I vote we find out.”

She propped up enough to give him the side eye. “That ship has sailed. Or was it so good that you forgot where we spent the afternoon?”

His grin made her heart pinch. “For right now I know, but I never imagined having just one kid. I mean, Ephegenia Doreen needs a brother or sister. What about you?”

Were they really having this conversation? Well, if not now, then when? If they were building a life together, the question of how many kids was relevant. “I hadn’t ever given it much thought. I’m an only child, so that seems normal to me. But I can see how multiples would be normal for you. Let’s see how we do with Bertis Lamont before we go all Cheaper By The Dozen or whatever.”

He snickered. “We’re gonna do great.”

“I’m glad one of us is confident.”

He rolled, toppling her from her perch to tuck her against his side and lay a hand on the slope of her belly. “I can’t wait to see you get all round.”

Wincing at the image and not at all enthused about the idea of a preggo body—the women in her family tended to pack it on during pregnancy—she just looked at him. “Seriously? You’re looking forward to me turning into a waddling cow?”

“First off, there is no possible circumstance under which I won’t find you sexy. Second, there’s something really primal about seeing your woman pregnant. I mean maybe it’s all caveman biological imperative or whatever, but it’s sexy as hell.”

She should not find that caveman attitude appealing. But she did. Maybe it was that casual, possessive way he’d called her his woman. She wanted to be his woman. She wanted to be his everything. “Hang on to that thought for when my ankles are the size of an elephant’s.”

“I’ll have you know, I give killer foot massages. And back rubs. I’m going to take care of you, Tess.” Sincerity shone in his eyes.

Her throat went thick. “I’m not great at being taken care of. But for you, I’ll work on it.”

Mitch brushed a soft, reverent kiss over her lips, making her hum. As he stroked a hand down her leg, she felt the stirrings of fresh arousal. “You know, those ankles aren’t the size of an elephant’s now.”

She slanted him a look. “No, they are not. Why?”

“Because I’m thinking you could probably get them over my shoulders.” At her arched brow, he grinned. “You did say you wanted a reenactment.”

“I did say that.” She gave a long, luxurious stretch, loving the way his hungry gaze drank in her body. “Well, in the name of taking advantage as long as I can…”