Unexpected Love
I gathered her into my arms and cuddled her close, letting her get some rest since I knew myself well enough to know that I’d be waking her up for another quick fuck before someone came to get us for dinner.
Later that night, as we lounged around the firepit, I looked up to see a shooting star. I had everything I’d ever wanted and more, so I didn’t feel the need to wish on it. However, at the last second, something ridiculous came to mind, and I decided to send it out there just for fun, and I almost laughed out loud. Penelope glanced up at me with a smile when she felt the rumble of my chuckle from where her head was resting on my chest.
“Did you wish on the shooting star?” she teased.
I didn’t say anything, avoiding the question. It didn’t seem to work, though, because she raised an eyebrow and stared at me expectantly, clearly waiting for me to tell her more.
“What did you wish for?”
I shrugged. What would be the point in sharing something so ridiculous? “Nothing, angel. I have everything, so what more is there to wish for?”
She eyed me speculatively for a second but then seemed to let it go and relaxed against me once again.
* * *
“This can’t be right,” Penelope wailed, her face a mask of shock. “I’m too old!” She dropped her head into her hands. “Jackson is almost fifteen years old!”
I scooped her up off the floor and set her on the bathroom counter. Then I pulled her hands away and guided her to rest her forehead on my chest so she wouldn’t see the giant smile splitting my face. “Breathe, angel,” I said as I rubbed soothing circles on her back. My eyes kept drifting to the three small white sticks on the counter that unmistakably shouted the word “pregnant.”
“I can hear your smug smile, you big jerk,” Penelope snapped as she dropped her head back and glared up at me. “I told you we should have wrapped it, Jonah.”
That brought an intense frown to my face, and I growled, “I refuse to have anything between us when I’m inside you, angel.”
She threw up her hands and shook her head with exasperation. “I honestly don’t know how we went fifteen years without an oops before now, considering you barely had to look at me to get me pregnant with the first four. I should have known your damn super sperm would weasel its way past my birth control.” I’d managed to school my expression but lost my hold on it, and the cocky smile returned to my face. “Stop being so proud of yourself!” She shook her head again, but there was less anger in her tone now. “You’re such a caveman sometimes.” She tried to hold on to her stern frown, but the corner of her lips tipped up.
“You know my caveman gets you hot, angel,” I said with a wink. Her face turned pink, and she squirmed a little, making my cock pique with interest.
She clearly felt the movement because she rolled her eyes and huffed. “Maybe,” she admitted reluctantly. “But that’s how we got into this mess in the first place.”
I cupped her cheeks in my palms and brushed a kiss over her nose and mouth. “You always said you wanted a little Hope to go with our Grace and Faith,” I reminded her with a teasing lilt.
Her blue pools softened, and she smiled. “True.”
“You’re not really upset to be pregnant again, are you?” I wasn’t really worried, but thought I’d make sure.
She sighed and tenderly rubbed her flat stomach. “No. I just need to get over the shock, but I’m over the moon like I was for every one of my babies.”
“I love you,” I whispered before I kissed her soundly. Then I lifted her into my arms and began making my way into our room and over to the bed. A thought occurred to me as I was walking, and I grinned down at her. “I bet it was last month on the Fourth of July.”
Penelope gasped as I set her on the edge of the mattress and grabbed my shirt, pulling me down so we were face to face. “I knew it!”
I raised a brow and kept my expression neutral.
“You did wish on that star!”
To my complete and utter shock, I felt heat surface on my cheeks. I was fucking blushing. “Would I do something so childish?” I asked dryly, trying to cover it up.
Penelope’s eyes didn’t miss a thing, and she snorted with laughter. “Admit it, Jonah. You did!”
I nodded, knowing it was time to come clean over my silly moment. “I didn’t even realize I actually wanted it.” She stayed silent, waiting until I finally sighed. “I wished for Hope.”
Penelope climbed up onto her knees and wrapped her arms around me, hugging me fiercely. “You’ve made all of my dreams come true, Jonah. I love you, and I’m ecstatic that I’m going to be able to do the same for you.”