you anywhere, too.”
I nodded as happy tears streamed from my eyes. “I don’t expect you to give up your life here. I know how much you love it.”
“I love being with you more. I’ll always call this home. I’ll always keep my place here, but I want to be with you, Rose, whatever it takes.”
“Why didn’t you call me?” I asked, frustrated.
“Because I wanted to tell you in person,” he said as he cradled my head. “I wanted to tell you I’m sorry. And I wanted to ask you if you could make room for me.”
“I told you I would,” I said as relief swept over me. “I want you with me.”
“And I want to be there, but are you sure you can handle it?”
Guilt surfaced as I looked at him with certainty. “You don’t have to worry about that, Jack, ever. Something happened to me yesterday. I can’t really explain it, but I’ve never been more sure of anything. If neither of us had lost, we wouldn’t have found each other. I can embrace that now. I’m so thankful.”
He nodded as if he understood and pulled me tightly to him. “I don’t work the same without you now, and I don’t want to try. No amount of foolish pride could’ve kept me away. I hope you believe that.”
“I do,” I said as he rubbed a gentle hand down my back and I gripped him closer. “I’m sorry about the way I’ve been acting. I don’t pretend my behavior hasn’t been borderline insane. I was terrified I’d scared you away.”
“I just came to get my second wind,” he said as he grinned down at me. “Nothing you could say or do can keep me away now.”
“That’s good to hear because I have to tell you something.”
He looked down at me with furrowed brows, and I lifted my hand to erase them.
“I’m going to have your baby.”
The smile I loved so much slowly spread over his face as he looked down at me with a mix of shock and pride.
“I confirmed it this morning. I’m due in June.”
Jack leaned in and whispered, “You’ve just made my life.”
He scooped me into his arms and walked me back down the hall to his bedroom where he undressed me slowly and covered every inch of bare flesh he revealed. “I’m going to make love to you until the sun comes up.”
“Jack,” I gasped as he trailed his soft mouth all over my body, landing a wet, tongue-filled kiss between my legs. When he’d tasted me to the point of no return, he stood to undress. His eyes roamed my body and remained on my stomach. Fully revealed, I basked in his gaze.
“Tell me again,” he said as he trailed kisses from my foot to my thigh and then brushed his mouth over my abdomen.
“I’m going to have your baby,” I said as he looked up at me with reverence and a fresh tear fell silently down his cheek.
“There’s nothing you could ever do from this moment on to make me love you more. I’m full.”
“Well, you had a small hand in it,” I said as I plucked at his wayward hair.
“A baby,” he whispered.
“A baby that fought and won through layers and years of birth control,” I said with wide eyes. “You’re a potent man, Jack Sawyer.”
He moved to hover above me as his lips brushed mine in temptation. “And I’m just about to drive that point home, beb.”
“Jack... your parents!” I whisper scolded. “No way. No way,” I said just as music started to blare from the adjoining room. It was rap.
“Rory?” I smiled as I looked up to Jack.
“Rory,” he parroted back with conviction as he fisted my hair in his hand and captured my mouth.
“RORY!” I heard as I sat up in bed in alarm, Jack’s sheet clutched to me. Jack sighed underneath his pillow as an argument began just outside our door, or at least it sounded that way.
“You’re damned near fifty-three years old! You can’t walk around this house in a thong!”
“I’ll have you know in some countries—” she started back defensively as other doors throughout the house started to open.
“What the hell is going on? It’s 6 A.M., damn it!” I couldn’t tell if that was Spencer or Jack Sr.
“Our nudist has decided to parade around in her underwear.”
“Can you guys keep it down? Don’t forget we have a guest here and she can hear you. You’re probably freaking her out.” I recognized that voice. It belonged to