Awaken to Pleasure - By Nalini Singh Page 0,63

she no longer blamed herself as she had in those first shocked moments. "But before we do anything, we will get you checked out. We will not do anything if it will hurt you." He refused to lose his wife.

Her face fell. "You don't want me to be the mother of your babies? You said a year..."

His tough littleTaylorwas still so vulnerable and he knew only one way to change that. What was pride, what was machismo , in the face of his wife's pain? Squeezing her tight, he leaned in close to her ear. "If anything happened to you, I would notsurvive, miaamore . Do not ask me to."

Taylor's heart stopped at that powerful statement, made in such a quiet way. "Jackson? But a baby..."

"...would be precious, but only if you were a part of him or her." His legs pressed close against her and it was like being hugged with his whole body. "You are my heart, TaylorSantorini . You. Only you."

Taylor's whole world changed in that instant. She'd always guarded against love because the idea of being emotionally dependent on someone else terrified her. Never had she thought about what it would mean if she was loved in return, never had she imagined that a man with Jackson's passionate heart, a heart which had been hurt as much as her own, would surrender his love into her hands. Andnever, never had she thought that her proud Italian husband would admit such a great vulnerability to her, not when Bonnie had wounded him so very much .

Nick came home three days later and they held him while he cried. Then together, they planted a red rose bush Nick chose. Roses forRosa, he'd whispered. Jackson hadn't left Taylor's side for the past four days and now he was right beside her as they held hands and sang a lullaby to the baby they would never get to hold.

It took another week before he was convinced that she'd be okay on her own.

"Will you be all right?" He was cradling her face in his big hands. " Cara, if you need me, I'll stay."

She knew that he meant every word. Her husband had shown her that she was the most vital thing in his life. Reaching up, she kissed his cheek. "I'm okay, darling. Promise. I think I'll bake a cake to celebrate Nick's team winning their first game."

Jacksonnodded in approval. "He's a strong boy. He's going to be fine."

"We're all going to be okay. We went through the sadness together and we'll go through the joy that comes."

It was time for her to start living again, She was aware that both her husband and her brother had treated her like fragile china for the past week and a half. Though she'd held them in their grief, they were both indisputably male, her husband the most masculine creature she knew. Being who they were, offering her their protection and succor had calmed the rage and sorrow inside them.

She'd let them fuss, aware of their need to do what they could. Now, it was time for her to reclaim her own strength. HerRosawas in her heart, where she would always dwell,a precious first baby. But she was the only mother Nick had ever known and he needed her. So did her husband.

"I'll be back between five and six."Jacksonkissed her once more and then he was gone.

Determined to banish the sadness, she went around the house pulling open every curtain. Light poured in from the windows and skylights while she prepared the cake mix.

As she did so, she thought over the game only two days ago. Nick would've understood if she'd missed it but she would have never forgiven herself for neglecting his emotional needs.Jacksonhad supported her decision to attend the match with him, though he'd bundled her up in so many layers of clothing, she'd felt like a stuffed goose.

The outing had been a good idea, breaking the spell of sadness that had hung over all of them. Watching Jacksoncheer for Nick with as much enthusiasm as any of the other fathers, she'd suddenly realized that somehow, they'd truly become a family.

Smiling at the memory of the stunned look on her brother's face when he'd saved agoal, she put the two cake tins in the oven. Then, when the house was bright with sunshine and redolent with the smell of baking, she sat down with a cup of tea and took the chance to think. At the start of this marriage,