Fate (Steel Brothers Saga #13) - Helen Hardt Page 0,73
There’s something special about that. This baby was conceived in love.”
“There’s everything special about that.”
“I suppose we could have the baby and put it up for adoption,” I said.
“Could you do that?”
“I have no idea. Right now, I feel like maybe I could, but as the baby grows, and after I see him and hold him… I just don’t know. What do you want?”
He smiled and kissed my forehead. “This messes up my life. It messes up your life. But as I stand here and look into your beautiful eyes, I’m certain of two things.”
“What are they?”
“I love you. And I want this baby.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
Brad
I want this baby.
My words surprised me, but I couldn’t deny their truth. I wanted this child with Daphne. She was so young. Hell, I was young too. But we could do it. We could do it together.
I was financially stable. I’d be almost done with college by the time the baby came, and then we’d move to the ranch after I graduated. Daphne could complete the first semester. She’d have to put off school for a semester or two, but she could go back later if she wanted to. Grand Junction had colleges. We could get a nanny for the baby. I’d build us our own house on the ranch or renovate one that was already there. Our ranch was huge. There was plenty of room, and it would all be mine someday anyway.
My mother would love a grandchild. We might not need a nanny. My mother could help with the baby.
All these thoughts whirled in my head, until Daphne’s soft voice interrupted them.
“You do?”
“Yes, Daphne. I do. I want you, and I want this baby.”
“Oh, Brad.” She fell into my arms again. “Can we really do this?”
“Honey, people do this all the time with a lot less than we have. We’ll be fine. I promise you.” I kissed the top of her head.
This beautiful woman was carrying my child. It was early yet. Anything could happen. But it wouldn’t. She was right about fate. I believed now. How else could a condom have failed? Fate. Daphne would have this baby, and we’d have a family of our own.
Just the thought made me want her. Already I was hardening inside my jeans.
Great timing, Steel.
But she pushed into me, her body responding to mine.
I lowered my head and took her lips with mine.
We kissed with passion and need. With urgency yet tenderness, exploring each other’s mouths.
I wanted to make love. Weeks had gone by since that perfect first time. I broke the kiss with a loud smack. “Can you?”
She nodded, her lips red and swollen from just one hard kiss. “Yeah. The nurse practitioner said it won’t hurt the baby.”
“Thank God.” I lifted her into my arms and carried her into my bedroom.
Our bedroom.
This was our bedroom, now. She’d have to move in, let me take care of her. Finally I saw the good in Murph moving out. Daphne and I needed this time to get to know each other. Truly know each other—and prepare for our family while I finished college.
I undressed her slowly, revealing each new inch of flesh and then gazing at it as though I were unveiling a perfectly preserved Renaissance painting.
Except that Daphne was more perfect than any painting. She was warm flesh and blood.
She was mine.
All mine.
When she stood before me naked, I feasted on her with my eyes. Such pure beauty. Her dark braid fell over one shoulder, curving over the swell of her breast. Her pink-brown nipples were hard and taut, protruding from their fleshy mounds. Her belly was flat with a slight sexy curve. I trailed my finger over it, imagining it swollen with my child.
Then the triangle of darkness between her legs, and the paradise that lay between them. The paradise that had brought us where we stood today. Two people who loved each other and who had created another person from that love.
Yes, it was too soon.
Yes, we were too young.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes, to all of those things.
None of it mattered, though, because this woman was my soul mate. Fate had brought us together, and destiny would keep us together. We would make a family for our child.
I removed my own clothes a bit more quickly than I’d removed hers. I could think about serious and loving topics all I wanted, but I couldn’t deny my ache to be inside Daphne’s body.