Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 146(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
“Are you afraid?” Leila whispered so low I almost didn’t hear.
I started running the pads of my fingers along her side, up and down, gently stroking her, feeling goosebumps move along her flesh. The sheet was pooled down around her waist, and although she was petite, she still had very womanly curves.
“No,” I said adamantly. “This is all I’ve ever wanted, Leila. You, a future together, a family.” She tipped her head back so she could look into my face, and I saw she was smiling, that she loved my answer. “And it’s all coming true,” I added. “My regret is that I never told you sooner, that it took a night of drinking for us to experience our first time together, that it made you uncomfortable.” I stared right into her eyes. “I’m sorry you felt the need to put this wall between us because you were that afraid.” I slowly shook my head. “I don’t ever want you to be afraid to tell me anything, Leila. I want to not only be yours, but I want you to be mine. I want us to be able to share everything, the good things, the bad, the things that terrify us.” She smiled and nodded. “I want to be your rock, the person you lean on.” I willed her to feel how real those words were. “Do you understand?”
She slowly nodded and then shifted so she was now sitting up on the bed. The sheet dropped lower around her hips, her upper body gloriously naked, the feminine slopes of her breasts on full display. I could’ve taken her again right then and there, but that wasn’t what this moment was about. Instead, I let my gaze linger over her breasts, along her ribs, and stopped at her stomach. She was tiny, and I imagined the swell of her belly getting bigger, our child growing within it.
I reached out and placed my palm on her belly, closing my eyes and having a very vivid picture of being able to feel my baby kick when she is further along. It had me smiling. And when I looked into her face again, it was to see that those tears were back in her eyes. But I knew they were happy ones.
“I love you,” she said.
I slid both hands to her waist and hauled her on top of me, her legs on either side of my hips. I lifted my upper body a little bit and slammed my mouth on hers, kissing her, claiming those lush lips, stroking her tongue with mine. “I love you more than I can ever tell you,” I murmured against her mouth.
I meant every single word of that. I meant it so much that love wasn’t even a strong enough word to describe what I felt for her.
But it would do… for now.
20
Leila
“Are you sure about this?” Devon tightened his hand on mine as we ascended the basement steps.
We stopped at the top, and I looked at him, nodding. “I am,” I said softly, meaning that more than I’d ever meant anything before. I exhaled, trying to get my nerves straightened out.
We figured now was as good a time as any to tell my parents, not only about our relationship, but also about the baby. It wasn’t like they wouldn’t know eventually anyway, and I was tired of keeping things from people.
I felt Devon tighten his hand on mine, and then he leaned down and gave me a kiss. I was glad I had him here with me to get through this, to deliver the news to my parents, I didn’t know what their reaction would be, but I knew I could get through anything with him by my side. It might be cliché as hell, but it was the absolute truth.
Life was all about trials and tribulations, the unknown and unexpected. But at the end of the day, if it made you happy, that was all that mattered.
And Devon made me happy.
This baby made me happy.
And yeah, that was all that mattered.
* * *
I was pretty sure my parents were in some kind of state of shock. My father sat across from us, in the same chair where he always sat every morning for as long as I could remember. He had his cup of coffee, strong and bitter as hell. The newspaper was spread out in front of him, the business section the part he’d always read first.
My mother still stood by the sink, a dishtowel thrown over her shoulder, her eyes slightly wide as she looked between Devon and me.
They’d been like this for the past few minutes, ever since we emerged from the basement, sat down at the table, and just told them everything. I told them about Devon and me being in love with each other, starting a relationship, and of course the baby.