Page 86 of Mine to Worship

I swallow the lump in my throat. “I have Ellia, she’s my compass.”

I close the door to my office and head upstairs.

Emotions flood me as I step out on the balcony. Her beauty doesn’t cease to steal my breath away. I am lucky, and it hasn’t been clearer than now. I grip the lounge chair and dip my head to kiss the top of her head. Her lips arch into a smile, her lashes fluttering open. She bends her neck back, and her arms stretch over her head.

“I must have fallen asleep.”

“You’re beautiful, angel.”

Her eyes shine like a thousand diamonds and I round the chaise lounge. Her hands wrap around my neck.

“What are you doing?”

“Just loving my wife.”

Our lips meet in the middle. Our kiss has a certain desperate edge, while our tongues seek and hands dig in each other’s skin.

“I like waking up like this.” A dreamy expression takes over her features.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Every one of my heartbeats is a praise to her existence in my life. She’s sunshine, warmth, goodness, ease, all the beauty in the world in one. And mine. Mine.

Ellia sits up and crosses her legs, patting the spot next to her.

“How did it go?” she asks, her eyes narrowing, seeking for any discomfort.

I roll my sleeves to my elbow and lean back, tapping the armrest.

“I listened to him, but I didn’t hear any good reason for why he abandoned me. No reason can be good enough to abandon your child.”

“But you wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

She squeezes my hand in hers.

“I don’t know yet if I’ll be able to forgive him but he’s my father, and he is a good man who made a decision that cost him in the end. But I know I want him in our child’s life.”

“I am happy to hear that.”

I caress her protruding belly, my love for my baby slamming into me with unparalleled force.

“I never want her to experience a day where she doesn’t feel loved.”

“That won’t happen,” she assures me and the belief in her voice eases my worry.

My hand snakes around her neck and I pull her face to me, placing my forehead against hers.

“Promise me you’ll help me not to screw this up.”

“If you can promise me the same.”

“Deal.”

I lift her from the chair, and she locks her legs around my waist.

“Come on, let’s feed you and the baby.”

Inside the kitchen, I place her down on the island. Walter eyes us from the living room, his lips arched into a smile.

“Let me invite you to dinner,” he says, and Ellia agrees. We get into his car and the driver starts the engine.

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