I needed to know that he was sure of this choice he was making because if I let myself go and he backed out again, then that would ruin me.

I can’t risk that…I can’t risk getting hurt again.

“I find myself thinking about you every minute of the day. I miss your touch, I miss having you next to me, and I miss the times we spent together. I want to be in your life and my child's too. I want to spend every day proving to you that I love you, and I want you…. I want to make things right, and I just …..”

He broke off and finally took my hands. Josh shook his head, and his touch warmed my heart as well. He touched my face, and gently stroked my chin.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Bree, and that’s it. That’s all I want.”

I dragged in a deep breath and enjoyed his touch for a while before pulling away. “Are you sure?” I queried in a tiny voice. I could barely hear myself over the rushing of my pulse, and the sweet sensations of heat that were already pooling inside me.

“What about Jenny? What happens to her now? She thinks you two are married, and she’s never going to understand because she doesn’t remember.”

“Jenny’s memories returned today,” he answered. “I don’t know how or how long it’s going to last but she did, and she remembers everything and she’s alright.”

“I don’t know what to say, Josh,” I said to him, then shook my head. “I don’t ….”

“I love you,” he repeated before he put my hands on his chest. “My heart beats for you, Bree, and I don’t want to live in fear of what might be. I want to savor every moment of the time we get to spend together and that’s it. Please tell me you want the same.”

I nodded after a while, then let the words that I’ve longed to tell him for weeks fall right out of my lips. “I love you, Josh,” I confessed, then laughed. “I’ll always love you.”

My gaze searched his, then I released a sob before the tears began streaming down my cheeks fully. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek before he took my lips.

I kissed him too and parted my lips so his tongue could lick mine. His passionate kiss awakened the darkest parts of my heart. It filled me with warmth and made me want more of him, so I snaked my arms around his neck.

Our lips merged into one, and this time, he pressed me closer to his body, so I felt every hardened plane of him. When he pulled away after a while, the face-splitting grin he wore made me laugh.

Josh's eyes gleamed as he stared at me. His eyes held me captive, and the slow passion building inside me was proof that I wanted Josh now more than ever.

My body had missed him, and my heart rejoiced that he was here finally.

“Stay for dinner,” I said because I didn’t want him to leave yet. “Allison’s making something amazing, and I want you here.”

I stepped closer to him then whispered in his ear. “Besides, I have missed you, and I think the baby has too. He’s never heard your voice, so I think it’s time for you to talk to him.”

Josh placed his right hand gently on my belly, then he kissed my lips tenderly again and whispered. “I love you and our baby.”

I took his lips for another soul-melting kiss, then waited till we were both out of breath before parting again. We were both giggling when we walked into the kitchen and Allison clapped her hands.

“Finally,” she said as she smiled at me. “I thought you were never going to accept the man’s apology.”

We all laughed, and I joined Allison to fix dinner before my dad got back. Josh dined with us for the first time that night, and it was a heartfelt dinner, the best I had enjoyed in years.

There was laughter and joy around the table, and I could tell my dad still had his reservations, but it felt good to see him smile and loosen up a little around Josh. Hopefully, my dad could learn to trust Josh's intentions and know that I truly loved him like no other.

The joy beaming through me was enough to fill an ocean, and it made me anticipate the rest of our lives. I had enough time to make lots of new memories and savor them with the people I love. It was the promise of a happy ever after, and I hoped it would be a long-lasting one.

* * *

We madelove in my house after dinner that evening, and it was more than words could describe. Josh played my body like an instrument, and he worshipped it while I danced to his tunes. Every inch of me burned for his touch.

His kiss melted my insides…. His hands glided ever softly down my stomach to part my thighs and his kisses followed to my most sensitive spot. I lost my mind to the frenzy of the heat he created inside me.

Each stroke of his tongue made me arch my hips off the bed. I wanted to meet his tongue thrusts and spill my need into him. My toes curled into the sheets and he parted my thighs some more to give himself access.

“Josh,” I cried out and gripped the sheets tight because I didn’t know what else to do. This was better than anything I had ever felt. The sensations rocking through me were more intense than ever.

I felt my core spasm, and Josh gently inserted the tip of a finger, rubbed his thumb over my sweet nub, then caressed me till I grew wetter.