Page 74 of Loving You Always

“I know we said we’d exchange gifts when everyone else got here.” She bit her lip to hide a secret smile. “But I have one gift I want to give you alone. Just us.”

“Is this better than the gift you just gave me in the shower?” He slanted her a wicked, reminiscent smile. Leaning against the counter, he tugged on one of her toes.

“Um, yeah,” she said, amazed she could still blush after the last year with this sensual creature she’d married.

She reached into the bathroom counter drawer, pulling out a black box with a silver bow. She proffered it with a shy smile. He leaned forward to take it, kissing her with gentle hunger, still holding the waiting gift.

“Walsh,” she said against his searching mouth. “We’ll never be ready for our guests if you don’t stop and open your gift.”

“It’s just our family.” He pulled her bottom lip between his teeth, his hand cupping her breast and plucking at her nipple.

Her body didn’t care that they’d had sex twice this morning. Heat flooded the center of her as she pressed into the fingers sliding down her waist, between her legs.

Oh, God, focus.

“Walsh, we can’t.”

“They’ll understand, baby. We’re newlyweds.”

Kerris slid down the counter, putting a few inches between them.

“That’s what you said the last time we invited your father over for dinner. He was expecting a home-cooked meal and ended up with sandwiches. Not to mention, heheardus up here. I was mortified.”

Walsh barked a quick laugh. “That’s what he gets for using his old key.”

“That won’t happen today. Everything will be ready and on the table when they arrive. Now open the gift.”

“Okay, okay.” Walsh slid up onto the counter beside her, carefully removing the silver bow. Inside was a clear plastic case. And inside the clear plastic case was…

“This is a pregnancy test.” He sketched a frown with his dark brows.

“Wow, you’re as smart as they say you are.”

“And there’re two lines. That means…”

“That means the world better watch out, because Walsh Bennett has procreated.” She laughed, unable to contain the joy spilling from her eyes and the smile she refused to hold back any longer.

Walsh jerked Kerris over onto his lap, crushing her against him. He rocked her back and forth, eyes closed, head buried in her hair.

“Walsh?” Kerris faltered a little. “I thought you’d be jumping around and screaming from the rooftop. Are you not…are you okay with it?”

“Yeah,” he said, his voice husky with emotion. He blinked away tears. “Sorry, I’m such a wuss. I just didn’t think I could be any happier.”

She leaned away from him, studying the moisture in his eyes with a small smile. She reached up to cup his firm, still-stubbled jaw, forcing him to look into her eyes.

“Don’t worry. I cried, too. I’ve had some time to get used to it.”

“How long have you known? When did you take the test?”

“Last week.” She kissed his chin. “It’s been hard keeping it from you, but I knew it would be the perfect Christmas gift, so I saved it.”

“Kerris, we haven’t been married long. Are you sure you’re okay with it? I don’t want you to feel pressured—”

“Walsh, I couldn’t be happier.”

“Me either,” he said without hesitation. His proud grin faltered, concern still in his eyes when he looked at her. “Are you okay about…I mean, Amalie.”

Even now her baby girl’s name pricked Kerris’s heart, though less each day. Amalie would always be her first child. She might always mourn her in small ways on unexpected days, but this joy sat right alongside that pain as a comfort; as a reminder of life moving forward and getting better.

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