Page 69 of The Rebel Heir

He looked up at her, apprehension in his eyes.

Jillian pressed a hand to the side of his face. “Cole, I’ve been married before—”

“Do you love me?” he asked.

“More than I have ever loved anyone,” she said with sincerity.

“Then how can you compare me and what we can build together—trust, love, a family—when you have never had the same love for those other men?” he said. “Who you are now is not who you were then. And I am not them.”

“A family?” she asked, pressing her hand to her belly and envisioning it swollen with their child.

Cole covered her hand with his own. “Yes,” he stressed.

“Girl or boy?” she asked.

“Girl,” they said in unison.

“There’re more than enough male Cress family members,” Cole said dryly.

Jillian’s eyes went back to the ring.

I do love him.

She reread the note.

And he loves me.

She remembered reading something Maya Angelou had said. “‘Have enough courage to trust love one more time...’” she quoted the poet.

Cole rose before her. “We both have to leave our past in the past and trust in each other,” he said before dropping to his knee. “Let’s do it together. Marry me?”

I can’t let the hurt caused by other men keep this love from me now.

With a building excitement like nothing she had ever felt, Jillian bit her bottom lip as she raised her left hand, presented it to him, hoping he could see and feel the love she had for him. And as he took her hand in his and slid the weighty jewel onto her finger, she pushed aside her fears, determined to claim her happiness with the man she loved.

Cole stood and kissed her before quickly grabbing her waist and turning her body to lay it down on the bed, sandwiched by the rose petals and his body.

His weight felt familiar. Comfortable. Perfect.

“And what about dinner, my love?” she said, rubbing her leg up and down the length of his as he pressed kisses to her neck.

Cole gave her a wicked smile before moving his body down between her legs as he spread them. “I have everything I want to eat right here,” he said before lowering his head to blow a cool stream of air against her intimacy.

Jillian clutched at his head as she arched her back and closed her eyes at the pleasure of his tongue. She rolled her hips and Gabe moaned deep in his throat as his fingers gripped her buttocks. “Yes,” she gasped in ecstasy as goose bumps raced across her skin.

She gave in to the pleasure and her love with the hope that they would cherish, honor, and trust one another in a way neither had before with anyone. She was hopeful. Even as she was driven to mindless passion by her love—who seemed hell-bent on pleasing her—she allowed herself to free-fall into the bliss of love and carry Cole—her sexy rebel—right along with her.

Hopefully, for forever and a day.

Epilogue

Three months later

Cole looked over his mother’s head as they danced to eye Jillian dancing with her father. There was a smile on her face as she looked up at the tall, broad man with the love a daughter has for her father. His bride looked beautiful in a couture, formfitting, soft tulle gown scattered with delicate beading. The deep V-neckline and detachable overskirt of layers of tulle made her hourglass figure more pronounced. The sheer blush color of the gown was sexy and delicate. She was stunning. Cole smiled and chuckled when Harry surprised her with a dip and Jillian’s eyes widened.

I love my wife.

Earlier that afternoon, they had wed at the courthouse. Just the two of them. They had chosen to put their marriage and each other first above all else. They’d wanted the focus on their marriage and not just a lavish wedding ceremony.

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