Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
When I pull back, I press my forehead against hers, my breath coming out in a rough exhale. “You look like you’ve got a secret, baby,” I murmur, my voice thick with affection but laced with curiosity. There’s something buzzing under her skin, something she’s barely holding back, and it makes my gut twist in anticipation.
Lila’s eyes shimmer, tears welling up even as she tries to blink them away. Her lips part, and she lets out a soft laugh, shaky but filled with joy. “I was going to wait until dessert,” she whispers, her fingers clutching at my shirt. “I made tiramisu for you. Your favorite.” She laughs again, breathless, her voice breaking as the emotion overflows. “But I can’t wait.”
I stiffen, my heart slamming against my chest as I cup her face in my hands, brushing away a tear that slips down her cheek.
“Lila,” I whisper, my voice suddenly hoarse, “what is it?”
She takes a deep breath, her hands gripping my shirt tighter as if she’s holding onto something precious. Then the words spill out, soft but filled with the kind of power that knocks the wind right out of me.
“We’re having a baby, Holt.” Her voice breaks, and the tears stream down her face now, but she’s smiling, beaming up at me with a joy that makes my heart feel too big for my chest. “After everything... after all the waiting and hoping... we’re going to have a baby.”
For a moment, I can’t breathe. Time stops. Everything stops. All I can do is stare at her, my mind trying to wrap itself around the words that are echoing in my head. A baby. We’re having a baby.
Then it hits me, like a wave crashing over me, knocking me off my feet. We’re having a baby. My arms tighten around her, pulling her as close as I can, and I let out a shaky breath, my voice rough and unsteady. “A baby? We’re...we’re going to be parents?” I bring my hand up, trembling, and rest it on her stomach, the reality of it crashing over me like an avalanche. Tears burn in my eyes, and I don’t even try to fight them. “You’re going to be a mom, Lila. You’re going to be the best damn mom.”
Lila laughs, her tears mixing with her laughter as she leans into my touch. “And you’re going to be the best daddy.” She pulls back just enough to reach behind her, grabbing something from the counter. When she holds it up between us, I feel my breath catch in my throat. It’s a tiny onesie, white with simple lettering across the front: Daddy’s Biggest Adventure.
I stare at it, my heart swelling so big I feel like it might burst. “My biggest adventure,” I whisper, my voice breaking as I look back at her, my eyes brimming with love and awe. “I never thought... I never let myself hope.”
“We did it, Holt,” she says softly, her hand covering mine where it rests on her stomach. “We’re going to raise a family here. Right here, on this mountain, just like we always dreamed.”
I can’t speak. All I can do is pull her into my arms, holding her tight, burying my face in the crook of her neck as the tears fall freely, soaking into her skin. I’ve never felt so full, so complete, and all I can do is hold on to her—my wife, my love, my everything.
After what feels like forever, I pull back just enough to meet her gaze, my thumb brushing tenderly across her cheek. “I love you, Lila,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. “You’ve given me everything. I swear, I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure you and our baby know how much you mean to me.”
Her eyes shimmer, her smile soft and full of love. “I already know, Holt. We both do.”
We stand there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the fire crackling softly in the background, the room bathed in the warm glow of the flames. Then, without a word, I sweep her into my arms, carrying her toward the fireplace. I lay her down gently on the plush rug in front of the hearth, the warmth of the fire dancing across our skin.
Our movements are slow, deliberate, filled with reverence. I undress her carefully, my fingers trembling as they trace the curves of her body, the new life we’ve created together already growing inside her. I kiss her gently, reverently, trying to imprint this moment into my soul. I want to remember every second of it, every breath, every heartbeat.
“I’m going to love you forever,” I whisper against her lips, my voice rough with emotion. “You and our baby. Always.”
I dip my finger inside her, feeling the warmth and wetness of her arousal, and I’m immediately hit with a wave of lust so intense, it almost makes me dizzy. I bring my finger to my mouth, tasting her essence, savoring the sweetness that’s uniquely hers. Satisfaction, raw and primal, courses through me. She’s mine.