Page 26 of Spellbound

“It’s common knowledge that a woman always shows sooner with her second child. And that when carrying boys, they tend to grow much larger. I’ll be the size of our house before it’s all said and done.”

“A son?”

Belladonna smiled. “Yes. A son. Your son.”

“Our son,” he said. “Have there been any boys born in your family’s line?”

“Not for the last century,” she said. “Although, Julianna is the first to be born without bearing the Goodwynne name. In truth, it’s been very rare for any Goodwynne woman to have more than a single child. Our family tree has been naught but a series of single, straight lines for a hundred years or more. Whether through her untimely death or that of her partner, the lines were terribly abbreviated.”

“And the curse you feared for so long?”

Belladonna shook her head. “I do not fear it anymore. I think Amarantha was right when she said the curse would end with me.”

Desmond put the baby back down in the crib and then moved toward her. He pulled her close. “Curses or no, you are all I could have ever wanted. I love you, Belladonna, and I love our daughter and our son and any others who will follow.”

“Then perhaps we should remove all those dresses from the bed and you can show me?”

He shook his head. “No. I think we’re just going to have get creative.”

And they did.