Page 94 of The Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée

A dense wave of heat rolls over me and I sense him even before he slides his arm around me. Pulling me close, Jace places his hand protectively over my belly.

Bending, he lifts the hair away from my neck, rubbing his cheek against the delicate skin.

The familiar tug in my belly ... this time joined by a rolling sensation. Tiny waves travel out from my belly button, almost like little bubbles popping inside.

I stiffen, then whisper. "Did you feel that?"

When he grows still, I place my hand over his and we wait, both of us focused on that tiny space inside of me, where life sprouts anew.

Another flutter followed by a tiny punch and I gasp, caught by surprise. The life inside me knows us, wants to be part of our little circle.

I laugh this time, and then gasp when she kicks me as if warning me I only have a few months more before she joins us and takes over our life.

"We're still going ahead with the adoption, aren't we?" I ask, and sense him nod above me. We'd decided to adopt a child the very day I'd found out I was pregnant. I intend to adopt many more. Create a home filled with laughter and love, the way my adoptive parents had for me.

"If the Murphy's hadn't adopted me I'd never have come here, never have met you or had this life. I want to give back as much as I can," I say.

"And we will," Jace agrees. "And the app," he reminds me. "We need to get that baby launched before this one arrives."

"Yeah," I breathe out the sound.

Sheer joy grips me. I'm full inside, and not only with the child.

It's more, a lot more. A feeling of finding my space. With this person who is not perfect, but who has been through his own ups and downs and came out on the other side stronger. Deeper. More mature and more open.

That feeling of openness I had sensed when he'd walked into that room at the Four Seasons hotel has only grown since. It's as if once he started to give, he can't hold back.

Jace is making up for time lost, for everything he didn't have. For the feeling of belonging he so missed when he was a child.

Jace hadn't accepted my loan. He had plain refused to even consider it, until I had told him my idea of an app that I wanted his company to launch, and that I wanted us to be partners in it.

It's an app that will help match couples with adoption agencies. We'd also launched a grant. For couples who couldn’t afford the adoption process, half the cost would be borne by our new company.

This would allow more children to find homes.

My parents would have wholly approved of it. Both sets of them.

After much urging, Jace had finally called Darren to tell him we were back together. And to announce the impending birth of our child. Darren had been overjoyed. He'd offered the next installment of his inheritance right then.

Jace had accepted, and funneled the money into a charity we'd set up. Anja's Gift now helps children in need around the world.

"You don't mind that my inheritance will not be there for our children?" He looks at me, the green flaring as I know it does when he's in the grip of intense emotion. Like now.

Jace is clear he intends to make it on his own, without his father's help, a decision that had earned him his father's respect. Now Darren calls us every week. Getting to know us, sharing the journey we are on in creating our own family.

"It helps so many more," I say. "You made the right choice." I pause to revel in our love, then speak again. "We're going to be late to meet your friends," I remind Jace.

I've already met Karina, Damian and Arpad. And Eric of course is part of our little family.

My mind skips across what needs to be done for the day, only to stutter, when Jace bites the side of my throat.

"They can wait," he growls.