Page 100 of Deserving Lara
Relief swept through him. “Good.” He wanted to talk to Pipe, but his eyelids felt heavy and he had a feeling he would be asleep as soon as Lara left his side. “Come here,” he ordered.
Lara stood again and leaned over him.
“Closer,” Owl said.
She brought her face closer to his.
“I love you,” he said softly. “I knew you could do it. I had no doubts whatsoever that you could fly that chopper.”
“You’re crazy,” she said with a small shake of her head.
“I watched you on the sim. You have good instincts and steady hands. If I didn’t think you could have done it, I wouldn’t have put us in the helicopter in the first place. I would’ve found a place to hide. Gotten in a boat. Tackled Grant and stolen his gun. Something. But that chopper was our fastest and best way out of there. Away from those lunatics. And even though I was losing blood fast and knew I would lose consciousness, I still chose to take off. Because you, Lara Osler, can do any damn thing you put your mind to.”
A tear dripped off Lara’s face and landed on his cheek, but she didn’t pull back. “Owl,” she protested weakly.
“Are you pregnant?” he asked.
Her lips parted on a small gasp. “Why would you ask that?”
Her non-answer told him all he needed to know.
“We’re getting married. Lucas isn’t going to be born without his parents being legally hitched.”
“We made a doctor look her over, and when he asked if she could be pregnant, she hesitated,” Cora said from behind them. “So he made her pee in a cup.”
“IknewI knocked you up that one time,” Owl said smugly.
Lara rolled her eyes. “You’re supposed to ask,” she told him.
“Will you marry me?” he asked without hesitation.
“Of course.”
“That’s why I didn’t ask. I already knew your answer,” he said. Then it hit him.Trulyhit him. “We made a baby,” he whispered.
“Yeah, we did,” Lara agreed.
“Lucas Jackson Kaufman,” he said firmly, for the stranger who saved them…and his best friend, who was still missing. “Luke for short.”
“It’s perfect,” Lara breathed.
“No, you are. Now kiss me, then go sleep. And make sure you eat. I need you and my son to stay healthy.”
“You’re going to be obnoxious with my pregnancy, aren’t you?” Lara asked.
“If you mean overprotective and paranoid, yup,” Owl agreed without hesitation.
But Lara didn’t seem irritated. She simply shook her head and leaned down, kissing him softly. It wasn’t a deep kiss, wasn’t passionate, but it was one of the best kisses he’d shared with her yet.
“Go. Let Pipe and Cora take care of you. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Love you. I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Love you, and me too.”
She stood and backed toward the door, with Cora at her side, grinning at them both like a fool.
Pipe followed, and right before stepping through the door, he turned. “I’ll tell the nurse you’re up,” he said.
