Page 90 of Duke of Ice
June stopped, turning to face the man who had become her partner in every sense of the word. "Dominic," she whispered, "I have something to tell you."
Her hand drifted to her stomach in a protective gesture she hadn't planned but felt utterly natural. Dominic's eyes followed the movement, widening as understanding dawned.
"We're going to have a child."
For a heartbeat, he stood perfectly still, his face a sea of shifting emotions too rapid to name. Then, like the sun breaking through clouds, a smile transformed his features.
"June," he breathed, and then she was in his arms and he was kissing every inch of her face.
When he pulled away, it was with exquisite care, as if she had suddenly become something infinitely precious and fragile. His hands came up to cup her face, his eyes searching hers with an intensity that stole her breath.
"Are you certain?" he asked.
She nodded, her own hands covering his. "My lady’s maid, who helped her former mistress through two births, confirmed itbefore we arrived. I wanted to tell you here, away from. Just the two of us."
"A child," Dominic repeated, the words emerging with reverent wonder. "Our child."
His thumbs traced the curve of her cheekbones, a touch so tender it made her heart ache with its sweetness. In his eyes, she saw not just joy but something deeper—gratitude, perhaps, or disbelief that such happiness could be his.
"June," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion, "you've given me everything I never dared to hope for."
"We've given it to each other," she corrected gently.
"I love you, June Blake," Dominic said against her hair. "More than I ever thought possible."
She leaned back just enough to meet his gaze, seeing in it all the promise of the days to come.
"And I love you," she replied simply.
The End?
