Page 110 of Out of Time
“Me, too,” he said, with another hand on her stomach that warmed her instantly. It took him a minute. “Wait! A niece? We’re having a girl?”
She nodded, laughing at his reaction. “Yes, I found out last week at my checkup. I wanted to wait to tell you in person. The doctor also gave me this if you are curious.” She handed him an envelope. “It’s the test results. I don’t want you to ever wonder.”
He took the envelope and ripped it into shreds. “I won’t. I don’t. I never really did. I feel like an asshole for even suggesting it.”
She traced her finger along his tight mouth, seeing how angry he was with himself. “Don’t. You had every reason not to trust me at the time. I’m sorry for lying to you. I’m sorry for all of it.”
Scott kissed her, and their current state of clothing made it easy to take up again where they’d just left off. This time, he made love to her slowly and sweetly. With every stroke, she felt the promise of her new life. Her new future.
She knew with Scott she might never have the “boring” life she thought she wanted, but he’d always keep her safe.
And maybe a little excitement wouldn’t be so bad.
She was lying down beside him on the couch curled up in his arms when he reached down to retrieve something from the pocket of his jeans. “I almost forgot the most important thing.”
“What’s that?” she said lazily. In truth, she was so wonderfully exhausted she could barely lift her head to look at him.
“As far as we know the Russians still think you are dead, and if we are going to keep it that way, you are going to have to change your name to make sure no one ever connects you to Jennifer Wilson.”
He sank down onto one knee next to the couch.
That brought her up quickly. She dragged the afghan that she’d pulled down on them with her as she sat up.Her heart stopped when he held out a ring. Not just any ring, but an enormousdiamondring.
“How about Jennifer Taylor?” he asked huskily.
She looked back and forth between him and the ring in wonder—and not because the gorgeous monstrosity had to be at least ten carats. She was so overwhelmed, so happy, she didn’t know what to say.
“Will you marry me, Natalie? I should have asked you before I left for Russia.”
Her heart seemed to have stopped beating and was lodged in her throat. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve been sure for a long time. I carried this with me the entire time on the mission. It brought me luck. It brought me back to you.”
She hurried up and nodded before he could take it back. “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you!”
“Thank God,” he said, dragging her into his embrace again. “I thought I might have to bring out the big guns to persuade you.”
Her brows drew together in question.
“Your parents. I asked your father’s permission a few weeks ago—which I’m not sure he would have been inclined to give if I hadn’t mentioned the baby.”
Natalie laughed. Her father had given Scott a hard time. Her father liked Scott, but he didn’t seem to realize that. Natalie had been amused by the whole thing. She’d never seen Scott uncertain before.
“And I think your mom and sister have already been planning the wedding. Your mom was disappointed that she wouldn’t be able to tell any of your friends—with you being dead and all—but she seemed excited to hear that the senator had offered to hold it at his estate.”
Natalie suddenly understood the expression about feeling as if you’d been hit by a freight train. She couldn’tbelieve he’d done all of that without her knowing. “Wow, you’ve been busy.”
“I wasn’t taking any chances. It pays to be a winner.”
She laughed at the use of the favorite SEAL saying, looking forward to the next seventy years or so of Mr. Take Charge SEAL Commander realizing that she played to win, too.
