Page 68 of Savior
“What’s wrong?” I immediately ask, a new surge of worry coursing through me as I glance at my hand on her lower stomach, then back to her face, searching her expression. God, don’t give us this gift, only to tear it away from me!
“Nothing.” She strokes my jaw as if she wants to reassure me. “It’s just very early… I wasn’t sure if I should have waited to tell you until we made it past the twelve-week mark… When the risk of miscarriage drops significantly. I just couldn’t keep another secret from you.” She smiles lovingly at me. “I have my first ultrasound appointment this Friday. Then we’ll know for sure how far along we are.”
I nod, bringing my other hand to my face to wipe the water from my eyes. “I’ll be there.” My voice still sounds strangled. I clear my throat, taking another breath before I ask her where and when.
She runs her fingers through the top of my hair again. “Three o’clock. A little clinic on Boatyard Boulevard. The rest of my blood work should be in by then. Are you coming with me?”
“Fuckin’ A… I’ll be at every single one of your appointments.” I swear. It’s an easy promise to make.
Curling her fingers around the hand I still have pressed to her body, she stands and gives my arm a tug to coax me up off the floor.
“I’m exhausted.” She sighs, looking down at me. This certainly explains her energy level lately. Her bouts of nausea. Even her slight paleness. “Can we just get ready for bed and watch a movie on the couch together?” her smile encouraging me to oblige her, as if I’m capable of denying her anything, especially now. Now that she’s carrying my child.
The acknowledgement hits me like another heavy wave, as I get to my knees and wrap my arms around her, hugging her body tightly. Resting my face against her lower abdomen, I try not to let my shoulders jerk as silent sobs rack my body. Her arms encircle my neck as she leans down to hold me back, shushing me with words of love and understanding.
“You think we were brought together by magic so that I could save you.” I tell her, my voice thick with emotions I never thought I would ever have the chance to experience for myself in this life. “But you continue to save me, in more ways than you’ll ever know.”
Vanna’s hands gently cup my face, coaxing me to twist my head and look up at her. “I love you, Dean Keegan.” She whispers as our eyes meet.
Leaning forward, I press my lips to her lower belly and murmur my undying love against her. The crater Lucinda left inside my soul is no longer a festering, gaping wound. As my chest swells with an all-consuming love for Vanna and our unborn child, it feels as if it’s shrunk drastically in size, searing shut with a burning, healing love.
This woman truly is magic. An alchemist. A fucking Goddess. I believe it all now.
“Thank you…”
“You had just as much to do with this as I did.” She giggles at me in true Vanna fashion. “You’re not as broken as you think you are, sweetheart.”
“The fuck have I done to deserve you?” I blink up at her in awe.
“For starters, you saved my life.” She says simply.
“And you save mine, every fuckin’ day.”
“Maybe it’s about time we get our happily ever after?” She gently pulls me by my face, encouraging me to stand, and this time, I do. But God, how I wish it were true…
“I’ll do everything in my power to deliver on that promise.” I swear. Happily ever after, even if I have to kill for it.
She slides her fingers up my jawline, continuing their journey to the back of my head, and pulls me down to meet her with a kiss. “You’re off to a great start.” She whispers against my lips.
I kiss her deeply, savoring the sweet, smoothness of her mouth for a few moments, before I let her know, “You do realize, my protective tendencies over you have kicked into overdrive, right?”
She nips playfully at my bottom lip. “I can’t say that surprises me.”
“So long as we’re on the same page. I consider this fair warning.”
She kisses me again, before pulling back to look at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Maybe we’ll skip the movie and go right to bed?” her suggestion laced with salacious intent.
“As you wish… But we’re not doing anything to dislodge him.” I sternly reply.
“Dislodge him?” her eyes widen as she nearly laughs at my words. “It’s safe for us to continue having sex, Dean. Don’t tell me you aren’t going to touch me for the next nine months!”
“Would you be terribly upset if we abstained a bit, until your appointment Friday? I just want to hear all the dos and don’ts from the Doc.” The rational side of myself knows full well I’m going over board, but I can’t help myself, even knowing Lucinda had been fine through the duration of her pregnancy. “Besides, there are other things I can do to please you.” I wink at her, sliding my tongue over my lower lip, before I scrape it through my teeth lasciviously.
She smirks, dropping her arms from around my neck to take me by the hand again, gently tugging me to follow her to the bedroom. “You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Keegan.” She teases me, though I’m grateful and relieved to accept her concession. “And by the way, this baby could be a her as easily as a him.” I can tell by the way she says it, that her reminder is meant to shake me up.
“Just a hunch, doll.” I give her hand a gentle squeeze. But I’m happy. So much more than happy, either way.
