“Oh,
Chayton.
I didn't expect all this.” Kate paused just inside the door, eyes wide, jaw slack with shock.
“Come on. Dinner awaits.” Pleased at her surprise, he led her to the table and took his seat after helping Kate into her own.
Waiting until after take off and the initial climb, the stewardess appeared from the back with a smile and a tray full of delicious smelling food.
Chayton charmed his way through the meal, laughing often at her exuberance and candor. As they were tasting dessert—cheesecake, because he'd discovered it was her favorite—he said, “For the third time, I'm not telling you where we're going. If you ask again, I might have to retaliate.”
“Retaliate how?” Kate looked interested and intrigued. Apparently his mock threats didn't work at all.
Instead of answering, Chayton got up from his seat and took Kate's hand. He laughed when she hurriedly scooped up the last two bites of cheesecake from her plate.
“There's more where that came from,” he teased, “if that wasn't enough.”
Kate swatted his chest. “You never know. I just
might
want another piece.”
“Anything you want tonight, darling.”
“
Anything
?”
He laughed. “Yes. But look, I have something to show you first.” Chayton, thinking Kate might start making demands he would have to honor, opened the door to the bedroom. Here, too, he'd had everything replaced with white satin and crystal accents. The bedspread, fluffy and white with a ruffled appearance, looked fit for a princess.
“You really went all out. This is beautiful,” Kate said, squeezing his hand.
He shut the door and turned her to face him. She had the sweetest face, especially when it was all lit up like a kid in a candy store. It pleased him even more when she rose up to meet the kiss he intended to give her, pliant and demanding in his arms.
Little did she know, the night was just getting started.
. . .
Kate lost track of everything: the time, the conversation she meant to have, and her curiosity about their destination. Chayton distracted her with his mouth, his hands, his body, taking her to unexpected and unexplored heights. More than once she'd cried out his name, forgetting, even, that they were thousands of miles in the air. Nothing mattered except their rejoining, the reconnection. Not just their bodies but
them.
Kate let the past go and lived for the present, holding nothing back as he took what he wanted—and she let him.
Then she did some taking of her own. She loved the snarls of pleasure she elicited from him when she found an angle he liked more than the others. Kate exploited her growing knowledge of his body, wringing groans and purrs from him when the snarls faded.
Hours and hours later, she lay spent in the sheets, sweat drying on her skin. Chayton, an arm draped across her stomach, had his head on her chest and one leg twined with her own. She sifted her fingers through his hair, which had come undone during one love-making session or another.
This
was the way she wanted to spend the rest of her life. Tangled heart and soul with the man she—loved. Kate gasped as the realization finally hit.
She loved him.
“What's wrong?” His voice was groggy from satiation instead of sleep. He didn't lift his head.
Kate took the bull by the horns and charged in. “I love you, Chayton.”
He picked his head up and swiveled his chin until he met her eyes in the gloom. Scooting upward until he loomed over her, bracing one elbow into the pillows, he stroked strands of her hair away from her face. The updo had come down long ago.
“And I love
you.
I think I have for some time.”
“Why didn't you say so before now?” she asked.
“There was just never a good time. Then, when there
was
time, the situation wasn't optimal.”
“You mean to say that you weren't sure we'd stay together.” Kate knew; she'd felt that way too for a while. The doubts and questions had kept her awake many a night.
“Always straight to the heart of the matter, hm?” He smiled, then added, “Yes. That's why. I wasn't sure how you felt and I wasn't sure how I felt, either. There were a lot of conflicting emotions on my part.”
“I know. I was the same way. That and--” Kate paused. She wanted to see his face, really see it, for the next part. “Will you turn on the bedside lamp for a moment?”
He arched a brow, then stretched his lean body across hers. Kate groaned at the friction of his chest against hers. He was so sleek and honed. Rarely in life had she ever considered a man beautiful, but Chayton was.
Lamplight spilled half over the bed and the rumpled covers. He moved back into place, elbow propping up his torso. He stared down at her, waiting.
Kate swallowed the sudden knot in her throat but smiled to let him know that she was all right. She almost couldn't believe what she was about to say.
Please, she thought, let him be all right with the news.
“I'm pregnant with your child.” Kate searched Chayton's eyes.
He reared his head back a few inches, clearly surprised, eyes widening before they narrowed in speculation. “Are you sure? How long have you known?”
“I'm sure. I've known since before the car accident. Just before. I didn't say anything after leaving the hospital because things were tense then, and because...because I didn't want you to want me for the baby. I wanted to know you wanted
me.”
The truth felt better than it ever had. Kate breathed an inward sigh of relief to have this particular secret out.
Chayton, obviously shocked by the news, suddenly grabbed her up in both arms. He hugged her tight, tipping his face into the crook of her neck. For the longest time, he said nothing.
“I hope you're happy about the baby. I mean, I've been ecstatic and almost slipped and told your da--”
“Of course I'm happy. Shocked, but happy. Yes.” He leaned back, looking down into her eyes. “I'm glad you told me.”
“Well, I didn't get you anything for our date, unlike you, who went to extremes.” Kate wrapped her arms around Chayton, relieved beyond reason that he wanted both her and their child.
He laughed. “You just one upped me. Your 'gift' blows everything else out of the water.” Pausing, Chayton got a faraway look on his face. “A
baby.
”
Kate pressed a laugh into the skin of his throat. “A baby. Maybe a boy, who I hope will look just like you.”
He rumbled, then kissed her. When he was done, he murmured against her mouth. “Or a girl, who will
still
look like me.”
“Hey now, don't get greedy,” Kate said, shaking with mirth. She could easily picture a dark skinned, dark haired little girl with striking blue eyes.
“You haven't begun to see the extremes of my greed,” he said.
“Then it's high time you show me.”
. . .
“Chayton! Where are you taking me?”
Leaning into Kate, Chayton eased one of the ear buds from Kate's ear long enough to say, “We're almost there. Be patient.” He put the ear bud back in place and checked the blindfold to make sure Kate couldn't see where he led.
After his driver opened the back door of the hotel, Chayton guided Kate inside, moving slow so she didn't trip. He made her walk up one flight of stairs just to disorient her, then took the elevator up the rest of the way. During the ride, Chayton reflected on the stunning news that he and Kate were expecting a baby.
He was overjoyed. Thrilled. And the longer he thought about it, the more excited he became. It wasn't something he talked about to friends or even family, his desire to be a father. To have his own family some day.
Now that day was almost here.
His
father and mother would be overjoyed as well, he knew.
“Chayton, for the love of all that's holy, where
are
we going?”
He cut a grin sidelong, even if Kate couldn't see it. He'd blocked her sight and hearing to extend the surprise.
Exiting the elevator, he guided her down a hallway to a certain door, which he opened after fussing with the lock. Leading her inside, he closed the door behind them and positioned Kate so she had a clear view of the room.
He took out her ear buds. Then, slowly, peeled the blindfold away.
Kate opened her mouth, then covered it with her hands. “
Chayton!
You didn't!”
“I did. It's what you wanted, after all. We're back at the start.” Back in Singapore.
The room looked the same. Exactly the same as it had when Kate had tried to stab him with the hanger and when she'd stitched the wound on his brow. The only addition was new luggage by the door and several vases of the same pale pink flower arrangements he'd had on the plane. On the bed, he'd had a single hanger from the room wrapped in white satin.
When Kate spied the hanger, she went over to pick it up, turning it over in her hands. Then she guffawed and ran back to hug him, hanger in tow.
Laughing, he caught her in his arms and swung her in a gentle circle.
“Do I get to keep the hanger?” Kate demanded, leaning back far enough to see his eyes.
Chayton kissed the smile on her mouth and held her gaze. “Forever.”
“Do I get to keep you, too?” she asked, breathless.
“As long as you want, Missus Black.”
It didn't take Kate long to decide. “
Forever.”
*
About the Author
Born and raised in Corona California, Danielle now resides in Texas with her husband and two sons. She has been writing for as long as she can remember, penning works in a number of genres. To date, she has published twenty novels and nine short stories. Her interests vary wildly: reading, traveling, photography, graphic art and baking, among others.
There is a black cat named Sheba involved who thinks Danielle's laptop is her personal grooming station.
Check her website for trading card offers, giveaways and announcements!
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Other books by Danielle Bourdon:
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King and Kingdom –
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