‘Xander Fraser, I don’t want your money—’
‘I know that, my love.’ He smiled. ‘I know that only too well. But it seemed, after the way you left me last night, that you didn’t want me, either.’
‘How can you say that, after what happened?’ Casey gasped incredulously.
‘You seemed—unhappy that you had allowed it to happen.’ He grimaced.
‘I was stunned,’ she corrected huskily. ‘I really did believe that I was one of those women who simply don’t enjoy the physical side of a relationship.’
‘And now?’ Xander teased.
‘Now I would like us to make love again,’ she admitted softly, even as she felt him stir inside her. ‘In fact, I would like for us to stay in bed for a week, with absolutely no distractions but each other!’
‘I think that might be arranged,’ Xander muttered as he moved to kiss her. ‘I’m sure the children won’t mind if we ask Brad to stay with them while we disappear for a few days on our honeymoon.’
‘We’re really going to get married tomorrow, as planned?’ Casey looked up at him with wondering eyes.
‘I think perhaps we had better, don’t you,’ he said indulgently. ‘I love you so much, Casey, and I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off you for some time to come.’ His hand moved caressingly down the flatness of her waist to the silky curls beneath.
Love.
To have Xander love her.
To love Xander in return.
Love was what made all the difference…
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
‘XANDER…?’
‘Hmm?’ he murmured sleepily against her throat, having fallen into a satiated sleep after their lovemaking.
Casey took a few moments for contented reflection before answering him.
Even after a year of marriage they still couldn’t get enough of each other—of being together, of loving each other.
Xander often deferred business trips if Casey couldn’t accompany him—something that wasn’t always possible when they had two small children to think of. And Casey’s late stage of pregnancy meant she hadn’t been able to fly anywhere at all these last two months.
This last year of being Xander’s wife, of uniting their two families—Brad had become grandfather to both Josh and Lauren—of making a child of their own, had been the happiest time Casey had ever known in her life.
And it was about to get better…
‘I think we need to go to the clinic, Xander,’ she told him softly.
‘Hmm?’ he murmured sleepily again. ‘What?’ he gasped, sitting up as her words penetrated his drowsy brain, with a panicked look on his face. ‘Are you sure? Isn’t it too early? The baby isn’t expected for another couple of weeks!’ he muttered worriedly, even as he got out of bed and began to pull on his clothes.
Casey gave a happy smile as she watched him put on his trousers without putting on his boxer shorts, and having to start all over again. ‘I think the baby has decided otherwise,’ she told him as she moved to the side of the bed.
‘Fine.’ He nodded distractedly, his hair a dark tangle as he ran an agitated hand through it. ‘First I have to call Brad and get him to come and sit with Lauren and Josh. Then I have to—’
‘Slow down, Xander.’ Casey laughed. ‘It isn’t going to happen for hours yet,’ she assured him. ‘I just don’t think it’s going to wait until morning,’ she added, as another contraction gripped her.
Xander paled and quickly crossed the bedroom to her side. ‘You’re going to be all right, aren’t you, Casey?’ he asked, gripping both her hands in his as he stared down at her intently. ‘I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you—’
‘Nothing is going to happen to me except that in a few hours’ time we’re going to have another son or daughter,’ she said warmly.
Xander sat down on the bed beside her. ‘I love you, Casey!’ he told her fiercely. ‘I love you, want you, and need you so very, very much!’
She leant forward and kissed him lingeringly on the lips. ‘I love, want and need you in exactly the same way.’ She straightened. ‘Now, let’s go and give birth to our son or daughter!’ she added, with an exultant laugh.
Their daughter, Anna Louise, was born three hours later, with her father’s glossy black hair and eyes of blue already tinged with her mother’s green.
‘I want half a dozen more,’ Casey warned Xander as she watched the gentle way he cradled their daughter in his arms.
‘Only half a dozen?’ he teased, and he looked at her lovingly, an emotional catch in his voice.
Life was good—so very, very good, Casey acknowledged, even as her eyes began to close sleepily.
With Xander to love, and be loved by, she knew that it would always be that way…