Pia felt as if she could fly, as if the happiness rushing through her would consume her.
Sinking her fingers into his hair, she pulled his head down and kissed him. His taste sent a familiar pang through her, released an incredible joy.
He loved her. He loved her. She wanted to shout the words to the world.
He pushed away from her, his breathing rough, his gaze still hurt. “Is this what you needed to talk to me about?”
She nodded, glad that he was talking, working through his emotions with her. “The first test was negative. Then I had some—” heat piled over her cheeks “—bleeding for a day. I thought it was my period finally. But apparently some women bleed even when pregnant. Finally I went to see a doctor and she confirmed it.”
He hugged her tight, so hard that for a few seconds Pia couldn’t even breathe. “And now? Has it stopped? Is it a danger to you or the baby?”
“No. I still can’t keep anything down, which is why I lost so much weight and I have to call her if anything happens.”
Raphael sighed. He should have been there with her. “When did you see the doctor?”
“The day after we…the day after everything fell apart.”
Lifting her into his arms, he sat down on a chaise and pulled her into his lap. His hands crawled to her midriff, and sure enough, he could feel the barely there curve of her stomach. A wash of contentment settled over him. “It has been rough on you?”
She nodded and burrowed into his chest. “I have been suffering through this horrible nausea. For a while there, I couldn’t eat even a cracker for fear of…” She cringed and he smiled.
“Will you forgive me? For not being there when you needed me.”
Smiling, she kissed his jaw and then his mouth. “Raphael, I love you from the bottom of my heart. There’s no need for forgiveness if you truly believe that you want to spend the rest of your life with me.”
“You still doubt me?”
The minx shrugged.
He pushed to his feet and carried her to the bed. He crawled over her, joy beating in his chest. “Then I will have to spend the next few months convincing you that I do. That without you, my life is barren, hard, cold.”
“Are you sure you aren’t talking about your bed?”
“That too,” he whispered before taking her mouth in a hard kiss.
His world for the first time in his life was complete. His family was complete. And he felt utterly loved for just the man he was.
* * * * *