His eyes softened. ‘Because you know me,’ he said simply. ‘You know everything about me—the good and the bad. And you still love me.’
Her lip trembled. ‘Yes, I do.’
‘It scares me, you knowing me like that.’ He grimaced. ‘But I trust you, and I love you, and I always will.’
Gently, he uncurled her arms from around her body, and as one they stepped towards each other.
Burying her face against his chest, Nola sighed with relief as Ram pulled her close.
‘I love you, Nola.’
She lifted her head. ‘I love you too.’
For several minutes they held each other in silence, neither wanting to let go of the other, to let go of what they had come so close to losing.
Finally Ram shifted backwards. ‘Do you think it’s too late to tell my mother?’
Tracing the curve of his mouth with her fingers, she laughed. ‘I think it might be better for us to get some sleep first. Besides, what’s a couple of hours when we have the rest of our lives together?’
‘The rest of our lives together...’ He repeated it softly, and then laying one hand across the swell of her stomach, he pulled her closer still, so that he and Nola and the baby were all connected. ‘That’s a hell of a future,’ he whispered, kissing her gently on the forehead.
Looking up into his handsome face, Nola felt her heart swell with happiness. All the hardness and anger had gone and there was only hope and love in his grey eyes.
‘Although, from where I’m standing, the present looks pretty damn good too.’
She bit her lip, her mouth curling up
at the corners. ‘I think it would look even better lying down.’
‘My thoughts exactly,’ he murmured, and with his heart beating with love and joy he scooped her up into his arms and carried her towards the stairs.
EPILOGUE
STEPPING UNDER THE shower head, Nola switched on the water and closed her eyes. If she was lucky, she might actually get to wash her hair today. Yesterday Evie, who was four months old today, had woken just as she’d stepped under the water. Not that she really minded. Her tiny daughter was the best thing in her life. The joint best thing, she amended silently.
Tipping her face up to meet the hot spray, she smiled as she thought back to the day of Evie’s arrival. Ram had not only turned into a hands-on daddy, he’d practically taken over the entire labour ward.
It had been a small and rare reminder of the old work-hard, play-hard Ram, for nowadays she and Evie were the focus of his passion and devotion. He still loved his job, and the launch had been the most successful in the company’s history—but he was happiest when he was at home.
And she was happy too. How could she not be?
She had a handsome, loving husband, a job working with her best friend, and a baby she adored.
Evie was beautiful, a perfect blend of both her parents. She’d inherited her pale skin and loose dark curls from Nola, but she had her father’s grey eyes—a fact which, endearingly, Ram pointed out to everyone.
Her skin prickled as the fragrant warm air around her seemed to shift sideways, and then she gasped, her stomach tightening as two warm hands slid around her waist.
‘Hi!’
Ram kissed her softly on the neck and, breathing out unsteadily, she leaned back against his warm naked body.
‘Hey! That was quick.’
‘I haven’t done anything yet.’
The teasing note in his voice matched the light, almost tormenting touch of his fingers as they drifted casually over her flat stomach. Turning, she nipped him on the arm, softening it to a kiss as he pulled her closer.
‘I meant the interview. I thought you were seeing that super-important woman from the news network?’