She launched herself at him, hand upraised, palm open, and headed for his face. This time, he caught her wrist before the slap could land. “Woman! Are you going to slap me every time I piss you off?”
“You deserve it!” She took a swing at him with her other hand, but he caught that, too.
“Please,” he joked nervously. “Not a knee to the groin. I still need it.”
“I’ve loved you all these years and was too scared to say it because you didn’t! You’re a fool!”
“Well, then, if that’s the case, so are you.”
She glared at him, fury lighting up her face. And then they both started to laugh. Loud, gusty cackles that robbed them of their breath and made their sides hurt. When the laughing jag was over, she looked at him. “Way to ruin a good divorce, Michiels.”
He wasn’t sure he was hearing her right, so he asked suspiciously, “What?”
“I can’t divorce you now, idiot. Now that you love me and want our baby.”
He was nonplussed. He knew his facial expression was utterly stupefied, but she held out her arms and he instinctively stepped into their circle.
“Nathanael,” she began. This time, the joking was gone from her voice and she was serious again. “I’ve loved you since you flew me to Belgium for our second date. The idea of being away from you, of ending our marriage, terrifies me, because it means I would be leaving behind half of my soul.”
“You have half of mine, darling,” he murmured. “So it would be a fair swap.” He began kissing her, shocked at how soft and sweet her lips were, and how eagerly she opened them for him. Her body against his was warm, supple and welcoming, like the hearth of a happy home. All he wanted to do was sink into it.
She murmured his name against his lips. “Hold me,” she begged. “Don’t ever let me go.”
“Never again. I promise.”
He felt his body harden against her softness, desire rising. A pure desire, unencumbered by the burden of secrets and lies. She seemed to sense his want and pressed back against him. Seductive, almost taunting.
“Ever made love in an attic?” she murmured.
“Nope. But it’s now officially on my bucket list.” His hands slid down to her hips as he molded her to him, kneading at her butt cheeks, already imagining how good it would feel to slide into her, especially when their lovemaking would be truly that,lovemaking.
His heart bubbled over with joy.
“Clear a spot, Nathanael,” she instructed, already shoving aside boxes with her booted foot. “We’re about to get mighty dusty.”
He grinned and began to unbuckle his belt—
And then the voice of his excited mother wafted up the attic steps. “Nathanael! Shaundra! He called my name! He said ‘Gamma’!”
He quirked a surprised brow at Shaundra. “Could he possibly?”
She shook her head. “He’s eight months old, my love. Unless he’s some kind of prodigy, your mother’s probably indulging in a little wishful thinking.”
There was another shriek. “He did it again! Come see!”
He chuckled, re-buckled his belt, and held out his hand, whispering. “It’s okay, wife. There’s a bed back at the hotel with our name on it.” And then he helped the love of his life back down the stairs.