“I bet.” He touches Rainey’s arm lightly. “You good?”
She smiles up at my brother, nodding her head. “Really good.”
He pulls her in for a hug, and I’m gratified that my protective big brother has accepted her completely into the family.
Later that night,when we’re lying in our bed, sweaty and breathing hard from catching up on lost sexy times, I pull her into my arms. She lifts her chin to look up at me, and I slide my palm over her pretty face.
“Watching you holding Lourde had me thinking down the road a ways.”
Her nose wrinkles and warmth fills her eyes. “You want a little boy with dark hair and blue eyes?”
“I want all our babies to look like you.” Leaning down, I cover her lips with mine.
Our tongues touch lightly, and I don’t want to wait anymore. Hopping out of the bed, I walk over to the desk where I stowed the parcel I picked up in Odesa. Carrying it back to the bed, I fluff the pillows so we can lean against the headboard.
She pushes against the blankets to sit up. “What do you have?”
“I picked this up in Odesa.”
Her eyes widen, and her lips part. “What…”
I unwrap the tissue, placing a small blue matryoshka in her hands. “You got me a nesting doll? That's so sweet. She’s beautiful.”
“Let’s see the littlest one.” I guide her hands to open it.
It’s a small doll, only five sizes in all, and at the very bottom, wrapped around the baby sits a delicate gold band with a pear-shaped Alexandrite stone with sapphires on each side surrounded by diamond baguettes.
“Dirk!” she gasps, blinking her eyes up to mine. “It’s so beautiful. What does it mean?”
“Rainey… Reanna Petrovna, you’re the strongest, kindest, sexiest woman I’ve ever known. You’re the air I breathe, the piece I’ve been missing, and I can’t imagine my life without you.”
“Are you saying…”
“At first, I thought I’d hold it for three more months, but I want to give it to you now. I want you to know my intentions are real and forever.”
She blinks quickly, mist filling her eyes. “I don’t know if I should be rewarded for all the scheming I did to have you.”
“I’m willing to be your target any time, if means you’ll be my wife.”
Her nose wrinkles, and a tear falls on her pretty face. She’s shaking her head, and I start to laugh, cupping her cheeks and wiping her tears with my thumbs.
“Is that a yes?”
Nodding quickly, she chokes out a “Yes!” then adds quickly, “Yes, yes, yes!”
I slide the ring on her finger just before she wraps her arms around my neck, covering my mouth with hers. Our lips part, and our tongues slide together, and we move lower in the bed. Her naked body is pressed against mine, and I’m in fucking heaven.
It was only a year ago I didn’t know where I was going or how I’d gotten so off course. I didn’t think I’d have the things my brother had or my partner had, then this little vixen appeared like a tornado in my house of cards. She threw all my chess pieces in the air, and I’ve never been happier.
Calm fills my chest. I don’t question anymore, my restlessness is gone, her nightmares are gone, and they’re replaced with new dreams.
I’ve found my course, and she’s right here in front of me. Holding her in my arms, she saved me as surely as I saved her. We’ve both found a home, and we’ll build it strong together.
* * *
Thank you so much for reading FORBIDDEN!
I hope you loved this couple, these couples, and this world as much as I did!