35. Kate

Ilove that Elena and Lucy have thrown this shower for me, but if Liam suggested we go home, I’d be out the door before he could say his first goodbye. Perhaps it’s new love. Maybe it’s hormones. But I can’t get enough of my man. Not just sexually, although my libido has been revving at 100 miles per hour lately. Liam is a fascinating man. Yes, he can be lethal. Sometimes he’s a brute. But his ability for kindness and generosity is immense.

He holds my hand, and while my friends might argue, I’m certain I’m the happiest woman alive. Definitely more than Aria. Poor woman. She’s filled with heartache and rage. I wish Niko could see her as the smart, full of life woman that she is.

“What do you plan to name the baby?” Elena is sitting in a chaise chair on the opposite side of me from Liam.

I press my free hand on my belly. “Sophia Eva.”

“Oh, so pretty.”

“It’s Liam’s mother’s name and my mother’s name.”

Liam smiles, bringing my hand to his lips for a kiss. I love that gesture. I get goosebumps every time.

“What’s pretty?” Lucy joins us with a tray of drinks. I take the water, while Liam takes a beer and Elena the juice.

Aria grabs a glass of champagne from a tray Niko has. “What would you do if I threw this in your face?”

“Try it and find out.” He grits his teeth at her disrespect. Her behavior is a bit juvenile, but I imagine it’s her only outlet. She has so little freedom in her life.

“The baby’s name,” Elena answers Lucy’s question. “Sophie Eva. It’s their mothers’ names combined.”

“It is lovely.” Lucy takes another flute. It’s golden like champagne, but not quite. It looks more like cider to me.

I study her more. She arches a brow at me. I arch one back. She smiles and brings her finger to her lips to keep me quiet. I wonder what she’s waiting for. Now is the perfect time to announce a pregnancy. Maybe she hasn’t told Donovan yet.

I give her a thumbs-up.

“What if it’s a boy?” Aria asks.

“This little one is a girl, but if we have a boy, it will be Max.”

“Your father,” Niko says. He raises his glass to Liam. “Great man.”

I look at Liam, wishing I could have known his parents, two people who made such an impression on him and Niko.

“I’ll be lucky if I’m half the man he was.” Liam’s expression is wistful, even hopeful.

“Luck has nothing to do with it,” Niko states matter-of-factly. “You’re just as good.”

“I agree,” I say. This time, I kiss his hand.

“All that lovey-dovey is what got you this way,” Donovan jokes.

“I don’t see your wife knocked up. Not enough lovey-dovey?” Niko jibes at him.

“I’m perfectly fine at the lovey-dovey, aren’t I, Lucy?” Donovan grumbles.

“You’re very fine.” She waggles her brows.

“Oh, God, you all are disgusting.” Aria jumps up from her chair and storms into the house.

“Poor thing,” I say.

“She’ll be fine.” Niko seems sure of that, but I wonder if he really understands the workings of a woman’s heart when she’s in love.

The party is lovely and the gifts are perfect. I can’t wait to put the clothes in little Sophia’s dresser and the toys in her hutch. But mostly, I’m glad that Liam and I are on our way home.

I’ve adjusted to living in his expensive apartment. It has wonderful views of the river and isn’t far from Central Park. I imagine taking Sophia there to play, although it will be interesting to do so with the army of guards I have every time I go somewhere.

“Are you tired?” Liam asks as he tosses his keys on the table near the door.

“I suppose a little. I think I’d like some tea.”

“Anya?” He calls the housekeeper he’s hired. He said it was to take care of the apartment, but I think she’s also supposed to take care of me. “Can you make us some tea?”

“Of course. I have some cookies too.”

“Perfect.”

I sit on the couch, and because it’s getting hard to deal with my shoes, Liam takes them off for me. When he sits, he pulls my legs over his thighs and massages my feet.

“How many women have you given a foot massage to?” I wonder where all this new attentiveness is coming from. Was it always there, lying dormant?

He thinks about it then looks at me with a grin. “One.”

“Really?”

“Really. But I caution you not to ask me any more questions about women. I wasn’t a virgin when you met me.”

I nod. That was clear. The man knew exactly what to do to make a woman sigh or scream in bed. “Probably, you shouldn’t ask me about my past either.”

He stops massaging. “Why?”

I arch a brow. “You don’t think I was a virgin, do you?”

“No. I just don’t like thinking about it.” He glances at me. “Is there anything I’m first at?”

I laugh because it’s so odd to see Liam with insecurity. “Well, you’re the first to knock me up.”

He leans over and kisses me. “Good. I’ll be the last, too.”

Anya brings our tea and cookies, and it’s so lovely to enjoy the evening with Liam. We chat. We kiss. We just be.

“By the way,” he says, putting his empty teacup down. “You forgot a present.”

“I did?” There were a ton of them, so I’m not surprised. “Who is it from?”

He holds out a little box. “Me.”

I lean into him to kiss him because … well, because I want to. “Showers are presents for the baby.”

“I got her something too.”

I take off the paper to find a velvet box. My heartbeat picks up, though I don’t know why. I already told him I’d marry him.

I open the box and inside find a magnificent princess cut emerald and diamond ring. It’s set in platinum with filigree decorating the band. “Liam… it’s gorgeous.”

“It was my mother’s.” He takes the ring. “I’m not going to ask you to marry me because you already said yes and I don’t want to give you the opportunity to take it back.”

“As if I would.”

“But, you need a ring… this ring. I wasn’t sure at first. I’ve been going back and forth on buying you a new one, but?—”

“Liam, this is perfect.” I lean closer to him. “And yes, I’ll marry you.”

“I didn’t ask.”

I shrug. “You should always ask when you give a ring.” I slip it on and study it.

“If it’s not right?—”

I put my hand over his mouth. “It’s perfect.” Then I kiss him to keep him from talking about it anymore.

When we pull apart, he says, “I have something for Sophia.” He pulls out a package and hands it to me.

“You’re full of surprises.”

“Yeah, well when we’re done, we can go to our bedroom and I’ll show you another surprise.”

My body lights up. “I can’t wait.” I open the package and inside is a bright red cloth with intricate colorful designs.

“It was my mother’s scarf… a Pavlovsky Posad. I had it turned into a blanket.” He flips a corner, and I find a soft backing.

I stare at him in awe.

“What? Is it wrong?”

“No. It’s perfect.” I press my hand to his cheek. “I’m just… I’m so happy to have the light Liam in my life.”

“As opposed to…”

“The dark Liam.”

He lets out a sigh. “He’s still there, Kate. I just… he only comes out at work.”

“I know.”

“You’re the one who brings out the light Liam.”

Still feeling aroused from his surprise comments, I say, “I’d like to bring something else of yours out.” I settle my hand over his groin. His dick twitches.

“Well, then.” He stands, holding out his hand to help me up.

“I’m not very sexy,” I say as I practically waddle to the bedroom.

“My dick says otherwise.” The door is barely closed before his lips are on me and his hands are removing my clothes. He guides me to the bed, but I stop him.

“Strip.”

He grins. “Yes, ma’am.”

When he’s naked, I guide him to the loveseat in our room. “Sit.”

“Yes, ma’am.” His dick is thick and long. For a moment, I just stare at it. “Problem?” he asks.

“I can’t decide whether I want to suck it or fuck it.”

He lets out this marvelous full-belly laugh. “Come here, baby, and fuck me.”

I straddle his thighs and loop my arms around his neck. For a moment, we just smile at each other. It’s like we both know how lucky we are.

“Where’s my surprise?” I ask.

“Sit down, baby, and you’ll find it.”

I sink down, taking him in slowly, savoring the way he fills me. It’s a physical sensation and yet, it’s so much more. Like my soul is joining with his.

Once he’s seeped inside me, I still. Our gazes hold, and I know he’s feeling everything I am.

“Did you ever think you’d be here?” I ask.

“No. Honestly, I didn’t think I deserved this. Still not sure I do, but I’m going to hold on to you.”

“You deserve all this.” I rock and love how his eyes cloud. “Me.” I gyrate, and he groans. “The baby.” I rise up and slide down. “All of this.”

He kisses me, and all words stop. Instead, our bodies do the talking. We love with our hands and our lips. Our bodies move in a perfect dance that builds to a spectacular crescendo. We come together, crying out, calling each other’s name as pleasure shimmers through us, vibrating between us.

When it’s over, he picks me up and carries me to bed, lying beside me.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to stay here forever?” I ask.

“Until the baby wants to come. I don’t want to be responsible for delivering a baby.”

I laugh. “Okay. Until the baby comes. Speaking of which.” I put his hands on my belly. “I think we woke her up.”

His cheeks turn a bright shade of pink. “She doesn’t know what we’re doing, right?”

“No.”

Sophia moves as if she’s rolling.

“Holy smokes. She’s a gymnast,” Liam exclaims. He glances up at me. “We’re going to have to pad the house if she’s going to tumble around like that.”

My heart fills with joy beyond any I could imagine at how much this man loves me and our child. Any doubts I’d had about his ability to love, to stick, are vanquished.

“I love you.” The words come from the deepest place of my heart, my soul.

He lifts his head, his eyes filled with the same love for me as I have for him. “You’re my life, Kate, the essence of my very being.”

I kiss him, sealing our love forever.