Epilogue
GEORGIE
I step out of the elevator and dance down the hallway to our apartment and smile. Even with the door closed, I can smell Villa West. I unlock our door and step into the apartment.
It’s been six months since that fateful night when Silas insisted on dinner and our lives changed. After returning from the resort, we moved in together and he fired me. Mainly because he insisted that I go back to school. And I was right. Dr. Gupta was overjoyed to have me back.
Sometimes I hate that I have to have help to pay for school, but Silas says that his life would be nothing without me. Just thinking that, tears burn the backs of my eyes. I’m so emotional these days.
We decided to wait to get married. I mean, I insisted we wait. Silas wasn’t too happy about that, and he has yet to actually propose, but life is so fickle, I wanted to make sure he really wanted to be with me forever. And now he has no choice.
I round the corner and smile. The dining table is filled with all my favorites as Silas is pouring some wine. God, he’s pretty. He’s changed out of his work clothes, and I love that I see him like this. I see the real Silas. He’s wearing a pair of sweats and an old George Washington University shirt.
“Angel, you’re early. How was class?”
We didn’t have class today, but I had an appointment and didn’t tell him. I wanted to surprise him.
“Everything smells fantastic.”
He notices that I didn’t answer his question. He frowns as he steps closer to me.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
I sigh. “I think you should sit down.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “I don’t like that at all.” God, I love when he gets grumpy with me.
“What? You have no idea what I have to say to you.”
“That tone. There’s something wrong? Did someone make a pass at you? Do I need to send security with you to school?”
Yep, he tried that. I refused. “No. Nothing like that.” I reach for his hand and forget that he has the glass of wine. I accidentally knock it out of his hand. The glass falls to the floor and doesn’t shatter because we learned our lesson with those.
The wine spills over the tile and the smell of it wafts up at me. And just like that, my appetite vanishes, and my stomach starts to rebel against the scent of alcohol. I cover my mouth and run towards the bathroom. He’s hot on my heels, yelling my name.
I shut the door but don’t get it locked because he barges in behind me. As I lose the crackers I had for lunch, he holds my hair back from my face.
When I’m finished, I sit back on my heels.
“What’s going on, angel?”
I shake my head, needing to wash my mouth out before I tell him. “I need to brush my teeth, then I’ll tell you.”
He opens his mouth to argue, but I stop him. “The taste makes me want to throw up again.”
He nods and follows me back to our master bathroom. Silas is studying me with worry while I brush my teeth and rinse out my mouth. Once I’m done, he pulls me into his arms.
“Whatever it is, we can handle it. I will spare no expense to keep you healthy.”
Oh, no. He thinks I’m sick. That makes me feel even worse. I lean back and look up at him. “I’m not sick.”
“That’s a lie. I saw you throw up.”
I smile, which makes him growl.
“That’s sweet, but it isn’t anything that seven more months won’t fix.”
It takes him a second or two before his eyes widen. “Are you saying…”
His voice trails off and he swallows.
I nod, worry making my stomach roll over again. “I’m sorry.”
His frown gives way to confusion. “What are you sorry about?”
“I know that this is all backwards, and we aren’t even married yet.”
He shakes his head, his expression clearing as he cups my face. “It was bound to happen, Georgie.” I sniffle and nod as I snuggle in closer to him, enjoying the way his arms are wrapped around me.
“Now you’re stuck with me.”
* * *
SILAS
This woman actually thinks she’s a burden. I have tried to make her understand just what she means to me. I was a shell of a man who only cared about work until she came along.
“Come on. I want to show you something if you’re feeling up to it.”
She nods and pulls back. I take her by the hand and lead her into the living area. The sun is setting, and it always leaves a glow in our apartment this time of day. It casts everything in a golden glow or maybe it’s my Georgie, my angel.
I lead her to the extra-large chair we like to cuddle in together and then sit on the ottoman in front of her. I had planned on doing this after dinner, but I think it is best that I let her know exactly how I feel at this moment.
“We said we were going to wait, right? You know, to get married. You wanted to.”
She nods. “You don’t have to marry me because I’m pregnant.”
“For once in your life, shut up,” I say with little heat. I still get a frown. “I love you, Georgina. Before you, all I did was work, I rarely laughed. You make my life whole.”
Tears well up in her eyes. I hope those are happy tears. I pull out the ring I had put in my pocket. “I had planned this for later tonight, and I know you wanted to wait, but I can’t anymore. I can’t stand the idea that you are going to school every day and all those idiots you take class with don’t know you are taken.”
She smiles through the tears that are rolling down her cheeks. She leans forward and cups my face with both of her hands. “I am pretty sure they know since you showed up the first day of class and glowered at all the men in the class.”
I should feel embarrassed, but I’m not. Georgie doesn’t understand why I would worry, but those men all see her special light. They just needed to understand that it’s only for me.
“I love you, Georgie. Marry me.”
She laughs. “Only you would order me to marry you.”
“Well?”
She studies me then, her gaze softening. “I will marry you, Silas Prescott.”
I take her left hand and slip the ring on. It’s antique and not all that big. “It’s not fancy, but it was my grandmother’s.”
“Oh, Silas, I love it.”
I kiss her then, slipping my tongue between her lips and getting a taste of her. My entire body explodes with need as heat races along my nerve endings. I gather her up in my arms and carry her into our bedroom.”
“What about the food? It could get cold.”
“If it does, we’ll just warm it up or eat it cold. Right now, I want to show you just how much I love you.”
I set her on our massive bed, happiness filling me as I think of the baby growing in her belly right now. I send up a prayer for another blond-haired angel to make my life even better.
* * *