Chapter Twelve #3
“No.” His eyes grew damp. “He would adore you. He would be proud to become a grandfather. He would expect me to love you with every breath in my body, the way he loved my mother. And I do.”
Oh.
“Amuri miu,” he breathed, cradling her face in his wide hand, gaze tender and glowing with love. “Si a me vita. I will strive to be the man who deserves you. You are so deeply precious to me.”
They flowed together, then laughed a little at how the bulge of her belly was in their way. They shifted and their gazes tangled, full of apologies and yearnings and gratitude and such a deep understanding, she felt she really was looking into a well of absolute love.
When they kissed, everything fell away. The only thing that mattered was this moment. This man who held her as though she would break, yet shook with how much control his being careful demanded.
When they were breathless, she drew back enough to say, “Let’s go back to bed.”
They slipped up the stairs with quiet urgency. A need to seal their connection physically. Immediately.
In the silence of their room, they brushed at clothing, baring themselves so there was nothing between them anymore, not a thread or a misgiving or even their baby because he spooned behind her.
When he slid into her, holding her close into the width of his chest, she clutched her fist in the sheet and moaned with joy.
“So many freckles,” he murmured, setting kisses against her nape that made her shiver. “Like a universe of stars. You are my everything, Jade. I do not want to live if you are not here with me.”
His endearments continued as he held her in place and buried himself deeper. She told him again that she loved him. Again and again.
She didn’t know how to absorb being this important to someone as utterly self-reliant as he was. He needed no one. Except her.
The knowledge filled her with a dazzling sort of elation, as though she contained the sun and it glowed hot and bright inside her.
For a long time, they simply caressed and rocked and she twisted to kiss him, pouring their love over each other until the damp yearning, the waiting, grew too acute.
Then he shifted and braced over her. She arched, inviting deeper, faster thrusts.
His fingertips dug into her thigh. His breaths grew ragged with need, exactly as she loved. Exactly as her own were doing. When she was nothing but molten heat and the physical embodiment of joy, the world tipped and her vision turned white and they shuddered in ecstasy together.
Luca couldn’t imagine being happier than he was.
He stayed the week with Jade in London, then they returned to their very contented life in Milan, moving into the villa that already felt like a home because she was in it.
Dio, she was beautiful, he thought at odd moments, shocked that he could become more smitten by a shy smile or the way she walked down the stairs.
His only moment—a long day in fact—of fear for their future came when her water broke the night before her due date.
Jade labored through the night and it was the most intense, frightening, helpless experience of Luca’s life. He hated seeing her in pain, but when it came time to push, it happened quickly.
Then his son was bellowing and Jade was weeping in relief. Luca was given scissors to cut the cord and his hands shook. His cheeks were wet.
It was a tremendous moment, one he would remember all his life for the pride and love that overwhelmed him. He watched his son wriggle against Jade’s damp chest and was so swamped by protectiveness for both of them, he could hardly bear it.
“Does he have a name?” the midwife asked.
“Severo,” Jade said, glancing at Luca to double-check. She had suggested it a few weeks ago and he had agreed.
“After my father,” he said.
“Come, Severo.” The midwife made to gather the infant. “Let’s see what you weigh.”
Luca was forced to lift the hand he had set on the blanketed back of his son.
“I’m so proud of you,” he told Jade, drying the tears still leaking from her eyes. “Both of you. I love you both so much it’s impossible to say.” He pressed his lips to Jade’s trembling mouth. “Thank you for this. For our son. For being in this life with me.”
“I love you, too.” She cupped his face and her eyes shone. There were none of those old shadows. No guarded looks. Only love and understanding and acceptance.
Their son came back, crying again. Wanting his mama.
Luca helped Jade sit up so she could cradle their swaddled son. She coaxed the baby to latch, then looked up with elation when he did.
“I owe you an apology,” she said when the midwife left them alone in the room.
“For what?” How could she? They were in perfect accord.
“I accused you once of trying to destroy my life. But you have made it into something incredible. You’ve given me more than I knew I wanted. More than I thought I could have.”
“You deserve everything, mi amato.” He would do anything for her. Anything. And he was not ashamed of that primal reaction. How could he be when she looked at him like that? “What do you need right now?”
“Nothing. Only to go home with you and our son and live our life together.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.”