Chapter 23
Rain
I immediately rush toward the closet, grabbing a thick dry cloth and a rag to wipe away the water streaming down his face.
When I return to the living room, he is shivering violently, his hands trembling as he forces a crumpled stack of papers toward me.
“Here,” he chatters, his voice cracking against the sound of the storm outside. “Here is the evidence. Here are the plane tickets. That night I—”
His explanation fades into background noise.
I look at the wet ink on the paper, but my eyes quickly drift back to his dripping hair and chattering teeth.
Suddenly, the fog in my mind clears, and my own thoughts echo with clarity.
He loves me. The realization settles deep into my brain, backed by everything he has done over the past few weeks.
The bucket of mint ice cream at midnight.
The fresh tangerines he brought because I told him I craved them.
The focus in his eyes during the prenatal class.
My mother’s voice returns to my ears, reminding me that he was the one who begged my parents to take the children on holiday just so we could have space to talk.
He rushed back into a downpour, pounding on my door just to hand me proof of his loyalty.
He is still speaking, his chest heaving under his soaked shirt, when I step across the rug. I close the distance between us, reach up, and shut him up with a kiss.
The moment our lips meet, a soft gasp escapes his throat.
I feel the exact fraction of a second his resistance crumbles, his body giving in to the contact as a wave of raw, long-hidden yearning pulses through his frame.
His fingers tangle into my hair, holding me close as the heat between us flares against the chill of the storm.
When we finally withdraw for air, my head spins.
I nod slowly, dragging my tongue over my lower lip to catch the taste of the rain.
“It’s okay,” I whisper, my palms resting flat against his damp chest. “I know you love me. And I love you, too. Our children love you, too.” I look down at his wet shirt, a soft chuckle escaping me.
“I am sorry for making you stand out under the rain. But I am willing to stay with you. Thank you for being patient.”
Before the final word can fully leave my mouth, he leans down and captures my lips again.
His strong arms slide beneath my thighs, effortlessly lifting my weight from the floor.
My legs instinctively wrap around his waist, anchoring me against him as he deepens the kiss.
A broad, involuntary smile breaks against his mouth, my laughter mingling with his breathing.
We shift backward, our balance swaying until we fall slowly onto the cushions of the couch. His wet clothes plaster against my skin, sending a jolt of cool moisture through my shirt, but the heat of his body overrides the chill.
I pull back just an inch, my fingers tracing the line of his wet jawline. “So... you don’t regret marrying me?”
Cody stands up immediately, his posture shifting into seriousness as he stares down at me, his eyes wide. “No. No, Rain. Why would you ever think that?”
A watery laugh escapes me at his sudden panic. I reach up, wrapping my fingers around the collar of his shirt to drag him back down into my space. I press a quick, firm kiss to his lips, then pull back with a playful smirk. “I know. I was just teasing.”
The tension leaves his shoulders in a long, slow exhale. He sinks onto his knees beside the sofa, his large hands moving to gently cup the soft curve of my swollen belly. He bends his head, pressing a lingering, tender kiss against the fabric covering our unborn child.
He looks up, his dark eyes fierce with a new promise. “I’ll be present from now on. Prepare to see me every single day.”
I nod my head, my fingers sliding through his damp hair. “Yes. I like the sound of that.”
He glances around the small layout of the living room, a quiet question entering his tone. “So... are we moving back home, or are we making this place our home?”
I laugh, and shake my head. “We are going back home, Cody. There is no extra room here for you and our newest addition to the family.”
I lean over the edge of the cushions, pressing a soft kiss to the side of his lips. “I love you.”
His thumb slides along the bare skin of my arm, caressing it in a slow, rhythmic stroke that sends a final wave of contentment through my veins.
“Thank you,” he murmurs against my cheek. “And I love you, too.”
I lean my head back against the sofa pillow, a peaceful smile resting on my lips as the sound of the rain outside fades into nothing but a distant rhythm.