With nervous fingers, she straightened the cutlery yet again. Declan was due to arrive at any moment and she couldn’t sit still. Brandi had cleaned her apartment from top to bottom and then spent the better part of the afternoon cooking. They were supposed to go out for dinner, but she wanted to stay in. The conversation they needed to have couldn’t happen in a crowded restaurant. Declan would need time to adjust. He’d need time to think through all the implications. This was not something she could just drop on him casually over dinner and then expect an immediate answer.

She heard his knock and her stomach somersaulted. Taking a deep breath, she walked across the apartment and opened the door. Declan stood leaning against the door jam. His suit was rumpled, his hair mussed, the top two buttons of his business shirt were undone and his tie poked out of the top pocket of his jacket. He looked tired and completely delicious. A tremor of longing went through Brandi as she looked at him. She had missed him so much.

“Come here,” he said, his voice rough.

He reached for her and she went willingly. He wrapped his arms around her and breathed her in, and Brandi moulded herself against him. When she was in his arms, everything felt right. He tugged on her hair to tilt her head back and kissed her slowly. He lingered over her lips like he was trying to imprint them on his memory. She didn’t mind in the least.

“Do you mind if I have a quick shower?” he asked when he lifted his head. “I’ve come straight from the airport. I’ve got reservations for us at eight.”

She pecked him on the cheek and drew him into the apartment. “Take as long as you need. I thought we could stay in and I could cook for you.”

His eyes sparkled as he took in the already dressed table and he sniffed the air. “Perfect,” he said.

Brandi led him through to her ensuite and gave him fresh towels. He had his carry-on with him, which he set on the bed before peeling off his clothes. She wanted to sit and watch, maybe join him in the shower, but she had a meal to prepare. Reluctantly she left him to it and made her way back to the kitchen.

The meal wasn’t fancy, just lasagne and salad. Brandi could hold her own in the kitchen but she wasn’t a culinary genius by any stretch of the imagination. She checked on the lasagne in the oven and then turned to the fridge to take out the ingredients for the salad. She heard the shower start and smiled. There was something so very domestic about that sound. She knew she shouldn’t get her hopes up, but it was impossible not to. She could imagine the two of them living together as her tummy swelled. She could see Declan standing behind her, his arms around her and his hands cupping her baby belly as he whispered in her ear all the things she wanted him to say. Things like ‘I love you.’ She didn’t know if she was brave enough to say the words tonight, but they bubbled up in her throat. She knew how she felt, she knew that she was in love with him, but she wasn’t yet sure if he felt the same and until she knew that, she wouldn’t put the pressure on their relationship by saying the words. Finding out he was going to be a father was pressure enough.

The water shut off and she put the finishing touches on the salad and placed it in the centre of the table. The lasagne still had about fifteen minutes to go, so she poured Declan a glass of wine and herself a sparkling water and headed into the living room to wait. She sat and fiddled with her glass, constantly checking over her shoulder for Declan. What was taking him so long?

She put her glass on the coffee table next to where she had placed his and then walked over to the bedroom door. She knocked quietly before opening it and then she stood and just stared. Declan was face down on her bed wearing just a towel and he was fast asleep. Jet lag. She hadn’t taken that into account when she had been preparing her ‘pregnancy reveal’ dinner. With a sigh, she returned to the kitchen and put the salad back in the fridge. She turned the oven off and dimmed the lights. She walked quietly back to the bedroom and lay down on the bed beside Declan. He shifted and turned on his side, reaching for her and pulling her close. She went happily, snuggling into him, and let go of the nerves and anxiety that had plagued her all day. This felt right. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Declan felt the warmth of her body against his and smiled. He was home. Such a simple thought, but one that filled him with such satisfaction that he had to draw her closer. Never had waking up felt so good than when she was beside him. The week had turned into a week and a half and he had missed her. They had spoken as often as he could manage it, but it wasn’t the same. This was what he missed. The simple pleasure of having her in his arms. In the short time they’d been together, he’d grown used to sleeping with her beside him and he found, to his surprise, that he didn’t sleep well when they were apart. If he had his way, they wouldn’t be apart very much at all from now on.

She shifted in his arms, turning her head to blink up at him sleepily, a soft smile on her lips.

“Oh hey,” she whispered, “you’re awake.”

He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Sorry I fell asleep,” he replied, “Is dinner ruined?”

As if on cue his stomach growled and she laughed at him. “No, dinner’s not ruined. Let me just reheat it.”

She made a move to get out of bed, but he wasn’t ready to let her go yet. She tilted her head and brushed a kiss on his lips and then rolled herself away from him and off the bed.

“Get dressed,” she said and walked out of the room.

Declan lay back and rubbed his face. Jet lag was always a bitch on the way back and right now, even though it was still dark out, he felt like it should be the middle of the day. With a groan, he heaved himself out of bed and dressed in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before padding out to the kitchen. Brandi was pulling out two big pieces of lasagne from the microwave and the smell hit him full force, waking his hunger. His stomach growled enthusiastically again and she looked up at him and smiled.

“Sit,” she said, nodding her head towards the table.

He did as he was asked and she plonked a plate of steaming lasagne in front of him, followed by a glass of wine. She took her much smaller piece and glass of what looked like sparkling water, and sat opposite him.

“Eat,” she said and he eagerly took the salad bowl from her to dish up a big helping on his plate.

“You cook,” he said before shovelling a forkful of meat and cheese and pasta into his mouth. He groaned as the flavours danced over his tongue. It was delicious.

“I can cook a few things,” she replied, pushing the food around on her plate but not eating any.

He frowned as he watched her lift the glass to her lips and sip. She still looked a little unwell and it worried him.

“Aren’t you hungry?” he asked.

She just smiled and shook her head.

“Is everything okay? Did you go to the doctors?”

“About that,” she said, looking down at her food and avoiding his gaze.

He felt a cold knot of tension form in his gut. Please don’t let her be sick, he thought. He didn’t know what he would do if something was wrong with her. He couldn’t lose her, not so soon after finding her.

“We’ll talk when you finish your food,” she said, looking back at him and trying to smile, but it wobbled around the edges.

He pushed away from the table and walked around to where she was, getting down on his knees and caging her in her chair with his arms.

“Tell me now,” he said.

She looked at him tenderly and his heart rate skyrocketed. Whatever she had to say, he got the distinct impression that it wasn’t good. He swallowed and steeled himself for whatever it was she had to tell him.

“You know how I was sick a few weeks ago and then Caitlyn died and I was such a mess?”

He nodded, gritting his teeth. She swallowed and closed her eyes, a tear leaking out and trickling down her cheek.

He gently pressed his forehead against hers, their noses touching. “Hey,” he murmured, “It’s okay. Just tell me what’s going on.”

She took a deep breath and leant into him for a moment before pulling away and nailing him with a direct stare.

“I’m pregnant.”

He didn’t move. He felt like he was being bombarded by a million images all at once. Relief hit him. Relief that she wasn’t seriously ill. And then surprise, shock, awe and then, inexplicably, joy. Fear was close on its heels, but joy remained. She was having his baby. He knew he should feel… no, he didn’t know what he should feel. What he did know was for some insane reason, knowing that she was carrying his baby made him happy. Insanely, weirdly, deliriously happy.

“Say something,” she whispered, fear in her eyes.

He kissed her. When he pulled back and looked into her stunned eyes, it was all he could do not to laugh with joy. He cupped her cheek and brushed his thumb over her lips. “Marry me,” he whispered before kissing her again.

“Marry you?” Brandi asked, pushing away from him. It was what she wanted, it was almost the exact thing that she had wanted him to say, but she couldn’t quite believe she was hearing it.

“Yes,” he said, still caging her in with his body. “Marry me.”

She looked into his eyes and saw the truth. He was happy. He was genuinely happy and she felt her heart give way. “Okay,” she said.

He jumped to his feet and whooped. Then he scooped her up and danced around with her and she couldn’t help but laugh. He wanted to marry her. He wanted this baby and he wanted her. It was everything she had dreamed of.

Declan stopped suddenly and looked down at her, his eyebrows pinched together. “I probably shouldn’t do that, should I?” he asked.

“Do what?” Brandi asked, puzzled.

“Jostle you like that. The baby—”

She cupped his face in her hands and brushed a kiss on his lips. “The baby is fine. You don’t need to wrap me - us - in cotton wool.”

He searched her eyes and then lowered his head to run his nose along the side of hers. She closed her eyes as his lips dusted across her in a sweet and tender kiss. This was probably her favourite iteration of Declan. He was so many things - loud, brash, serious when he needed to be and professional when it came to work - but when he was around her there was a softer side of him that always took her by surprise. It was a special thing that she was the one who got to witness this side of him and she didn’t take it lightly.

He set her on her feet and she rested her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. He threaded his fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head and tilted it so he could see into her eyes.

“I know our relationship has been a little…unorthodox,” he said, his voice rough, “but I want you to know that I am happy. That this, as much of a surprise as it is, has made me more than happy. Weeks ago I wanted us to be more than just a fake relationship, but then everything happened with Caitlyn and you were sick, there just never seemed the right moment to have the conversation. When we argued before I left for Le Beau, I thought I’d lost you and I couldn’t bear it. We’re good together, you and me. I’ve never felt like this for anyone else and I know we can make this work.”

“Oh Declan,” Brandi breathed, “I feel the same.”

He kissed her then. Not the soft gentle kisses of earlier, but a demanding kiss, intense and full of everything he felt and Brandi returned in kind. She could hardly believe that this beautiful, wonderful, amazing man was going to be her husband. It was like a dream come true and even though neither one of them had said those three little words that usually went along with a proposal, she could feel it in the way he touched her.

“God, I’ve missed you.” Declan’s ragged voice skittered over her neck as he trailed a line of kisses down to where her neck met her shoulder.

“Same,” she replied as she leaned her head back to give him more room.

His hands skimmed down her back until they reached her hips. He pulled her to him and she felt his burgeoning erection against her belly. It sent a wave of heat through her and she rubbed against him like a cat. Oh God, how she had missed him. Her hands found their way under his shirt and she groaned as they made contact with naked skin. She pushed and pulled at the fabric until he got the hint and pulled it off exposing all that delicious male chest to her.

“Now you,” he said as he tugged at the oversized t-shirt she wore.

She lifted her arms and let him peel it from her body. He tossed it to the side and made a low, groaning sound in the back of his throat as he looked at her in her leggings and simple white lace bra. The way he looked at her, with hunger and desire in his eyes, made her feel like the most beautiful woman on the planet. She reached behind her and unclasped the bra and his eyes dilated as his nostrils flared. She let the scrap of lace fall to the floor and stood still as Declan reached out to trace a finger over her exposed breasts.

“So beautiful,” he said breathlessly.

He cupped her reverently in his big hands, his thumbs brushing her hard nipples and she bit her lip and closed her eyes at the sensation. His touch did things to her that no one had ever done before and she let herself lean into it, lean into him and all that represented. He would catch her if she fell, she was absolutely convinced of it, so she let herself fall.

He dipped his head and sucked a tight bud into his mouth and her hands went to his hair, holding him in place as he suckled at her. His arms wrapped around her waist and he lowered himself to his knees. His head rested against her belly and she heard him breathe her in before he kissed her stomach. Brandi swallowed thickly. This man undid her in so many ways.

With her hands still threaded through his hair, Declan slipped his fingers under the waist band of her leggings and pulled them down over her hips, taking her panties with them. He helped her step out of them and then looked up at her from his position on the floor in front of her. There was so much written on his face, more than she could interpret, but she felt like she was seeing into his very soul. He stood and scooped her up in his arms and then carried her to the bedroom where he lay her gently down on the bed. He removed his track pants and slid onto the bed beside her, all his glorious naked skin brushing against the length of hers. They lay facing one another and he kissed her deeply. Their tongues tangled and Brandi felt her body respond. She moaned as he played with her nipple and gasped when he pinched it, tugging firmly. He dipped his head and took it into his mouth while his hand skated down over her body to grab her leg and pull it over his hip. She canted her hips forward and felt the hard length of him slide through her wet folds and they both groaned.

He rocked against her as he continued to suck on her breast and Brandi leant her head back, trusting her chest forward as she lost herself in the sensation of being surrounded by Declan. He gently rolled her to her back before sliding down the bed and settling himself between her legs.

“Missed you,” he said, “missed this.”

“Same,” she breathed as he nuzzled the crease of her leg with his nose.

He dragged a finger through her wetness, spreading it up and around her sensitive nub. He did it again, his pressure light and she rocked her hips trying to get more contact. He chuckled and used his other hand to hold her still.

“You’re very quiet tonight,” he murmured, blowing a cool stream of air across her folds.

She mewled, the desperate sound coming from somewhere deep inside her.

He chuckled again. “That’s better,” he said, “but I want more. Let me hear you, Brandi. You know I love it when you’re loud.”

He licked her then and she let out a loud groan. She could feel his lips smile against her as he licked her again, firmer this time, and she cried out. He knew her body, knew exactly what she liked and she could do nothing but surrender to him.

“More,” he whispered before sucking her clit into his mouth.

She bucked against his face, her hands clenching in the sheets, and she cried out again. She was glad that the walls of her apartment were thick.

Declan pressed a finger into her and she moaned in pleasure. He added a second and she widened her legs in invitation.

“Talk to me,” he said, his voice rough. “Tell me what you want.”

“More,” she breathed. “Harder.”

His tongue swirled around her hard, sensitive nub as he pumped his fingers into her. She rocked her hips in a matching rhythm and felt the sizzle of her orgasm as it began to build.

“Oh God, yes!” she cried out.

He sucked her clit and curled his fingers inside her, reaching her g-spot. She thrashed her head and her hands found his head and gripped his hair. He pulled his fingers out and she groaned in protest but it was short-lived as he replaced them with his tongue. The change of sensation from his hard probing fingers to the soft, slipperiness of his tongue sent her over the edge. She cried out as her climax peaked and then rushed through her. He held her bucking hips firmly as he continued to kiss and lick and suck as she came down from the high of her orgasm. The moment she could finally take a full breath, he rose up over her and nudged her entrance with his swollen cock.

He eased into her and she threw her head back against the pillows in ecstasy. Was there a better feeling than having him slide into her and fill up all her empty places? She didn’t think so. He continued to fill her slowly until he was fully seated and then she looked up at him. He was looking at her with such intensity and desire that it was almost too much to take. But she didn’t turn away. They kept eye contact as he began to move, pumping into her in a slow, steady rhythm. She ran her hands up over his chest, feeling the muscles twitch under her fingers as he moved. His skin was warm and damp with sweat and it felt good against her own skin. She tangled her legs with his, the crisp hairs on his a contrast to the softness of hers.

“You feel so good,” he said, “I could live right here forever.”

She smiled up at him, sure that he could read the love all over her face. She didn’t care, she couldn’t hide it from him any longer. She might not have said the words yet, but she had no doubt he could see how she felt about him. There was something magical about two bodies joining when there was more than just lust involved. Everything felt heightened. Every touch gave more pleasure, every kiss felt more special and every slide of him inside her felt deeper. Looking into his eyes and seeing the desire and, dare she hope, love there, had her body responding faster, harder, more intensely. She felt her inner muscle tighten and her body gather itself as another orgasm built.

“More,” she breathed, “I need more of you.”

Declan dropped his head and took her mouth in a bruising kiss as he pumped into her. She felt her nipples graze his chest and the way the soft skin in the hollow of his hips rubbed against hers and she became nothing but sensation as she climaxed in a burst of light and sound. Declan continued to rock into her, his rhythm choppy and uneven as he found his own release. He cried out and she gathered the sound to her, wanting to horde it and keep it forever. He slumped over her and the weight of him felt right, good, perfect. She wrapped her arms and legs around him to keep him there, wanting to hold onto this moment as long as she could.

I love you. The words were in her throat, burning to be set free, but she held onto them. She would say them one day, but not yet.