Two months later

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William perched himself on the edge of my desk and stared down at me, trying to get my attention. I glanced up from the paperwork in front of me.

“Can I help you?”

“Where’s your wife?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and giving me a pointed look.

“She’s in bed, sleeping. We were out late last night.”

I looked back down at my papers and he cleared his throat again.

“Damn it. What’s the point you’re trying to get at, William? Because I have a thousand things to do today, and I don’t have time—”

“Did she happen to drink anything last night?”

“No, she said she didn’t feel well.”

He gave me another look, like I should be able to read his mind.

“She didn’t feel well. Is she sick?” he asked slowly.

I had a nagging feeling that I was missing something big. “She threw up yesterday morning, but she felt better in the afternoon. We decided to go ahead to the event because it had been on the schedule for weeks.”

“So, she was throwing up in the morning, but she was better in the afternoon? Has she been sick any other day?”

“Two days…ago.” I stood up. “Is she...?” I said slowly.

He grinned. “I sure as hell don’t know. Maybe you should be the one to go ask her. I don’t think she’d like it if I asked her first.”

I dropped my pen down on my desk and took off for the door. I paused before going into the hallway. “How did you know before me?”

He laughed and stood up from my desk. “I just pay attention more than you do, apparently.”

I flipped him off and ran down the hall towards our bedroom. Scarlett better still be in bed, or I was going to tear apart the castle stone by stone to find her. I called out her name as I opened the door to the bedroom. She wasn’t in bed.

“Scarlett?” I called out again. “Baby, where are you?”

She came out of the bathroom, a towel in her hands, as she walked towards me with a confused look on her face. “What is it Carrick? What’s wrong?”

“Are you—Am I...” I stammered. I just had to get out one word. “Pregnant?”

A slow smile crossed her face and she nodded. I watched a single tear slide down her face.

“I was going to tell you tonight,” she whispered. “I took the test this morning after you left. You’re going to be a daddy.”

I walked over to her and brushed away her tears with my hands.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me soundly. When she pulled back and grinned at me, I knew this girl was my entire world. I didn’t even realize I was crying until she reached up to wipe the tears from my cheeks.

“We’re having a baby,” she said.

I placed my hands over her still flat tummy. This was the best present she could ever give me. I started laughing. “William was right. The bastard’s a lot more perceptive than I am.”

She giggled. “I think you’re right about that.”

I hugged her tight to my chest. “We’re having a baby.”

“Yes, we are. A royal heir, so you better take care of me,” she teased. “If this kid wants ice cream at three in the morning, you better be the one getting it, not the staff downstairs. We’re going to be a normal couple, Carrick. I want all of this with you.”

“I’ll get you a whole damn ice cream factory, if that’s what you want.” I hugged her and tugged her over to the bed. She sat down on the edge and I kneeled in front of her. “I think we should celebrate.”

“Carrick,” she said in warning.

I grinned. “We’re just celebrating.”

“You’re going to be late for your next meeting,” she said breathily, as my tongue rolled over her clit. I gripped her hips in my hands.

“Then I guess I’m going to be late. We can blame the royal heir.”

She laughed. “You’re impossible.”

“Maybe you should be taming me instead of the other way around.”

Her smile widened. “Maybe you’re right, King Carrick. Maybe it’s time for me to tame my king.”