Eli shakes his head. “Stay here. Wait for me until I get back.”
He has his arms around me, holding me on the couch, and there’s no way I can let him go. “Okay,” I agree.
We watch a few television shows and then get ready for bed. Lovemaking is at a whole other level. The whole time, he pleads with me to look at him, and seeing the emotion on his face makes it all more intense.
Eli takes care of me like no one ever has before, and I don’t know what to do with that information.
He doesn’t let me go to sleep until I promise him that I will be here when he gets home.
He kisses me softly on the forehead the next morning and then whispers something to my belly before he leaves.
When I wake later with him gone, I know I can’t just sit around. I need to stay active. I’m on the way to the laundry room when I see it: a huge bouquet of flowers on the counter.
The card is bigger, propped against the base. I pick it up, holding it in my hands as I lean in to smell the fragrant flowers. Red, white, and pink, it’s a beautiful arrangement, and I only force my eyes off them when I have the envelope open and start to read.
Dear Sassy,
I’m hoping you know this by now, but I’m going to say it anyway.
I love you. I love you so much that it hurts.
I know you asked me for no expectations or promises, and I respect that. There’s no pressure here, that’s the last thing I want to do, but I want you to hear my heart.
I want a future with you. I want the ring, the wedding, the marriage. I want you to know that your son that you’re carrying under your heart, I already consider him mine, and no matter what, I will always be here for him. I want more babies with you, as many as you’re willing to give me.
But more than anything, I just want you by my side. I want my ring on your finger and for everyone to know you’re mine. I wantus to grow old together because I can’t imagine a future without you in it.
I love you, Sassy. I know this is scary, but I hope you will give us a chance.
Let me love you.
Yours,
Elijah
I puta hand to my heart and read it again. He loves me. Elijah Wolfe says he loves me.
My heart starts to race, panic sets in, and I have to force myself to breathe. My first instinct is to run. I need to get out of here, but I only get two steps and I know that I’m not going anywhere. Yeah, this is scary. But a future without Eli is even scarier. I love him. God, I love him more than anything, and I have to tell him.
I look at the clock on the wall, and I know he’ll be back soon.
I try to pull myself together. I shower, get dressed in the jogging set Eli bought me, and then do a few things around the house. Eli keeps it pretty clean, but I still go around, straightening things, wanting to stay busy, waiting for Eli to return.
CHAPTER 19
ELIJAH
“What the hell is up with you, man?” Kane asks when the inspector walks away to look at something.
I cross my arms over my chest. “Nothing. I’m just ready to get home.”
He kicks his foot in the gravel. “I guess things are going well with my sister?”
I shake my head and purse my lips. “No, I wouldn’t quite say that.”
He tenses, and protective brother mode kicks in. “What do you mean?”
I blow out a breath and shake my head. “She’s holding back, and I don’t know what that means. Maybe she really does just want a fling. Maybe I’m the only one all in.”
