“It's a little late for regrets now.” I bite the smile off my lips, still not letting the fact I’m carrying another human absorb.
“Regrets?” His eyes raise up to mine. “Gracie, I have no fucking regrets.” Grabbing my hips, he steers me to stand between his legs.
“You're pregnant. We’re having a baby.” He says the words like he still doesn’t believe them.
“You'rehaving a baby,” I remind him again. I can’t let myself get swept up in this. The child growing inside me will never be mine; that was the deal.
“But for this part, we’re a team, right?” he checks, stroking his hand over my stomach. This time, when he does it, it creates a warmth inside me, one that makes me feel so special.
“I don’t recall you throwing up.” I try to lighten the mood because his eyes are fixated on my tummy, and suddenly everything feels so intense.
“No, but I’ll be there every time you do and try to make it better. You're going to let me take care of you…of you both. No being stubborn,” he adds with a huge grin on his face.
“Do I have any choice in the matter?” I smile back.
“Not at all.” He kisses my stomach before standing back up. “Do you want me to tell everyone downstairs to go home?”
“You can’t do that, it's our wedding reception.” I shake my head and laugh some more. None of this feels real. I’ve barely gotten used to the fact that I married this man today.
“We can do what the hell we like, it’s our day. Are you still feeling sick?” He scrunches his forehead in concern.
“I feel much better since I threw up. I thought it was just nerves.”
“You're pregnant,” he tells me again, still beaming like I’ve given him the entire world.
“I know, but we have to return to our guests. I don’t want anyone to know about this yet. There's a danger zone, apparently, a lot can go wrong in the first three months.”
“You’ve been doing your research.” He looks as surprised as he is impressed. “And I know there are some risks, but we’ll be fine. I’m going to take the best care of you,” he assures me.
“I just think it’s best we keep this to ourselves until we know everything's okay.” I take his hand and hope he understands. I know, as soon as people find out about this baby, all eyes will be on me, and today has proven how much I hate the limelight.
“Whatever you want, duchess.” He kisses me again. “You sure you're ready to go back down?” he checks. “We can stay up here for longer.”
He holds me in his arms like we’re real-life lovers. Like this marriage today was real, and our future will be built around the child that’s growing inside me. It feels real, it feels good, and I have to distance myself from it before I drop all my shields and end up getting hurt.
“I’m fine, let's go do our thing.” I put some space between us, and when he nods his head and smiles, I let him guide me out the room, wondering how I’m going to last nine whole months without falling in love with him.
JACK
“You're doing a terrible job of being discreet.” She removes my hand from my stomach again when she notices the Edwards family staring at us.
“I can’t fucking help it,” I whisper, sliding my arm behind her back and squeezing her hip. “You wait till you have a sexy little bump, I won’t be able to keep my hands off you,” I warn as the Duke of Malmford and his wife approach us to say their goodbyes. It’s coming to the end of the night, people are starting to leave, and I can see the events of the day starting to take their toll on her. She politely holds her hand up to her mouth to try and hide the yawn she makes as Phillip’s wife tells her what a wonderful day it’s been.
I can’t keep the smile off my face. I can’t keep my hands off her, because knowing she’s pregnant feels like the most satisfying thing I’ve ever achieved. Right now, Gracie is mine, not just by name and by law, but in body, too. She’s suddenly become even more fucking precious, and there are going to have to be some changes.
We see off the last of our guests, and when Cecelia finally retires to her own quarters, Gracie slumps on one of the white-covered chairs and breathes a sigh of relief.
“Long day, huh? It’s not every day a woman becomes a wifeanda mother within twenty-four hours.” I crouch on the floor beside her so I can remove the heels she’s had on all day. Surely they can’t be comfortable for a woman in her condition.
“I’m not going to be a mother, remember?” She isn’t wearing that clever smile when she reminds me; in fact, she almost looks sad about it.
“Well, for the next nine months you're going to be taking care of our little duke, so I’d say it counts.” I splay my palm out on her stomach and try not to let her words hurt me. Today's been incredible; we should be celebrating.
“Or duchess,” she corrects me. “I like the idea of a sassy girl with my genes calling the shots around here and turning you grey.” She smiles proudly as she looks down at me.
“So do I.” It’s never dawned on me before that we might actually have a girl. There hasn’t been a girl Ravenshaw in years; in fact, I don’t recall there being one in history. It’s something I will have to look into.
“Come on, I need to get you to bed.” I stand up and lift her off her chair, picking up her shoes and heading straight for the staircase. I imagine my staff are keen to get this place tidied up so they can get some sleep themselves tonight.
