"Shh, baby," Lucien says, drawing me into his embrace once more. "You don't have to think about that anymore, because I'm here. I'll always be here. I'm not going anywhere."
I nod against his chest.
"Adeline," he starts. He leans back and reaches into the pocket of his pants underneath the pair of scrubs he's wearing. "I've been carrying this around for weeks now, wanting it close to me at all times."
I gasp when he retrieves a small, blue box. "Lucien," I whisper.
"I wanted to take you to the Eiffel Tower and propose…or maybe on a trip to Antarctica…or maybe to a rainforest or —. I don't know," he says, shaking his head. "I definitely didn't want to propose to you in a hospital…but I can't wait any longer to make you mine forever," he confesses.
"I don't need to go anywhere or to do any of those things, Lucien. I only need you," I tell him adamantly.
He flips open the box and reveals the most gorgeous ring I've ever seen in my life. A large, round solitaire diamond sits atop a diamond-encrusted rose gold band.
Lucien pulls the ring out and cradles it between his thumb and finger. He stares at it thoughtfully for a few seconds before he turns to me. "Adeline, before I met you, it was as if the sun had set on my world, but never once risen. I never realized how much I was missing out on life before you walked into mine. You make me want to be a better man." He rests his other hand on my stomach, and a smile graces his lips. "And I want to make you and our baby feel cherished every single day for the rest of our lives together. If you'll have me, that is." Lucien takes my hand in his as our eyes meet. "Adeline, will you marry me?"
"Yes, yes, of course!" I cry out.
He slips the ring on my finger, and I feel complete even though our journey is just truly beginning. He kisses me and then hugs me to him. "I'm never letting you go," he whispers in my ear.
"I don't want you to," I tell him honestly. "Don't let me go, Lucien. Ever."
EPILOGUE
ADELINE
I was able to carry to term, just like the doctor predicted. And a little after seven o'clock in the evening on August 13th, a perfect little boy with ten fingers, ten toes and his daddy's dark hair and warm, chocolate eyes was born.
Alexander William Sterling.
Barbara and her new beau, Dr. Benson, came to visit me in the hospital. I had been so worried about her, but she recovered quickly from the torture that Giovanni had unleashed upon her. And still going with the belief that everything happens for a reason, she full-heartedly believed the whole ordeal brought her and Dr. Benson closer. She told me he'll never replace Paul, but he's a damn close second and makes her happy.
After Lucien and I arrived back on the island, I was worried at first as to how he would cope with a baby, but he has surprised me at every turn.
As long as I take care of the poopy diapers, which even mostnormalfathers don't want to deal with, he's been absolutely helpful and pretty darn perfect.
Lucien's obsessions with cleanliness haven't been nearly as bad since he's been having regular communications with a new therapist. Dr. Dan used to suffer from the same afflictions as Lucien, and they both survived horrible childhoods. Having found a common bond with the doctor, Luc flourished in therapy and learned how to control his urges and need to control.
Not that I don't want some of his control at times…especially in the bedroom.
"Hurry," Lucien says as he ushers me into our room.
We just put Alexander down for a nap, and when he's sleeping is the only time we can make time for ourselves. This is how our days go as busy parents of a newborn, but we always find time for each other.
Stripping out of our clothes and losing them along the way to the bed, we fall onto the soft mattress naked.
Luc's teeth tug at my lip before he kisses me like a man possessed. He's been insatiable lately since getting over a lot of his phobias, and it's been a challenge…but also so much fun for me to keep up with his appetite.
He leans back and gazes into my eyes. I run my fingers through his hair, which is always haphazardly sexy now instead of perfectly styled.
Lucien's lips trail down my chest to my full breasts. He kisses each mound and says, "No wonder Alexander's always hungry. I can't stay away from them either."
I slap him jokingly and giggle.
He looks at me and smiles a breathtaking smile. "Love that sound," he whispers before his mouth meets mine once more.
My thighs part for him as he nestles between them. His fingertips find my sensitive nub, and he softly rubs me into oblivion. Just as I begin to shatter under him, he enters me, not stopping until his thick cock is fully seated.
I gasp and then sigh in content. He feels so damn good inside of me. And since I got a Depo shot a few weeks ago, we don't have to worry about condoms…or more babies until we're good and ready.
