Alexis was excited that there was a chance she could have a little sister, and had been talking about nothing else since her father had given her the news. Halden didn't seem to care that he was going to be a big brother, but Kimber figured it was a normal reaction for an almost four year old child. And she was sure he would be a happy big brother once the baby arrived.
Paul
Paul wasn't sure how he felt about Sierra's pregnancy, but he had a lot on his mind anyway. Things were going well with Kimber, and he did have to admit that things were a little less tense overall since they had come to their sex compromise. He wanted badly to make love to her, but he wanted their first time together as a couple to be perfect. He planned to make love to her on the night he proposed, but he was beginning to wonder when that would happen.
He had had the ring hidden for weeks and it seemed to taunt him, telling him that it wouldn't be on Kimber's finger where it belonged until he had worked out the problems with his job.
He was glad that his old house had sold at least and very grateful once again for Kimber whose ideas had helped it sell.
He had been looking for another job, but the search hadn't been going well. He felt more and more disheartened every morning when he left for work.
Sierra
Sierra was apprehensive about telling her boss about her pregnancy. When she got to work and asked to speak with Mr. Moran he told her he wouldn't have free time until the school day ended. She tried not to let her worries get to her and luckily her students were always a good distraction. She knew that she would miss them very much when she left for maternity leave.
Moran took the news better than she'd thought he would and even offered her a hearty congratulations, telling her that they'd miss her, but that her job would be waiting when she got back.
It was an almost unbelievable relief, and she was able to be happy about her pregnancy without any further reservations.
Luke
When Sierra told him that her boss has assured her that her teaching position would be waiting for her after maternity leave, Luke was thrilled. He knew that she was happy they were having a baby, but he knew that she wouldn't let herself feel it fully until she knew that her job was secure.
She was cheerful when she got home from work and Luke thought that she was already exhibiting a bit of pregnancy glow. Sierra rolled her eyes at him when he told her so, but she was smiling and he was glad to see the woman he loved happy without worry weighing her down.
Paul
When Paul heard that a job was opening in another division at his company, he felt as if he had been given a gift from above. The position paid less, but the hours were less strenuous and he knew that was more important than anything else at the moment.
His boss gave him a puzzled look when he asked about putting in an application for the lower paying position, but Paul knew that he couldn't refuse since he was overqualified if anything.
They had recently hired a new man in his current division and Paul was sure that he would be able to take over his position with the right training.
It took some convincing, but his boss finally agreed that if he felt Ted Thomas was ready to take over Paul's position in six weeks when the other position opened, he would let Paul take the lower paying position.
Paul knew that he had a lot of work to do over the next few weeks, but nothing had felt more worth it in his life.
Sierra
Sierra found that she enjoyed her second pregnancy all around a lot more than she'd enjoyed her first. Luke definitely made things easier on her than Paul had, and her new husband didn't want to make love to her any less than he had before she was pregnant.
She was happy to let the kids help with the plans for the baby's room. Nathan was excited to be a big brother again, since he was already a very happy big brother to Halden.
Everyone seemed happy. In fact, things seemed to be going so well that Sierra was almost afraid something was going to happen to spoil all the good cheer. But she didn't let her worries get to her, and all in all Sierra was a very happy expectant mother.
Kimber
When Paul told her about his possible new position at work Kimber was thrilled. It was obvious he was excited and she was definitely looking forward to the possibility of spending more time with him.
She realized more and more as the days passed that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Paul. Sierra's pregnancy made her think about having another child of her own. She found herself daydreaming about carrying Paul's child.
Paul
Paul didn't think he had ever worked harder than he did in the six weeks until the new position opened up. He was a little apprehensive when the day came for his boss to give them his decision. The minutes until Bruno Brown called Paul and Ted Thomas into his office seemed to pass at a painfully slow rate for Paul.
But it was all worth it in the end. He had trained Ted Thomas so well that Bruno offered him a hearty handshake and congratulations, though he still didn't seem to understand Paul's decision to apply for the lower paying position.
Paul didn't care though. He felt like he was walking on air when he left work that day. He'd start his new position the following Monday and he would finally be able to propose to Kimber. Paul Brooks was a very happy man.
Kimber
Paul took Kimber and the kids out to celebrate his new position. It was like a very heavy weight had been lifted off of her man's shoulders. She was very happy for him and for all of them since he'd be working less and have more time for his family.
It seemed like something more was on Paul's mind as the days passed, but Kimber tried not to think about it too much, especially since Paul was happier than he'd been since they'd been together without the weight of his old job resting on his shoulders.
Paul
Paul was nervous on the night he planned to propose to Kimber. He had wanted to take her for a romantic walk in the park, but the weather forecast predicted snow.
He almost changed his mind about the walk in the park when snow started to fall on the drive to Kimber's house, but it was still a beautiful night and he kept his plans, hoping the beautiful woman he hoped would soon be his fiance wouldn't get too cold. He could think of some delicious ways to warm her up though, and making love to Kimber was very much on his mind too.
Kimber
There was a strange look in Paul’s blue eyes as he looked at her. Kimber was starting to get cold, but there was a sense of anticipation in the air, as if something big were about to happen. It would make sense she supposed since this was the first weekend they had spent together without the kids in a while, but Kimber felt something else too.
As they stood staring into each other’s eyes in the now empty park, a soft snow started to fall, and Kimber was glad that both she and Paul were dressed warmly. He took her hand and she marveled again at the way that they seemed to fit together so perfectly. Her heart beat fast as Paul leaned in to kiss her. It started out as slow and easy, but by the time he pulled away several minutes later, Kimber’s body was so heated that she no longer felt the cold.
He took her hand. “Kimber.”
Her heart felt like it was in her throat. “Yes Paul?”
“I love you. You are so beautiful and so kind and so confident. You’re such a wonderful mother. My son adores you. You make me feel things I thought I’d never feel again. I know this is quick, and that we promised to take things slow, but I can’t think of anything that has ever felt more right in my life.”
Still holding her hand, Paul got down on one knee, seemingly not bothered by the snow that had now started falling faster and sticking to the winter frozen grass of the park. He pulled a small velvet covered box out of his coat pocket. As he popped it open, revealing the beautiful diamond engagement ring that sat inside, Kimber could see tears standing in his eyes.
“Kimber Stone, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Kimber blinked the tears from her own eyes. She la
ughed a little as she took Paul’s hand, helping him up. “I will marry you Paul. As long as you make me one promise.”
Paul slipped the ring back into his pocket, taking her hand and pulling her towards the waiting car. “Anything for you beautiful.”
She pressed him gently back against the side of the car they had just reached and pressed her lips to his. She felt as if she could stay like that all night long, but she could feel the wetness from his pants spreading to hers and knew that it was time for them to get in the car and try to dry out and warm up.
She pulled back from him. “Promise me that you’ll marry me ‘til death do us part Paul.”
He took her hand. She could see the sincerity in his eyes. “I promise that I will always be by your side Kimber. There’s nowhere in the world I’d rather be.”
Kimber grinned. “Right now I would love if it you’d be by my side in a hot shower and then in my bed. Will you make love to me tonight Paul?"
Paul winked at her as he pressed the button to unlock the car doors. He took her hand and led her to the passenger side, opening the door for her and then going back around to the drivers’ side once he had closed it behind her.
“I think I can handle that.”
Kimber’s heart felt full as Paul drove slowly out of the parking lot of the park. She loved Paul because he was smart and gorgeous, but he was also ambitious, steady and reliable. They fit together in ways that she and Luke never had. She was thrilled with Paul’s proposal though it was relatively quick. While she had had reservations deep down when she had accepted Luke’s proposal, there were none where Paul was concerned. She was so happy she could hardly believe it. And she couldn’t wait for her fiancé to make love to her.
Paul
Paul was a little shaky as he drove the short distance from the local park to Kimber’s house, and it wasn’t just from the cold either. He felt like he was on fire with anticipation. He couldn’t have been happier that Kimber had accepted his proposal. Kimber was the only woman that he could imagine spending the rest of his life with. And he wanted to spend the first night of the rest of his life making love to his beautiful fiancé.
He’d been a little worried that she wouldn’t accept his proposal at first but he had realized as time went on that he and Kimber had shared things in the short time that they had been together that he and Sierra had never felt comfortable revealing in their years together. He also felt like he and Kimber were more on the same wavelength, even with as silly as it seemed to him to think so sometimes.
While Sierra and Luke fit together because they had history, the easy adoration of each other’s children, and achieved a better balance than he and Sierra since Luke worked from home and had no objections to Sierra having a career, he and Kimber fit together because they had similar dreams and goals.
Kimber ran her online book store from home, giving her time to care for both her children and Nathan when Paul was at work and his son was visiting. That was enough of a compromise for Paul since it meant to him that the children got the nurturing of a virtual stay-at-home parent and Kimber was able to maintain a career that made her happy, while still being able to be there for the children.
He noticed that Kimber’s hand was shaking a little as she unlocked the house, and he hid a smile. She was so beautiful he thought as she turned back to him after shedding her heavy winter coat and accessories. She smiled at him and reached to take the scarf from his neck.
“How about we get you out of those wet clothes handsome?”
They left a trail of clothes up the stairs as they retired to the bedroom and the warmth of a steamy shared shower. He couldn’t get enough of the sight of Kimber’s naked body as she moved in the shower. He wanted to wash her beautiful body but he was afraid he was going to say or do something stupid. It felt like he was making love to her for the first time, even though this would technically be their second encounter.
There were no words as she led him back to her bedroom, not bothering to dry off after they’d stepped out of the shower. Kimber pulled Paul gently to the bed with her, molding her body to his. He felt the rightness of the moment as he brought his mouth to hers. He wanted to put everything he felt for her into his love making that night, so that she would know that he had meant what he’d said when he’d told her he’d always be by her side. He belonged with Kimber and he’d never felt the feeling more strongly than that night.
She watched him with eyes darkened with hunger as he trailed kisses down her body, stopping to suckle gently on each of her nipples in turn. She ran her fingers through his hair as he trailed kisses down her stomach, arriving at her womanhood. He tasted the sweetness of her gingerly at first, but as her fingers tangled in his hair and she let out a quiet moan and arched her hips to give him better access, he felt the passion envelop her. He let it over take him as well as he pleased her more fully with his tongue.
He didn’t know how many times she had reached orgasm by the time she put a gentle hand on his head and said “Stop baby please. I want to feel you inside of me.”
Paul gave her a sheepish grin. “I’m sorry Kimber.”
She winked at him. “Nothing to be sorry about handsome.”
There were no more words as he entered her slowly, taking his time in giving her the full extent of his manhood. She moaned and he felt her tighten around him as he gave himself fully to her. She cried out his name and wrapped her legs around his waist, moving her hips in a rhythm that felt to Paul like a taste of perfection he had never experienced before. He kept his eyes on her as he moved above her, feeling as if he could never get enough of the woman beneath him. Their coupling felt everlasting but all too short at the same time as he moved off of her to the other side of the bed.
Kimber’s cheeks were flushed and her hair was a mess, but he didn’t think he’d ever seen a woman look more beautiful in his life. Her eyes were bright, and her lips were puffy from the frenzied kissing they’d done. Paul could hardly believe the passion that Kimber brought out in him. He enjoyed sex of course, but he’d never felt the need for it that Sierra had always had. With Kimber, he could easily imagine having a strong desire to make love to her every night for the rest of his life.
Paul was completely content as he fell asleep with Kimber in his arms that night, the diamond engagement ring sparkling on her finger.
Kimber
When Kimber woke up in Paul's arms the next morning, and knew that she was going to spend the rest of her life with the man she loved, she was so happy she could hardly believe it. He opened his pretty blue eyes and looked at her.
"Good morning beautiful."
"Good morning."
She smiled at him, then gave him a quick kiss. The kiss turned into an early morning love making session. The way their bodies fit together so perfectly made Kimber believe even more that they were meant for each other. Making love with Paul was incredible. Every movement was ecstasy and she had never had more orgasms during love making than she had with Paul. Making love with him felt like the way love making should. She'd never experienced anything quite like it in her life.
She knew that Paul felt it too. He was cheerful as he made them breakfast.
Once they had eaten and done the dishes together, they curled up on the couch together. Snow had started to fall and Kimber looked forward to a lazy day at home with her handsome fiance.
They had found an old movie to watch and were sipping hot chocolate when Kimber caught Paul looking at her with an almost puzzled look on his face.
She gave him an amused smile. "Spit it out baby. What's on your mind?"
A blush rose to his cheeks. "I just. . . I uh never knew sex could feel like that. I thought it was some kind of fluke the first time we were together, or that it felt that good because we knew what we were doing was wrong. But that wasn't it at all was it?"
Kimber smiled. "I never knew it could feel quite like that either Paul. We fit together so perfectly that it seems as if we were made for each other."
/> The blush didn't leave his cheeks. "It does. Kimber would you mind if I was the one who told both Sierra and Luke about our engagement? I think it's time for Luke and I to come to some kind of a truce. I know he doesn't like me much and I definitely don't appreciate the way he treated you, but we have to get along for the kids, especially now that I'm going to be the stepfather of his children too. Why does it seem like it's been so much easier for you and Sierra to get along than it has for Luke and I?"
"I think your male egos have gotten in the way. Kidding baby. I wouldn't say that it's necessarily been easier for Sierra and I, but I knew from the beginning my kids were going to like her and I knew from my childhood that there was no way I was ever going to put my kids in the middle of an argument. It's never easy to know that your child may be just as close to someone else as they are to you, but you have to realize that having kids is a long process of letting go. You never let go completely of course, but you know what I mean. I think it's great that you want to try to patch things up with Luke. If it makes you feel any better, I've forgiven him. It doesn't mean that any of what he did was okay, but it's pointless to waste my energy being angry with him over what happened in the past. It's not like we can go back and change it."
Paul nodded. "Right. I forgave Sierra too and I hope she's forgiven me. It was hard at first, but it is a waste of time and energy. Do you think Sierra and Luke would want to have dinner with us tomorrow?"
Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set Page 37