For All The Right Reasons (Band Of Brothers Book 1)
Page 22
She exhaled when she felt him enter her. There was nowhere else she wanted to be.
Two months later, Ben and Sydney were at the airport happily picking up family and friends that had flown in for their wedding. They had planned a small, intimate ceremony on the beach in front of Ben's house with a handful of those they loved playing witnesses. The night before the wedding, Ben set a small jewelry box on the bed pillow beside Sydney's head.
“What's this?” Sydney asked. She sat up in bed and held the box.
“It's a wedding gift.”
“Jewelry?” Sydney asked.
“I know you don't wear much jewelry, but I thought you might like to wear something special for tomorrow,” he said.
Sydney opened the lid and gasped when she saw the enormous pair of diamond stud earrings set into the blue velvet inside the box. “They're beautiful, Ben, but you really didn't have to,” she said, and kissed him. “I have something for you, too. I hadn't planned on giving it to you now, but I suppose I could.”
Ben slid beside her. “It can wait until later, Syd. I don't care.”
Sydney moved from the bed and went to her top dresser drawer, retrieving a folded clump of tissues, then returned and sat on the edge of the bed. She stared at the tissues for a few moments before glancing at him.
“Obviously, I haven't had time to wrap this,” she said softly.
“Save it for later, Syd.”
“No, I'll give it to you now,” she said. She blinked and sent fresh tears down her cheek.
“Why are you crying?”
“I now know why some people say miracles happen in sets of three,” she said. “My first miracle was meeting you. The second was definitely having Jenna.”
She handed Ben the clump of folded tissues.
“And, what's the third miracle?” he asked.
“Go ahead. Open it,” Sydney said.
Ben parted the tissues, then lifted his gaze to her.
“We're going to have to wait another seven months,” she said. “To see what our third little miracle is.”
“You're pregnant again?” he asked. He pulled the positive pregnancy stick from the tissues and smiled.
“I'm guessing about eight weeks.”
“Come here,” he said and settled her beside him. “I am overwhelmed with all the ways you make me happy, Sydney. And tomorrow I'm going to become your husband.”
Sydney wiped at her face. “It's a lot to process, isn't it?”
“I've never been happier. I finally have everything I've always wanted. For the first time in my life I feel…settled.” He turned to her and smiled. “And I am crazy in love with you. It doesn't get any better than that.”
Ben rubbed at her stomach with his hand, his expression turning serious. His face dropped to her belly and kissed the skin. “How long have you known about the baby?” he asked.
“A week and it was a hard secret to keep,” she said, stroking his head resting on her stomach. “I was going to wait and tell you on our honeymoon, but I'm glad you know now. Speaking of the honeymoon, Ben. Where did you decide to take us?”
He lifted his head to her. “The city of lights.”
“Vegas?” Sydney asked.
Ben laughed. “No - the other city of lights. Paris.”
Sydney scooted up against the pillows excitedly. “Paris? I've always wanted to go there!”
“I know. You told me one night when we were on the tour bus.”
“You remember that?”
“I remember everything, Sydney.”
“You remember everything except for the one pivotal conversation we had in my room the night you passed-out!”
“Yes, you're right, I don't have much memory from that one night,” he said with a smile. “But, I do remember everything else.”
“You said some really profound things to me that night,” Sydney said. “It made me look at you in a whole new light. That's the night my feelings changed.”
“I was already in love with you by that point, Sydney. Why do you think I always wanted to be near you? I didn't even care if you talked to me. I just needed to be close to you.”
“It turns out, what you said that night had more foresight than either of us could have imagined.”
“Are you finally going to tell me what I said that night?” he asked.
Sydney touched his face thoughtfully, etching the creases around his mouth with her index finger. “You described in great detail the type of woman you wanted to be with and how you were looking for a real relationship, not a meaningless fling. You said you wanted someone that was willing to do the work of knowing your soul and appreciating what they found there.”
“I said that? Wow! That's pretty deep,” Ben grinned.
“You told me you were looking for someone with substance, stability and a brain. Someone that challenged you and could hold a conversation worth remembering. You said I had all those qualities and thought we'd be perfect together.”
“That's all true,” he said.
Emotion began to build in Sydney's eyes. “And, then you said the one thing that seemed to sum everything up and left me breathless.”
“What was that?” he asked.
“For all the right reasons.”
“What?”
“You told me you wanted to be with me for all the right reasons.”
Ben pressed his lips against hers and closed his eyes, kissing her lightly.
“It will always be for the right reasons, Sydney. You know my soul, my heart, and everything inside my head that matters. Everything I am today is because of you and…for the rest of my days…I'm yours.”
“You just did it again,” she sighed.
“What?”
“You made me breathless.”
Ben rolled her onto her back and settled himself between her legs.
“I know a few other ways to make you breathless,” he teased.
Sydney smiled. “Yes, you certainly do.”
“For all the right reasons, Sydney. Always.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ANN LISTER is a native New Englander currently living on the island of Martha’s Vineyard with her husband Robert Lister. She has pulled details from her years living in the New England area and uses many local settings and landmarks in her novels.
After graduating art school, marrying, and raising two daughters, she established her own video production company. Her nearly two decades working in video production included work within the music industry and won her a coveted Telly Award. It was this 'behind-the-scenes' exposure to the music world that inspired her first two novels, Sheet Music - A Rock ’n’ Roll Love Story and For All The Right Reasons.
A third novel, Without A Doubt, is expected in 2011.
When not writing, she enjoys creating stained glass and traveling.