It Started With a Kiss

by Melanie Moreland

I discovered quickly I was shit when it came to using my left hand; the nicks on my face and neck were proof, after I insisted on shaving myself the first day. Avery had teased me as she blotted the blood on my skin. “Really, Daniel. You survive a roll over, then take yourself out with a razor because you’re so stubborn?” I laughed because she was right.

  She refused to allow me to feel sorry for myself or to do too much. I had to admit I enjoyed the naps she insisted on taking. They started out as a necessity for the first few days, then became an excuse to lie down with her nestled beside me. We watched movies, talked, and she read to me, her voice soothing and relaxing me.

  As my energy returned, we walked around the grounds, exploring and enjoying the time together.

  However, she had to return to work, and after a few days alone, I was going stir crazy and started wandering to the clinic on a regular basis. At first, Caitlin and Avery objected, but Steven was on my side and we came to an agreement. I couldn’t lift or examine animals, but I could help consult and offer suggestions. I was careful not to overdo, and it helped pass the hours of the day.

  Avery brought a few things with her every night when she returned. Beth and Ryan were amazing and helped her on the weekends, bringing more of her possessions to the house. She put the boxes in the guest room, unpacking them gradually, and today was the final lot. I drove in with her; not once did I make fun of her driving. The few lessons I had with her had helped her relax behind the wheel, but I knew she would always be an overcautious driver. I didn’t suggest we take the shortcut. I knew she would never drive that road again, even on the sunniest, driest of days.

  I had my dad drive me there one day to see where the accident occurred. Evidence still remained of the damage my truck had done when it flipped over.

  My stomach lurched when I saw the massive upheaval of earth and roots the truck had driven in the ground.

  Dad stood beside me, his hand firmly on my shoulder as we surveyed the area.

  “Avery hates it when I use this road.”

  His voice was low when he spoke. “Your mother hates this road, too, Daniel.”

  I glanced at him. “She never said anything.”

  “You’re a grown man capable of making your own decisions. So she kept her opinion to herself. But I think now you have two very important women in your life who hate it. You may want to make a change.” He paused for a moment. “Caitlin isn’t big on it, either.”

  “Oh.”

  “Neither am I.”

  I nodded, surprised at the thickness of his voice. There was no choice to be made in the matter. “Well then, I guess the majority rules.”

  We were both glad to leave the scene. The fact I wasn’t the only vehicle on the road that fateful day was a miracle. The person following me had been the one to call 911, and because of them, I was rescued promptly. The EMT who arrived on the scene knew me and called my father as soon as we were en route to the hospital. I still had only vague recollections of what transpired, and I was okay with not remembering. I knew how upset Avery got when someone broached the subject.

  “Will you miss your own space?”

  She shook her head. “No. I look forward to our life together, Daniel.”

  “You may change your mind when I start physio next week and am grumpy all the time.”

  She laughed, bending over to pick up a box. I had to resist taking it from her. I knew my limitations, even if I tried to push the boundaries at times, a full box was impossible.

  “You’re already grumpy, so I think I can handle it. We’ll figure out a goal for you to work toward, and perhaps that will help.”

  “I have three goals in mind.”

  “Ah, the three. Go ahead.”

  “Yep. My dad and I are going to start looking for a new truck in a couple weeks when the cast comes off.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m going to start more hours at the clinic.”

  She pursed her lips at my announcement, but didn’t argue. “And the third?”

  I wrapped my good arm around her, tugging her close. I buried my face into the crook of her shoulder and dropped a kiss onto her neck, smiling at the shiver that ran through her. “That one is a two-part goal.”

  “Oh?”

  “Sex with you as soon as possible.”

  “I like that goal.”

  I pressed my mouth to the sensitive spot behind her ear, flicking my tongue on her skin. “And as soon as possible, we’re going to test every wall in our house, Sprite. Every. Single. One. We’ll revisit a few, too.”

  She whimpered. I knew physically, she missed being with me as much as I missed being with her, but it had been impossible, and the few things we could manage hadn’t been enough for either of us. Once the cast was off, and my ribs healed more, all bets were off.

  I eased back, grinning at her flushed cheeks. “But for now, let’s get you home where you belong. Maybe we can celebrate a bit later, yeah?”

  She lifted up on her toes. “Yeah.”

  Three months later

  The sun was bright, the warmth soaking into my skin as I bent down, and snapped another small flower off the stalk, placing it into the small bouquet I was creating. Below, the wind stirred up the water, the waves hitting the sand rhythmically.

  We had sat by the water when we first arrived, then spent the hours enjoying the late fall sun and the lushness of the hilltop. Avery loved to go there and enjoy the peacefulness of the secluded area. I enjoyed having her all to myself.

  Inspecting the arrangement, I had a feeling it wouldn’t pass Caitlin’s scrutiny, but I knew Avery would love it. At that point, there weren’t many flowers left to pick, but it did the job. Kneeling, I pulled the ribbon I’d taken from her drawer of hair things out of my pocket, clumsily tied it around the stalks, then made one last addition.

  I looked over toward the thick grasses. Zen grazed a few feet from Avery who sat cross-legged on the blanket, book open, an apple clutched in her free hand, no doubt forgotten as she lost herself among the words in front of her. I loved how she could go hours without moving when she read. Often, I would wake up and find her nose-deep in a book, or with the light of her Kindle shining as she read in the dark. I could watch her without her knowing, delighting in her facial expressions as she discovered some new world or fell in love with some strapping hero in a sweeping saga.

  I glanced down at the bouquet. It was time to start a sweeping saga of my own. Taking in a calming breath, I walked over, stopped in front of Avery, and kneeled. I waited patiently until she finished the page, closed the book, and shifted her attention to me.

  “Nice walk?”

  My muscles were still stiff, and my arm ached at night, but I was almost as good as new. Therapy was complete, and I worked diligently on my own, making sure my muscles stayed strong. I had used the excuse of needing to move around in order to prepare my surprise for Avery.

  I nodded, bringing out the small nosegay from behind my back, swallowing my nerves. “I picked these for you.”

  Her eyes filled with delight, and she took the flowers, with a happy hum. “So pretty! Thank you, Daniel,” she sighed as she ran her fingers gently over the blooms.

  Her response pleased me. She adored simple, heartfelt gestures, and I knew she loved the funny-looking bouquet I picked for her as much as if it had been a huge arrangement delivered by a florist, because I had done it myself.

  However, my ragged offering was special. I waited, nervous, as she sniffed and gazed at her flowers. I knew the instant she spotted the addition.

  Her eyes grew large, shoulders tensed, and a small gasp flew from her mouth. When her eyes found mine, love and tears were overflowing.

  I picked up her small hand, clasping it over my heart. “This is yours, Avery. It has been since the very second I stepped on these fingers and held them in my hand.” I lifted her hand and kissed it, holding it against my mouth. “These lips became yours the instant they touched your sweet mouth. My life became yours. You b
ecame my entire world.” I took the ring from its bed of green leaves, slipping it onto her finger. “Wear this and show the world you belong to me.” I paused to gather my nerves. “Marry me. Please.”

  “Daniel,” she breathed out my name as tears ran down her face.

  “Happy tears?”

  Her book flew to the side as she launched herself at me, dropping tiny, wet kisses all over my face. “Yes!” She sobbed. “Yes!”

  “Yes, happy tears, or yes, you’ll marry me?”

  “Both!”

  I held her tight to my chest, blinking at the surge of emotion that welled up.

  She said yes. She was mine.

  Avery was wrapped around me, her head resting on my chest. Every so often, I felt her hand unfurl as she stared at her ring.

  “How did you know?” she murmured.

  I cupped her chin, lifting her face up. “Beth,” I admitted. “I know you don’t wear much jewelry, but I noticed you seemed to wear older-looking pieces when you do.”

  “I love jewelry that has a history,” she confessed, twisting her hand so the stones caught the light.

  “Beth gave me the name of the little shop you like to go to and I went in and spoke to the owner. She had recently acquired this ring from an estate auction.”

  “It’s perfect.”

  “The story is it was purchased in England and brought here for his betrothed—hence the rose gold. The couple was madly in love and married for over sixty years. The ring was passed down to their son, who never got married. It was part of his estate.” I picked up her hand and kissed it. “It was part of a great love story then—and now.”

  “It’s perfect. If I could pick any ring in the world, this is exactly what I would pick. I love it.” She pressed her lips to mine. “I love you.”

  “Good thing.” I traced my finger down her skin. “You agreed to marry me.”

  “I did.”

  “Soon?”

  “If you want.”

  “I want. Why wait? Unless, you want a big, fancy wedding?”

  “No.”

  I huffed a sigh of relief. I didn’t want a big one, either. “When?” I implored.

  “A couple months?”

  “Next week.”

  She laughed. “And you called me impatient the first day we met. One month.”

  I smirked. That was easier than I thought. “Done.” I held her tight. “One month today. Where?”

  “The house?”

  “Perfect. Guests?”

  “Family. Friends. Small.”

  “Perfect. My mom is gonna freak.”

  Avery snickered. “My parents have barely recovered from me moving in with you. Now I have to tell them we’re getting married.”

  “Not an issue. I already spoke with your dad.”

  “You did?”

  “I told him the first weekend, when we were walking around the grounds, that you were it for me, and I planned on marrying you. He gave me his blessing before they left.”

  Her eyes shone verdant green in the sunshine.

  “So we can tell my family tomorrow.” I smirked. “No doubt, they’ll drag you off and commence wedding plans.”

  “Probably. With their help, it will be easy. I don’t want anything over the top and fancy.”

  “What about me? What do you want me to do?”

  Avery pressed her lips to my ear, making me shiver. “Honeymoon,” she murmured, a husky note to her voice.

  I dropped my face to her neck. “Hmmm. I can handle that.”

  “You have to tell me what to pack.”

  “Your toothbrush.” I swirled my tongue on her silky skin.

  “Nothing else?”

  “No.” I moved my mouth to her ear, nibbling on the lobe. “You, me, and a sunny, private beach. No clothes needed.”

  “Daniel—”

  “Okay, a couple of dresses. Little ones. And a few pairs of shorts for me in case we run out of milk.” She giggled as I rocked, sending us tumbling to the blanket, then I hovered over her. “Otherwise, you’re naked. I’m in charge of this honeymoon thing, so what I say goes. Got it?”

  She gazed at me tenderly, her eyes warm and bright. They were filled with love—love that was mine and mine alone. She would belong to me for the rest of my life. And beyond. Her arms wound around my neck, pulling me down to her mouth. “Got it.”

  I was going to like this marriage thing.

  Eighteen months later

  I entered the house, and my heart dropped in my chest at the silence. I knew what time of the month it was. I knew how hopeful Avery tried to be. She remained doggedly cheerful every month, and then when we failed to conceive again, her pain was tangible. The sobs she thought I didn’t hear when she shut the door leading to the bathroom tore my heart out. More than once, I had found her weeping into a towel, trying to hide her anguish, and I would gather her up into my arms and hold her until the storm passed. Every month it got harder, though—on each of us.

  My feet dragged as I walked down the hall. I pushed open the door, expecting to see a small ball of misery in the center of our bed. Instead, Avery was sitting against the headboard, reading a thick file, Dex curled up by her feet. She looked up startled, as I walked in.

  “Oh! Daniel, I lost track of time. I don’t even have dinner going.”

  I sat down beside her, relieved, stroking Dex’s head. He was a constant companion to her most days. She still looked sad but not as devastated as usual.

  “How about some noodles and Kung Pao?” I offered. “I’ll go pick it up?”

  She nodded, but that was her only response.

  “Are you, um, okay?”

  She was resigned. “I’m not pregnant.”

  I leaned forward, nuzzling her cheek, trying to offer what comfort I could. “I’m sorry, Sprite.”

  “I made a decision.”

  I rubbed my hands up and down her thighs in comforting strokes. “Tell me.”

  “I went and saw the doctor today. She gave me a referral to the fertility specialist.”

  “Okay, this is good.” We had talked about the possibility of taking that course of action. We’d been tested and tried other solutions. That was the next logical step.

  “I see him in two days.” She held up the file. “She gave me a bunch of stuff to read.”

  “Okay. I’ll read it when you’re done.”

  “Can you come with me?” She sounded unsure.

  I kissed her. “Try to keep me away.”

  Six months later

  I patted Lucy’s head. “She’s doing great, Mrs. Thomas.” I made a note on the chart. “Hopefully I won’t see her again for another year.” Escorting her to the front, I smiled. “Caitlin will send you the reminder. If you need anything before then, we’re here.”

  “Thanks, Dr. Spencer.” She beamed in gratitude. “Oh, hello, Mrs. Spencer!”

  I looked up, surprised to see Avery. It was only two o’clock. Moving forward, I wrapped my arm around her, bending to kiss her cheek.

  She surprised me by turning her head, pressing her mouth to mine. Hard.

  Her eyes were dancing when she drew back, smiling. “Hi,” she whispered.

  “Hi, your own sweet self. This is a nice surprise.” I nuzzled her lips. “You okay?”

  She had been fighting the flu the past week or so, sleeping a lot, and her appetite had been off.

  “Yep. I’m good. Caitlin says Steven can handle the rest of the afternoon after your next patient. Can you come home?”

  I tightened my arm. “You sure you’re okay?”

  She nodded. “Come home as soon as you can.”

  I watched her leave. She didn’t seem upset. She didn’t seem anxious or worried. She was calm, and her eyes were clear. Maybe she simply wanted my company—or even better, perhaps she wanted something else.

  During the past months, we tried so hard not to let the romance leave our lovemaking. While it was never a chore to make love to my wife, there were times it was frustrating
for both of us to have to schedule it. We preferred spontaneity. Maybe Avery was feeling . . . frisky, which meant she was feeling better. Maybe we needed to saddle up Zen and take a short ride to our beach. However, a glance out the window changed my mind. It looked as if it would start to rain soon.

  Oh, well. A warm soak in the tub or a hot steamy shower would work, as well. We’d gotten good in each of those places.

  Whistling, I walked to my office. “Let me know as soon as Mr. Warren’s here, Caitlin. My wife is waiting.”

  I heard her chuckle as I sat at my desk and transcribed the last patient file, grateful the next animal was for a vaccination. I’d be home soon.

  It started to rain while I walked the short distance to the house. I found Avery sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea, a plate of her cupcakes in front of her. I poured myself a cup and grabbed one of the treats, leaning over to kiss her as I sat down. “Tea? That’s unusual for you.”

  She spoke over the edge of her cup. “Easier on the stomach.”

  “Um, I think you should go see the doctor, Avery. It’s been a week, maybe even more.”

  “Good idea. You can come with me.”

  I blinked, and was sure my mouth dropped open. She rarely agreed when I worried about her.

  Still smiling, she dropped a couple sugar cubes in my tea and handed me a spoon. “We’ll go next week. Tuesday, in fact.”

  “Avery—”

  “Stir your tea, Daniel.”

  Frowning, I mixed in the sugar, wondering why it was so freaking important right now. I tapped the edge of the spoon on the cup with a little more pressure than needed, glancing down at the spoon as it slipped from my fingers, the light glinting off the silver. It wasn’t one of our regular spoons—it had writing on it. I tilted my head and picked up the spoon to study it closer. My eyes widened as I read the small inscription.

  YOU’RE GOING TO BE A DADDY

  My head snapped up to meet Avery’s glowing countenance.

  “Sprite?”

  “Congratulations.”

  I was on my knees in front of her in a split second, one hand stretched across her stomach while the other hand buried itself into her thick hair. Luminous green met awestruck blue. Tears shimmered in her gaze, but the pure joy that was radiating from her, left me breathless. My mouth covered hers in a deep, soul-shattering kiss that left us panting. I leaned my forehead against hers. “Say it.”