Quinn’s eyes moved from one child to the other then to Max.
‘We didn’t manage triplets,’ he beamed, ‘just twins. Aren’t they beautiful?’
‘No wonder I was so big….’
‘The reason the doctor didn’t realise there were two in there was because she was tucked very tidily behind her brother,’ he gently ran his finger along the baby’s downy cheek, her soft pink mouth opened for a moment then closed.
Quinn looked from one baby to the other, ‘I’ll need to do more shopping,’ she smiled up to Max. ‘Did you mean what you said, about staying?’ she pressed her lips together for a moment. While the nurse had been checking her over she thought about Max’s declaration, he had hurt her so much over the past few months she didn’t believe she had any love left in her heart for him. But when she opened her eyes and saw him sitting by her bedside, his declaration of love and the expression in his eyes her filled her broken heart with hope.
‘Yes if you’ll let me, if you’ll have me after the terrible way I’ve treated you,’ he said softly, ‘I love you Quinn, with every fibre of my being. I almost left it too late to admit my true feelings even to myself,’ he gave a small harsh laugh. ‘I was just plain scared to say the words but if I’m honest about it, I’ve been in love with you since the day you walked into my office. While I was busy laying down the law to you I looked into your eyes and so help me I was hooked,’ he laughed again. ‘But you sat there looking at me with those big golden eyes as though I had just stepped off a space craft!’
Quinn looked down at her hand held so gently in his and smiled to herself at his declaration, ‘I can never imagine you being scared of anything or anyone,’ she told him while looking up in to his handsome face.
Max laughed, ‘Believe me you have terrified the life out of me a few times,’ she gave him a disbelieving look and he laughed again, ‘when you asked for a divorce, when you told me to leave,’ suddenly he was very serious. ‘Can we start again?’ It seemed to him that his words hung in the air waiting to crash into him and break him altogether. And then she smiled and it was the words which were crushed and not his heart.
‘I would like that very much.’
Now her smile washed away the last remnants of sadness away from his heart and he returned her smile.
They looked away from each other at the same moment as their son made soft whimpering sounds, ‘Have you held them yet?’ Quinn asked as she looked up again.
Max looked immediately very worried, ‘No… I er I mean they are so small,’ he held his hand along side his son, who looked as though he may fit in the palm, ‘I might hurt them,’ he said uncertainly.
‘No you won’t,’ she assured him, ‘what about names we’ve two to think of now.’ Quinn gently placed their son in his fathers hands and swallowed the lump in her throat as she watched Max hold his son for the first time.
The child appeared so tiny and fragile in his hands; ‘He’s so light and small,’ Max held the baby over the bed terrified he would drop him. ‘I think we should call the nurse back,’ he looked hopefully over his shoulder then back to Quinn when she laughed.
‘Give him back and hold your daughter,’ she smiled as she shook her head, ‘in a few days you’ll be juggling them around like a professional,’ then laughed again at the look of disbelief on his face.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The following day after all family and friends had left Max closed the door on the hospital room, pulled up a chair and sat beside Quinn’s bed. He felt he still had a lot more apologising and explaining to do for his behaviour, he started by telling her the extent of his ex-wife’s jealousy and insecurity, how she had him followed because she was convinced he was having an affair. ‘It was because of her I have a male p.a., it was the only way I could convince her I was not taking them away for illicit meetings!’
Quinn recalled the feeling she had when speaking to some of the other personal assistants and now she realised why everyone had been surprised she was working so closely with him.
‘After my divorce I didn’t date any one for over two years,’ he gave a short harsh laugh, ‘she was almost as bad as Ashleigh,’ he shook his head as he recalled the only other woman he had dated before Quinn. ‘Since her there has only been you,’ he looked up and saw the look of surprise in her eyes. ‘That is why I work so much, I had nothing to go home for, but I have now, and have been redistributing my workload,’ he took a deep breath and watched her face carefully, ‘I only intend to work three days a week at the office from now on and hope…I know I should have discussed it with you first…’
‘Max you don’t have to do this all I need to know is that you love me.’
Max moved from his chair to sit on the edge of her bed, pulling her into his arms he held he close, ‘Quinn I love you more than I thought possible, I never wanted us to part, no matter what I said or threatened,’ he lifted her face with one gentle hand, ‘I just need to hear you tell me you still love me.’
Quinn smiled and took his face in both hands, ‘I love you Maxwell Cordell,’ she told him pulling him to her lips, ‘and I always will,’ she promised.
Max kissed her gently then took her hands in his, ‘I have so many things to apologise for or explain,’ he released on hand to gently brush in fingers down her face. ‘Firstly, Azzurra de Santos, please don’t look so worried,’ he leaned closer and pressed his lips gently against her brow, ‘there never has been anything between us, Azzurra is a natural born flirt she can make asking the time sound like a come on,’ he gave a gentle laugh. ‘When you saw her coming out of my room it was not what you thought…’
Quinn lifted her hand and pressed her fingers against his lips, ‘You don’t have to explain…’
‘Yes I do I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings between us. I had been helping her sell her apartment in Paris, Azzurra is Italian and her French is very limited and I had been translating a legal document for her. And when you saw us in town I had asked her to come home with me to meet you.’
Quinn felt a wave of sorrow wash over her, ‘I am so sorry I didn’t trust you, I promise never to doubt you again,’ she told him wrapping her arms around his shoulders and holding him tightly, then pressing her lips gently against his they kissed she felt his body shudder her own trembling in response.
They spent the next hour ensuring that there was nothing left to cause concern, no small lie or omission undisclosed.
As Max pulled her into his arms Quinn sighed, the happiness shone from his eyes once again as he looked down at her, ‘I love you Maxwell Cordell,’ she whispered as his lips found hers.
A month later they were standing side by side in the nursery; both babies had been fed and changed by their dotting father. ‘I can’t believe how much they have grown in just a few weeks,’ Max said turning to Quinn as she sat on the comfy sofa which now had been set along side the rocking chair in the nursery.
‘Well it doesn’t surprise me,’ she said laughing softly, ‘They never stop eating!’ she rested her head against his shoulder when he sat beside her.
‘Okay?’ he asked wrapping his arm around her and pressing his lips against her brow.
‘Mmm, yes and you?’ she asked looking up through her lashes at him. She was more than all right; she was the happiest woman in the world. The change in Max over the past month was amazing, he was attentive, loving, devoted to his wife and new family. She couldn’t recall seeing him without a smile on his face for the whole time she had been home.
‘Yes I am now,’ he hugged her tightly to his chest, ‘I swear there has been no one since the day you walked into my office and there certainly will never be anyone else but you,’ he told her pulling her into his arms.
Quinn smiled up into his face, ‘I will allow you one other female in your life,’ she said smiling again at his puzzled expression; ‘your daughter and the only other man in my life will be our son.’
‘Sons and daughters,’ he amended quickly, smiling down into her face he added, �
�I wonder how many we’ll have next time?’
She had been about to say, ‘Hopefully just one,’ but his mouth closed over hers and by the time his lips left hers she had forgotten his question. Although two years later she presented him with twins once again another boy and girl.
With the man of her dreams by her side, Quinn’s life was complete and she never walked in her sleep again.
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