by Sam Crescent
“So, as this is our first date, I will go first. I’m Bella Reed, and my father is the very wealthy, successful Jackson Reed. I’m going a little differently here as I never tell anyone about my father, but I can tell I like you. I work in a veterinary practice, and even though I find it difficult at times because of losing patients and stuff, I wouldn’t change it at all. I love cooking and baking. I also love reading. One day I do hope to have a big family as well.”
Alaric smiled, falling more and more in love with her. “I’m Alaric Patterson. I’m known to be quite the asshole, and not very accommodating. I jump to conclusions, as I did over a certain deal, only I can’t completely regret what I did.” He held his hand up. “If I didn’t go looking for some kind of revenge, I would have never found the most beautiful woman in the world on the inside and out. I regret everything else, the lies, and the way I hurt you. I don’t regret finding you.”
“In a weird way, that is actually really romantic.”
He winked. “I’ve got more up my sleeve.”
****
New Year was perfect. Her father accepted Alaric with open arms, while Rebecca made sure he suffered a little bit. Bella was just happy to have him at her home, where there were no more lies. He called her all the time, wanting to make sure she had everything she ever wanted.
She was no longer staying at her father’s, and had returned to her apartment. The pain that she once had slowly began to fade.
Alaric: How was ur day @ work?
Bella: Really good. We didn’t lose anyone today. You?
Alaric: Fine. Same old boring shit.
Bella: Why don’t you quit?
Alaric: I’m good at what I do. Missing you.
Bella: Missing you as well. Thank you for dropping the text talk. I hate it.
Alaric: ?
Bella: ur is supposed to be your. What is with saying at rather than @? Lazy *blows raspberry*
Alaric: You’re so fucking cute.
Bella: Is that why you love me?
Alaric: Not all. Your body helps.
Bella burst out laughing at his last text. He always knew what to say or do to make her smile.
****
“I have a lunch for a Bella Reed,” a delivery guy said.
Bella looked up from her computer to see the waiter from the Italian restaurant that Alaric had taken her to a few weeks ago.
“Damn, girl, that man is totally smitten with you,” Deidre said.
Bella smiled at the man, and took her food. She had no doubt that Alaric loved her. It had nothing to do with the flowers, lunches, or the dinners. No, it was the text messages, the words of love and caring. She didn’t need anything else to tell her that Alaric was the man for her. She felt it deep in her soul.
“Back off, he’s mine,” she said, smiling. As she opened up the takeout carton, her mouth watered. Spaghetti carbonara was her favorite. Her stomach growled, and as she twirled her fork in the spaghetti and took a bite, her cell phone buzzed.
Alaric: You need to start taking care of yourself.
Bella: Did you have lunch?
Alaric: How did you know how I liked my burger?
Bella smiled thinking about the order she had placed that morning with his favorite burger joint. He loved a nice sirloin beef burger, cheese, lots of fried onions, and burger sauce. She’d also sent him an extra portion of cheese fries as well.
Taking a deep breath, she sent him the text that she hoped he would know she wanted their future.
Bella: I’ve got to take care of my man.
Not once had she made any reference to him belonging to her. Now she had, she had taken the next step. It had only been a couple of weeks, but she knew, without a doubt knew that he was the one. Yes, he had lied to her in the beginning, but he hadn’t broken her heart. He hadn’t done anything that he had planned because he had fallen in love with her. She loved him more than anything. Like her mother, she had never been able to stay mad for long.
Alaric: I’m yours, baby, always. You’re mine, and don’t you forget it.
Bella: Why don’t you come around to my place tonight, and I can show you how much I own you? *eye wink*
Alaric: I’m thinking an early dinner? What about you?
Bella: I just asked Deidre, and I’m free to go. Come and get me.
Finishing her food, she logged off her computer and made her way toward her car. Climbing inside, she drove toward her apartment, and then rushed inside, changing out of her work clothes, into a silk negligee that she had splurged on.
Letting her hair fall down around her, she was ready when the knock came at the door. Leaving her bedroom, she made sure it was Alaric at the door. Licking her lips, she held her head high, and opened the door.
The moment he saw her, she was sure she heard a little growl. Within seconds he had the door closed, and his arms were wrapped around her. “No one, and I mean no one, ever sees you like this.”
“You’ve got it, baby. This is all for you.”
And it was.
Epilogue
One year later
“You know if your granddaddy didn’t believe in forgiveness we wouldn’t be so excited about you coming home,” Alaric said, pressing kisses to Bella’s swollen stomach.
“Excuse me, just Granddaddy?” she asked.
“We both know that Mommy would have forgiven me sooner or later. I’m the only guy in the world for her.”
He stared up at the love of his life as she rolled her eyes. The past year had been a rollercoaster. First, he’d worked to get Bella to fall in love with them, which wasn’t that easy. She wanted to know him, and that wasn’t something he was used to. While he was wooing her back to him, he’d made a bit of a mistake with a condom, and so they were both now expecting their very first little angel.
The doctors had already told him he was going to have a beautiful little girl, and he couldn’t be happier. The love he had inside him, he didn’t think was possible.
Locking his fingers with Bella’s, he pressed a kiss to her stomach, and lay beside her on the bed.
“Dad’s coming over tomorrow. We’re going to get the tree set up.”
“How do you feel about him dating Rebecca?” he asked.
“I’m not going to lie. It is really, really, really weird, but I can’t complain. You’re almost the same age as he is, and I’m dating you.”
That had been a bit of a shock this year for all of them, even Jackson. Bella’s father had actually come to him in the hope of making sense of his feelings. Alaric had refused to keep it a secret, and asked for him to come clean with his daughter.
“Besides, I think it’s funny because I keep calling Rebecca step-mom.” Bella giggled. “They’re both happy. I can see that, and I know he deserve some happiness as well.”
Glancing around their master bedroom in their new country house, Alaric couldn’t believe how different his life was from a year ago. Last Christmas he’d spent it alone, wishing for the love and forgiveness of his woman. This year, he was married, expecting a little girl, in a different house that he hoped to fill with so many memories. He wouldn’t change his life for the world.
“Are you happy?” he asked.
“You know I am,” she said, kissing his lips. “I promised my life to you, Alaric. I’ll love you for the rest of my life and beyond.”
He stroked her cheek, staring into her brown eyes. The media had a bit of a frenzy when their relationship came out. Some of his exes had tried to tear them apart, and he’d made sure nothing could come between them.
“You’ve made me the happiest man in the world.” He pressed his lips against hers. She released a little moan, and he slid his hand down her body, cupping his little girl.
Just then, Bella tensed up and released a gasp.
She pulled away.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Erm, my waters just broke.”
He pulled away the blankets, and panic set in. “Holy shit. We’re going to have
a baby. She’s not due until after Christmas!”
“I guess she’s coming now. Hospital, Alaric. Now!”
Like a man possessed, he scrambled to get everything ready.
That night, Bella gave birth to his beautiful baby girl, and unlike last Christmas, this time, he was going back home to a family. He never realized that he wanted a family more than anything.
The End
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Other Books by Sam Crescent:
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