Fulfillment by Golland, M. (best large ebook reader .txt) 📕

were to be negative, nothingcould possibly ruin my happy spirits.

I pushed openthe door and went inside.

***

Half an hourlater I was back in the hotel suite, a pregnancy test in my hand.I’d peed on the stick, enclosed it in the plastic cap then turnedthe results window down in my hand—not looking at the finaloutcome. I didn’t want to do it alone; I wanted Bryce here with me.The problem with that idea was that my hand had started to crampup. Shit! How do I let go without seeing? I could close my eyes.No, I might drop it, then what?

Just as I wasabout to make the decision to continue to grip or let go, andprobably resembling a fretful person holding a ticking time bomb,Bryce walked through the door.

He stroderight up to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “Longestfucking two hours of my life.” He took my head in his hands andkissed me with intention.

I didn’t hughim back. Instead, I held my arms out stretched as if the pregnancytest contained a highly infectious disease.

“What’s wrong,Hunny?” he asked, concern on his handsome face. He looked at myenclosed hand. “What’s that?”

“A pregnancytest,” I blurted out.

He wasstone-faced not knowing whether to smile or frown, I knew how hefelt.

“Areyou—?”

“I don’t know,I haven’t looked. I was waiting for you to come back. I’m over aweek late.”

“Fuck! Whydidn’t you ring me?” He grasped my hand and moved it so that itrested in between our two bodies.

I slowly beganto loosen my fingers.

“Wait!” hesaid, staring down at my hand.

I froze.

He lifted hisgaze to mine. “If it’s negative, that’s fine. We can keeptrying.”

I lifted myother hand to touch his obviously anxious face. “I know, my love.If it’s negative we’ll keep trying and trying until it’s positive.”I placed a soft, calming kiss on his lips. “Are you ready?”

He nodded, andwe both looked down as I opened my hand.

“What doesthat mean?” he asked.

A rush ofelation rolled through me. “It means we are having anotherbaby.”

CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO

The rest ofour time in Rome was kind of surreal. After the pregnancy testrevealed two pink lines, we had stared at it for minutes, rotatingit and making sure it wasn’t playing a cruel trick on us. When wewere satisfied that it wasn’t, we both hugged each other, kissedeach other, and wiped away each other’s happy tears. Then, my Mr.Overprotective-Over domineering-Arse Clark returned, marching usboth back to the pharmacy to get some folic acid and pregnancyvitamins.

Satisfied thatI was happy and healthy, he’d finally allowed us to continue ourday and finish our sightseeing plans by walking to the SpanishSteps, the Trevi Fountain, and the Villa Borghese Gardens. We’dthen done a little shopping on our way back to the hotel andstocked up on some souvenirs, not forgetting my promise of pickingup a real Ferrari for Nate. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a rudepiece of cutlery for Tash—Italy had no crude looking monuments.

***

We departedLeonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport later that night, basicallysleeping the entire way before waking up during our stopover inHong Kong. Bryce had gone back to gently caressing my stomach, andI adored that paternal side of him that just naturally tookover.

“So when doyou want to get married?” I asked him as we lay side by side in theluxurious queen bed on the private jet, only hours from landing inMelbourne.

“When are youofficially divorced?”

“In a fewweeks’ time.”

“Well...in afew weeks’ time then,” Bryce answered, carefree andunconcerned.

“Can we waittill after the baby is born?”

He rolled backto get a better look at my face and before he could object Iexplained.

“It’s going tobe a few weeks before the divorce is final, then we have to submitthe marriage application and that takes at least three months—”

Heinterrupted. “There are ways around that.”

I rolled myeyes at him. “I don’t want to be pregnant while saying my vows toyou.”

“Alexis,” hesighed. “You’re even more beautiful when you are carrying my child.Wrap you up in a wedding gown and I couldn’t think of anything elsemore perfect.”

“You’redeliberately word-fucking me. I’m on to you, I know how youoperate.”

He laughed.“It’s what I do.”

“The reason Iwant to wait till after we’ve had the baby is because I’d likeall our children to witness us pledge forever toone another. I think it would be nice.”

I could seethe cogs of his mind working hard. “Well, when you put it likethat. How can I refuse?”

I smiled.“Simple...you can’t.”

He growled inloving frustration. “Don’t I know it.”

***

As we steppedinto the elevator on our way up to the apartment, I groaned. “Whyis it that we’ve just spent many long hours on a plane, sleepingand relaxing, yet I feel completely drained?”

He pulled meto him, engulfing me in his perfectly comforting arms. “Because wedidn’t just sleep and relax...” the elevator doors to the apartmentopened and we stepped out, “...and because you are carryingmy—”

“Surprise!”

Bryce and Ilooked out into the lounge room where our family and friends werestanding with congratulatory signs—Lucy at the forefront ofthem.

Bryce stillhad his hand resting on my lower abdomen when he finished hissentence in a shocked tone. “...baby.”

My mouthdropped at the sight of all the smiling faces looking at us, thosesmiles now even wider.

“You’repregnant again?” Lucy asked, while looking like she was ready toburst at the seams.

All I could dowas nod.

“Oh my God!That’s wonderful. Engaged and preggo.” She stepped forward andwrapped her arms around us both, hugging us tightly. “I’m so happyfor you both.”

Mum and Dadwere by our side next. “How far along are you?” Mum asked, smilingbut wary.

“I’m not toosure, maybe six weeks. It’s only early days.”

“Oh,Sweetheart.” She put her hands on either side of my face. “I’mhappy for you, for both of you, but I worry that too much ishappening too fast. You need to slow down. This past year has beenso...so crazy for you. Your emotions have taken a battering.”

“Mum, it’sokay. We are not getting married straight away. We’ve spoken aboutit, and we are going to wait until after the baby is born. Believeme, I know how crazy my life has been this past year, and I knownow is the time to take a step back and enjoy each day as itcomes.”

She kissed myforehead. “Good girl.” Then she moved onto Bryce, smoothing hishair and