Ian’s eyes bulged. “Do you hear yourself right now?”
“What? Like your mouth isn’t ten times worse. Besides, it’s the hormones,” I whispered. “We can make all the sweet wedding night love later. Now come see to my needs, Pleasure Prince.”
I yanked at his hand as he laughed loudly behind me. “Oh, my God, woman, I love you so damned much.”
Behind his back, I signaled Ella the okay as she pulled her island crush toward the dance floor and mouthed. “Thank you.”
Giving her the thumbs up, I smiled inwardly as Ian stomped enthusiastically through the sand toward our half a house. Minutes later, my back against the wood frame, my dress was around my waist, Ian drove into me as I bit into his shoulder to stifle my moans.
“I could do this forever with you,” he whispered as he cradled me in his palms, holding me tightly to him.
“That’s kind of the point of the day,” I whispered against his neck, “we get to do this forever.”
He pulled back to gaze down at me, slowing his pace as he thrust in, the feel of him too much and not enough. There was nothing funny about the look in his eyes.
He stopped his movements and leaned down kissing me so tenderly, tears surfaced.
“My beautiful wife,” he dipped in. “I never thought I would be this happy.”
“Ian.”
“I love you so much, baby,” he said making me ache and filling it all at once. “So much.”
Connected on every level, he gently pushed in again filling me over and over as I clung to him, our labored breaths mingling as we sank into a slow rhythm until I came apart, my body shuddering as he kissed me again and again, his tongue tasting, taking, savoring as he slid it gently against mine.
His body tensed as I leaned in and whispered, “I love you.” He let go then, his frame shaking as he let out a long breath. He pulled back as we stared at each other in wonder, neither of us taking a single second for granted. It was a testament to what we had to look forward to, a collection of minutes, hours, days, weeks, months that would turn into years of the same love we both thrived on. His excitement matched mine as we shared our happiness with a smile and then sealed it with a kiss underneath the stars we unveiled for the other.
Eleven months later…
Ella smiled between us sensing our shared secret before her eyes lingered on her father who gave her a reassuring nod.
She lifted her hands. What’s the news?
Ian grabbed my hand and we beamed at each other before we both turned to Ella. “We’re pregnant.”
Ella’s smile disappeared, her face twisting in agony as she lifted her hands to sign.
Excuse me.
She shot up from the table unaware her water glass had spilled. I managed to catch it before it hit the floor and shattered and looked up to see Ian try to stop her with a hand on her arm while she tried her best to pull away. When she finally managed to get free, she began frantically signing.
“No,” he spoke and signed in unison, “You’re signing too fast. Slow down or speak.”
Her face twisted as her broken voice sounded out breaking both our hearts. “Congrats, Ian, you finally get a child of your own.”
“What?” Ian paled as I sucked in a breath.
Tears flooding her eyes, Ella leveled us both with her next words. “I know you’re not my father.”
Ian flinched as Ella faced him head-on.
“I’m deaf, not stupid, remember? You’ve been telling me that my whole life. Hey, Ian—”
“Stop calling me that!” He was smashing his hands together as he signed, pain twisting his features.
“Fine, Dad, how could you think I wouldn’t know? Haven’t you ever seen a picture of Daniel?”
Ian closed his eyes and I could feel the shatter in his chest from a foot away.
“I look just like him!” She was screaming, her voice faltering in heartbreak as she continued. “I have his face, his eyes! I’m not an idiot. All those months ago when you were sad, when you first came to St. Thomas, I saw you crying when you thought I wasn’t watching. The minute I met Daniel, I knew why.”
Ian slowly lifted his hands. You knew this whole time?
Ella slowly nodded. “So, it’s true?”
Ian’s tears were instant, the hurt on his face etched in every line. “I’m so sorry, baby.”
Ella sobbed in our kitchen, her words coming out in an angry burst. “I hate her!”
Ian signed slowly. “You told her you know?”
“No, she was too busy kissing his dick until he broke up with her.”
“Language!”
“It doesn’t matter, I don’t care about her or him. And now I’m losing you because you will have this new family without me. I know you got what you want now. A baby of your own.”
“That’s not why Koti got pregnant, not for that reason.”
“You’re too old.”
“Now who’s the asshole? And I’m not too old, I’m still in my thirties until tomorrow.”
“Then why?”
“Because I love her, and I’m meant to be a dad.”
“You got your wish.” Her heart was breaking, and I could feel the pain radiating off him. Ella shook with emotion as her father cut the air with his hand furiously until she raised her eyes to his.
“You. Are. Mine,” he whispered fiercely, as he signed slow and with the same emphasis.
“But I’m not. I’m not your daughter, I’m his.”
I coughed back a sob standing on the sidelines, helpless and wanting to comfort them both.
“You are mine and you know it. Neither of us can help what your mother did, but we can move past it because of the truth, nothing will ever come between us. I love you as much now as I did the minute I found out you were coming. It was the happiest moment of my life.”
Ella broke before us, watching his hands as Ian fought with emotion, on the verge of losing his own battle. He cut the air, again and again, stomping his foot so she could feel the vibration as Ella’s shoulders fell forward in defeat. He moved swiftly toward her but remained inches away so she had no choice but to watch his plea. She lifted shimmering eyes to meet his before she followed his hands.
“I’m so proud of you. You are mine. Your sarcasm, that’s mine, your need to fix things, that’s me, your independence, me, your mean right hook, your love for superhero movies, that all comes from me. All of those things and much more. You are a reflection of me. And you will never be replaced.”
“Daddy.” She crumbled, and he stood where he was, his eyes filling as his voice broke. “But I deserve to be happy too. You are the one who pointed that out to me. And Koti makes me happy and this baby is a blessing and you will finally have the brother or sister you’ve been asking for since you were five.”
Ella cried harder as Ian stood strong, adamant on making his point as he fought his need to physically comfort her. “Look at me, little woman. I’m your father, your Dad, forever. Don’t be afraid of this change, of this baby, or of losing an ounce of my love. Don’t be afraid of anything, because you are mine.”
He pressed both hands to his chest and closed his eyes moving his body back and forth. I muffled back a sob. “You are mine, since the day your mother put you in my arms and we got linked.” He clasped his fingers together and pushed them toward her. “We are forever, Ella, nothing or no one can or will ever change that. Tell me you understand. Tell me you know that.”
She nodded before she rushed into his open arms and broke inside them with relief. Ella’s cries had Ian faltering as I coughed out my own tears. After a few minutes of their embrace, Ella lifted her soaked face from his shoulder and stretched a hand out to me. “I’m sorry, Koti. I didn’t mean to ruin it for you.”
Don’t you dare be sorry. You didn’t ruin anything. I love you and you are mine too.
She nodded as she moved from her father’s embrace and nestled into my arms. After a few minutes, she looked up at me with stained cheeks and a sheepish smile. “I hope it’s a girl.”
“I don’t,” Ian coughed out with a sigh as I shook with laughter. Ella frowned sensing her father’s smartassed comment and glanced behind at him before she looked to me for an answer.
“What?”
“Your dad is an asshole.”