Grinning, she put on a pretty red teddy and matching thong panties as he entered the small shower. Then she went into the kitchen. Her mouth watered at the sight of the thick sandwich of deli meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomato on wholegrain bread. She opened a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that Robert, the wine expert at her Central Market, had helped her pick out. She’d wanted to try something new, and this particular brand had just come in.

  She’d brought lots of wine along with them—something different for every evening. But she’d been saving this one for a special time, and this afternoon looked to be one of those.

  She opened the bottle and brought the cork to her nose. “Hm, nice.” After pouring some into her glass, she swirled it around and then let the aroma seep into her sinuses. Taking a small sip, she rolled it around in her mouth, savoring the taste. It was delicious. Earthy and somewhat dry, with notes of blackberries, black cherries, vanilla, and black pepper. Robert had been right. The full-bodied flavor was perfect.

  Smiling, she poured more into her glass and put their plates on the table before she sat down. She took another sip, imagining Landon’s naked body in the shower. Grinning, she looked down at her teddy. He loved her in red.

  The bathroom door opened, and she imagined his body as he dried off, the towel hiding and then revealing his perfect physique.

  Her body responded to her thoughts, her heart beating faster, her mouth dry. She took another sip of wine.

  Landon came walking into the room wearing only a pair of form-fitting gray boxers. He grinned when he noticed her glancing in that direction.

  She smiled and shrugged, then poured wine into his glass. He’d enjoyed their wine tastings every evening since they’d left home. “I think you’ll like this one,” she said. “It’s a Cabernet Sauvignon with a wonderful flavor.”

  He took a sip as soon as he sat down. “Oh, that is good. I like that it’s dry, but I enjoy the fruitiness on my tongue.”

  She grinned. “Wow, we may have a wine connoisseur on our hands.”

  He smiled back. “Hardly, but I think I’ve learned a lot about what I like and don’t like on this trip. It’s been fun.”

  “Good.” She picked up her sandwich and took a bite. It was as delicious as it looked.

  When they had finished, Landon pulled her against his chest, his eyes full of mischief. “Are you ready to pay up on that promise?”

  She caressed his bottom lip with her thumb. “Buster, when am I not ready?”

  He chuckled and picked her up, whirling her in a circle. “You got that right, woman.”

  In the bedroom, he pulled back the covers and laid her in the middle of the bed. Instead of getting in beside her, he stood for a moment, looking down at her. “You’re so beautiful and so incredibly sweet, sometimes I still can’t believe you’re mine forever. That you love me and will be with me until we die.”

  She reached out her arms. “Of course I will. Come here, honey. Let me show you.”

  He slid in beside her and wrapped his arms around her.

  She laid her head on his chest, holding him tight. When he was in this mood where he felt his love so intensely that he feared to lose her, he wanted her to hold him close, to reassure him that she was his, that only death could part them.

  She heard his heartbeat gradually slow as they lay in each other’s arms. At last, she rose and straddled him. He grinned, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. She could feel how hard he was underneath her. She rested her hands on his shoulders and smiled.

  Looking into his eyes, she said, “I love you, Landon. I’ll never give you reason to doubt that.” Then she kissed him, brushing his lips softly with hers.

  He traced her lips with his tongue, the sensation giving her a tiny shiver. Then he deepened the kiss, the pressure of his mouth touching off fire in her core, her desire swirling inside her.

  She kissed him back hard, thrusting her tongue into his mouth, stroking him and taking his tongue captive. He moaned and crushed her body to him. Heart pounding, she drew back and met his gaze. His eyes were wild with excitement, and he rolled her onto her back. After helping her take her teddy off, he hooked his thumbs into her thong and slid it down and off in one quick move.

  As he reached for his boxers, she grabbed them at his hips and yanked them down to his thighs. He chuckled and rid himself of them. She ran her gaze over his beautiful body, glad that sunlight filtered through the shades. He slid his knee between her thighs as she ran her hands over the sculpted muscles of his chest.

  “Your body’s so beautiful, honey.” She brushed her hand across his cheek. “I know the correct word is ‘handsome’, but when I see you without clothes the only word that seems right is ‘beautiful’.”

  He smiled and kissed her forehead. “Thank you. Nobody’s ever told me that before. It’s nice.”

  He bent and kissed first one nipple and then the other. “I love the way you look in red. The contrast with your dark hair and eyes is striking.” He rose up and kissed her sweetly. “I loved that teddy you had on. When I see you in red, I always get aroused.”

  “Always?”

  He kissed her again. “Every time.”

  She thought back to the times she’d worn red for him and grinned. “Wow. Kind of puts a new twist on my memories.”

  He gave her that mischievous grin that she loved and then brushed her hair back from her face. “Honey, every day I realize how lucky I am to have a brilliant, gorgeous wife who loves me with her whole heart.”

  She raised her head and shoulders and kissed him softly. “You just keep remembering that, sweetheart.”

  He eased her back onto the pillow and nuzzled her neck, sending tingles racing across her shoulders. Then he cupped her breast in his hand. She drew in a breath in anticipation as he lowered his mouth to her nipple. As he stroked it with his tongue, she moaned softly. The sensation sent warm, sensual pleasure swirling through her.

  He moved lower, kissing her belly, his lips soft, the tip of his tongue flicking her occasionally. The movement was subtle, yet stimulating, and she smiled, running her fingers through his hair.

  His mouth slid to the cleft between her thighs, and he kissed her.

  As he moved his body between her legs, she tingled in anticipation. This was what she enjoyed most about his loving.

  He spread her and slid his tongue from bottom to top, circling her sensitive spot and then taking it into his mouth, sucking gently.

  She gasped as electricity shot through her. Eyes squeezed shut, he became the center of her world, the pleasure he gave her blazing in her mind. White-hot colors danced in her head as his mouth worked its magic on her. His tongue stroked her again and again, then he flicked her sensitive spot side to side. Closing his mouth over it, he sucked gently on it once again.

  She moaned, tossing her head, riding the pleasure building in her body, its rampant waves rising higher and higher. She clasped his head and cried out, “Landon!” as her body began to spasm.

  He rose to his knees and pulled her against him, settling her calves over his shoulders as he entered her with a gentle thrust. His strong hands clasped her hips as he thrust again.

  “Deeper!” she said, panting her need. She clutched him with her calves, her hands reaching for his forearms.

  He thrust hard, going deep, and moaned his pleasure.

  “Yes!” As he entered her, he hit her G-spot, sending shooting stars of ecstasy flashing through her. Her head spun as he touched it again and again with each thrust. She moaned and clenched her fists. “Landon,” she whispered, lost in the world of sensations overwhelming her.

  Suddenly he cried, “Natalie!” and she opened her eyes. His chest muscles bunched and his arms bulged as he pulsed inside her. His eyes were squeezed shut, the expression of intense pleasure on his face going straight to her heart.

  She closed her eyes again as her own pleasure continued to pulse inside her. Locked together with him, she lost herself in time.

  When he finally moved, she looked at him and smiled. He lowered her legs and raised her to his chest, cuddling her gently. He whispered, “Sweetheart, I’ll never get enough of you. Never.”

  She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Honey, we’re still going to be making love in our nineties. Count on it.” When he grinned, she said, “I mean it. I’ll never stop loving you like this.”

  He kissed her and held her tight. “I’m going to hold you to that, sweetheart.”

  And she hoped like hell he would.

  Epilogue

  Landon poured out piles of feed in the pasture as the herd of Black Angus cattle milled around him. He was enjoying the quiet of the early April afternoon.

  His thoughts returned to breakfast and Natalie. She’d looked so tired after another sleepless night. She was two days past her due date, and the baby was moving almost constantly. Her doctor didn’t believe in inducing labor to meet his delivery schedule. Instead, he wanted his patients to go into labor naturally whenever possible.

  Landon had taken lunch at his parents’ house so that Natalie could sleep. He wondered how she was faring.

  As he tossed the empty feed bag into the back of his truck, his phone rang. His heart beat faster as he saw it was Natalie. “Everything okay, honey?”

  “I’ve been having contractions all morning, Landon. I think I’ve miscalculated. They were five minutes apart for a long time, but now they’ve suddenly gone to less than four. I’m sorry!”

  “Dammit, Natalie, why didn’t you call me? The hospital’s two hours away!” Then he bit his lip. Why was he raising his voice at her? She had to be scared. He scrambled into the truck and threw it into drive. “Look, I’m sorry. I’ll be right there, don’t worry. Just hang in there, baby.”

  As he sped down the road, he called his parents and gave them a heads-up. At the gate, he cursed under his breath at the delay of getting out to open and shut it. At least it was the only gate between him and the house this afternoon.

  His tires threw gravel as he hit the brakes and slid to a stop in front of the house. He left the truck running and raced through the front door as Natalie rounded the corner from the hallway into the living room.

  A look of shock crossed her face, and she cried, “Oh!” and looked down.

  Fluid poured from between her legs onto the wood floor. He strode toward her. “It’s okay, honey.” He took the suitcase from her. “Let’s go back to the room and get you changed real quick.”

  Tears streamed down her face. “Dammit. I’ve ruined everything!”

  He took her into his arms and hugged her tight. “You’ve done no such thing.” He cupped her cheek in his hand and made her look at him. “Everything’s going to be fine, sweetheart. I’ve got you, okay?”

  She gulped back a sob and nodded.

  Taking her by the hand, he led her back to the bedroom and grabbed another pair of maternity leggings from her drawer, along with a pair of panties.

  She struggled to take her wet things off, then moaned in frustration as another contraction bent her over in pain.

  He realized that she had the hiccups too. Poor thing. “Here, honey, let me help you with that.” He gently pulled her leggings and panties down and off her bare feet.

  After she’d cleaned herself up, he helped her put her panties and a thick pad on. Then he quickly put her leggings back on her between contractions.

  He helped her stand up, and they headed straight for the car. Once she was settled in her seat, he leaned her back, making her more comfortable.

  They were having the baby at Seton Medical Center in Austin, and he was going to drive as fast as he safely could in order to carve some time off the two-hour drive. He looked over at Natalie’s strained face and said, “Remember your breathing exercises, honey. This is what we trained for.”

  She looked at him with narrowed eyes, her jaws clenched in pain from a contraction, and he wondered if he’d made her angry with his suggestion.

  But a moment later, when her contraction had subsided, she said, “Thanks, I’ll try on the next one.” When she smiled at him, she seemed more relaxed.

  Though the drive seemed interminable, they eventually pulled up to the West Tower Entrance and parked in the dedicated parking for pregnant mothers.

  They entered and went up to the second floor. Thankfully, the final registration didn’t take long. Natalie had two contractions while they were there. He felt so helpless as she struggled to sit still while they answered questions and signed papers.

  From there, they were taken directly to a labor and delivery suite, where he helped Natalie change into the provided hospital gown.

  She groaned as a contraction came while he was removing her leggings and panties. He waited for it to pass, then took off her long tunic and bra.

  She sighed and cupped his cheek. “Thanks for helping me, sweetheart.”

  He brought her hand to his lips. “I’ll always be here for you, honey. Now let’s get this gown on.”

  “The pains hurt more than I thought they would,” she said a moment later, as he helped her up onto the bed.

  “Why don’t you consider an epidural, sweetheart? We can talk to your nurse about it when she comes in.”

  “I think I will. I don’t want to be so miserable I can’t feel good about the experience.”

  He kissed her forehead. “I think that’s smart.” He held her hand, wishing there was more he could do.

  A few minutes later, their nurse came in and introduced herself. “I’m Lana, and I’ll be your nurse today.” She smiled. “You must be Natalie.”

  “I’m Landon, her husband,” he introduced himself.

  “Nice to meet you, Landon. Do we know if we’re having a boy or a girl yet?” she asked as she wheeled a machine over to the bed.

  “We’re having a little boy,” Natalie said. She turned and smiled at Landon.

  When Lana had finished hooking up the baby monitor, Natalie said, “I think I’d like an epidural before my pain gets too much worse. We took a birthing class, but I think I want an epidural after all.”

  “Of course, Natalie. I’ll let your doctor know and notify the anesthesiologist. It takes a while to get the ball rolling for an epidural, so do you want me to say that you’re ready for it now?”

  Natalie looked at Landon, and he nodded. He didn’t want to see her in pain.

  “Yes, please do that.”

  Natalie immediately looked less stressed, and he felt relieved.

  “I’m glad you decided that, honey.”

  She smiled up at him, then grimaced as she felt the start of another contraction. “Me too,” she said through gritted teeth.

  Over the next four hours, Natalie’s labor progressed normally. Her epidural worked perfectly, making her labor pains mild. She drowsed in and out as he held her hand.

  Lana, who was working a double shift, came in periodically and checked on Natalie’s dilation. By eleven that night, she was at nine centimeters and her contractions were a minute apart.

  Natalie’s parents had been in to visit with her, and his parents had come in too. They were all in the waiting room, excited for the outcome.

  At midnight, a knock sounded at the door, and Natalie’s mom walked in.

  Natalie looked up and smiled. “We’re almost there, Mom. My nurse just checked me, and I’m fully dilated. She just went to tell my doctor.”

  Her mom leaned down and gave Natalie a hug. “I’m so proud of you, honey. You’ve done a fantastic job. Your father is so excited.”

  Natalie grinned. “I’ll bet he is.” Another contraction started, and she put her hand on her belly. “I can’t believe I’ll see our little boy soon, Mom.”

  Amy gave Landon a hug. “Thanks for taking such good care of my daughter.”

  “You bet.”

  She stepped back. “I’d better go tell your dad the good news. Landon, I can’t wait for you to come tell us when we finally have a grandson!”

  He chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’ll come to you as soon as I can.”

  Her doctor walked in a few minutes later and smiled at them. “Natalie, are you ready to push?”

  “You bet I am.”

  Landon stood beside Natalie, holding her hand tightly as she pushed with each contraction. Sooner than he thought possible, the doctor held his baby boy in his hands.

  He said, “Dad, are you cutting the cord?”

  Landon moved to the foot of the bed. “I sure am.”

  “That’s great. Just give me a sec.” The doctor took a minute to finish with the baby, then laid him face down on Natalie’s bare chest.

  Natalie began to cry softly, her face wreathed in smiles. “There’s my sweet boy.”

  “Now I’ll clamp the cord, Dad, then I’ll give you the scissors and you can cut it,” the doctor said.

  Landon’s heart began to pound with excitement. He’d never forget this moment.

  When he took the scissors and applied them to the cord, it was more difficult than he expected to cut.

  The baby had quit fussing immediately after being put on his momma’s chest.

  Natalie patted his back. “Hello, sweet baby. Your momma and daddy love you.”

  “Does baby boy Winchester have a name yet?” her doctor asked.

  “His name is Blaise Allen Winchester,” Landon said, as tears came to his eyes.

  As the nurses took care of Natalie and the doctor helped her deliver the afterbirth, he gazed down on his little son. Lana had covered him in a little blanket, and the baby’s eyes were closed as he slept after the trauma of his birth.

  He couldn’t wait to hold him, but he knew that this initial skin-to-skin time was critical.

  After a while, the baby’s nursing team took little Blaise and put him on the warmer. He fussed at first, but then calmed down as they weighed and measured him.

  Finally, Blaise was put in one of the newborn outfits they’d brought with them and wrapped in the little cowboy patchwork quilt Debra had made them.

  “You take your turn now, Daddy,” Natalie said.

  Lana handed Blaise to him. His heart was so full it hurt. He bent and kissed his baby on the forehead. Blaise’s eyes were closed. “Do you know how much I love you, little one?” He touched the tip of the baby’s nose. “I love you the whole sky full. That’s how much.”

 

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