Kiss me like you did the night we became engaged.”
In the downstairs parlor of the orphanage, Woody grinned at his wife’s heavy Polish accent and settled her more securely on his knee. In the eight months since their engagement and seven months since they married, she’d requested he do this twenty times at least.
Maybe thirty. “You never tire of that, do you?”
She touched her nose to his. “Mmm.”
Good. Neither did he.
And right now, he’d do whatever it took to keep her distracted until her family arrived—a surprise he’d hidden for weeks now. Not the fact they were coming to America, but that they would land today, in time to celebrate her birthday tomorrow.
“Well, all right, then. I had no idea I made such an impression.” He swooped in for a quick peck on the lips.
Rolling those vibrant eyes, she crossed her arms, a delicious pink stealing over her neck and face.
He bit his lip and tried to appear innocent. “What?”
“You know that’s not the one I meant.”
“Yes, but now you’re blushing like you did the moment I took you in my arms under the fireworks.” So what if his smile was smug—he couldn’t help it. She was too beautiful tinted red not to tease her once in a while. “The moment wouldn’t be the same without it. Careful, darlin’, if your chin rises anymore I fear it’ll hit the ceiling.”
With a glare, she edged her lovely pregnant bulk off his lap. “If I blushed it was because the boys were staring from the ballroom, watching us.”
He gathered her right back, resting his palm over the side where his son or daughter always kicked. God, I’m a blessed man. Thank You. “Mmm—no, sweetheart. I faced the ballroom, remember? I clued you in on the boys’ watching after I finished kissing you.”
She squinted, then nibbled her lip. “Really?”
His smile stretched wide, the heel of his hand absently kneading her back muscles. If he’d known how adorably forgetful she’d be with this pregnancy, he’d have told her much earlier how he’d sent for her family. Each morning she woke to the remembrance—she even had to reorient herself after naps—they got to celebrate all over again.
One thing she’d likely never forget was her reunion with Ina. The girl’s ship had docked for repairs, hence her late arrival. Ina took to Freckles, Newsie, Shoe Shine, and Musty right off. Now she and the foursome waited in the foyer, watching for the carriage he’d sent for her parents. His parents agreed to come, too, but Mother begged off until tomorrow. He’d make their relationship better, if it took him the rest of his life.
Now where was he? Oh yes, the boys.
“Yes,” he said. “So I think you first blushed simply because my nearness makes you weak.” This he whispered against her neck, unable to keep his lips away—or the husky laughter from his voice. What flowery perfume was this?
“Nonsense.” Her breathless laughter belied her words.
“Then why did you blush when our gazes first met with no one else watching?”
She drew back. “Because you’d run me over with your wagon and I was embarrassed from falling on my face.”
He frowned. “That’s not when our eyes first met.”
“It’s not?” Her brows dipped.
“No …” He patiently recounted how he’d noticed her long before the wagon incident and couldn’t wait to find a reason to talk to her.
“Oh, Woody.” She leaned in, and he closed his eyes.
“Woody?” Couldn’t the man remember anything?
His eyes peeped open in the most adorably sheepish way. “I thought you were about to kiss me,” he confessed.
Ella chuckled. “No, you were going to kiss me.”
“Oh?” The backs of his fingers stroked her lips. “Yes. I was, wasn’t I?” Gifting her with his softest smile, the handsome young orphanage master gathered her close—their child nestled between them—and directed his beautiful brown gaze to hers, the intense possessive gleam there setting her pulse to jumping. Sliding his thumbs to her temples, he angled her face, kissing first the right corner of her mouth, then the left. With a sigh, he murmured in Polski, “I love you, Marcella Elena Lipski Harrison, with all that’s in me.”
Her eyes moistened, and her heart smiled, but she refused to let pregnancy tears ruin this moment. “I love you, too, Elwood Joseph Harrison,” she whispered. “For richer or poorer …” At her words, he claimed her lips, the scrape of his whiskers drawing her fingertips to the soft hair at his temples, his breath bringing the familiar smell of leather and lemon and Woody. He smelled like home. She sighed and burrowed her hand into his hair. His heart thundering under her other palm, Woody tightened his hold and deepened his kiss while he plucked the pins from her hair. After eight months of marriage, the cherished feeling of being held in her husband’s arms still overwhelmed her with newness.
“Oh!” Ina stood in the doorway, then turned around.
Ella startled, then stared at Woody. His dark locks jutted every which way, and hers, freed from its pins, now pooled at her collarbone. She tucked her brow against his shoulder to hide a giggle—and her hot face. Between selling the livery and getting the children and employees settled at the new orphanage, she suffered a twinge of jealousy at having to share her husband all the time.
“Remind me”—his words rustled against ear—“to tell my contractor to hurry up and add our wing to the orphanage.”
Before Ella could ask what Ina needed, the doorbell rang, and the girl ran to answer.
Ella hopped off Woody’s lap—something she hadn’t thought possible in her current walrus phase—and began fixing her hair. Woody ran his right hand over his own hair, then his left—she loved when he did that—then commenced brushing the wrinkles from her dress. They possibly could’ve gone on like that for some time—wrinkles, wrinkles everywhere—but Steele appeared.
“Announcing Mr. and Mrs. Tabor, Mr. and Mrs. Lipski, and young master Lipski.”
“What?” Searching Woody’s innocent expression, then fixating on the empty doorway, Ella fought for each breath, her heartbeat thumping her ears. She flexed her fingers toward Woody’s hand and found him already reaching to take hers. Once again tears overtook her, but she didn’t stop them. Why try when she’d be drowning before the day’s end? “You arranged this didn’t you, so they’d arrive for my birthday?”
He simply pressed a kiss to her hair.
Her grip tightened. So long she’d waited—would have waited longer if not for him. She brought his wrist to her lips.
When little Feliks stepped into the archway, followed by Mama, Tata, Grandma, and Grandpa, Ella gave a cry and rushed into their circle of kisses and mingled tears. Then one by one she hugged them, Mama crowing as Ella’s belly impeded their embrace. When they calmed enough for Ella to remember, she crossed to where Woody stood back a respectful distance and took his hand to introduce him.
After sedate greetings, Grandpa yanked him into a mammoth hug and Woody exploded into laughter. Her family congratulated and teased the new “tata,” and Woody gave and received in kind.
Pride expanded her lungs, knowing her beloved made this possible. He, who often woke up on the floor, insisting he wasn’t yet used to a soft bed after sleeping at the boys’ shack. When all along she knew he’d gotten on his knees sometime in the night and fallen asleep praying for orphan children across the city still sleeping in cobblestoned alleyways.
While Ina presented the boys to her family, Woody gathered Ella against him with a wink. “Kocham Cię kochanie.”
She pressed a kiss to his jaw, replying in English, “I love you, too.” How blessed she was to have a man who put his faith into action. Her thumb traced his knuckles. Maybe it wasn’t possible for them to rescue all the lost boys and girls in New York and New Jersey, but …
Or was it? With God, nothing shall be impossible….