“I’m going!” she announced in a tone that brooked no argument.
Tarin followed her out of the dressing room, his eyes focused on her back instead of…well, the rest of her because looking at the rest of her just drove him wild with lust. He couldn’t think about…that…right now.
“You’re not going!” he countered, his tone absolute.
Rachel slowly turned around, pulling the dress over her eight and a half month pregnant belly and hiding the pretty red bra she’d pulled on moments ago. Her panties didn’t match because the panties that matched the bra were now too small for her pregnant body, but Rachel knew that Tarin still desired her. The evidence was pretty clear if she just looked down.
This argument couldn’t be resolved with sex though. So she didn’t look. She kept her eyes upwards.
“Tarin, this is the opening ceremony for the university center. You’ve been working on this project for years and I’m proud of you! I’m going! I’m standing by your side and I’m going to be clapping harder than anyone else.”
He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “But you’re pregnant, Rachel!”
Rachel laughed. “Yes. I noticed!” she replied softly. Moving closer, she rested her hands on his chest, tilting her head back to look into his face. “Tarin, we’ve been married for two years now. And you’ve been working on this center the whole time. I’m going to this ceremony. I will be with you.”
“I want you here, resting with your feet up and eating something nutritious,” he countered, his hands caressing her belly.
She covered his hands with hers, loving him so much that it overwhelmed her sometimes. “I’ll be fine. Besides, if anything happens, the university is only two miles from the hospital. I love you and this is your moment. I have to be there.”
He moved closer, leaning forward to kiss her. “Fine. But if anything happens, you’ll tell me, right?”
She grinned cheekily up at him. “You’ll be the first to know,” she vowed.
Tarin sighed, closing his eyes as he accepted the inevitability of her attendance. He didn’t like it, but one thing he’d come to love about her was her determination. It was sexy as hell and he loved her more with each passing day!
Six hours later, Rachel beamed and clapped so hard that her hands stung as Tarin cut the giant ribbon with a pair of shining scissors. The crowd roared and stood up, but Rachel was in too much pain to stand. Thankfully, no one noticed as they surged forward, eager to offer their congratulations.
Still, Rachel waited for another thirty minutes. The crowd had finally thinned out by then, most people moving over to the food tables and mingling around the atrium of the main building for the new university campus.
Finally, Tarin turned and saw her. She’d stayed in her chair, her hands covering her round tummy. But he didn’t notice her beauty. He only saw how pale she was.
“Rachel!” he roared, moving over to her and bending down to peer into her eyes.
“What’s wrong, love?” he demanded.
She lifted one finger, silently asking him to hold on a moment. When the contraction eased, she took a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing, and she gave him a genuine smile.
“Oh my, that was a bad one,” she admitted. “Would you mind taking me to the hospital now?” she asked, her tone utterly casual.
Tarin was so stunned, he almost fell. Thankfully, he recovered and stood up, calling out to his guards even though they could see what was happening and were already arranging for transport to the hospital. Tarin scooped her up into his arms and carried her out of the building, ignoring the curious crowd.
It would be reported in the news the following day that the handsome prince groaned quietly as he put his wife into the vehicle. But the greatest news was that the royal family of Raminar had a new baby boy in their happy family. Mother and son were thriving and the royal family was thrilled to add a new member. It was also reported that the Princess Rachel’s side of the family was still struggling to recover from their bankruptcy filings and her parents’ divorce was final.
Message from Elizabeth:
I sincerely hope that you enjoyed Tarin and Rachel’s story! I know that you have an incredibly busy life, but reviews are hugely important. Would you take just a few seconds to leave a review? Click HERE to go back to the retail site’s book page. Just a few words are extremely helpful! Thank you so much!
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Keep scrolling for a titillating excerpt from my next series Forsaken Sons first book One More Kiss!