Part 30 (2/2)

I chuckle against her throat, then nip her skin. ”Absolutely. I want everyone to know you belong to me. Because you do, you know.”

”I know.” She breathes deep and holds me close as I rain kisses along the tops of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. ”I definitely know.”

Epilogue.

Rose.

”Push, baby.”

I'm panting, trying to focus and breathe.

”Baby. Push.”

He makes it sound so easy. Just push and whoops, out comes a baby. Well, it's not that easy. It's hard. f.u.c.king hard.

Oh, dear. Did I just say that out loud?

Cracking open my eyes, I find three faces looming above me. My doctor's, the nurse's, and my husband's. They're all watching me expectantly, the nurse looking bored, the doctor efficient, and my husband ...

Well, he looks anxious. Excited. And nervous.

”You ready, Ro?” Caden asks me carefully as he tugs on my leg, his hand beneath my knee so that I bend both of my legs, ready to push this stubborn baby out of my body once and for all. I've been in labor all day, but hard, getting-ready-to-push labor only in the last twenty minutes. My doctor says I'm doing well, that we're close, and I'm so ready to meet this child who's about to change my life.

”I'm ready,” I say with a nod, my voice weak, my entire body tired. I can't wait for it to be over so I can get some rest. Though my mother-in-law warned me there will be no such thing as rest, as I'll be doing nothing but taking care of my baby around the clock these first few months.

Then she promptly promised to babysit anytime I need her to.

I adore Caden's mother and I love Cash, too, even though he's a little cheesy sometimes. He has a kind heart and he loves Caden's mom so much. He cares for Caden too; he's like a father figure to him.

My father has come around somewhat and is excited for the baby to come, though I don't think he's necessarily thrilled that I'm already married and having a child at such a young age. I'm the youngest and I even beat Violet to the altar. We didn't have a big wedding, though. Just a quick little jaunt to the courthouse with our family and a few friends accompanying us. We'll have a party later, a few months after the baby is born.

The contraction comes out of nowhere and with a groan I bend forward, pus.h.i.+ng with all my might, the doctor encouraging me, Caden holding my hand. I can feel the baby; I'm not surprised when I hear the doctor tell me he can see the head, and I fall back against the pillows, my chest heaving, sweat dripping down my face as I try to catch my breath.

”One more push, maybe two, and you'll have a baby,” the doctor says.

”So much pressure,” I murmur, making Caden laugh.

”You're doing so good, Ro,” he tells me as he places a damp washcloth on my forehead. The cool fabric feels good on my heated skin and I close my eyes, concentrating on evening my breaths when another contraction comes, this one even stronger.

I press forward, pus.h.i.+ng hard, and then it feels as if the baby just spills right out of my body and into the doctor's hands. She begins to cry, the little gasping sound the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. ”It's a girl,” he says with a smile.

We already knew. We have a name picked out and everything. Caden kisses my lips, whispering that he loves me as the doctor asks him to cut the umbilical cord, and he does so, tears actually streaming down his face as he cradles his baby girl close, holding her in his arms.

”She looks just like you,” he says as he brings her to me.

I carefully shove the hospital gown from my arms so my b.r.e.a.s.t.s are exposed and I take the baby from Caden, holding her close to my chest. The baby nuzzles her cheek against my flesh, her little lips working, and I turn her to face me just as her eyes peer open.

They're dark, the color indiscernible, and we stare at each other for long, quiet moments as the world continues rus.h.i.+ng around us. I touch her cheek, her lips, the tip of her nose. She's beautiful. Perfect. Her hair is dark, her cheeks round, and my heart fills to overflowing with love.

”Welcome to the world,” I whisper as I press a kiss to her rosebud lips, Caden's hand coming down to gently caress her head. ”Daisy.”

Acknowledgments.

A big thank-you to my family for coming with me to England and Scotland last summer. For indulging me in my lifelong dream to see London-I'm so grateful I was able to go, because it inspired the plot of Rose's and Caden's story.

I want to thank my editor, Shauna Summers, and her a.s.sistant, Sarah Murphy, for their guidance with this book. Extra thanks, Shauna, for reading it while you were on sabbatical! I really appreciate all that you do.

Thank you to everyone at Bantam/Random House, including Gina Watchel, Sue Grimshaw, and Jin Yu. I must say thanks to my agent, Kimberly Whalen, for smoothing my ruffled feathers. And Katy Evans-I need our daily conversations and the way you virtually hold my hand through the good times and the bad. Oh, and Kati Rodriguez! You keep me straight, woman! I couldn't function without you.

Finally, thank you to all the readers, bloggers, reviewers, etc. out there. I couldn't do this job without you and I appreciate your support. You're all awesome.

Playlist Note.

What an eclectic mix! My musical taste is all over the place. Notice there's quite a bit of 80s music on this playlist and I blame my love for London (where much of this book is set) in the 80s, when I was a teen and madly in love with everything English (including Duran Duran).

Everybody Here Wants You by Jeff Buckley.

To Look At You by INXS.

Tessellate by Ellie Goulding Burning Desire by Lana Del Rey.

Pressed Against the Sky by Toadies.

So In Love by OMD.

The Only Star in Heaven by Frankie Goes to Hollywood Straight Lines by Silverchair.

Eyes Without a Face by Billy Idol.

I'm Not in Love by 10cc.

The Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood Keep Me In the Dark by Arcadia.

Cool Kids by Echosmith.

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