Time for Change Read online

  She gasped, staring down at the box.

  “You don’t have to do this, Chris.”

  “Our child needs my name. We’re getting married, and there’s no chance I’m going to risk anything happening to you. We’re in this for life, remember? We’re partners, and this child is going to have two loving parents to come home to.” He opened the box, presenting the ring to her. “Rachel, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Waiting for her to answer was the longest time Chris had waited for anything. As he stared into her eyes, she never gave anything away. Biting his lip, he tried to see what she was thinking. Nothing was happening. He felt exposed unable to read what was happening.

  “Yes,” she said. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she looked at him. “I’d love to become your wife.”

  Laughing, he tugged the ring from the box and placed it on her finger. Leaning forward, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her toward him.

  “You’ve given me the best gift of all,” he said.

  She held him tightly. “I’ve given you nothing. Your present is under the tree.”

  He chuckled. “I’m not talking material gifts. You’ve given me you, Rachel. It’s the best gift any man could have hoped for, and you chose me. I love you so damn much and feel like the luckiest man in the world to be by your side.”

  Rachel didn’t let him go.

  “Am I interrupting anything?” Eric asked, peering around the door.

  “She’s just agreed to be my wife. You’re not interrupting anything.”

  “Good. I wanted to say you can take her home. CTs are clean, and there’s no problem at all.”

  “I thought I had to stay here for checkups,” Rachel said.

  “You’re living with a doctor. I doubt he’ll let anything happen to you. Congratulations, I expect an invite to the wedding.” Eric winked at them and walked away.

  “I guess I get to take you home.” Chris helped her to dress, feeling happier with every second that passed.

  Wrapping his arms around her, Chris took her home. That night in bed, he watched her sleep and sent up a prayer to Claire. If it wasn’t for her, he would have never met Rachel and found happiness once again. “Wherever you are, Claire, thank you. I know you’d want us both to be happy.” He kissed Rachel’s temple, settling down. With her in his arms, Chris fell asleep without any problems.

  Epilogue

  Five years later

  Rachel rubbed at her swollen stomach as her two young daughters ran around her feet. She’d baked four trays of mince tarts and was on her next batch for the kids in the hospital. Chris was due home within the hour, and she still needed to pack everything away and bathe the kids as well as herself to be ready for him.

  The last five years had been breathtaking.

  “Mommy, Tilly’s being a pain,” Libby said.

  Staring down at her oldest daughter, she stroked her cheek. “Why’s she being a pain?”

  “She keeps pumping. It’s gross and nothing a lady will do. Daddy’s going to think she stinks.”

  Trying to keep a straight face during Libby’s description was one of the hardest things Rachel had done in her life.

  “Am not, you’re mean.” Tilly blew a raspberry.

  Her son made his presence known in the cot, squealing.

  Rubbing her stomach, she made her way over to her son. “Come on, girls, your father is going to be home soon, and you both stink of a day’s playing.” She picked Paul up, carrying him upstairs. “Come on. Bath time for all of you.”

  Bath time was strenuous, but she got through it. She’d wait until Chris was home to have a bath. Dressing her daughters into their pajamas, she settled them in front of the television as she fed Paul. When they were all settled, she made her way back into the kitchen to pack everything away.

  Half an hour later, Chris walked through the door. “How are my girls and boy?” he asked.

  While he was dealing with the kids, she finished cleaning away the kitchen and warming up his food. Their newest son was kicking her stomach, and every now and then, she stopped until he quieted down.

  “Is junior giving you trouble?” Chris asked, walking up behind her. His hands settled on her stomach, rubbing where her son was kicking.

  “He’s got a good kick on him. I don’t envy the competition.” She noticed Chris’s hands didn’t meet in the middle of her stomach anymore.

  “You’re taking it easy, right?”

  “I am. Libby’s not at school anymore, and she can be a handful at times. Tilly’s fine, and Paul’s still taking his afternoon naps.”

  He kissed her neck. “You look so sexy right now.”

  “With flour and tomato stains?”

  “No, you look like my woman.” Chris turned her, kissing her passionately on the lips. “You’re my wife, carrying my child, and taking care of the other three.”

  “I can’t wait until this one comes out, Chris. He’s exhausting me.”

  “I know. Let me put the kids to bed, and you go for a bath.” He kissed her passionately once again shoving her in the direction of the bathroom.

  She went without argument. Chris was an amazing father, and she couldn’t have asked for anyone better.

  “I love you,” Chris said. Turning around she saw him at the bottom of the stairs.

  “I love you, too.”

  Rachel walked up the stairs, going through to the bathroom. She closed, locked the door and started running a bath. Pouring some relaxant body wash into the water, she stripped down and looked at her swollen stomach in the mirror.

  “Honey, you really need to come out. I know there’s three weeks and you’re not due to be born until after Christmas, but I need you to listen to Mommy. I’ve got a bet going with David that you’ll come out before Christmas,” she said, talking to her stomach.

  When nothing happened, she blew out a breath and climbed into the water. She heard the chaos as Chris put them all to bed. He’d take Paul into Libby and Tilly’s room to read a story before putting Paul to bed.

  She’d really gotten lucky in life. Chris hadn’t been kidding when he said he wanted a family. He sure loved working at getting her pregnant. Her recent pregnancy had come only nine months after Paul was born. She hadn’t known it was possible to conceive that early after another baby.

  Taking her time in the water, she closed her eyes loving the pampering.

  She jolted as hands stroked her breast. Opening her eyes, she stared up into Chris’s face. There was a wicked glint in his eyes.

  “You scared me,” she said.

  “I couldn’t look and not touch you.” His fingers stroked from her breast down over her stomach.

  “I can’t wait for us to make love again.”

  “I know.” They’d stopped as it started to get uncomfortable for her. She really did miss the feel of him inside her.

  He helped her out of the water once she’d soaked long enough. Chris wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

  The love she felt for him exploded out of her. “God, I love you.”

  “I love you, too. All I could think about was getting home to you today. Sometimes I just want to scream at the people I care for.” He shook his head, and Rachel opened her eyes wide.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “Erm, I need clothes,” she said.

  “Why? What’s the matter?”

  “My water just broke.” She looked down at his feet. His expensive shoes were covered in amniotic fluid. “I’m sorry about your shoes.”

  ****

  For the first time in his life Chris couldn’t be inside the room with her. He stared down at his sleeping son as Libby and Tilly yawned. They’d been in the hospital for an hour. She’d finally gone down to the labor wing, but he couldn’t be there to hold her hand. He missed her. David couldn’t collect the kids, and neither could his woman.

  “Daddy, is Mommy going to be okay?” Libby asked.

  “Yes. She’s
bringing your brother into the world.”

  Tilly yawned. “Bored.”

  Every now and then his friends and colleagues would stop to talk with him. He made sure Rachel was part of his world. When he’d been married to Claire, he’d tried to separate his work life from his home life. With Rachel, he made sure she was part of both worlds.

  Staring down at his sleeping son, Chris was overcome with love. Rachel had given him everything he ever wanted. There was not a time he’d ever been content before in his life. She had given him Libby, and sitting in the hospital where all of his children had been born, Chris remembered when the nurses had put each of his babies in his arms.

  Every time he’d fallen deeper and deeper in love with Rachel. She gave him a new reason every day to live his life to the fullest.

  He didn’t know how long he sat there waiting for news on his wife when Eric was stood in front of him. “I was on my way past as they were bringing her back up. You can go and see her now.”

  “How did she do?” Chris asked, standing up, clicking his fingers so his daughters were by his side.

  “She was brilliant. Rachel is always a star through the birth.”

  Nodding, Chris followed Eric down to his wife’s room. Beside her was an empty crib. In Rachel’s arms, she held their son. Libby and Tilly jumped onto the bed. He calmed them down before they got to her.

  “Hello, girls.”

  They snuggled in close, laughing at the baby. Chris got close with Paul in his arms. He didn’t care about the baby. His eyes were on Rachel. He saw the darkness around her eyes. She was exhausted, and it wasn’t entirely to do with giving birth. Rachel had been exhausted tonight before her waters broke.

  “What are you staring at?” she asked.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, Chris.”

  “No more for a long time, Rachel. We’ll wait for another baby, and I’ll cut my hours back.” Rachel smiled, reaching for his hand. He took her hand feeling connected to her.

  “I love you,” she said.

  “I love you, too, baby.”

  “Ew, Mommy and Daddy are going to kiss,” Libby said.

  Not to disappoint his daughters, he leaned down claiming Rachel’s lips. “You come first in everything, Rachel.”

  “I know. We’ll see how long you can last without.” She smiled at him, and he saw his temptress back in her place.

  Once he was sure she was okay, he stared down at his son. Chris eased down into the chair, looking at his family and knowing in his heart he couldn’t have asked for a better life.

  Holding Rachel’s hand, he refused to let go even as their kids fell asleep. They stared at each other for the longest time.

  Rachel was right. Within a year he’d forgotten the condom, and nine months later, another daughter was born.

  The End

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  Other Books by Sam Crescent:

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  Evernight Publishing

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