out.
“Would you have done it, Ivy? Left your child without knowing she was
safe?”
“Of course not,” Ivy said quickly. She looked down at the meal in
front of her, thinking how blessed she would be to even be a mother.
“Do you want kids, Ivy?” Rafe asked suddenly as if sensing her
thoughts.
She looked at the little angel to her right as Rafe spooned some of the
peas into her mouth. Her hair was dark like her father’s and had already
begun to curl at the edges. Her light blue-green eyes seemed to sparkle
when she smiled and showed those two perfect little teeth. Oh, yes, she
ached to be a mom.
“I want them very much,” Ivy said quietly, feeling emotion clog her
throat so she cleared it gently. “Wanting and having are two different
things, though.”
He looked at her curiously before giving Bonnie another spoonful of
orange goop this time. “Care to explain or none of my business?”
Ivy sighed and picked at her potatoes. “Remember, I told you I have
endometriosis, which makes actually having a child more difficult.”
“But not impossible,” Rafe said.
She smiled sadly. “No, not impossible, but to my ex it was a deal
breaker. He left soon after he found out.”
“I remember you telling me that and I still say he was a fool. A child
conceived after both parents support each other through a difficult time
74
Baby On Board Dahlia Rose
would be a treasure.”
“It’s more than likely I have so much scar tissue…” Ivy shook her
head. “Never mind. It’s not something we should be discussing anyway.”
“Why not?” Rafe demanded. He used a damp washcloth and wiped
Bonnie’s face. “I want to be with you. I’m not hiding that fact. And if I’m
lucky enough to be able to hold you and keep you, you can be sure as hell
I won’t run because we might have difficulty having a child.”
Ivy stared at him with her mouth agape. She certainly wasn’t
expecting that announcement. “You’ve been thinking about a future
with…um…me?”
Rafe grinned. “Tied your tongue, have I? I don’t sound like the
playboy you think I am if I’m craving to spend forever with you, do I?
Don’t worry about that now. Eat your dinner before it gets cold. Maybe if
you’re good, I’ll let you watch cartoons with Bonnie before her bedtime.”
“Well, then, I’ll be a good girl and eat.” Ivy dug her fork into her mac
and cheese and took a bite. “Delicious.”
Rafe gave her a wink and used his haughty French voice. “I told you,
madam, I’m a culinary genius.”
Ivy ate and contemplated what Rafe said—more than Reese ever said.
More than she got after five years with her ex even. Still, she couldn’t be
naïve. Sweet words were one of the many tools men used when they
wanted a woman. Yes, of course, Rafe wanted her but what comes after?
Ivy hated doubt, especially in herself, in her heart. She knew that she was
inextricably drawn toward Rafe and could not fight it. It was the after that
worried her. Would her heart be broken again if the fire between them
ever went out?
After dinner and an hour of watching cartoons, Ivy helped him put
Bonnie to bed. She watched the baby sleep under the pink velvet blanket
that had become her favorite. The pacifier had fallen from her mouth as
sleep took her deeper and her tiny hands spread flat against the soft sheets.
Ivy felt as though she could watch the baby sleep forever but she went
back into the living room where Rafe waited. He handed her a glass of
75
Baby On Board Dahlia Rose
wine and sat down with a loud sigh.
“Being a single parent is hard work,” he said.
“There are tons of mothers who do it every day,” Ivy pointed out.
“I admire them and now that I’m part of their ranks, I wouldn’t change
a thing. It’s very fulfilling,” Rafe said. “Can I kiss you, Ivy?”
She couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “That was a complete one
eighty.”
He shrugged. “I figured I’d put it out
“Would you have done it, Ivy? Left your child without knowing she was
safe?”
“Of course not,” Ivy said quickly. She looked down at the meal in
front of her, thinking how blessed she would be to even be a mother.
“Do you want kids, Ivy?” Rafe asked suddenly as if sensing her
thoughts.
She looked at the little angel to her right as Rafe spooned some of the
peas into her mouth. Her hair was dark like her father’s and had already
begun to curl at the edges. Her light blue-green eyes seemed to sparkle
when she smiled and showed those two perfect little teeth. Oh, yes, she
ached to be a mom.
“I want them very much,” Ivy said quietly, feeling emotion clog her
throat so she cleared it gently. “Wanting and having are two different
things, though.”
He looked at her curiously before giving Bonnie another spoonful of
orange goop this time. “Care to explain or none of my business?”
Ivy sighed and picked at her potatoes. “Remember, I told you I have
endometriosis, which makes actually having a child more difficult.”
“But not impossible,” Rafe said.
She smiled sadly. “No, not impossible, but to my ex it was a deal
breaker. He left soon after he found out.”
“I remember you telling me that and I still say he was a fool. A child
conceived after both parents support each other through a difficult time
74
Baby On Board Dahlia Rose
would be a treasure.”
“It’s more than likely I have so much scar tissue…” Ivy shook her
head. “Never mind. It’s not something we should be discussing anyway.”
“Why not?” Rafe demanded. He used a damp washcloth and wiped
Bonnie’s face. “I want to be with you. I’m not hiding that fact. And if I’m
lucky enough to be able to hold you and keep you, you can be sure as hell
I won’t run because we might have difficulty having a child.”
Ivy stared at him with her mouth agape. She certainly wasn’t
expecting that announcement. “You’ve been thinking about a future
with…um…me?”
Rafe grinned. “Tied your tongue, have I? I don’t sound like the
playboy you think I am if I’m craving to spend forever with you, do I?
Don’t worry about that now. Eat your dinner before it gets cold. Maybe if
you’re good, I’ll let you watch cartoons with Bonnie before her bedtime.”
“Well, then, I’ll be a good girl and eat.” Ivy dug her fork into her mac
and cheese and took a bite. “Delicious.”
Rafe gave her a wink and used his haughty French voice. “I told you,
madam, I’m a culinary genius.”
Ivy ate and contemplated what Rafe said—more than Reese ever said.
More than she got after five years with her ex even. Still, she couldn’t be
naïve. Sweet words were one of the many tools men used when they
wanted a woman. Yes, of course, Rafe wanted her but what comes after?
Ivy hated doubt, especially in herself, in her heart. She knew that she was
inextricably drawn toward Rafe and could not fight it. It was the after that
worried her. Would her heart be broken again if the fire between them
ever went out?
After dinner and an hour of watching cartoons, Ivy helped him put
Bonnie to bed. She watched the baby sleep under the pink velvet blanket
that had become her favorite. The pacifier had fallen from her mouth as
sleep took her deeper and her tiny hands spread flat against the soft sheets.
Ivy felt as though she could watch the baby sleep forever but she went
back into the living room where Rafe waited. He handed her a glass of
75
Baby On Board Dahlia Rose
wine and sat down with a loud sigh.
“Being a single parent is hard work,” he said.
“There are tons of mothers who do it every day,” Ivy pointed out.
“I admire them and now that I’m part of their ranks, I wouldn’t change
a thing. It’s very fulfilling,” Rafe said. “Can I kiss you, Ivy?”
She couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “That was a complete one
eighty.”
He shrugged. “I figured I’d put it out
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