The Army Doctor's Baby (Romance Novella) by Helen Scott Taylor Page B
Authors: Helen Scott Taylor
Tags: Romance
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George.
"Yes, come back." Olivia gripped his hand. He kissed her again, relief flashing through him. This Christmas was the start of the rest of his life. He had a second chance, and he'd get it right this time.
Chapter Nine
Olivia's breath rushed out on a little gasp of relief and pleasure. When Radley's arms closed around her, the recent uncertain weeks seemed like a distant memory. It was as if he had never gone away. She loved this man so much. She never wanted to let him go again.
Once he went to change, she did a circuit of the room, turned on the Christmas lights strung on the wall beside George's crib, and lit the scented candles on top of the chest of drawers and bedside tables. Then she turned off the main light. A soft glow fell over the bed and a festive, spicy fragrance filled the room. She had hoped and prayed things might work out this way, but hardly dared believe that as the clock struck twelve to herald Christmas Day, she would be snuggled in bed with Radley.
She dug out the blue silk negligee she rarely wore, quickly changed, and dashed to the bathroom where she freshened up, and applied a few strategic dabs of perfume. Then she climbed in bed, leaned back against a stack of pillows, and started feeding George.
Fifteen minutes later, Radley slipped back into the room, a robe over his pajamas. He paused and looked around, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth. "It's so good to be back here with you."
He moved around the bed and sniffed the air near the scented candle. "Smells nice," he said, shrugging off his robe. He tossed it onto a chair, then lifted the covers to climb in beside her.
Nerves tingled beneath her skin. They had done nothing more than kiss before he left. She had still been recovering from her C-section and Radley had been very gentle with her. Now she was fully fit, there was no reason why they couldn't make love.
Radley lay on his side watching her, his head propped up on his hand. When George had finished, she kissed her little boy good night and, just as he'd done many times before, Radley took him and settled him in his crib.
He climbed in beside her again and they lay facing each other, his large, warm hand clasping hers on the pillow between them. "I'm sorry, Olivia, sorry I distanced myself from you before I left, and sorry I shipped out without coming home to say good-bye properly."
He pressed his lips to the back of her hand and closed his eyes. "I've been waiting weeks to talk to you. I needed to discuss things face-to-face, e-mail and text just wasn't going to work."
"I understand." She stroked her palm over his stubbly jaw, the roughness giving her a little zing of pleasure.
"I'm guessing you don't want to marry Cameron."
Olivia gave a startled laugh. "No!"
"That's good." Radley grinned, then leaned closer and kissed her. "Now I can move on to the important part."
He pulled a small red box out from under his pillow and set it on the sheet between them. Olivia's breath hitched. A light-headed sense of anticipation filled her.
He opened the lid to reveal a beautiful marquise-cut diamond ring. "Will you marry me, Olivia?" Radley whispered.
She pressed her hand to her heart, overwhelmed with surprise and pleasure. She loved him and knew he loved her, but had never dreamed he'd propose so soon. "Are you sure?"
He laughed. "You were on my mind the whole time I was away. I'm sure."
"Yes, Radley. Yes, I'd love to."
He slipped the ring on her finger. She kissed him and snuggled in his arms, staring at her hand with a sense of wonder and unreality. She felt as though she were floating in a dream—she, George, and Radley would be a proper family.
The grandfather clock on the landing chimed the hour. They listened together in the warm cocoon of their bed as midnight sounded. "Merry Christmas," Radley said, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Let's make our announcement at dinner tomorrow."
"That should make your father happy."
"It'll make me happy." Radley pulled her
"Yes, come back." Olivia gripped his hand. He kissed her again, relief flashing through him. This Christmas was the start of the rest of his life. He had a second chance, and he'd get it right this time.
Chapter Nine
Olivia's breath rushed out on a little gasp of relief and pleasure. When Radley's arms closed around her, the recent uncertain weeks seemed like a distant memory. It was as if he had never gone away. She loved this man so much. She never wanted to let him go again.
Once he went to change, she did a circuit of the room, turned on the Christmas lights strung on the wall beside George's crib, and lit the scented candles on top of the chest of drawers and bedside tables. Then she turned off the main light. A soft glow fell over the bed and a festive, spicy fragrance filled the room. She had hoped and prayed things might work out this way, but hardly dared believe that as the clock struck twelve to herald Christmas Day, she would be snuggled in bed with Radley.
She dug out the blue silk negligee she rarely wore, quickly changed, and dashed to the bathroom where she freshened up, and applied a few strategic dabs of perfume. Then she climbed in bed, leaned back against a stack of pillows, and started feeding George.
Fifteen minutes later, Radley slipped back into the room, a robe over his pajamas. He paused and looked around, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth. "It's so good to be back here with you."
He moved around the bed and sniffed the air near the scented candle. "Smells nice," he said, shrugging off his robe. He tossed it onto a chair, then lifted the covers to climb in beside her.
Nerves tingled beneath her skin. They had done nothing more than kiss before he left. She had still been recovering from her C-section and Radley had been very gentle with her. Now she was fully fit, there was no reason why they couldn't make love.
Radley lay on his side watching her, his head propped up on his hand. When George had finished, she kissed her little boy good night and, just as he'd done many times before, Radley took him and settled him in his crib.
He climbed in beside her again and they lay facing each other, his large, warm hand clasping hers on the pillow between them. "I'm sorry, Olivia, sorry I distanced myself from you before I left, and sorry I shipped out without coming home to say good-bye properly."
He pressed his lips to the back of her hand and closed his eyes. "I've been waiting weeks to talk to you. I needed to discuss things face-to-face, e-mail and text just wasn't going to work."
"I understand." She stroked her palm over his stubbly jaw, the roughness giving her a little zing of pleasure.
"I'm guessing you don't want to marry Cameron."
Olivia gave a startled laugh. "No!"
"That's good." Radley grinned, then leaned closer and kissed her. "Now I can move on to the important part."
He pulled a small red box out from under his pillow and set it on the sheet between them. Olivia's breath hitched. A light-headed sense of anticipation filled her.
He opened the lid to reveal a beautiful marquise-cut diamond ring. "Will you marry me, Olivia?" Radley whispered.
She pressed her hand to her heart, overwhelmed with surprise and pleasure. She loved him and knew he loved her, but had never dreamed he'd propose so soon. "Are you sure?"
He laughed. "You were on my mind the whole time I was away. I'm sure."
"Yes, Radley. Yes, I'd love to."
He slipped the ring on her finger. She kissed him and snuggled in his arms, staring at her hand with a sense of wonder and unreality. She felt as though she were floating in a dream—she, George, and Radley would be a proper family.
The grandfather clock on the landing chimed the hour. They listened together in the warm cocoon of their bed as midnight sounded. "Merry Christmas," Radley said, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Let's make our announcement at dinner tomorrow."
"That should make your father happy."
"It'll make me happy." Radley pulled her
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