Page 52 of Hayes

"Unless it's to accept my many proposals of marriage, then I don't want to hear it," he said lightly.

"Then I guess you don't want to hear that I am carrying your baby."

He went still with shock, green eyes narrowing as he stared at her. "I am sorry, I thought I heard you say that you are- Camelia…what are you saying?"

"I am pregnant." She gripped his hands, eyes sparkling. "Oh, Hayes, I suspected the other day, and I wanted to be certain. I am pregnant. We are pregnant."

He continued to stare at her, not certain what he should say. The thing he had been praying for and not daring to hope for—was within his grasp. "Baby–” He had to swallow the lump in his throat. "Are you sure?"

"I am positive."

"Tell me exactly how this could be. You said–”

"There are scar tissues, and the doctor will be working closely with me. There is also the threat of fibroid, a black woman's curse of course, but she promised that we should have a healthy baby. I am scared, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to make certain that we have this baby,"

"When did you find out?" He still could not believe it.

"This morning. I did the test a few days ago, and she called and said she wanted to see me. I wanted to be certain before I told you. Darling, it's happening." The tears were trickling down her cheeks. "I had given up hope, and that was what was holding me back from completely committing myself to you."

"I wouldn't have cared," he told her hoarsely. "I hope you believe that. I want you Cammy, and I would not have cared." His hands gripped hers. "Oh, my darling. My sweet…” his voice petered off, and for a few seconds, he could not say anything else. "We are in this together, and baby, I want you to marry me."

"Hayes–”"No." He shook his head. "I am thinking about a December wedding. I am not waiting any longer. I want a family with you. I want us to be husband and wife when our child is born–" His voice shuddered to a stop at the expression on her exquisite face. "What is it? Are you feeling unwell?"

"You said our child. As if it is a fait accompli and I want it to be so Hayes. Oh, how I have prayed for this. I never expected it to happen. I thought I would have to go through a series of tests and that even with all your resources, it would not happen.

But even while I was obsessed—” She smiled through her tears. "And yes, I have been obsessing over this ever since we got back together.

I know you said you were okay with me not being able to give you a child, but you are Hayes Marsden, and you have a very rich legacy, one that you would want to pass on to your child. Our child." His arms closed around her as she drew closer to him. "I feel overwhelmed and so happy that I am afraid that something is going to go wrong."

"Shh." Tilting her chin up, he kissed her damp cheeks tenderly. "We have waited ages for this. For something that was taken away from us.

You have waited ages to be this happy and I believe it is our time." He kissed her lips and for several minutes, words were not possible. Lifting his mouth from hers reluctantly, he rose and brought her up with him.

"Let's go to bed, darling."

*****

"We cannot tell anyone. Not yet. Not even your mother."

"I know." He was struggling to get his breathing under control and worried that he had been too rough.

He had started out gentle, his hands roaming over her lush curves and settling on her stomach, marveling that his seed was cradled inside her, growing each day, being nurtured by her, and he wanted to just shout for joy and take out ads in every major newspaper. But he was going to have to restrain his urge.

She was right. They lived in the public's eye, and especially after what had happened with her parents, it was made even more so.

Besides that, he had been linked to Simone for months and the speculations had been rife with hints that they were going to tie the knot. He had switched so quickly that the talk was still being fueled.

"It's time like this that I wished we were an ordinary couple." The frustration could be heard in his deep voice.

Leaning up with one elbow propped on his wide chest, she eyed him with a hint of amusement on her face.

"What?"

"You could never be ordinary."

"Neither could you," he admitted ruefully. "But I can still wish and hope." Lifting his hand, he smoothed the hairs off her cheek. "I want to tell everyone."

"I was having lunch with my aunt, and I had to stop myself from blurting out the truth," she said ruefully. "It's wonderful news and we should be able to tell people–"