Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 54888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54888 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
He held me for a long time, and that was okay. That was perfect. Being in Bishop’s arms always felt like being home. He pulled back, not saying anything, and instead kissed me long and slow, not one that was filled with the sexual heat I always felt when his lips touched mine, but one that was pure, genuine love.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, rising on my toes so I could hold on to his body. And before I realized what his plans were, he was on his knees, had my shirt pushed up, and kissed my belly. A little shocked gasp left me as I stared down at the man I loved being so damn tender.
“My baby is in here,” he whispered. “You make me so happy, Korrie.” He glanced up, and I felt tears prick my eyes. “I hope the baby looks like you.” I smiled softly and cupped his scruff-covered cheeks. “I hope, whether it’s a boy or girl, they have your beauty and big whiskey-colored eyes and gorgeous thick curls. I hope they have your honesty and your empathy.”
“I hope they have your dimple,” I muttered and touched that little indentation when he smiled up at me. “I hope they have your strength and the drive to get everything they want out of life.”
He shook his head slowly. “I hope they have your strength. You’re the strongest person I know, baby.”
My heart did a little flip.
“Promise you’ll always be mine.”
I gripped his biceps and pulled him up, kissing his lips before he stood to his full height. “As long as you promise you’ll always be mine.” My grin was so big my cheeks actually hurt. I was choked up with emotion, feeling so stupid for thinking Bishop wouldn’t have embraced this and been happy like I was.
“You were forever mine the moment I saw you.” He smiled down at me. “A baby,” he murmured softly and pulled me into his arms a second later, holding me tightly, taking the oxygen from my lungs, and God, it felt incredible. “I’m so ready for this, baby,” he murmured against my lips, and I melted against the man I loved. “A family,” he whispered, the joy clear in his voice. He pulled back so we could look into each other’s eyes. “You’ve given me a family, Korrie.” He pulled me in for another hug and lifted me up, the tips of my toes barely touching the floor. “You were my life before this, and I was never letting you go, but now?” His smile was so boyish, so authentically happy that I was the one to kiss him now. “Now this means we are tied for life, and I've never wanted anything more.”
He tightened his hold on me, and I closed my eyes. “I love you,” I said against his neck, my eyes closed, feeling euphoric.
“And I love you more each day.” He kissed the shell of my ear. “You’ll never know how much, never know the depth of what I feel for you, but I look forward to showing you, proving that to you, for the rest of my life. Now, let's hope your dad doesn't kill me since I knocked his daughter up before marrying her.”
I couldn't help but chuckle. “He wouldn't dare. He knows how much you mean to me.”
He knows you’re my world.
EPILOGUE TWO
Bishop
One year later
Every day I thought I’d wake up from the dream that was my life. And every day I thanked whoever was listening that I was lucky enough to have everything in the world. I was grateful beyond measure.
I didn’t take any of this for granted. Not my wife, not the healthy son she’d given me, and not the home we’d created.
When she told me she was pregnant, I knew I didn’t want to wait any longer to make things official in the way I’d dreamed of since the moment I saw her. I’d had plans in the works since the moment I knew Korrie would forever be mine, but with a baby on the way, I wanted things to be set in stone, stable, and to where Korrie didn’t have to worry about anything.
I wanted to leave the city and go someplace where she would be comfortable, and where she wouldn’t have to worry about her dad. It had taken some time and had been hard as hell, but I finally made that a reality. But then she’d gotten pregnant—and I swore it was one of the greatest moments of my life. Knowing the woman I loved carried my child made me feel like I was on top of the world.
I ended up buying a little house outside the city, not too far away that I couldn't commit fairly easily to Lyrics. It wasn’t a brand-new house and needed a whole lot of updating and TLC, but the selling point was it had some property and a little guest house off to the side… the perfect place for Walter to live. It gave all of us privacy, gave him the independence he craved, but kept him close enough so we could help take care of him if need be.