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Ian expelled his breath "I' Give me a chance to adjust to it, okay?"
Her tears moistened his shoulder
"Cecilia, please, don't cry"
"I can't help it"
He kissed the tears froht his lips to herto reassure her, kissed her again and again
"This is our baby," she whispered, and hiccupped on a sob "I want you to be happy I want you to love our baby"
"I will" He closed his eyes and struggled with his conflicting eed in a deep breath "I' That's all I can do"
Cecilia broke free and rolled onto her side, turning away from him
"Honey, please, do you want ive me time" He cuddled her spoon fashion and slipped his arm around her middle Froht aboard ship, he'd drea her and enjoying the feel of her body so close to his own
A sigh shuddered through Cecilia and she shifted her little butt closer to his growing arousal She seeainst him "Ian?" she whispered
He squeezed his eyes shut and didn't respond
"There's a nice thing about nant"
He wanted to knohat it was, but at the moment the blood flow in his body wasn't headed in the direction of his brain
"You don't have to wait until I'm asleep to come to bed anyrowl, he urged her onto her back Sighing in surrender and welcouided his ht," she promised him "We really are"
Ian so badly wanted to believe her "I know" But anything else he ht have said was lost as he buried his fears in his wife's embrace
Twenty-Four
Charlotte Jefferson couldn't stop s She placed a cherry pie in the oven and set the ti
"Wipe that silly grin off your face," she chided Harry, her black cat, who sat on the arm of the sofa and studied her with a bemused look "I know, I know, but this is just so wonderful I can't believe it's really happening"
When the doorbell chi aside and hurried to answer it She checked the peephole--one could never be too cautious--and saw that it was her daughter After unbolting the locks, she opened the front door
"What took you so long?" Olivia sputtered as she barreled past Charlotte She was halfway into the kitchen before she stopped Whirling around, sherooh all her energy had drained away
"Olivia, what's gotten into you?" Charlotte asked, concerned by her daughter's odd behavior
Olivia bolted to her feet and alain She covered her face with both her hands "I think I've made a terrible mistake"
"What mistake?"
Olivia dropped her hands and stared forlornly out the living-roo She looked close to tears "It's Jack and oodness, you've been married less than three months!"
"You think I don't know that? Lately lately it's like we can't even talk"
"You and Jack? Why? What's wrong?"
"Oh, Mom, I feel so awful We're just so different and we irritate one another and and"
"There, there now," Charlotte cooed softly Things hter to show up on her doorstep in this condition In all the years Olivia had been uht her parents' advice
"I love Jack so s for him were apparent months before she admitted she was in love
Olivia's face cruled to hold back tears "I love him, but he he's a slob And I can't stand it"
"You have to compromise, sweetie"
"You think I haven't tried?" Olivia shook her head "I hatehim to pick up his dirty clothes, but really, why should I follow him around and clean up after hi a pot of tea" The most serious discussions required tea For sotea And whatever had happened between Olivia and Jack appeared to be serious, indeed
Less than ten minutes later, Charlotte was back She carried in the tray, coe ceramic pot, two china cups and a plate of hoe of the sofa with a wadded tissue in her hands
"Start at the beginning," Charlotte said as she poured She handed the first cup and saucer to Olivia, then poured her own Olivia set the cup on the coffee table, her composure shaky
"I'ht when I came home and saw the mess in the bathroom, I lost it I realize Jack doesn't care about tidiness and order the way I do, but that's no excuse for leaving wet towels on the floor He didn't so much as pick up his dirty underwear"
Charlotte sighed
"Maybe I shouldn't have said anything but I did, and then Jack yelled at s we shouldn't have He left and then I left, and now I feel so bad"