“What’s wrong?” I asked Dominic as we lay in bed together later that night.
He’d just emerged from between my legs, using his tongue to send me into orbit after using his dick.
He held me against his bare chest, his breathing deep and even. But he was quiet, contemplative. Even though he was physically there with me, it felt like he was a million miles away.
“I don’t understand it.”
“What?” I lifted my head to look at him.
“Us. I’ve done everything I can think of to get you pregnant.” He crinkled his brows as he stared up at me. “I-is there something the matter with me? It doesn’t make sense. I track everything. I know every date. It’s why I’m extra possessive certain times of the month and hate sharing. I know when the odds of conceiving are most in our favor. But it’s not working. I’m just… confused.”
I swallowed hard and forced a smile onto my face. “Why do you think something’s wrong with you?”
He reached out and cradled my face. “Because you’re beautiful. And perfect. And everything I’ve always dreamed of, Bianca. So it can’t be you. It has to be me.”
My heart ached. I needed to just tell him about the pills. Explain I wasn’t ready for a baby. That I had all these hopes and dreams I wanted to accomplish before I settled down with a family.
“Maybe our timing is off. Lots of couples take a long time to conceive. I’m sure everything’s fine.” I hated myself as I said the words to him.
He nodded glumly. “You’re probably right. Come here.”
I leaned back in his arms, my chest hurting from the lies. I needed to tell him, but I was so scared of how he’d react. He wanted this baby. He was desperate for it.
Deciding I couldn’t stand for him to be so dejected, I untangled myself from him and got up.
“Where are you going?” he called out.
“I have something for you.” I went to the closet and rifled around in the depths, emerging a few moments later with a small, wrapped gift.
I pulled my robe on and sat on the edge of the bed. He sat up and stared at the present in my hands.
“You got me a present?”
“Well, Christmas is soon. I figured I’d give you this gift early.” I handed him the box nervously. “I hope you like it.”
A smile touched his face. He unwrapped the box and stared inside. I watched as he pulled out a framed photo of us on our wedding day. Our first kiss as husband and wife. Vinny had taken it. I’d gotten it from him so I could get it printed for Dominic as a Christmas gift since we didn’t have any wedding photos of us. Hell, we didn’t have any printed photos of us at all. He kept everything on his phone.
I knew he didn’t even have a copy of this one though.
“Bianca,” he murmured, tracing his fingers over our faces behind the glass. “Thank you. I love it.”
“You do? I know it’s not expensive—”
“It’s priceless,mia regina. It’s perfect.”
My heart swelled with his words. He placed it on his nightstand and opened the drawer to pull out a box. He handed it to me.
“I didn’t get a chance to wrap it, but I got you something too.”
“Dominic, you don’t have to give it to me right now—”
“I want you to have it. Open it.”
I studied him for a moment before opening the box. Inside was a set of the most exquisite pearls.
“Oh wow,” I murmured, running my fingers along the necklace. “Dominic, these are beautiful.”
“I thought they’d be perfect for you,” he said, smiling at me. “There are eighty-five pearls in the strand because I plan to love you for eighty-five lifetimes.”