Read Online Committed Passion by Bonnie Dee - Free Book Online

upset. I was afraid you might be,” Leah said. “I know it’s too soon. We haven’t even been together a year, and we’re struggling financially. We have things to do to get to the right place to even think of having a family. I know this is terrible timing. But I can’t stand the idea of an abortion.”
    “No. No, I wouldn’t want that either. I mean, we planned to have a kid or two. Just not right away.” I gulped for air and pulled myself together. “Well, your news pretty much makes my thing seem not so huge after all. In fact, it kind of goes hand in hand with my thing.”
    “What are you saying?”
    I got the ring out of the box, grasped Leah’s hand, and put the ring in it. “Will you marry me? I’ve been carrying this thing around for days wondering if it was too soon to ask. It’ll be a relief to have it out of my pocket and on your finger—if you want it there.”
    “Oh!” It was more of a gasp than a word.
    I pushed on with the proposal I’d rehearsed, wanting to convince her I would’ve asked even if she weren’t pregnant. “We kept talking about ‘someday,’ and recently I thought someday couldn’t come soon enough.” I studied her eyes, wishing she could see me and the ring that was my promise to her, that she could see everything around her. Sometimes I ached at her loss.
    “When I was overseas,” I continued, “I realized—I mean really realized—how fragile life is. And short. I want to spend every minute of mine with you.”
    “Oh,” she said again as tears welled in her eyes. Her fingers moved over the ring, feeling the band and the stone. “I can’t believe this. I mean, yes. Yes!” Now she was crying and handing the ring back. “Put it on me.”
    She held out her hand, and I slipped the ring on the proper finger. I’d sized it from one of hers so it fit perfectly.
    “Does Gina know? Did she help you pick it out? What does it look like? It feels pretty.”
    “Gina doesn’t know. I kept this to myself. It looks like…” I stared at the small sparkling stone in the silver setting. “I forgot what the jeweler said the cut is called. I didn’t know what to get, because they all looked fine to me. Gina will have to describe it to you.”
    She laughed at my inability to describe the diamond, then pressed it to her lips. “Thank you.”
    “No. Thank you for saying yes.” I paused. “Your parents are going to love all our good news.”
    Leah wrinkled her nose. “Don’t remind me. They were just starting to accept our decision to live together. But, I don’t know, my mom may actually be pretty excited about the prospect of being a grandma.”
    Grandparents. This kid would have two that doted on it and showered it with attention and gifts. By the time he or she was born, my dad would be gone. But there would be uncles and aunts on my side. I’d spent a portion of my relationship with Leah feeling not quite good enough for her. My family was poor and dysfunctional. Hers was wealthy and well-adjusted, if a little too controlling. I’d grown past that. I could see the good in my brothers—and in myself. The Wyatts were a family my kid could be proud to be a part of.
    Leah leaned toward me, and I met her halfway, kissing her, then drawing her close and holding her tight. We might have made out more, but Travis woke from his doze in front of the TV and started clamoring for our attention again.
    “This is what it’s going to be like,” I pointed out to Leah. “A lot less private time together.”
    “I can hardly wrap my head around the idea of an infant, let alone an active kid like Travis. I’m scared to death.”
    “We’ll be fine. Everything will be good, and we’ll make it work.” Simple reassurance was what she needed right now, and I could give that to her. “We’ll hire an aide if that’s what we need. You’ll be a great mother, and I’ll be a good dad.”
    Leah visibly relaxed, her tense shoulders drooping and her worried expression easing. My