doesn’t mean all men will be the same. You didn’t think we could make it work before, and maybe I’m partially to blame for that as well because I didn’t fight hard enough to prove we could do it. I’m not letting you make that same decision for both of us again. Not without a fight.”
“This isn’t the same situation as Ace and Gwen.”
“Who the hell cares about the situation?” He shook his head. “I told you about them because you seem to think that I wouldn’t love this baby because I’m not the biological father. There are many stepparents in this world who are better parents than those who brought them into this world. Don’t use that as an excuse not to give us both something we want.”
“I’m not going to saddle you with a child because of a decision I made.” She ran her hand over her stomach. Even though it was nothing more than the beginnings of a pregnancy bump, it made her feel closer to her baby. “What happened between Russell and I was a mistake, but the baby that came from that union wasn’t. I will provide my child with a good life.”
“I’m not doubting that, but there’s no reason you should have to do it alone.” He took hold of her hand and stood, taking her with him. His wallet fell to the floor, but neither of them cared. “I’ve thought about this since you walked into Graves’s office. I want you in my life. If I have to leave the Marines, I’ll do it if it means getting you back. All I’m asking for is a second chance.”
She couldn’t believe it, but this time it was harder to walk away from him than it had been before. She wasn’t sure she could even get the words out, because all she wanted to do was fall into his embrace. To spend a few hours just being held by him, the way he used to do when they were spending an evening together. “Lucky, I don’t…”
He stopped her before she could finish her sentence. “You said in less than six month you’ll be a mother. Well, that will give us a chance before the baby is even born. A chance for me to fight for you, and for you to decide if you want me in your life. If you decide you don’t want this relationship, the baby will never even know. Give us a chance, and if you decide you want nothing more to do with me, I’ll step back and let you live your life however you want.”
“I don’t know.”
“Just think about it.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I’ve never stopped loving you, Maddie. We deserve a second chance.”
She watched as he stepped away from her, picked up his wallet, and without another word he strolled out of her bedroom. Just like the last time he’d walked away from her, at that bed and breakfast, she wanted to stop him. She wanted to call out to him and tell him she never stopped loving him, either, but she didn’t. She needed to think about it before she let herself go down that path again. It wasn’t just her she had to worry about. She had to consider her child as well.
The next day had come in a rush, one interview after another, but now that it was all over, Lucky just wanted to get Madison alone. He wanted to know if she’d thought about what he had said, and if she’d come to any decision. He suspected that she had something on her mind because throughout the day she had tried to talk to him, but they got interrupted each time. Now that they were back at the house, he planned to corner her and any ringing phones be damned. He wanted to know where things stood.
“Maddie, we need to talk.”
She slipped off her heels and let out a sigh that could only be associated with relief. “I was thinking the same thing, but first I want…” She paused and her lips curled into a half smirk. “Normally, I’d have filled that in with a glass of wine, but I’m playing everything by the book with this pregnancy. No caffeine, no alcohol, nothing bad for the baby will pass my lips.”
“How about I make it up to you with a chocolate milkshake, extra thick,
“This isn’t the same situation as Ace and Gwen.”
“Who the hell cares about the situation?” He shook his head. “I told you about them because you seem to think that I wouldn’t love this baby because I’m not the biological father. There are many stepparents in this world who are better parents than those who brought them into this world. Don’t use that as an excuse not to give us both something we want.”
“I’m not going to saddle you with a child because of a decision I made.” She ran her hand over her stomach. Even though it was nothing more than the beginnings of a pregnancy bump, it made her feel closer to her baby. “What happened between Russell and I was a mistake, but the baby that came from that union wasn’t. I will provide my child with a good life.”
“I’m not doubting that, but there’s no reason you should have to do it alone.” He took hold of her hand and stood, taking her with him. His wallet fell to the floor, but neither of them cared. “I’ve thought about this since you walked into Graves’s office. I want you in my life. If I have to leave the Marines, I’ll do it if it means getting you back. All I’m asking for is a second chance.”
She couldn’t believe it, but this time it was harder to walk away from him than it had been before. She wasn’t sure she could even get the words out, because all she wanted to do was fall into his embrace. To spend a few hours just being held by him, the way he used to do when they were spending an evening together. “Lucky, I don’t…”
He stopped her before she could finish her sentence. “You said in less than six month you’ll be a mother. Well, that will give us a chance before the baby is even born. A chance for me to fight for you, and for you to decide if you want me in your life. If you decide you don’t want this relationship, the baby will never even know. Give us a chance, and if you decide you want nothing more to do with me, I’ll step back and let you live your life however you want.”
“I don’t know.”
“Just think about it.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I’ve never stopped loving you, Maddie. We deserve a second chance.”
She watched as he stepped away from her, picked up his wallet, and without another word he strolled out of her bedroom. Just like the last time he’d walked away from her, at that bed and breakfast, she wanted to stop him. She wanted to call out to him and tell him she never stopped loving him, either, but she didn’t. She needed to think about it before she let herself go down that path again. It wasn’t just her she had to worry about. She had to consider her child as well.
The next day had come in a rush, one interview after another, but now that it was all over, Lucky just wanted to get Madison alone. He wanted to know if she’d thought about what he had said, and if she’d come to any decision. He suspected that she had something on her mind because throughout the day she had tried to talk to him, but they got interrupted each time. Now that they were back at the house, he planned to corner her and any ringing phones be damned. He wanted to know where things stood.
“Maddie, we need to talk.”
She slipped off her heels and let out a sigh that could only be associated with relief. “I was thinking the same thing, but first I want…” She paused and her lips curled into a half smirk. “Normally, I’d have filled that in with a glass of wine, but I’m playing everything by the book with this pregnancy. No caffeine, no alcohol, nothing bad for the baby will pass my lips.”
“How about I make it up to you with a chocolate milkshake, extra thick,
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