Chapter 202

Olivia

The room was cloaked in an almost unbearable tension, the weight of my question hanging in the air between us. Nathan’s silence had become palpable, creating a chasm that neither of us seemed able to bridge.

Just yesterday, he had confessed to loving me. But the way he said it was so quick, so passionate, and so short-lived that I wasn’t sure. I wanted a real confession. I wanted to hear him say it slowly and meaningfully.

“Nathan?” I pressed gently, my voice quivering, needing, seeking an answer. “Do you truly love me?”

His blue-green eyes, usually so clear and bright, were now clouded with uncertainty. He shifted his weight, and the room was silent save for the sound of our synchronized breathing. Finally, he looked into my eyes, holding my gaze with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

“I have to put Elliot to bed,” he said, standing abruptly.

“Nathan—” I began, but it was too late. Nathan was already gone, whisking Elliot down the hall. I could only sit there in shock, wondering if he had truly regretting telling me he loved me before.

Idiot, I thought to myself, passing a hand over my weary face. Of course he doesn’t love you, Olivia. It was just a mistake. A slip of the tongue.

“I do love you, Olivia.” Suddenly, Nathan was in the doorway, his hands free and hanging by his sides. He whispered hesitantly, as though the words were new and strange to him. “Or at least... I think I do.”

“You think you do?” I murmured.

Nathan nodded slowly, his eyes betraying a myriad of thoughts and feelings. “I… I’ve never felt this way about anyone,” he said. He came to sit on the edge of my bed. “When I was with Layla, I thought… but no.” He shook his head, slowly lifting his blue-green gaze to meet mine. “I didn’t. I didn’t love her. I didn’t feel like this with her.”

A range of emotions surged within me—relief, anxiety, warmth, fear. Tears pricked at the backs of my eyes, threatening to spill.

“Actually,” Nathan said, his gaze strengthening, “I know I love you. I love you, Olivia. I’ve loved you ever since we were kids. From the moment I saw you, I knew that I loved you. All those years you were gone, that never changed.”

Finally, the tears that were threatening to spill finally came, streaming down my cheeks in tiny rivulets. But they were tears of happiness and joy, not sadness.

“I love you too, Nathan.”

We drew closer, two lost souls seeking solace and understanding. Our lips met in a desperate kiss, filled with longing, sadness, and an undeniable spark of hope. The world seemed to fade away as we deepened the kiss, hands exploring familiar yet new terrains.

I felt Nathan’s hands trail across my skin, sliding up my skirt to touch my thighs. A soft moan escaped my lips as his hands explored that area after it had been so long since we first slept together.

His touch was tentative, but firm at the same time. I found myself leaning closer to him and allowing his touch to continue working its way upwards, toward my panties.

As our passion grew, he pulled away slightly, his eyes playful yet intense.

“If you try telling me again that we can't do this, like last time,” he murmured against my ear, “then I might have to lock you up.”

I laughed, feeling the weight of our past fall away for a moment. “Oh, really?” I teased, brushing my lips against his neck. “I’d like to see you try.”

“I might just have to, Olivia,” he replied with a smirk, his arms wrapping around me tightly.

We lost ourselves to the night, surrendering to the warmth and comfort of each other’s embrace. As we lay intertwined, our souls reconnecting, it felt like everything had fallen into place, even if just for that night.

…

The morning sun painted the room in hues of gold and amber, and the first chirps of birds signaled the dawn of a new day. Wrapped in the cocoon of Nathan’s arms, I was reluctant to leave our sanctuary.

“Morning,” he murmured, a lazy smile playing across his lips as his eyes cracked open. “Not going to run away this time?”

I shook my head, feeling a blush creep into my cheeks. “No,” I whispered. “Not until the twins wake up and want milk, at least. Until then, I’m all yours.”

Nathan smirked and brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes. “Good. I wouldn’t let you go anyway.”

“You wouldn’t?”

He shook his head. “Never. You’re mine now, Olivia. I won’t let anything get between us.”

Nathan’s words were a welcome comfort in such a turbulent time. I found myself nuzzling down deeper into the warm embrace of his strong arms, inhaling the sweet scent of his skin. I allowed my fingers to trail across his body, feeling each ridge and curve with no inhibitions.

I was his, and he was mine. I wouldn’t be running away now, or ever. As we lay there together, I pictured thousands of mornings just like this, waking in each other’s arms.

“You were excellent last night,” I found myself murmuring, ignoring the heat in my face. “Even better than last time.”

“Was I?” Nathan almost seemed to puff out his chest with confidence, grinning down at me. “You weren’t so bad yourself, you know.”

I felt my face get even more hot, especially as Nathan’s fingers trailed along my body beneath the sheets. I felt his hand linger on my belly, tracing the lines and stretch marks created by the two little lives I had carried inside of me for nine months.

“Those don’t bother you?” I asked, peering down.

Nathan’s eyes widened, and he shook his head sternly. “Why would they?” he asked. “You carried two lives inside of you, Olivia. It’s amazing. Your scars are like trophies.”

“Really?” I murmured, chewing my lower lip.

I thought back on all of the gossip I had heard from other women in my prenatal yoga class, complaining about their husbands touching them less once they had babies, as though the scars women bore after creating life were something to be ashamed of.

I thought back on the arsenals of creams and ointments I had considered purchasing, the procedures mentioned in magazines, the stories about women ‘getting their bodies back’ after being ‘ruined’ by childbirth. But now, none of that mattered to me.

“Really,” Nathan replied, cupping my chin in one hand while his other hand remained on my belly, his fingers digging gently into my flesh. “Don’t ever think otherwise.”

I blushed deeply, a deep scarlet red, and let Nathan’s hand guide my chin closer so that our lips could touch. We kissed intimately, feeling the sensation of one another’s lips, and only pulled away to utter three words.

“I love you.”

Just then, a loud knock on the front door echoed through the house and shattered the peaceful bubble we had built around ourselves.

We froze, both of us wondering who could be on the other side of that door this early in the morning.