I Wish That You Were Mine

Chapter Eighteen

Those few words carried with them such sentiment that Stevie was overwhelmed by how deeply they had affected her.

Lindsey lifted his arm up and Stevie was quick to burrow into the safe warmth of his side, as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and cradled the baby with the other. For a few precious moments, that is how they stayed; a picture of the family they should have been all along.

“She could be our little girl, Linds,” Stevie whispered tearfully, placing her hand on the baby’s tummy.

“She feels like ours already.”

Stevie looked up at Lindsey with such love in her eyes that he simply could not resist her any longer. He leant down and kissed her with all of the passion inside of him, unashamedly lingering on the intoxicating softness of her lips and revelling in the intimacy they shared in that perfect moment.

“I’ve missed you so much, Linds,” she said, reaching up to cup his cheek affectionately. “Please don’t leave me ever again.”

Her voice was laced with vulnerability.

“I promise,” he whispered, covering her hand with his own and kissing it delicately. “I’m not going anywhere, Steph.”

They leant in for another kiss, only to be startled by the delightful sound of Lily’s rib-tickling giggle as she gazed up at them with her bright blue eyes and a toothless grin on her face. Stevie and Lindsey burst into laughter in adoration of her.

“Was that funny, Lily-bee?” Stevie chuckled, reaching up to give Lindsey another kiss and thus eliciting another hysterical giggle from the baby.

“I think I’m in love…” Lindsey sighed happily, scooping the baby up and kissing her head.

As he held her out in front of them, Lily yawned widely and her eyelids fluttered heavily with sleepiness.

“Oh baby girl, are you tired?” Stevie cooed, taking Lily into her arms and rocking her gently. “You’ve had such a long day. I think it’s time for someone’s beddy-bye’s…”

Lindsey watched lovingly as Stevie stood up from the couch and swayed on her feet a little with the baby held against her shoulder.

“Are you coming?” she whispered.

“Can I?” his eyes lit up hopefully.

“Come on, Daddy.”

Stevie smiled and held out her hand to him. Lindsey’s heart fluttered in his chest at her words and he took her hand instantly, quietly following her up the stairs and into her bedroom.

The room was only lit by the dim lamp she had turned on a little earlier and everything was bathed in a warm, golden glow. Lindsey tip-toed into the room behind Stevie and watched closely as she gently lay the baby down in the white lace Moses basket and pulled a soft pink blanket up over her little body.

They sat together on the edge of the bed, shoulder-to-shoulder, gazing dotingly into the Moses basket as Lily fussed a little before succumbing to sleep. Her tiny fists came up beside her face and her cheeks turned rosy; Lindsey could not believe that anything could ever be so precious.

“Steph?”

“Mhmm?”

“Do you think everything happens for a reason?”

Her eyes met his and matched the feeling instantaneously. She nodded with a smile and placed her hand on his thigh, relishing the proximity of their bodies and grateful for his comforting presence.

The feeling of her hand on his thigh sent a shock of electricity coursing through his body and his desire flared up with zeal. Lindsey closed the space between them as he pressed his lips to hers tenderly, snaking his arms around her waist and pressing their bodies together. Stevie’s head spun with the headiness of their intimacy, revelling in the feeling of his body so close to hers, somewhere she had always considered to be her safe place.