Page 50 of Desperate Temptations

H er heart sank, and she started to shake from the inside out. Tears blinded her eyes and choked her voice.

“Drew died before the paramedics could get there. I watched him die. I don’t know if he heard me, but I talked to him the whole time. I hoped by keeping him conscious, he would survive.”

She paused, then swallowed. “I was five months along. The baby was starting to kick and move around.” She paused when her voice broke, making it impossible to talk for a moment. After she took several breaths, she gave him a sad smile.

“It had been one of the best times in my life. But within a heartbeat, I lost everything.” A sob escaped. “So, while I watched my husband die, I felt my baby die inside of me.”

“That’s why you talked about wanting to die that night?” he asked gruffly.

She nodded, her eyes filled with dark torment.

“I went into spontaneous labor and had her at the hospital. They let me hold her for a few minutes before taking her body.” Jessa shook her head and swiped at the tears that kept rolling down her cheeks. “God, Cain. She was so tiny, but she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.”

“After they t-took her ... the doctors took me in for exploratory surgery to see how much damage had been done. I lost an ovary, and they said there would be scarring. The doctors said I might still be able to have a baby, although it would be harder to conceive with just one, and they couldn’t guess how much scar tissue there would be.

At the time, I didn’t care, I just wanted my baby and my husband back.

I ended up naming her Carly.” A lone tear trailed down her cheek. “I buried her with her father.”

“I can’t imagine what you went through, and I can’t tell you how incredibly sorry I am. Just please know I’m here for you.”

Jessa took a breath.

Cain tilted her chin up with the side of one hand.

“You were afraid to tell me? Why?”

She nodded against the hand that held her face.

“A little. What I was most afraid of was this affecting our relationship. There’s a possibility I won’t be able to have children. Also, I thought you’d be mad at me for not telling you before.” When he opened his mouth, she interrupted him. “I tried several times to tell you...”

“God, Baby, I’m just happy you trust me enough to tell me now. Did you really think this would affect us? Change the way I feel about you?”

Jessa bit her lower lip and nodded slightly.

Cain pulled her to his chest and wrapped himself around her.

“Oh, Baby, that’s not going to happen. You’re stuck with me.” He leaned into her and sealed his lips with hers. “I want to get married, and if you want to ever try again for a child, that’s fine. If you decide not to try or nothing happens, that will be okay, too. All I need is you, Jessa.”

Tears ran in rivulets down her cheeks. Jessa smiled as her hand curled around his neck.

“I love you.”

He smiled tenderly.

“I love you, too. It would probably frighten you how much I love you. You’re all I need.”

Jessa couldn’t stop touching him. The relief racing through her made her almost dizzy.

“You’re my family,” she said. “The only family I’ll ever need.”

Cain stood with her in his arms and moved to the bed.

“We’ll get married as soon as possible. Maybe fly to Vegas.”

She sniffed and smiled shakily up at him as he pulled his shirt over his head.

“Is that a question?” she asked, grinning because she knew what he’d say.

He smirked down at her.

“Hell, no.”

She rolled her eyes and chuckled. He was going to be a pain in the ass most of the time, but she wouldn’t change anything about him.

The End