Page 3 of Forever His (The Donovans: Secret Son #6)

Tia

“I want to have another baby,” Tia said to Trent that night while she was preparing dinner.

He’d been in his office when she returned home.

Apollo had walked her and Trevor into the house and then he’d stayed while they came back out to walk Potter along the beach.

Once they were in the house that time, Tia had no plans to leave again until morning so she’d told Apollo he could leave.

The guard had bid her goodnight but Tia knew that he was either going to sit parked in his car across the street from their house, or he was going to go home for a little while and later come back and exchange places with whichever guard Trent had on duty across the street from their house.

That’s how Apollo always managed to be there first thing in the morning when she called him.

Tia tried not to be bothered by all the security.

She knew it was needed at this point, but she desperately wanted the normal life she’d had before.

The one where she was a mother and Trent was a father and they were a family and all is well.

Of course Tia knew that wasn’t their reality.

She had a career and so did Trent. They were raising a son and they had the issues with the Donovan family.

What she’d learned today was huge and could adversely impact her, her family and everything they had.

It was more serious than she’d originally wanted to believe and she knew now, without a doubt that she needed to talk to Trent about it soon.

Trevor was in the family room watching that cartoon about the planes again.

Tia could see him when she turned and looked past the large island in the center of the kitchen.

Trent was sitting at the island staring at the contents for the salad she’d instructed him to mix together.

Trent was not a cook but since he’d long ago shared that he liked watching her in the kitchen, she oftentimes put him to work.

“What did you just say?” he asked when she hadn’t turned around to face him.

She cleared her throat and turned off the water she’d been running into the pot filled with pasta.

“I would like to have another child,” she said, this time speaking slower than she had before.

Her heart was still racing because she wasn’t certain what Trent was going to say.

Trent didn’t falter. Ever.

When he’d showed up at her condo telling her that he knew she was pregnant with Trevor and demanding to know why she hadn’t told him herself, he’d been as calm as if he’d just stepped out of a sauna and was planning to take a nap.

Well, he’d seemed that way until she told him that not only would she not marry him, but that she didn’t want them to be together either.

Then he’d been angry. She’d known because the look in his eyes had changed, but nothing else, not his stance or demeanor had given any signal as to his mood shift.

She supposed that could be attributed to the training he’d received in the Navy.

“You never mentioned having more children before,” he replied and picked up a tomato.

He did not pick up the knife so Tia had no idea what he planned to do.

Maybe he was going to throw the tomato at her for suggesting they have another child.

No, that was nonsense. She didn’t know why she was so nervous about this.

Trent was her husband, he loved her. Why wouldn’t he want another baby?

“We haven’t had a lot of time to talk about our family lately. Everything has been about Roslyn Ausby and what’s going on with the Seniors. Each time I’ve thought it was a good time you’re off to get on the jet and go to whichever state your family needs you in at the moment.”

“Are you angry about the family situation? I’m not spending enough time with you? Is that what this is really about?”

Tia sighed heavily. She took the pot over to the stove and turned it on.

“No, that’s not with this is about. And I’m not saying that what’s going on with your family isn’t serious.

Because it is and I’m worried about them just like you are.

Jade called me this morning and said that your parents are staying at The Gramercy for another couple of weeks until they make a final decision about whether or not to rebuild the house,” she told him.

Trent nodded. “I know. Trent, Adam and I were planning to get together to talk about that.”

The moment she turned around, Trent looked up. He must have known what she was getting ready to say because he’d already begun shaking his head.

“Don’t say it,” she began. “I know how important this is. Your family home was burned down and you know who did it but you can’t find her. That woman might be crazy, but she can be smart when she needs to be,” Tia finished, referring to Roslyn.

“But this is precisely what I mean. This has been going on for a year now. Trevor is four and I’m…well, I’m not getting any younger,” she insisted.

He was still holding that tomato, moving it from one hand to another while his gaze remained focused on her. “You’re not even thirty yet, Tia.”

As flattering or consoling as that was probably meant to be, Tia knew the truth, time was not on her side.

“Do you know how old that translates to in the modeling world? I have maybe three to four years left on the runway, then it’s strictly print.

Why do you think I started sharing my lingerie ideas with Camille?

I’m trying to figure out what my secondary career is going to be. ”

Trent sat back then, finally putting that tomato onto the counter. Tia walked over and stood on the opposite side of the island from him. She picked up the knife and began cutting the tomato and putting the chunks into the large clear bowl she’d given him.

“You do know that I can take care of us, without you getting a secondary career, I mean,” he told her.

Tia looked up at him and resisted asking if he was crazy. Instead, she replied, “You do know that I’m perfectly capable of working for a living.”

He dragged a hand down his face.

“Yes. I realize that. And before you go on to the next tangent, no I’m not saying we can’t have another baby. I’m just trying to understand where all of this is coming from,” he said.

Tia finished with one tomato, glad she hadn’t cut herself with as fast as she was working with that knife. This conversation was making her much more nervous than she should be. Trent was her husband after all, there was no need for her to feel this anxious with him. At least there shouldn’t be.

“It’s coming from a woman who wants another child. I want sisters and brothers for Trevor to play with. You know how that feels, Trent. I don’t. Being an only child could be damn lonely sometimes,” she admitted and felt relieved that everything she was saying to him was the truth.

Still, she brought the knife down particularly hard and fast this time and the cube of tomato she’d cut went scrambling across the island.

Trent grabbed it before it could fall over the side without even turning away from her.

He was quick like that. And he was handsome and strong.

He was the best husband a woman could ask for and Tia loved him.

But she didn’t need him to continue with this conversation. She needed him to simply say yes.

Instead, Trent stood and came around the island until he was standing beside her.

Placing both hands on her shoulders he turned her to face him.

She still held the knife and Trent let one hand slide slowly down her arm until his fingers were over hers.

With a slow motion he moved her hand until she could drop the knife on the counter, then he entwined his fingers with hers.

“Baby, you know you never have to ask me to make love to you,” he told her.

She looked up at him. “It’s more than that, Trent. This is bringing another life into the world, into our world.”

He was nodding as she talked. “I know, Tia. Look, I think you’re a gorgeous and phenomenal wife, and a fabulous mother to Trevor. You’re everything I never dreamt of having. I love you more than life itself.”

She sighed, leaning forward to rest her forehead on his chest. “I really want this, Trent. I want this for us.”

He rubbed the back of her head, smoothing down her hair before kissing the top of her head.

“Then we’ll do it,” he said and kissed her head once more.

Tia raised her head to look at him. “You mean it?”

“I mean it,” Trent replied and kissed her forehead this time. “I told you that I would love you and make you happy. Right after you proposed to me that’s what I vowed.”

He smiled and so did Tia. He loved bringing up the fact that she had proposed to him. It didn’t bother Tia because she hadn’t been ashamed to go after the man she loved back then, and she wasn’t going to feel any type of guilt for pressing forward with what she needed right now.

“And I vowed to love and cherish you for all the rest of my days,” she said to her husband. “I do love you, baby. And we’re gonna be so happy having another child. Hey, if it’s a girl we’ll have the perfect pair.”

Trent cupped her face in his hands and tilted her up until her lips parted in anticipation of his kiss.

“I already have a perfect pair, you and Trevor. Anything else will be icing on the cake.”

Trent kissed her before Tia could say another word, before she could thank him and reiterate how much this meant to her.

She kissed him back realizing then that no words that could come out of her mouth would be enough to adequately explain what Trent agreeing to have another child meant to her. None at all.

Trent

One week later

“Yay! We’re flying! Flying!” Trevor yelled as he bounced up and down in his seat on the Donovan jet.

Trent smiled and reached out to touch his son’s shoulder. “Yes, we are buddy. But why don’t you sit still until Captain Rayner says its okay for us to move around.