Seducing the Professor (22 page)

“I never did.  You will be here when I get back?”

Alexandra was amazed at his insecurity.  She took his face between her hands and pulled him down for a sweet and tender kiss. She smiled at him and his breath once again lost its way to his lungs.

“I’ll be here, honey.”

Paul walked back into the kitchen fifteen minutes later wearing black board shorts with a white shirt and black sneakers.  He looked refresh
ed and once again the gorgeous man that always takes her breath away.

She dished up and they ate in silence, but he took her hand when he sat down next to her and refused to let go.
  He helped her to clean up and then they walked outside and sat on the bench under the large tree facing the sea, where he found her the day before.

Paul drew her under his arm and she went willingly.  Her hand falling on his thigh in a natural possessive claim.  They stared out to sea for several minutes.

“How did you find me? No one knew where I was except …”

“I phoned your Dad the day after you left and all he was willing to tell me was that you were in Australia, which Wade already did.  Your mother and he felt you needed the time and he told me to phone him if in a weeks’ time I had not heard from you.  Even then your mother was adamant I should let you be, but your Dad told me you flew to Adelaide and took a ferry to your destination.  This Island is the closest, so I took a chance.”

“But how did you find me here?  There are a few little villages all over the Island.”

“I figured you would choose a place where you could indulge in your passion.  Nature and animals.  This village is smack in the middle of two conservation parks and the seals are around the corner.  Everyone living here knew who you were and I was directed to this house within minutes of arriving here.”

“You know me too well.”

They fell silent for a few moments, just enjoying their closeness.

“Why Paul?”

He sighed and leaned down to kiss her on her forehead.

“Stupidity.  I reacted on pure emotion and did not think it through.  I realized it the minute I kissed her, even before you walked in, but it was too late then.  I got spooked.”

Alexandra frowned, trying to recall what could have spooked him and then remembered his passionate statement that they were never having children.

“With Paul Junior’s birth?”

“Yes.  I want children, Alexandra.  Lots of them, but not with you.”

She froze and pulled away from him, shocked to her core. Her voice was raw and husky.

“Why not … with me?”

“Because I will never be able to see you go through what Mandy went through.
What your Dad said your Mom went through. Nothing spooks or scares Slade.  He was terrified when Mandy was in labor.  I am not as strong as he is.  I will not be able to see you suffer.”

“That is the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard!  Not all births are that difficult, but with all of them women go through labor pains.”

“Nevertheless.”

“I see.  So what am I to be to you then?  Are you going to set me up somewhere as your mistress, marry someone else and have children with her?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Then I am afraid I don’t understand.  The reality my love, is that I also want children, lots of them and I would prefer them to be yours.  But if you don’t want mine, I will have someone else’s.”

“Over my dead body!”

“So, I assume up till this moment, you still have not come up with a solution?  Suggesting we have no children is not even an option, so you can just wipe that from your list.  I always wanted to give birth naturally, but if you feel so strongly about it, I am prepared to have cesareans.”

“And scar your beautiful body in the process!”

Alexandra sighed and turned to him.

“Honey, it is a sacrifice every woman makes willingly.  Besides, nowadays they use lasers and the cut is hardly visible afterwards.”

He was silent for a long time, gazing out to sea. A small smile formed on his lips and he grinned at her.

“You know I have spent the last two weeks working out a declaration on what to say and how to say it … and here we are, discussing having children and I have not even started telling you how I feel.  Slade made me realize how important it is to communicate with your loved ones.  To always tell them how you feel and not just assume they know.”

He stood up and took a few steps away before he turned around and looked at her. He shook his head and his smile was beautiful.

“I have no doubt in my mind and heart, my beautiful Angel that you love me.  You would never give yourself to me with so much abandon and completeness if you didn’t.  I assumed you knew the same of me.  Every time I touched you, kissed you, just looked at you it was with love.  Every time we made love it was with love.  I never knew what it meant to make love with someone, until you.  I can’t keep my hands off you and not just to make love, but just to feel you.  Feeling the pulsing of your blood through your veins, the beating of your heart inside my own. I can’t be without you, Alexandra.  I need you to make me whole, to ground me and guide me, but most of all, to love me.  I have to have you love me … I need to have you love me!”

He knelt in front of her and wrapped his arms around her waist.  She spread her legs and he leaned into her.  She wrapped her arms around his back and caressed him with long slow stroke
s. Her heart beating with love, in love and by love for this wonderful, tender man in her arms.

He drew back and kissed her softly.   

“I love you, Alexandra. I can’t exactly say when but I know my heart missed a beat the first day I looked into that dirty face of yours. Why do you think I threw you in jail?  I wanted you to come back to me and you did.  When you so sassily threw that towel over my shaft, your fate was sealed.  I knew there and then I would never let you go.  I still don’t know how I am going to overcome the birth of our children, but I need you in my life.  For now and into eternity.  Alexandra Simpson will you please marry me?””

“Try and stop me, Shuttle! 

He laughed at her snappy response and drew her tight against his chest and kissed her with all the love and passion in his heart.  Alexandra looked deep into his eyes.  Never once thinking this would be how her trip to Kangaroo Island would end.

“I do love you, Paul Shuttle. Very much and with a depth and passion it scares me.  I already decided
yesterday that I was going back to make you love me. You are right, us woman need reassurance all the time.  We need the words, I need the words!”

She smiled gently and stroked his chin.

“I knew you were meant to be mine the moment you picked me up and threw me in the boot of your SUV.  Your hands on my body felt immediately as if they belonged there. Why do you think I allowed you to make love to me on the day after we met?  We were destined to be and I need you in my life, for now, and into eternity.”

“When?  When will you marry me, Angel?  I need you as my wife and I don’t want to wait for months.”

“I am afraid neither of our families will forgive us if we do not have a proper wedding.”

“Fine, but then you better be able to arrange a wedding within two weeks.  We are getting married on the sixteenth of June, not a day later!”

“Yes, my love.”

He scowled at her.

“Just yes, my love?  No screaming, shouting or demanding your right to choose a date?”

“Just yes, my love.”

He smiled and dug his hand in his short’s pocket.  He took her hand in his and slowly pushed a ring on her finger.

“With this ring, I
take thee, Alexandra Simpson to be my wedded Wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, and into eternity thereafter.”

Alexandra cried openly when
he said the wedding vows and gasped when she saw the ring.  It was a beautiful large clear cut round white diamond, surrounded by two rows of smaller diamonds set on a wide band.  She placed her hand over his that was still holding hers.

“I accept
this ring and I take thee, Paul Shuttle to be my wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, and into eternity thereafter.”

The kiss they shared sealed their vows to each other, their hearts blended as one, knowing their lives together only just began.

“Honey, I have something to tell you and I think you better come and sit down first.  I am afraid this is going to spook you.”

“
Now that I know we are bound to one another, nothing can spook me, heart of mine.”

“Do you
wanna bet?”

“Hmm … this sounds interesting.  What are we betting?”

“If I manage to spook you, you will promise for the rest of our lives tomake me lose total control and be only your
s
at least once a week .”

“And if you don’t spook me?”

“I will for the rest of our lives once a week give you all I have bartered freely.”

“You need to learn how to make
bets, my love.  I am not the loser in either of these.”

“Neither am I!”

He laughed with her and hugged her close.  “My love, you don’t have to bet for it, I plan on always giving so much that you will have no other recourse but to lose control.”

“Is that a promise?”

“No, my love.  It is a fact.”

He sat down next to her and picked her up and placed her on his lap.  He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned against him.  Stroking his hand.

“So, Blondie, spook away.”

She took his hand and placed it on her belly.  She smiled tenderly and looked in his eyes.

“I only realized it this morning.  I am afraid you are going to have to come to terms in dealing with your children’s birth a little quicker than you might have thought.  We … are expecting our first child, my love.”

He forgot to breathe and his heart stopped beating.  He gasped for breath when his lungs protested.  He looked at his hand covering her stomach.  He stroked her belly, but it was still as flat as always.  He pulled the straps of sundress
over her shoulders and pushed her dress down.  He folded his hand around her breast and sighed with wonder.

“I thought they felt fuller … we’re pregnant.  We’re really pregnant! 
Lord, woman when you spook, you really do it well don’t you!  You are going to have to help me to deal with the birth, Angel!”

“Oh no!  You’re the one that is going to help me.  You will see when the time comes, my love.  I have full faith in you!”

He pushed her off his lap and turned her around.  He pulled her dress further down and she complained loudly.  They were standing on the front lawn next to a road for heaven sake!  He ignored her and stroked her belly tenderly.  He leaned forward and kissed her all over her belly.

“Hello, little one.  It’s your Daddy.  Mommy and I are going to love you so much.  So very much!”

“Honey, wake up!”

“Hmm.”

Paul reached for her and pulled her back against him. As usual, his hands found her belly immediately and he caressed it with long slow strokes.  Soothing her and their child.

“Shuttle!  Wake up!”

“I’m awake, Angel.  Who can sleep when you make such a ruckus?”

“Good.  Now please don’t get spooked, my love.  My water broke and I already had my first contraction. 
Ahh … oh lord … aahahhh … and my second one!”

Paul stiffened behind her.  He sat up immediately and switched on the lamp.  He threw the covers off and searched the bed.

“When did your water brake?  The bed is dry.”

“Thirty minutes ago in the bathroom.”

“Why the hell did you not wake me then already!”

“Honey, you know it takes time, but I am … thin … king …
aaahhhh … maybe …. Aaahhh … I should have.”

“Is that your third contraction?” 

He trembled holding her hand through the contraction and winced at the strength with which she squeezed his hand.

“
Yeeessss … and they are too close!  Oooohhh!  Paul hold me!  Oh Lord … I am scared!  We won’t make the hospital, honey.”

“NO, we will.  I am nearly dressed.  Just hang in there, Angel!”

“Aaaaahhhh!  Paul, you have … to listen to me … your hand!  Aaaahhhh! Honey, you will … have to … do it!  There is … no time … he is already … aaahhhhh … on his way!  I can feel him!  Call Ellie … sshheeee can heeelllppp you.”

“Angel!  I can’t do this!”

“Yes, my love.  You can!  We can!  Gooooo …. call Eeeellliiieeee!”

He tore out of the room screaming for Ellie and phoned David at the same time, giving him instructions on what to bring to the house.  Ellie lived in a cottage not fifty yards from the house.  She was already running towards him having heard him screaming her name.

“What’s the matter Paulie?”

“The baby!  We have to … come Ellie!  It’s too late to go to the hospital!”

David rushed in and handed the bag and steel frame they use for examinations Paul requested.  He ran up the stairs and immediately grabbed Alexandra’s hand. He held her against him when another and very strong contraction tore through her body.

“Paul … I can’t … please … it’s too much!”  Her voice sounded strained and weak
.  Terror ripped through him.  He already phoned the gynecologist and he was on his way as well.

Ellie very efficiently set everything in place
and Paul asked her to go and sit next to Alexandra. 

“Angel
, just hold on, my love.  We are going to do this together.  All the way.  You can do this, Blondie.  There is no woman stronger than you.”