The Highest Bidder (12 page)
“Everything will be okay, my love.” When he finally relaxed against her and lifted his head, there were tears in his eyes. Veronica brushed them away in the same gentle sweeping motions he had done to her.
“I never said anything to her, to anyone. I went along like we were living in this happy little world where nothing could touch us. Hell, I even think I started to believe my own lie. It hurt when she died. I felt such immense guilt for how things ended between us. Maybe if I had been more attentive, stopped spending so many hours in the office, and showed her the affection she craved, she wouldn’t have strayed.”
Veronica shook her head and stopped him form continuing. She cupped his square jaw in her hands she pressed her mouth to his. “Living in the past will only hold you back from your future.” The words were murmured against his lips and she felt his small smile. This wasn’t Kristoff’s fault. “I didn’t know Macie or the kind of relationship the two of you shared, and can’t explain why she betrayed you. All I can say is that my time with you, as short as it has been, has been nothing but beautiful. You love me like no other, and give me your heart and soul until there is nothing left to give. I now realize that I was lost before you came along. You scooped me up and showed me there was a life outside of the square box I have lived in my entire life. You healed me and I hope to someday heal you too, right here.” She placed her hand on his heart and looked into his eyes.
He dropped his head and inhaled deeply. When he looked at her again the love she saw in his eyes had the world tilting on its axis. “I lived in darkness before you came along. I knew the moment I saw you that you would be my salvation. Every single moment of every single day is like waking up in heaven. Your soft words, gentle touches, and sweet kisses have my love for you growing higher and higher until I don’t think I’ll ever be able to come back down to Earth. You exhilarate my life, Veronica, and bring new meaning to my days.
I’d
be the one lost without
you
.” Her chest swelled at his words and she knew in that moment, despite all the ugliness surrounding them, they would survive.
He placed his hand on her belly and stroked his thumb back and forth. “You and our baby are my life, and I’m going to make sure there is nothing that comes between us.”
Chapter Fourteen
Nine months later
Kristoff could see the pain morph Veronica’s face and wished he could take it away from her. Holding her hand was the only solace he could give her, but he knew it wasn’t enough. “You’re doing so well, sweetheart.” He brought their conjoined hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. Veronica looked at him and the corners of her lips tilted. Sweat left a light sheen on her forehead and he pushed ay the strands of golden hair that had stuck to her temples. She tightened her hand in his and he knew another contraction washed through her.
“You’re doing so well, my love.” Kristoff’s heart was near to bursting with the love he had for her. Concentration and determination swept across on her face. She was his strong little soldier.
“One more push and your baby will be here, Veronica,” the doctor said as she got everything in place for the birth of their first child. They were in their bedroom, a request from Veronica. She wanted to have their baby in the comfort of their home, so he had made that possible for her. He made sure no expense was spared with regard to the medical equipment. She may have wanted a home birth, but he wanted to make sure precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the woman he loved and their child. The beeping monitors informed him she was having another contraction.
“Do you want to see your child being born, Kristoff?” The doctor glanced up at him and smiled. He leaned forward and felt his heart jump into his throat as their child’s head crowned. “Veronica, look at your baby.” Kristoff helped her upper body up and placed several pillows behind her to keep her comfortable.
“One more big push and your baby will be here.” Nurses scurried about as the doctor prepared for the birth. Moments later a high-pitched little cry filled the room. The physician held up their child.
“It’s a girl!”
The sound of Veronica crying had him tearing his eyes from the tiny little person and looking at his wife. He buried his face in her neck and breathed in her scent. “You did so well, baby.” The sound of a little whimper had both of them laughing. A nurse brought their daughter over, wrapped in a yellow blanket. Kristoff took his daughter into his arms and felt euphoria settle deep inside of him. “Are you glad we waited to find out the sex?” He lifted his eyes from the most beautiful little person he had ever seen and stared at his wife. Veronica looked exhausted, but her smile was wide and her eyes were full of love.
“It was the best surprise ever.”
Kristoff smiled. He couldn’t agree more. His daughter whimpered again and he looked down at her. “My girls.” He kissed her little forehead and breathed in the sweet smell only a baby had. “I’m so proud of you.” He handed the baby over and smoothed his hand across Veronica’s cheek.
“Look at what we made, Kristoff.” She didn’t take her eyes off their daughter when she spoke.
“She’s incredible, isn’t she?” He sat on the edge of the bed and ran his finger down the bridge of their child’s nose.
Commotion in the hallway drew their attention from their little miracle and they watched as Griffin and Nikolas strode into the room. They had driven from Hawkson last night when he called them with the news Veronica was in labor. Griffin was all grins but Nikolas looked a bit unsure. “Come and meet your niece.” The excitement in Kristoff’s voice was evident when he felt Veronica grip his hand and give it a squeeze. His brothers came to the edge of the bed looked down at the little bundle. “Want to hold her?” Griffin shook his head and Nikolas took a step back.
“We’re all thumbs, brother.” Kristoff couldn’t help but smile at the nervousness in Nikolas’s voice. The brothers might be hard-asses at the best of times, but right now they seemed very vulnerable.
“Later, when things have settled and you two have had the proper time you need to bond.” Griffin moved forward and stared at their daughter. “She’s beautiful.”
“Good thing she looks like her mother,” Nikolas teased, and they all laughed.
“She is so beautiful.” Stacia’s voice had them all looking toward the door. Over the past several months Veronica and Stacia had become close. If it wasn’t for her late-night rendezvous with the cook, Kristoff would have lost Veronica and their baby. Because of that he was forever in Stacia’s debt. “Did you guys decide on a name?”
Veronica looked up and him, happiness and love reflected in her eyes. “What do you think about Faith?” He looked down and ran his fingers through the blonde tuft of hair on his daughter’s head.
“I think it’s perfect.” As Kristoff looked between his wife and daughter, he knew he would never cherish, never adore, anything as much as he did them. They were his everything, and he knew this was only the beginning of the rest of their lives.
The End
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