She relaxed. “I did wonder,” she said. “She’s so beautiful. I never thought I could compete with a woman who looked like that.”

“You’re beautiful to me, Mina,” he said quietly. “It’s what’s inside you that makes you beautiful. I can’t even describe what it is. But I’m damned glad that you found something in me to love.”

She snuggled close to him. “You have more good qualities than you realize.” She yawned. “I hope our son looks like you.”

“He may be a she,” he pointed out.

“You have four brothers,” she returned.

“You do have a point.”

“But we’ll love whatever we get.” She drew back, worried. “You don’t really mind, do you? I mean, it’s a big step just getting used to being married. Is it too soon for a baby?”

He shook his head, and there wasn’t a trace of doubt or reticence in his lean face. He touched her cheek gently. “Vic and Sandra are going to love being around for the whole process. So am I,” he added on a chuckle. “I’m looking forward to every minute of it.”

“No regrets at all?” she prompted.

“Just one,” he replied. “I wish I hadn’t taken you to Lander. You should have had a proper wedding night.”

“I don’t mind,” she replied, and meant it. “The way I felt about you, it was as natural as falling into water.” She flushed a little. “It was the most incredible experience of my whole life.”

He pursed his lips and looked down at her pert breasts, a little fuller from her pregnancy. “Want to see if we can manage another incredible experience? Or do you need sleep more?”

She shook her head. “I’m not really sleepy anymore.”

He chuckled. “Neither am I.”

Her hands went to his tie. She removed it and unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it away from his broad, hair-roughened chest. She removed his belt. But her hands hesitated.

“Chicken,” he teased.

“Come on, now, I’m new to this,” she chided.

He picked her up and put her gently under the covers. “Fair enough. I’ll do the rest.”

He took off the rest of his clothes and joined her on the bed, and her arms opened to welcome him.

It was a feast of the senses. There wasn’t an inch on her soft body that he didn’t touch with his hands and his mouth over the heated minutes that followed.

She caught her breath as the delicious sensations washed over her, lifting to meet his lips, hungry for more.

“You’re getting better at this,” he whispered against one taut little nipple.

“I’ll get even better as we go along,” she said, and then gasped as he found a very tender spot with his hands.

“The mind boggles,” he teased huskily.

She tried to tell him that it was far more sensual than the first time, but she was suddenly overwhelmed by a flash of pleasure so intense that she cried out.

“Oh, you like that, do you?” he whispered. “How about this?”