Susan Donovan - Knock Me Off My Feet

Audie headed toward the stairs and smiled to herself. Her students had given her a maternity leave send-off Friday afternoon, and she'd been overwhelmed with the realization that her life was filled with kids and soccer and happiness.

And any day now, this child.

The tears were coming again, and as she wiped her eyes she caught a glimpse of Quinn downstairs, his face pulled tight with concern and love. Suddenly he was taking the steps two at a time to get to her.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." Audie patted his arm. "You know what a hormonal spaz I've been lately."

"Would you like me to rub your feet?" He led her down slowly, one hand at her back and another cupping her elbow.

"No way," she laughed. "That's how we got into this mess in the first place."

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Quinn put an arm around her, pulled her snugly, and kissed her hair. "I love you, sweet Audie."

"And I love you." She leaned back to look at him and knew that one lifetime would not be enough to tell this man just how much she loved him.

He reached in his pants pockets and pulled out a handkerchief, dabbing her eyes with gentleness. Audie frowned, ripping the soft linen from his hands, and the tears gushed.

"Oh, crap! Hell! I did it again! I mixed the whites and the darks! All these were white before you married me! I've ruined all your beautiful, perfect handkerchiefs!"

Quinn rubbed her back. "I didn't marry you for your laundry skills, Homey. Come here to me."

She fell against him, immediately comforted by his heat on this cold and snowy March day, immediately finding her place in his arms. She breathed in the scent of whatever he was cooking, and it smelled heavenly. So did he. She sighed and snuggled closer.

"Can I ask you a question?"

He rubbed his cheek against her satin-soft hair and chuckled. "Anything."

Audie tried not to ask too often, but she needed to hear it today-the hormones, no doubt. Her voice was very faint.

"Why, Stacey? Why are we here like this, you and me?"

Quinn stroked both sides of her huge belly and smiled.

"Because you're good for my soul and I'm good for yours. And our love is good for the world."

She stared into his handsome, kind face and smiled through her tears. "We're really going to be a family, aren't we, Quinn?"

"I've got a little hint for you, Homey." He kissed her softly and breathed his words into her ear.

"We already are."