Beverly Barton - Paladin's Woman

Addy's tongue touched him intimately. He groaned. "The scars on your leg are a part of you. When we make love, when I see you naked, I don't think about your crippled leg, except to regret all the pain you must have endured."

"I'm not quite the man I used to be because of—"

"Nick Romero, you're more man with a crippled leg than any man I know with two strong legs. I've told you that before. Weren't you listening?"

She stroked him, pleasuring him with her wanton tongue. "Ah, Addy, you're good for my ego."

"I'm good for you , Nick."

He didn't disagree. She moved up his body, straddling his hips again. He thrust himself up and into her, grasping her waist as his mouth sought her breasts. She rode him wild and hard. He gave her a thorough loving, losing control the minute he felt her tighten around him and cry out her release.

In the aftermath of a second heated mating, they lay in each other's arms, listening to the sound of their breathing. Sated and spent, they touched each other with tender weakness.

"I—I lost two babies when I was married to Gerald." Addy's voice sounded loud in the hushed stillness of her bedroom.

"I know." He kissed her forehead. "Your father told me all about it."

"The doctors said I might not be able to carry a baby full term." She took a deep breath.

Nick pulled her close, kissing her with gentle sweetness. "I love you, Addy. You." He kissed her again. "Whether or not we ever have a child won't change the way I feel about you. We're so damned lucky to have found each other. What more could we want?"

"I want to give you children."

"Addy, sweetheart—"

"Elizabeth said that I would have children. Your children." She smiled at him when he stared at her in confusion.

"Elizabeth saw children in our future?" God, he hoped Sam Dundee's little soothsayer knew what she was talking about. If ever a woman wanted and needed children, it was Addy.

"Two little girls, Nick. Maria will be the eldest. She'll be our little green-eyed brunette."

Nick raised up, bracing himself with his hand as he leaned over Addy. "Maria, huh? After my grandmother."

"And Maria's little sister will have my red hair and your black eyes. I want to name her Madeline after my mother."

The conviction in Addy's words made him believe these little girls would be a part of their future. Their finding each other and falling in love had been a miracle. Who was to say that God wouldn't grant them two more miracles? "You know what, Red? I can't think of anything I'd like better than to be surrounded by adoring females for the rest of my life."

"And I can't think of anything I'd like better than being one of those adoring females." She cuddled against him.

"I love you, Red."

"I love you, too." Silently she added, I'll love you forever, my paladin.

* * * * *