Riley nodded, thinking he'd never seen anyone more adorable than Hannah. Her eyes widened and her gaze shot to Riley. "He's kicking now. Do you want to feel?"
His nod was eager. Sitting down on the edge of the mattress, he flattened both hands against the soft swell of her stomach.
"You might not be able to feel him through all these clothes," she said, pushing aside her pretty green top. Her skin was warm and as smooth as silk as she gripped him by the wrist and pressed his palm just below the elastic waistband of her wool slacks. "Here," she whispered as though she feared she'd disturb their child, sliding Riley's hand to the right. "He's kicking now. Can you feel?"
Riley closed his eyes, concentrating, then with a shrug of disappointment, shook his head. "Not yet."
"You will soon."
He nodded, brushed his lips over the distended roundness at her waistline and then reluctantly righted her clothes. Hannah sighed softly and wrapped her arms around his head, gently laying her cheek over his crown. "Junior and I have missed you so much."
"I missed you, too," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist and hugging her close. He shut his eyes, savoring her softness, drinking it in the way a man dying of thirst swallows down a glass of cool, clear water.
They held each other for several moments, swaddled in tenderness and appreciation for what they'd found, for what they'd both come so close to destroying. For the love he'd feared would forever escape him.
Yes, love, Riley realized. He hadn't wanted to admit it until now, but he did love Hannah. He knew so little of the emotion, his acquaintance with it was so brief, that he hadn't recognized what should have been obvious. Some part of him had known it the night they'd met. It should have been obvious later when he spent so much frustrated effort on locating her again, tearing up the city in a futile attempt to find her.
Her hands were in his hair, gently fingering his nape. "Are you hungry?" she asked after a while.
Riley tried to speak, but the words didn't come. His heart, his throat, were too full, so he simply nodded and with a good deal of reluctance released her.
"I've got dinner all planned," she announced happily. "Steak, twice-baked potatoes, fresh green beans with almond bits, and salad."
"It sounds delicious."
"I wanted to bake homemade rolls, but I ran out of time. I did get an apple pie made."
He felt like laughing for no reason and knew she was watching him, hoping he wasn't disappointed. "Apple pie is my favorite."
"I thought it might be."
Hand in hand, they strolled into the kitchen. They'd moved through it earlier, but Riley hadn't had time to notice everything Hannah had done to prepare for this homecoming. His heart swelled with appreciation as he saw the table and centerpiece.
"Can I do anything to help?"
Hannah shook her head and reached for an oven mitt. "No, thanks, I've got everything under control. It'll only take me a few minutes to cook the steaks."
"What about the mail?"
"I…opened some of it – what looked like bills – and paid those when your check arrived. The rest I set on top of your dresser."
He nodded, kissed her cheek and headed for his bedroom.