Decadence (An Emerald Valley Spring Fling) Read Free

telling you so for years.” Her expression softened, and she smiled. “Love you.”
    “Love you back.”
    “Are you feeling better?”
    “Yes and no. I don’t think I can truly be happy until I know how Devlin feels about this. The financial end has me concerned, but there’s also the fact that our schedules are insane. More than that…having a child changes things. For the better, I believe, but…”
    “But you have to know what he thinks,” Leah finished for me. “Fair enough. If you want my opinion, you and Devlin will make great parents. This is a blessing.”
    “Thanks, Lei.”
    She stood and dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “No problem. Now pull up your big-girl panties and get back to work.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Leah dropped back into her chair and grinned at me. “And enjoy this stage of being pregnant. You haven’t popped, but your tits are gonna look awesome in that nightie you bought for tonight.”
    That succeeded in making me laugh. “Shut. Up.” I shoved a notepad at her. “If you can get your mind out of the gutter, we’ve been slacking on keeping track of our cleaning supply inventory. Can you check the closet and do orders?”
    “Not my favorite thing, but sure. Have you looked at the summer special ads I drafted?”
    “Next on my list.”
    “We each have our marching orders, then.”
    I brought the ads up on my computer, and we spent the next few hours working in companionable silence, all talk of nerves and children on hold.
    * * * *
    I’d spent longer at the Emerald than planned, and by the time I got home, I was cursing myself for getting sweet-talked into reading a bedtime story to Miri and then eating a late dinner with Jon and Lei when I was already running late. Fortunately I still had some time before Devlin got home. I’d need every minute of it.
    Like every other room in the house, save for the kitchen, our bedroom was fairly empty. Not quite the romantic setting I’d been hoping for, but I’d make it work. Our bed was still at the Emerald, but we had pillows, blankets, and a gorgeous new rug and nightstands that had been part of Devlin’s Valentine’s Day surprise. The rug had been rolled back up and the nightstands pushed back in anticipation of our moving furniture in, but I had pulled them back out while Devereaux was doing his magic in the kitchen. I laid out the rug in front of the fireplace I’d drooled over during our first walk-through and maneuvered the nightstands into place around it. I set out the candles and silverware in rapid succession, scrounged around to find the matches I’d almost forgotten to buy, then checked my watch and mentally cheered. Still enough time to shower and get all dolled up.
    By the time I’d cleaned up and tamed my hair into some sexy waves I knew wouldn’t last longer than the time it took for Devlin and me to hit the floor, my stomach was a tangle of excited nerves. I’d run down to the kitchen and put the cake in the oven, but I still wasn’t ready when I heard Devlin downstairs.
    “Gah!” I’d just finished putting on my makeup, but I was wearing sweats and a ratty T-shirt rather than the sexy red lingerie I’d bought for tonight.
    “Hey, Naya?” he called up the stairs. “What are you cooking?”
    “A mini chocolate cake. Dev wants to add it to Decadence’s menu,” I called out as I raced out of the bedroom and down the stairs. “It’s not quite done baking yet.”
    I nearly collided with Devlin, who was coming out of the kitchen. He instinctively caught me by my shoulders to keep me from tumbling, then gave me a wicked smile. My heart skipped a beat, and everything in me simply stopped for a moment as I stared at my husband’s face. I’d known Devlin all my life, had loved him even before I’d truly understood what love was. And yet there were still moments when just the sight of his face, with its strong, square features and bright whiskey-brown eyes, made me catch my breath.
    When he brought his