The Proposal (The Proposition #2)(29)

He brought his other hand up to cup her face. “You don’t need to apologize. You’re here with me now, and everything is going to be okay.”

Furiously she shook her head. “But don’t you see? Everything is not okay!”

“I know, but—”

“It’s easy to stand there and tell me not to get upset, but you have no idea what I’m going through at the moment!” she shrieked.

He cast his blue eyes downward. “I realize that, Em.”

She swiped her cheeks with the backs of her hand. “Every minute, every second, I can’t help thinking of it all falling apart. I’m so scared something bad is going to happen to Noah. I’ve lost everyone I’ve ever loved. I can’t lose him, too.” Her chest heaved as another racking sob rolled through her.

Without hesitation, Aidan drew her into his strong embrace. She should have shrugged him away. Being close to him when she was so emotionally broken was playing with fire. But she was so very tired of being alone all the time and having to bear every burden on her own. Aidan had enough strength for the both of them, and just being held in his arms sent comfort pulsing through her.

Grabbing him around the back, she fisted his shirt in her hands, hanging on for dear life. Aidan’s lips warmed against her ear, causing her to shiver. “Shh, please, sweetheart. Don’t cry,” he crooned in her ear. “I’m here for you, and we’re going to get through this together.”

His words reassured her, and for both him and for Noah, she tried composing herself. When her cries begin to quiet, Aidan pulled away and stared intently at her. His blue eyes blazed with intensity. “Listen to me. You have every right to be scared, but I want you to believe me when I say that Noah is going to be fine. He’s blessed with some strong as hell genes.” Placing his hand on her belly, he smiled. “He’s part Fitzgerald, and for generations, the men of my family have been known for being tough, scrappy fighters with a will of iron to survive.”

“Really?” she questioned with a hiccup.

Aidan nodded. “But even more than the fighting Irish Fitzgerald blood pumping through him, he’s inherited the most amazing DNA from his mother. She’s the strongest person I’ve ever known.”

His words, coupled with the sincerity in which he spoke them, caused a burning wildfire in her chest. “Oh Aidan,” she murmured.

He brushed her hair out of her face. “You just have to keep being strong, Em. That fire that burns so deep within you—the one that’s seen you through the darkest times—you’ve got to stoke it to burn a little brighter.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear it.” He rose up off the floor. “Now come on. All the hot water is going to be gone before you get cleaned up.”

When he tore his shirt over his head, she widened her eyes. “What are you doing?”

“Taking my shirt off. I don’t wanna get drenched helping you take a shower.”

Her head shook wildly from side to side. “I don’t need your help.”

“You’re exhausted, Em. Just let me help you, okay?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“And why not?”

Heat flooded her cheeks. “Because you’ll see me…”

A playful grin curved on his lips. “Have you forgotten that I’m well acquainted with every beautiful inch of your body?”

She stared down at her hands in her lap. “No, but it was different then. We were different then.”

The feel of his intense stare made her finally look up. “And it’s different now because I’m not going to devour you when I see you naked. I’m going to take care of you. There are more levels of intimacy than just sex, Emma.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“So let me help you.”

She exhaled a defeated breath and nodded. “Will you turn the chair around, so I’m not facing you?”

An amused glint twinkled in his eyes. “Yes, Miss Modest, I can.”

“For your information, there’s more of me than the last time you saw me,” she argued as he adjusted the seat.

He turned around and shrugged. “I doubt that. Besides, you’re still just as beautiful as the first time I saw you.”

“Always the flirt, aren’t you?” she replied with a grin.

“Just stating facts, ma’am.” Aidan’s hands then reached for the hem of her shirt. Instead of protesting, she let him pull it over her head. His gaze hovered over her cle**age a little longer than it should have before he tossed her shirt onto the wicker hamper. “Stand up,” he instructed.

“You’re so bossy.”

“And you’re so damn stubborn,” he countered as he pulled her pants down.

Left in only her underwear, she shivered. As if to even the playing field, Aidan’s fingers went to his fly and took his pants off as well. His eyes met hers as she brought her arms around her back and unfastened her bra. After it slid to the floor, she wrapped her arms around her br**sts.

“Oh Em, seriously? Quit acting like I’m some pervert getting off at this.”

That little flicker of hellfire sparked within her at his exasperation. Her hands then went to the waistband of her underwear, and she ripped the panties down her thighs as best she could with her belly getting in the way. Meeting his surprised gaze she strode over to the shower and sat down on the chair. “I’d like my vanilla body wash please and the pink sponge. Thank you.”