Broken Promises

Me: Love you, too. We’ll talk soon.

I felt him before I saw him. Walker stood in front of me with the goofiest smile on his face. I cocked my head at him. “What’s with the smile?”

I glanced behind him and saw Michael was sound asleep in his crib. I looked back and was immediately lost in Walker’s eyes.

“You make me smile. You make my heart feel like it could burst at any moment. You’re so beautiful, Liza. I have to catch my breath when you walk into a room.”

Taking his hand in mine, I pulled Walker out of Michael’s room and down the hall to our room. I glanced at the double heart ring, still on my finger. My heart skipped a beat.

Entering the room, Walker shut the door behind him. He leaned against it and gave me that smile that made my stomach flutter with a million butterflies.

“Do you remember that day in the barn?” I asked as my eyes searched his.

His eyes lit up with passion. “The first time we ever kissed? I could never forget that day, Liza.”

I spun the ring on my finger as I gazed into his eyes. I was taken back to that one moment. The moment I promised to wait for him. The moment I promised to myself that he would have my heart forever. One promise I had broken. The other promise I would keep until I’d taken my last breath.

Walker pushed his body right up against mine. He placed his lips next to my ear. “You walk into a room and my heart stops.”

I gasped as he covered my neck with soft kisses. Pulling back some, he looked at me with nothing put love in his eyes. My heart raced. I was sure Walker could hear it.

Walker cupped my face with his hands. His thumbs gently traced over my skin eliciting goose bumps all over my body. “Your love takes my breath away, Liza.”

I moaned as he pressed his lips to mine. As always, we were lost in each other the moment our lips made contact. Every movement of our tongues, every moan, and every bare-skinned touch—we were lost in a world where we were one. Lost in our love.

Walker was my everything, and I was his everything. We were a promise, made to each other. A promise that would be bound by something so strong it could never break.

A promise bound by love.

Forever.

I SAT ON the steps of the back porch of our house and watched Liza play with Michael. His birthday party was winding down and everyone had finally gone home. Liza glanced over to me and smiled. “I think he’s ready for a nap!” She called out.

Nodding, I said, “I give him two minutes.”

Liza was walking with Michael back up to the porch. Michael stopped in front of me and grinned. I smiled back and held my hands out for him. I lifted him up as I stood and the three of us made our way into the house.

“I’m Fwee, Daddy!” Michael said with a smile and then a yawn.

I patted his back and he rested his head on my chest. “I know buddy. You’re a big boy now, but big boys need naps, too.”

Liza pulled the covers back and I placed Michael into his toddler bed. He didn’t even do the normal routine where he tried to stay up as long as possible. He pulled his covers up and shut his eyes, holding his stuffed Pooh Bear. I peeked over to Liza. She made a funny face and giggled.

Tip-toeing out of his room, I shut the door and started down the hall. “Should we clean up now or wait until later? I think I’m ready for a nap.”

Liza flashed me a sexy grin. She started for our room upstairs and I followed. Oh man. A nap is going to feel so good.

“I can’t wait for my head to hit the pillow,” I said as I followed Liza up the stairs.

We walked into the room and I quickly pulled off my T-shirt and sat on the bed.

Liza came over to me and sat on my lap, wrapping her legs around me. She leaned down and brushed her lips against mine. “I have something I have to tell you,” she whispered against my lips.

I looked into her blue eyes and smiled. “I’m all ears, darlin’.”

She bit her lip. I chuckled as I pulled it from her teeth. Then she smiled the most breath-taking smile. I felt like all the air was pulled from my lungs as I watched that smile spread across her face, her eyes so bright they could have been seen from across the room.

She placed her hands on my face and brushed her thumbs across my lips.

“I’m pregnant.”

My heart slammed in my chest and my stomach dropped. I was sure the smile on my face matched hers.

“We’re having another baby?” I asked as tears formed in my eyes.

She nodded and winked. “And this time, I’m positive it’s a girl. I just feel it.”

I laughed as I looked at my beautiful wife. I thought my life had been complete up until this very moment. We hadn’t talked about any more kids. If it happened, it happened. My heart beat like crazy at the idea of another baby. We were going to give Michael a baby brother or sister.

Placing my hand on her stomach, I looked into her eyes. “Our love is forever, Liza,” I whispered.

She placed her hand over mine. “Love me, Walker.”

I pulled her body closer and placed my lips against hers. “Always.”