License to Love (22 page)

“I’m giving up my
lifestyle
for a life, a real one.” Steve . laughed and hugged her, swinging her completely off the ground, turning around and around with her in his arms. Then he set her on her feet, letting her slide slowly down the length of his body, turning their release into an intimate, sensual caress.

“Come on, we’re getting out of here.” He took her hand and pulled her along with him. “We have to get rings and blood tests and a license.”

“Can’t we make love first?” Michelle asked breathily. “It’s been so long and I’ve missed you so much, Steve.” 

“Sweetie, you don’t have to ask twice.” 

Laughing, loving each other, they walked out of the office and into their future together.

Epilogue

Nine months later

ⁱ
‘It’s a boy!” the doctor said exultantly, putting the wriggling, squalling newborn infant into the proud father’s arms.

Steve was smiling broadly and his dark eyes were suspiciously moist as he showed Michelle their new son. She hardly had time to admire him, though, for she was otherwise occupied—giving birth to their daughter.

“A girl,” proclaimed the doctor.

“She’s beautiful!” breathed Steve. He handed the baby boy to Michelle so he could hold their daughter.

“A dark-haired girl and a blond boy,” the nurse said with a happy sigh. “You have the perfect family.”

“I have to agree with the nurse,” Steve said later in the privacy of Michelle’s hospital room. He was holding blueeyed Jake while Michelle cuddled black-eyed Julie. “We are the perfect family.” He leaned down to affectionately kiss his wife’s forehead and she smiled up at him, love shining softly in her eyes.

Early in her pregnancy, tests had revealed the presence of twins and Steve couldn’t have been more attentive and supportive to her throughout. Michelle knew he would be as devoted a father as he was a husband. Having committed himself to the role of family man, he thrust himself into it with his customary determination, vigor and zeal.

Because twins often come early and fast, the doctors had advised Michelle to stop working midway through her pregnancy, and though quitting her job would have been wrenching at one time, under the circumstances, she was relieved to leave Senator Dineen’s office. Ed’s affair with Leigh Wilson continued with an appalling lack of discretion and taste, leaving the rest of his staff angry and demoralized. One by one, resignations were handed in, and as word of Ed’s scandalous behavior reached the folks in his district back home, point by point, his standing at the polls slowly sank. His re-election was seriously in doubt as a well-spoken, ' idealistic, happily-married contender had announced her intentions to run for the state senate seat.

With the twins needing her full time, Michelle decided to put her career on hold for a while, but she had a standing offer to work for Legislative Engineers Limited whenever she felt like venturing back into the Harrisburg scene.

“Oh, I almost forgot, this came for you in the mail today.” Holding the baby in one arm, Steve handed Michelle a thick mailing bag. It was postmarked New York, New York.

“It’s Ashlinn’s manuscript!” Michelle grinned. “She promised she would send me a copy. She actually found a publisher and sold her book.”

“She promised, hmm? Seems more like a threat to me.” Steve helped her tear open the bag and remove the manuscript.
“Hooked!
What kind of a title is that?”

“It’s about women who love men who don’t love them,” Michelle told him.

Steve set the manuscript aside. “You can’t relate to that, Michelle. You love a man who loves you more than life itself.” He gazed passionately into her eyes. “You know that, Michelle. Don’t you?”

“Yes,” she whispered, squeezing his hand. “I know, Steve.”

END