Morgan's Marriage Read online

Laura felt Morgan move powerfully within her, taking her, claiming her for his own. He was strong as he surged into her, and she held him with all her woman’s strength and tenderness as he began to rock her hips in a rhythm as ancient as the world that now embraced them. She gave herself freely, fully to Morgan, matching his rhythm, pulling him even more deeply into the confines of her sacred place, which burned with molten fire. They moved in a unison born of years of loving—and months of careful relearning. Laura was forever amazed and grateful that each time they loved was better than the last—more sacred in a way that not only touched her heart, but grazed her very soul. At eighteen, she hadn’t known lovemaking could have this deeply spiritual aspect, but now, as a mature woman, she knew and appreciated this new awareness—this new level of exquisite pleasure.

  An explosion of heat rushed through her lower body, and Laura felt Morgan stiffen in almost the same instant. She felt a wonderful joy in climaxing together, at the same moment, for it didn’t always happen that way. She wrapped her legs around his, heightening his pleasure, even as she relished his powerful arms around her, holding her so tightly that her skin seemed to dissolve and become his. Intense waves of pleasure washed over her, and she sighed, clinging to him and reveling in the golden moment they shared.

  Little by little, Laura became aware of the sunlight warming her once more, the breeze dancing over them as they lay on the blanket, on their sides, still holding each other. The gurgle of the creek entered her consciousness, and slowly she opened her eyes. Morgan was slightly above her, propped on his elbow, studying her in the silence. His gray eyes were half-closed, thoughtful, still banked with coals of desire. She smiled tenderly and turned onto her back, content just to be close to him. Reaching up, she threaded her fingers through his drying hair. Despite the horrors and hardships Morgan had endured in his forty-some years of living, he looked stronger and more handsome to her now than ever before.

  And Laura knew it was because of the decisions he had made fifteen months ago. No one was more grateful than she for his unselfish choices. It had taken that kind of dramatic change and commitment from him to help her overcome the rapes. Without that, she wondered if she would have healed as well as she now had.

  “I love you,” she quavered, sliding her fingers across his scarred cheek.

  Morgan leaned down and cherished her smiling lips. “And I love you with my life, Little Swan,” he rasped, sliding his hand down her ribs to rest on her hip.

  Laura reached up, framing his face with her hands, mere inches separating them. “I have a wonderful surprise for you, Morgan.”

  He frowned at the undisguised, raw emotion in her voice, then smiled a little. “What is it?”

  Laura smiled tenderly and took his hand, placing it against her belly. “Haven’t you noticed something different about me?”

  Morgan frowned again. His eyes widened. He gave Laura a shaken look, then stared down at his darkly suntanned hand spanning her abdomen and back into her radiant blue eyes. “You’re pregnant?” The words came out in an explosion of disbelief. The gynecologist in Fairfax, Virginia, had told Morgan in no uncertain terms that Laura would never conceive again.

  Laura laughed softly and sat up, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face against his neck. “Oh, Morgan, I’m three months along! That first time we were able to truly make love, I conceived! It’s been killing me to wait until today to tell you!” She laughed freely and kissed him repeatedly all over his face like a happy puppy.

  “But,” Morgan growled, gripping her by the arms, staring at her flushed features, “the doctor said—”

  “What do doctors know?” She laughed, throwing her arms around his neck. “Morgan, I’m pregnant! Isn’t it wonderful? Michaela said the pregnancy is fine. I’m fine!”

  Stunned, Morgan continued staring at her. One of the things Laura had done shortly after moving to Philipsburg was to visit Dr. Michaela, the homeopathic physician who served the small community. Sarah had gone to her for help from time to time, and their smoke-jumper friend, Pepper Sinclair-Woodward, swore by Michaela’s magic with alternative medicine.

  “B-but—” he stammered, “how? I—I don’t understand.”

  Trying to contain her joy, Laura knelt in front of him, her hands on his shoulders. “First of all, are you happy about it, darling?”

  “Well…of course I am,” he rasped, sliding his hand along her jaw and drowning in the joy in her eyes. “But I’m worried, too.”

  Laura shrugged. “I went to Michaela for a homeopathic constitutional treatment right after we moved here, Morgan. You remember that.”

  “Yes. Sarah said it might help you with the emotional problems resulting from the rape.”

  “Exactly,” Laura said, smiling. “And it did. Well, what I didn’t know but learned from Michaela is that homeopathic treatments not only works on a person mentally and emotionally, but physically, too.” She shook her head and reached out to take both his hands. “I didn’t tell you about one conversation Michaela had with me quite a while back. She examined me as any other doctor would, and she said that with homeopathic treatment, there might be a chance I could have children again.”

  “This isn’t making sense,” Morgan muttered. “How could conventional medical treatment say one thing and this alternative method another?”

  “Proof’s in the pudding, isn’t it?” she teased, laughing. “Michaela said that scar tissue sometimes could, with homeopathic treatment, be dissolved. I didn’t believe it, either, Morgan, but over the months, it was happening. And at that point—” she sighed, brushing several strands of hair away from her eyes “—I really began to believe what Michaela was saying all along—that I could have children again. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to get your hopes up, Morgan. I didn’t want us to fail at this. I kept it to myself and hoped it would work.” Her hands tightened around his and she shrugged. “It did!”

  Morgan shook his head, stunned. “I’ll be damned.”

  “Are you happy?”

  “Of course I am, Little Swan.” He pulled her back into his arms and they sat looking out over the mirror like surface of the deep blue water. He kissed her cheek. “Does Michaela think you can carry this baby to term?” he asked, recalling the trouble they’d had with Katherine coming early.

  “Yes, she does. You know, half her homeopathic practice is mommies-to-be, babies and children. Michaela has fifteen years of experience, and I trust what she knows, Morgan. She feels I can deliver our baby to term, healthy and without labor problems.”

  “Because of your homeopathic treatments?” he wondered aloud.

  “Yes. But Michaela isn’t going to take any chances. I see her monthly for examinations and checkups. She gives me different remedies.” Laura eased her head to the left and looked up at him. “I didn’t even have morning sickness this time, Morgan, because she gave me a remedy that stopped it. Isn’t that wonderful?”

  Amazed, Morgan nodded. Gently, he covered her abdomen with his hands. “A baby,” he whispered unsteadily.

  “Our baby, rising out of the ashes of our love for each other,” she reminded him softly. “She’s like the fable about the phoenix—the bird that’s destroyed by fire, burned to ashes and arises even more beautiful and strong into a new phoenix.

  “Our love has gone through those fires, darling. We were both destroyed and reduced to ashes ourselves. We’ve risen out of that horrifying past—and look at us now! We’re better and happier than before. Yes, this little girl is definitely our phoenix child, a gift for having the courage to fight back, to survive and put our love back together.” Her voice trembled. “She is about our redefined, newly discovered love, Morgan. I’ve never felt happier or more at peace with myself, with you and our family than now. I have my hope back, and life looks like such a rich, unfolding adventure to me now—thanks to you helping me survive and climb back on my feet….”

  Morgan saw the tears in Laura’s eyes and knew he had matching tears in his
. Running his hands gently over her swelling abdomen, he felt too emotional to speak. Laura sighed softly, leaning back against him. The pond, the green grass and bright flowers blurred before his eyes. “I had my dreams torn from me so many times in the past,” he whispered raggedly against her ear, “that eventually I quit dreaming. Then you walked into my life like a lightning bolt out of the blue, and my whole life was upended—in a positive way.”

  He pressed small kisses along Laura’s neck and jaw, feeling her quiver with joy. His heart felt as if it would explode with the intense happiness he was experiencing. No one deserved the joy he felt, Morgan thought. Especially not him. Yet somehow the universe had given him a third chance. And he was taking it, come hell or high water. With Laura and their children, he could do anything it took to survive. Anything.

  “A Christmas baby, huh?” he rasped, smiling and enjoying the feel of her lounging against him.

  “Yes—” Laura sighed “—a Christmas baby.”

  “We couldn’t ask for a better gift, could we?”

  “No,” she whispered softly.

  “A baby girl, eh?”

  “Katherine Alyssa will have that sister she always wanted. And Jason will learn to be a big brother all over again.”

  Gently, Morgan turned Laura so that she lay in his arms, her face inches from his own as he probed her radiant blue gaze, his voice thick with raw emotion. “I love you, Little Swan. Forever and beyond eternity.”