Rhys froze, speechless. She'd never fought back before, but from the tone of her voice, she meant business. And what did frosting have to do with anything? Well, she might be finished with him, but he sure as hell wasn't done with her. Not by a long shot. That baby was his, and she wouldn't keep him from her. No chance in hell that his daughter would be calling Devon daddy.

He rushed outside, but the tail-lights of the RAV4 disappeared down the drive. He could go after her, and do what? Make himself more of a fool? No. Later today, he'd get Ace to draw up divorce papers and joint custody. He'd be generous with child support. He didn't want his daughter to suffer for the sins of her mother.

He tamped down the anger, and sadness replaced it. Maybe if he'd been less hateful, she could have forgotten Devon and developed feelings for Rhys. Last night, he would have bet his last dollar she had. The need in her voice. Desire in her touch. It was there. Wasn't it? Or did he imagine it because he wanted it to be true?

His head reeled. He couldn't think anymore. He finished dressing and drove to the office. Despite his mixed emotions, when he got there, he put on a happy face just as he'd been doing since his wedding. The blissful groom, married to the love of his life. What a load of shit. Or was it?

Watching her in the kitchen, the soft glow highlighting the delicate lines of her face, his pulse skipped. The same way it did every time he looked at her for more than a few seconds. Her sweater draped her rounded breasts and swaddled her stomach. He didn't understand why a pregnant woman with a belly the size of a prize-winning pumpkin could be so damn sexy. But she was, though he chalked it up to the fact his caveman's brain liked that she was carrying his baby. He'd never lusted after a pregnant woman before, so that had to be it.

Last night, he'd let desire get the best of him, and if he wanted to admit it or not, he'd loved having her in his arms. Hearing her say she wanted him. Feeling her surrender. Weaken from his kiss. Whimper with pleasure. He was such a fool for believing it.

He forced the thought away and plunged into work. As he finished a work call, Devon appeared in his doorway. The sight of him made Rhys' skin crawl. Arryn's history proved lying was second nature to her, but he'd worked with Devon for years. How could he betray their friendship?

His coworker laid a box on Rhys' desk. "This was supposed to be a surprise Christmas gift from your wife."

Rhys stared at the box, then back at Devon. "What?"

He knit his brows together. "Arryn. You know," he gestured, "about yay high, curly brown hair. That woman you married."

Rhys lifted the lid, picked up the knife, and removed it from its sheath. "Damn. This is beautiful."

"No shit. That's a high carbon steel blade with a Buckeye Burl handle and a nickel-silver guard. Man, your girl fixed you up. She's been paranoid, texting like crazy, wanting to know if you suspected anything, and then this morning, told me to give it to you. What's going on? Why the change of heart?"

Rhys swallowed. "That's why you texted her this morning?"

"Yeah. We planned to meet, so she could get it in time for your mom's Christmas party, but her plans changed."

A mixture of regret and fear knotted in Rhys's stomach. The message had been about the knife. God. What had he done? The sex had been real. She'd meant the things she said, and he'd ruined everything.

Darcy leaned around the doorjamb, wild-eyed and pale. "Rhys. Arryn's been in an accident."

His heart leapt into his throat. "Is she all right?"

"Yen said it wasn't serious, but they've taken Arryn to Piedmont."

Rhys grabbed his cell and ran toward the door with Darcy on his heels. His heart settled back into place but pounded so hard he thought his chest might rip apart. He flashed back to the conversation they'd had before she stormed out and the hateful things he'd said. Oh, God.

Twenty minutes later, he sprinted into the hospital lobby. The blue-haired volunteer sitting at the front desk looked up and smiled. "May I help you?"

"My wife. They brought her in as an emergency."

She pointed to the right. "Emergency waiting area is down the hall and to the left."

"Thank you." He spun around, headed that direction, and found another older lady manning the desk there. "Arryn Rivera Wakefield."

The woman punched in something on the computer and peered over the top of her glasses. "They're taking her to a room. Once she's settled, you can see her. Wait right over there."

Rhys turned, saw Yennefer, and rushed to her. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine, but because she's pregnant, they wanted to check her out."

Rhys slumped into the chair next to her and buried his face in his hands. "Thank, God. On the way over here..." His voice cracked.

She swiveled to face him. "Do you expect me to believe you're concerned?"

"This isn't the place for a lecture."

She pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "You may bully Arryn, but I'm not afraid of you. You need to get over it or get on with it, but stop holding her hostage."

"Hostage? What do you mean?"

"She may not be physically bound, but emotionally, you've had her chained since the day you showed up at her apartment."

He started to respond, but she waved him off, folded her arms, and pinched her face into a hard line. "I know about your girlfriend, and so does Arryn."

"I don't have a girlfriend."

"We saw you with her. Leaving your condo. Arryn may let it go because she feels like she deserves the shit you dish out, but I don't."

The fact Yennefer chose this time to give him a thrashing, pissed him off. It wasn't her business anyway, but before he could inform her of that, a tall thin man in blue scrubs strode into the waiting area.

"For Arryn Wakefield?"

Rhys rose. "Yes."

"Hi. I'm Dr. Kim." He stuck out his hand and Rhys accepted it. "Your wife and baby are fine, but I am concerned about her hypertension. It's probably due to the trauma of the accident, but we need to monitor her overnight. Do you have any questions?"

"I do," Yennefer said. "Could stress cause high blood pressure?"

"Yes. Has she been under a lot of stress?"

Yennefer eyed Rhys, then looked back at the doctor. "It's been a tense pregnancy."

Dr. Kim nodded. "Well, I've contacted her OB, and she'll be along in a while to check on her. Mrs. Wakefield is in room 316. Anything else?"

"Can I see her?" Rhys asked.

"Sure, and she's asked for Yennefer."

"That's me."

"Thank you, doctor," Rhys said.

"You bet."

The physician walked away, and Rhys spoke to Yennefer. "Since she asked for you, I'll wait, but don't stay long, because I need to talk to her."

Yennefer narrowed her eyes. "I covered for you, but we know where her stress is coming from. I understand you want her to suffer, but in a few weeks, a watermelon will come out of her vagina, and I think that's punishment enough. I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to see her."

Darcy joined them, and while Yennefer brought her friend up to speed, Rhys rehearsed what he'd say to Arryn. First, he'd apologize and explain how he'd misunderstood the text. Then he'd have to set her straight about Laken.

Yennefer walked away, and Rhys followed. When they reached the doorway, she went in, and he stood outside, listening.

"Well, you don't look so bad," Yennefer said.

"That's debatable. The doctor says I have to stay overnight, but when I get out, can I go home with you? I'm moving out of Rhys' house."

A sharp pain stabbed Rhys' chest.

"What brought that on?"

Arryn cried. "Last night, he was so sweet, I thought we'd turned a corner, but this morning, he let me know nothing has changed. He still hates me. All I can hope for now is that once the baby comes, we can be civil for her sake."

Rhys's breath caught. He didn't hate her. He'd never hated her. God, how could he be such a jerk and make her think that? But he had. All because of stupid jealousy. Unwarranted. Why hadn't he just confronted her about Devon? He should have, and now it might be too late.

Yennefer's voice brought him back to the problem at hand. "Is that what caused the accident? You were upset and not paying attention?"

"No. I mean, I was upset, but the guy ran a red light. Luckily, I wasn't going fast and swerved so I didn't get full impact. My mother's right. My life has been one long line of bad decisions. I'm cutting my losses."

"Well, when you move in with me, it'll be like college all over again. Except we won't get drunk on the weekends, or stay up all night cramming, or swim naked in the campus fountain, or get bailed out of jail for indecent exposure."

Arryn laughed. "That's not exactly how I remember it."

"Oh yeah, that was just me. Now for the bad news. Rhys is here and wants to talk to you."

Silence reigned supreme, then, "Why did you call him?"

"I'm only your emergency contact. He may be a sentient prolapsed anus, but he's legally your husband. If you'd not been able to make decisions, he's the one with the authority to do that. I had no choice."

"The baby's fine. That's all he cares about."

Rhys wanted to storm into the room, but if he caused her stress, that wouldn't be the right thing to do. He'd give her time to rest and calm down, but he'd see her if she liked it or not. One way or another, he'd make her understand how sorry he was and how much he wanted her in his life. He'd apologize and beg for forgiveness, and hope she really wasn't done with him. He couldn't blame her if she was, and he'd accept the consequences.

He didn't wait for Yennefer to come out, he walked to his truck with Arryn's words ringing in his ears. She didn't leave to cool off; she'd gone for good. He opened the door and slid onto the seat. He couldn't let her leave him. That's not what he wanted. But after what he'd said this morning, she hated him. He could hear it in her voice.

Going back to work was out of the question. With his state of mind, he wouldn't accomplish anything. And not to an empty house. Not without her there. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He couldn't lose her. He shifted into gear and drove out of the lot.

During the thirty-minute drive to his mom's, his mind clouded with emotions. All he'd ever wanted in his romantic life was a marriage like his parents. Two people committed to one another forever, sharing good and bad times. Was that too much to ask?

He parked in the drive, got out, and went up the walk. When he pushed the door open, his mother stood at the kitchen counter folding clothes. "Hi Rhys. Figured I might see you today." She laid the laundry aside and motioned for him to join her on the sofa.

As old fashioned as it was, he liked the sight of Arryn doing domestic things, as if she lived and belonged there. His family. He guessed that made him a chauvinist pig. Great. So now he was a pig and an ass. If this kept up, soon he'd be a whole damn barnyard. "Why?"

"Arryn was here earlier and returned this." She pulled the ring box from the end table drawer and set it on the coffee table.

Rhys picked it up and opened the lid. He remembered Arryn's argument about wearing it. He should give it to a woman he truly loved. He had. She'd never worn it. "What did she tell you?"

"That she'd lied to you. Gotten pregnant on purpose, and you can't forgive her. Is that true?"

Rhys stared down at the ring. "At first, it was. But not now."

"You're in love with her. Aren't you?"

Rhys stared out the window, pain stabbing his chest. He'd tried not to be, but nothing worked. "Yeah, but I've said and done things in anger—and I think I've ruined any chance I had of her loving me back."

"Do you know why she wanted a baby so badly?"

"Because she's selfish."

She rolled her eyes. "No. That's not it."

For the next few minutes, Tawny explained Arryn's dilemma. And when she finished, Rhys felt even worse. "Why didn't she tell me?"

"Why didn't you ask?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but Tawny held up her hand. "No need to answer. You're not good at conversation. But let's say you did...would you have believed her?"

He ran his hand across his face. "Probably not."

"Well, more than likely that's why she never told you. She didn't come this morning just to return the ring. She wanted to make sure we understood, regardless of what happens between the two of you, Hugh and I will always be an important part of the baby's life."

His stomach churned at the thought of shuffling his baby back and forth between houses. Not to mention a step-parent coming into the picture. "I can't lose her. Tell me what to do."

She patted his cheek. "I love you, I'm sorry, I forgive you, and please forgive me, have more power than you can imagine. This marriage might have happened for all the wrong reasons, but if you want to save it, I suggest you practice those because, over the years, you'll be using them a lot."

He nodded solemnly. "After she left here this morning, she had an accident, but she's okay."

"What?" Her voice rose an octave, and she smacked his arm, "Why aren't you with her?"

"She doesn't want to talk to me."

She pulled him to his feet and shooed him to the door. "Then you do all the talking and make things right. You had better go bring my daughter-in-law home, Emrys, so help me God."

He cringed. She only called him that when she was pissed.

As Rhys drove back into the city, he was a mess. Hostage was a strong word, but Yennefer was right. He saw that now and the only way to win his wife back would be on her terms. But if he couldn't convince her, he had no one but himself to blame.

He put a plan in place. First order of business—text Yennefer. It was time to make peace with her and bring Arsenic and Old Lace home. If the cats were at the cabin, at least Arryn had to come there to get them.

Later, with his errands taken care of, Rhys tried to relax, but he couldn't. What would he do if she wasn't willing to give him another chance? No, he couldn't think that way. He'd get her back. He kept repeating that on the way to the hospital. When the bell dinged for the third floor, he wished himself luck.

Arryn's room was dark, and she was sleeping. He tiptoed to the end of the bed and placed the birthday gift he'd had in his bag for almost a month on the rolling table. Then he sat in the corner chair watching her.

Even in the dimly lit room, he saw how pale she was. She had scrapes on her forehead and a bruise along her jawbone. The monitor beeped a steady rhythm. He wanted to hold her. Kiss her awake. Rub his hand across her belly. Feel the child they shared. But he'd wait. He needed to be sure any intimate gesture was welcome, and he wasn't sure it would be. He slid down in the chair, stretched out his long legs, and rested his head against the back. The cadence of the machine lulled him to sleep.

Her voice woke him. He blinked through bleary eyes. Sunlight filtered in through the window, lighting her up as if she was Aphrodite emerging from the seafoam at Cypress. He rubbed his eyes and grimaced when he stood.

"What are you doing here? The baby's fine. I'm sorry about the car, but the accident wasn't my fault. The insurance should cover it."

He moved to her bedside. "I don't give a shit about the car. I know you don't want to see me, but I have some things I need to say. When I'm done, if you still want me to leave, I will. No argument." When she didn't say anything, he plowed on. "I'm not having an affair. The woman you saw me with is someone I dated. She showed up drunk at the condo. But I swear to you I didn't sleep with her."

Rhys took Arryn's hand and held it. She didn't pull it away, so he started again. "I want you to come back home." He expected her to cry, but instead, she offered a half-smile.

"I appreciate the offer, but it's too late for us. There have been too many lies. Too many hurtful things said."

"I take them back. Every word. Especially what I said this morning. I was angry. My jealousy got the best of me. I'll do anything to make up for it."

She punched the remote to raise her bed and stared at him. His heart sank. This was it. She'd tell him to leave and never come back. But she smiled again and rattled just the way she had the night they met.

"Devon was supposed to get the drink, but you did. There was only a twenty-five percent chance, but it happened. And I told myself that was the Universe saying you and I belonged together. But I was wrong. The Cosmos wasn't sending me a message. That was just me making stupid mistakes. I've tried not to be like my mother, but I am."

Rhys squeezed her hand tight. "You are nothing like your mother."

She slid her hand from his. "Yeah, I am. All her life she's thought things would make her happy. For me, it was finding some bullshit happily ever after with The One. But that doesn't exist. I need to grow up and take responsibility for my own happiness. Nobody can do that for me."

"You're wrong. We do belong together. Even the bartender could see it. That's why he gave me the drink. We just have serious communication problems. That's all. We can work on those. I'll put the work in everyday if you're willing to do it with me."

She wagged her head and slid her hand across her belly. "No. Hugh and Tawny are supposed to be in the baby's life, and our daughter brought my parents back together. But you and I aren't meant to be. I know that now, and I'm fine with it."

Rhys took both of her hands in his. "No. Listen. That night at Cowboy's, I broke my rule. Something made me do that. I should have never followed you into the parking lot, but I couldn't stop myself. You haven't ruined my life. After you left without saying goodbye, I looked for you. Called every medical supply place within a hundred miles of Orlando. Searched social media. Hell, I even went back to the bar and questioned the bartender."

She raised her eyebrows. "You did?"

"Yeah. And when I found you and learned what we had that weekend was a mistake—that you'd wanted Devon. That hurt and I wanted to hurt you back. And then this morning, I saw the text from him and misunderstood the whole thing. Juvenile, I know, and I'm ashamed of the way I've acted."

Things weren't going the way he planned. He was head of goddamn marketing at the third-biggest firm in Georgia, he was closing this deal. "I've worked on a list of names. It's short. All I could come up with was maybe name her after our mothers. They'd love that."

Arryn laughed. "Leslie Tawny or Tawny Leslie? I don't think so."

He laughed right along with her. "Me neither. I like my second choice better. Elia. Unless it will bother you to name her after the only woman I've ever loved."

Arryn gasped, and her eyes watered, but she didn't cry this time.

He pulled her into his arms, and there was no doubt she belonged there. He spoke into her hair. "It was a wicked affair. Picked her up in a honky-tonk. Changed my life."

Arryn pushed away, clutched his shirt, and pulled his face to hers. Then she kissed him, and his heart pounded. When their lips parted, from his jeans pocket, he pulled out the ring box and opened the lid. "I loved you then. I love you now. God help me, I'll always love you. Arryn Rivera Wakefield, will you stay married to me?"

She fell forward and cried harder, then took a deep breath. "You should have led with that instead of the apology."

"Is that a yes?"

She nodded against his chest.

He lifted her hand, placed the ring on her finger, and kissed her again. "I've been a dick, and I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

She nodded again.

He reached for the small gift and handed it to her. "I almost forgot. This is your birthday present. I've been carrying it around all this time. That night when I came home and you weren't there, I'd never been more miserable—until this morning. I never want to feel that way again."

She tore the paper away and lifted the lid. Inside were seed packages. Morning glory and zinnias. He didn't give her a chance to speak. "I pulled out all the stops. I got the seeds you like. I've brought Arsenic and Old Lace home, and then there's this."

He produced a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and then spread it in front of her.

She blinked in surprise. "A pie chart?" Bringing the page in close to her face, she smiled. A big yellow circle, divided into six sections and in each one the words I love you.

She threw her arms around him. "I hate that I love you so much."

"I love that you do." He placed his hand on her belly. "We both did things wrong. You used me to get pregnant. I used you for my career. Those two wrongs brought us together, and that makes everything right."

Reunited and it feels sooooo good

Hope you enjoyed this. Just the epilogue left.

What do ya'll think about the baby name?