Page 61 of Bound Hearts

She pauses for a good few seconds, the corner of her lips twitching. “You’re right.”

I almost forgot that our rings are in my pocket. Pulling them out, I pass her mine. She holds her hand out, and I slide hers on as though this is a daily occurrence for us.

“Phew, I thought my finger might be too swollen.”

She slowly slides my ring onto my finger, and at first, it feels odd to have a ring. I’ve never had one, and the silver band is an instant visual reminder of the commitment we are walking into.

“Anything else you two care to share?” Pete asks as he observes us. We remain quiet. He nods in understanding and proceeds.

“Wait,” Sutton cuts in. Our eyes dart to her. Her deep breath is used to gear up her words, apparently. “This is overwhelming, but I think that I really want this. You get that?” She seems to doubt whether she is making sense.

But she is. More than.

There’s a spot below my heart, growing and sending excitement through my chest. We’ve been obvious. She and I simmer around each other, comfortable and optimistic about the future.

In plain terms, “We’re a hell of a lot more than what we ever intended. And I’m not complaining either.” My lopsided grin is full of natural joy.

Her smile is ear-to-ear, clearly relieved that I feel the same way.

“It seems we’ve never been so sure of something in our lives,” I highlight.

She squeezes my hands tight. “True.”

We both look to Pete, and I give a curt nod to proceed.

“Do you take one another to be married for as long as you both shall live?”

“We do,” Sutton and I say in unison.

He chuckles. “At the same time, it’s a good sign. And it’s all I need to hear to officially announce you as husband and wife.”

I close the distance to Sutton, and my hands cup her face, tipping her mouth up. Our eyes are locked in a promise. “I believe I get to kiss my bride now,” I whisper.

“She would like that very much,” she whispers back.

Meeting her lips with mine, I kiss her slowly and intentionally. Every ounce of change of pressure fills me with more belief that I made the best decision of my life.

And when I pull away and she rests her forehead against my chin, inhaling my scent, I quickly realize that she is breathing in our new life.

After letting Pete out, I return to the baby’s room to see Sutton staring dreamily out the window, her forehead against the glass with the envelope from the ultrasound now in her hand. She must have grabbed it when I was out of the room.

But fuck, she is a view.

And she’s mine.

I slowly stride towards her. “Still raining?”

“Yes. But I like that.”

I wrap my arms tightly around her from behind. “Are you curious?”

She laughs softly and holds the envelope out in front of us. “Yes, Husband.”

“Well, Wife, you should open it then.”

She fans herself with the card. “Okay, I’m happy either way, but this is kind of more nerve-wracking than the vows we said.”

I laugh at her, so cute and flustered. “I get it.”