“No, no, no! I am not giving birth backstage at a rock concert. I need to be in a hospital, pumped full of every drug that they can legally give me!I was so shocked, my only repsonse was,'Well, he was conceived backstage at a concert, so it's sort of fitting for him to be born at one.”

“No, let’s make this interesting. If I win, we have sex backstage tonight. If you win, we have sex backstage tonight.”I wanted to laugh again, but the way he said sex froze my brain for a second. “Um…I don’t think you understand how betting works.”Moving in close to me, he breathed his response into my ear while he rested his hand on my stomach. “Don’t I?”

“Kiera Michelle Allen, my life was empty before you stepped into it. I thought I had everything I needed, but only because I didn’t let myself want anything. And then I saw you, and you burned a hole straight through me. I have never wanted anything more in my life. And I have never been more terrified in all my life. In all my life,” he repeated.…”And then, beyond some miracle that I’ll never understand, I got to keep you, and now…I’m only just beginning to understand what it means to truly want something. Because I want so much now. I want to make you happy. I want to give you the world. I want you to be proud of me. I want to comfort you. I want you to comfort me. I want to hold you when you’re scared. I want you to hold me when I’m scared. I want to make you laugh. I want to make you blush.” Leaning in, he whispered, “I want to make you scream.”…”I want to give you a home. I want to fill it with children. I want to take care of you. I want to grow old with you. I want you by my side, every day.” … “I just want you. Do you want me too?”

“I need you. Let me do this. I can make you forget him. I can make you forget you.”

“Grinning at me, Kellan leaned down to kiss my cheek. “Thanks,” he muttered in my ear as he stole my beer from my fingers.I glared at him as I watched him tip it back. “Just so you know, I totally backwashed.”Kellan paused mid-gulp, then shrugged. Smiling wide once he was finished, he husked, “That’s all right…I like your fluids.”

“He spoke rapidly in-between his tender kisses. "I love you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. The women...I was so scared to touch you. You didn't want me...I couldn't take the pain. I tried to get over you. Every time with them, I was with you. I'm so sorry...I love you.”

“Kiera, will we need diapers? I’m grabbing diapers. We should bring diapers.”Over my shoulder I yelled out, “Kellan! I’m sure the hospital will have some.” He didn’t respond to me, and I was sure the trunk of the Chevelle was going to be loaded with enough diapers to cover the bottoms of half the children in Seattle.”