A Winter Sabbatical (Books We Love holiday romance) (14 page)

They needed this break, both of them. Who
would have guessed at Hawaii? Certainly not Marissa.

Travis leaned into her, and kissed
Marissa’s neck. “I love you, Marissa Johnston.”

What would Elizabeth say, Marissa wondered,
when she found out they’d eloped?

Epilogue

Marissa was deep in thought as she lay on
the four-poster bed. Her sixth novel was almost finished, and she
had
planned on having it completed some
weeks ago.

The tiny babies that she nurtured within
her gave a giant kick. Marissa leaned back against the pillows and sighed,
knowing they would soon be arriving, their presence long awaited.

“Mummy, mummy!”

Travis entered the room carrying a
breakfast tray, their four-year-old daughter Crystal, pushing her way past him.

Crystal swung herself up onto the bed with practiced
precision. Her tiny hand went to Marissa’s swollen belly automatically.

“Daddy, daddy!” She looked up into Travis
amused eyes. “The babies are kicking. Quick, daddy, come quick!”

Travis laid one hand next to Crystal’s, the
other one brushed against Marissa’s cheek. He leaned in to lightly kiss her
lips.

“When will our babies be coming, Mummy?”
Crystal was so looking forward to the arrival of the twins, as were Travis and
Marissa. “Soon?”

Marissa stroked Crystal’s curly brown hair.
Jonah and Ceefor suddenly joined them, almost toppling the tray.

“Come on you two, out of here.” Travis
reached out for the cats, and Crystal pouted.

“Can’t they stay, daddy?” She looked up at
him with pleading brown eyes. “Please, daddy?”

Marissa watched on, wholly amused.

“Just like your mother. Wrap daddy around
your little finger.” He chucked the child under her chin.

“Thank you, daddy.” Crystal almost covered
the two cats with her tiny body, giving them a joint hug.

“I would never have guessed Jonah
particularly, would be so good with kids.” Travis patted the two cats, then sat
on the bed next to Marissa.

“Just wait till the other two arrive,”
Marissa commented, “See how placid they are with the twins.”

“Give them a year or so, and they’ll
probably run away from home!”

Marissa leaned forward and cupped Travis
face with her hands. “Love you,” she said, and then kissed him deeply. “Now,
can you get off the bed, and take me to the damned hospital?”

***

Travis held Crystal’s tiny hand as they
sneaked into the hospital room.

Marissa was resting; she was sound asleep.
No wonder, after all that hard work, delivering the babies.

“Ssshhhh, mummy’s asleep,” he told the
little girl. He leaned down and swung her up into his arms. Crystal wrapped her
tiny arms around her father’s neck.

“Can we see the babies now?” she whispered
in his ear.

They quietly moved into the room, and
leaned over the cots, one with a pink cover, the other blue.

“That’s Sean, and that’s Jasmine,” he said,
softly touching each baby’s cheek in turn. He moved Crystal closer to let her
kiss each tiny baby; her new brother and sister.

“Hello, you two.” Marissa opened her eyes,
and Travis gently placed Crystal on the bed next to her.

“Mummy, mummy! We’ve got babies!” Crystal
scuttled across the bed and gave Marissa a hug, and a great big sloppy kiss.

“Travis, darling. Marissa, hello dear.”
Elizabeth stepped into the room, a huge bunch of flowers in her arms.

Travis’ father, was close on her heels. He
went straight to Marissa and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and squeezed her
hand. “Come to grandpa, honey.” His arms were outreached to Crystal, who
quickly accepted the invitation.

“Pa, come and see my little babies.”
Crystal led him over to the two tiny cots, standing side by side.

As much as she tried to deny it, Travis
knew Elizabeth was overjoyed by the arrival of the twins. “Is this the end now,
or are there more to come?” she asked, not directing the question to anyone in
particular.

“That mother,” Travis answered, a grin on
his face, “Depends on how much more research Marissa needs for her books!”

The End

About the Author

Cheryl Wright is a
multi-published Australian author. She writes contemporary romance and romantic
suspense. Her short stories and articles have appeared in publications such as
Arabella Romance Magazine, Without a Clue, The Grapevine, Executive PA, and Bad
Girl’s Press, as well as being published in several anthologies.

Cheryl is a member
of the Romance Writers of Australia, Melbourne Romance Writers Guild, Romance
Writers of America, and the RWA KOD Chapter.

She has won several
awards for her writing, and her story Networking Masterpieces was chosen as the
lead story in Writer Profits: How I Got the Gig.

Cheryl has taught
writing for many years, and has appeared as a speaker at writer’s conferences
in Australia and New Zealand. She is married with two grown children, and six
grandchildren.

Visit Cheryl’s
website:
http://cheryl-wright.com

Also by Cheryl Wright from
Books We Love

Running Scared

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