The Forbidden Throb Chapter 181

Emma's POV:

The question hung in the air between us, delicate as frost on glass.

Daniel turned to face me, his expression unreadable in the dim light spilling from inside.

"Is that what you want?" he asked, his voice gentle. "Or is this coming from somewhere else? Did I give you that pressure? Or was it Grace?"

"No!" The word came out too quickly. "I just—I was curious. That's all."

His thumb traced circles on my palm, a gesture I'd come to recognize as his way of grounding himself. "Emma, I need you to understand something."

I looked up at him, my heart suddenly pounding.

"As a cardiac surgeon," he continued, his voice taking on that clinical precision he used when discussing medicine, "I've seen what pregnancy does to the cardiovascular system. I've had patients—young, healthy women—end up in my ICU with peripartum cardiomyopathy. I've performed emergency C-sections because the mother's heart couldn't handle the strain. I know the statistics on postpartum hemorrhage, on eclampsia, on all the complications that textbooks mention but don't really prepare you for."

The fireworks continued in the distance, but I barely noticed them now.

"So I know better than most people," Daniel said, his eyes holding mine, "that pregnancy isn't some romantic notion. It's not just about nurseries and baby clothes. It's a choice to put your body, your health, sometimes your life, at risk."

His hand came up to cup my face, his touch impossibly gentle.

"And that choice belongs to you, Emma. Only to you." He paused, and I saw something vulnerable flash across his features. "Whether you want children or not, what we are to each other stays exactly the same. But whatever you choose, I'll be right there with you. Supporting you. Protecting you."

"I love *you*, Emma. Not some hypothetical version of you as a mother. Not the idea of what our life 'should' look like. Just you. And that's never going to change, no matter what path we take."

My eyes were burning now, tears threatening to spill over.

A sob caught in my throat. I'd spent so much of my life trying to meet other people's expectations. But from the moment Daniel truly saw me, everything changed. With him, I wasn't just seen—I was *cherished*. I was the most important person in his world, and he never let me forget it.

And now, even in this—something so many people would consider a wife's duty—he was putting me first.

The fireworks exploded overhead, painting the sky in cascades of silver and blue. The sound of distant cheering drifted up from the streets below.

I couldn't hold back anymore. I rose on my toes, my hands framing his face, and kissed him with everything I had—gratitude and love and a fierce tenderness that made my chest ache.

"I don't know," I gasped when we finally broke apart, my forehead resting against his. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"Being married to you," I whispered, my voice breaking, "is the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me."

"Emma—"

"I love you," I interrupted, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I love you so much. I don't think I've said it enough. I love you."

His arms tightened around me, and he buried his face in the curve of my neck. "I love you too," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "My Emma. My wife."

We stood there as midnight approached, wrapped in each other while Boston celebrated around us.

I thought of Portland, of the lavender fields near Grandma's house where I used to hide as a child—the only place that had ever felt truly safe. But this, I realized, was different. Daniel wasn't just a hiding place. He was home.

---

I woke to winter sunlight streaming through windows.

Pulling on one of Daniel's sweatshirts, I padded out to the living room. Grandma was there, already dressed in a neat cardigan and her pearls, carefully arranging the champagne glasses we'd used last night.

She looked up when I appeared, and a knowing smile crossed her face. "Well. Someone had a good New Year's night."

Heat flooded my cheeks. "Grandma!"

"I'm just saying." Her eyes twinkled. "You have that glow about you. It's nice to see."

I busied myself with the coffee maker, trying to hide my embarrassment. "Where's Daniel?"

"Went for his morning run about an hour ago. That man keeps impressive hours." She set down the last glass with a satisfied nod. "I was thinking—would you want to go out today? See a bit more of Boston? I'd love to visit the Public Garden. I've heard so much about those swan boats."

"In January?" I laughed. "Grandma, they won't be running. The pond's probably frozen."

"Even better. We can take pictures by the ice."

So we bundled up and ventured out into the crisp air.

The Public Garden was beautiful in winter, stark and elegant. We took photos by the frozen lagoon, the swan boat dock empty but charming in its hibernation.

Grandma's cheeks turned pink from the cold, but she was smiling, really smiling, in a way I hadn't seen since before Grandpa died.

"This is lovely," she said as we walked the paths, our breath misting in the air. "Boston suits you, sweetheart. You seem... lighter here."

"Do I?"

"Mmm." She tucked her arm through mine. "Like you're finally where you're supposed to be."

We stopped at a café on Newbury Street for hot chocolate, sitting by the window and watching the occasional passerby.

I was mid-sip when my phone rang.

The caller ID made me freeze: *David Prescott Sr.*

Daniel's grandfather.

"I should take this," I told Grandma, my heart suddenly racing.

"Emma." His voice was warm but carried an unmistakable authority. "Happy New Year, my dear."

"Happy New Year, Mr. Prescott."

"David, please. We're family now." A pause. "I'm calling because we're having a small gathering tonight. Nothing formal—just immediate family. Daniel's parents are in town, and I'd like you to meet everyone properly. You're part of the Prescott family now. It's time everyone got to know you."

My mouth went dry. "Tonight?"

"I know it's short notice." His tone softened slightly. "But with everyone's schedules, these opportunities are rare. And of course, if Grace is still in town, we'd be delighted to have her join us as well."

I looked across the table at Grandma, who was watching me with concern. She must have read something in my expression because she gave a small, decisive shake of her head.

"That's very kind," I managed. "Let me—can I call you back in just a moment?"

"Of course. But Emma? This is important. You're a Prescott now. The family needs to see that."

After I hung up, I relayed the invitation to Grandma. She was already shaking her head before I finished.

"Absolutely not," she said firmly.

"But he invited you—"

"Emma." She reached across to squeeze my hand. "This is your first New Year as a married woman. You need to establish your place in that family without your grandmother hovering in the background."

"You wouldn't—"

"I would, and you know it." Her expression softened. "Besides, I've seen how Daniel is with you. " She smiled. "He's been telling me, in his own way, that he'll take care of you. Now it's time for me to trust that and let you both figure out your place in his world."

---

By the time we returned to the apartment, I was a bundle of nerves. I'd called David back to accept, and now the reality of it was setting in.

*Daniel's parents.*

*His entire immediate family.*

I stood in front of my closet, paralyzed by the weight of the occasion.

"The navy one," Grandma said from the doorway. "The dress Daniel bought you. It's elegant without trying too hard."

She was right, as usual. The deep navy cashmere dress with its subtle A-line cut was perfect.

Daniel arrived home shortly after, his arms full of shopping bags. When he saw me, he stopped dead in the doorway.

"Emma." His voice was rough. "You look perfect."

"I look scared."

He set down the bags and crossed to me, his hands settling on my waist. "And you have nothing to be scared of. I'll be right there the entire time."

"Your whole family will be there?"

"Immediate family, yes. Parents, Sophia." He paused, and something shifted in his expression. "Nicholas will be there too."