Free How to Bake the Perfect Wedding Cake by Gina Henning Page B

for me? For my career? I hadn’t really thought about these issues. I do want a family, but right now? I don’t think so. I can’t imagine staying at home with kids and I wouldn’t want someone else staying at home with them either. Which means one thing, no kids for now.
    Jack smiles at me. He cups my face with his hand. “Lauren, I will always kiss you. Every single day of your life, you will be kissed if I am in a five hundred mile radius. I will make sure you are kissed, by me.” His lips meet mine and he kisses me. His lips are pressing into mine with a surge of unspoken words that form into a promise. And I know it’s true. Jack will kiss me every day of my life and knowing that is one of the most delicious thoughts I’ve ever had. I’m not going to share this with Jack, not today. He is already a little on the boisterous side in regards to his kisses. I might let him simmer down a bit before I mention it.
    Our lips break apart. “And in regards to kids, I think we should let nature take its course.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me.
    I laugh. “This is very odd coming from such a good planner.”
    “Oh, I have a plan.” Jack growls and pulls me in closer to his body.
    I squeal as his teeth sink into my neck. The ultimate pleasure point has been reached and I’m squirming to break free. I can’t take this intensity. “Jack, I’m serious, we should talk about this.”
    He releases my body. “I thought you said you weren’t ready to talk about it yet? I reserved the right to open the conversation at another stage, remember?”
    “I know, and I’m not ready to have a kid yet, but I’d like to at least know your thoughts on the situation.”
    “Okay, me personally, I’d like to forget about all options of birth control from the moment of our wedding and see what happens. I’ve seen friends who have dealt with infertility and I don’t want to be in that stressed-out moment when planning a family.”
    I can’t swallow the lump in the back of my throat. It is too large. It’s almost like the size of a baby about to be delivered. I had no idea that Jack wanted all this so soon. We get married in less than three months and then what—I’m just supposed to get pregnant? I can’t even fathom this notion. This idea of no birth control, no plan, just letting nature take its course? How does this make sense? I can’t even comprehend this idea. I can’t go from this major career promotion and everything that I’ve built up to in order to get to a point of nothing. No career. Just a baby. A baby. That would change everything. Everything for me. Not Jack. He wouldn’t have to change anything. I know there are men who stay home with their children, but I can’t picture Jack as this type of guy. So that means it would be me. Me. I’m supposed to say
au revoir
to my career?
    I shake my head and take a step back. “I don’t want to do that.”
    “What?” Jack’s eyebrows furrow.
    “I can’t have a baby right now. I just got to a point in my career that is huge. If I take a step back from that…everything. I just can’t.” I swallow. The bulge is still there. I can’t breathe. This huge lump in the back of my throat is blocking my air passage. I’m feeling myself get weak. The room is closing in on me. Everything goes dark.

Chapter Six
    Everything is dark. I’ve been in this place before. I’ve tried to hide these moments. I’ve fainted before. This is not my first panic attack. Granted it’s been awhile. But still, this place is so dark and I’m so disoriented. Everything is so odd here. It’s a weird spot for me. Normally, my panic attack or the fainting has happened alone. Which means no explanations. No reasons to give for this moment. Nothing to say. I can just figure out how to move forward. Yet, here I am in Jack’s arms. I know they’re Jack’s arms as I can smell his apple-and-wood-scented cologne. I know his body with my eyes closed. I’m lying in his arms. He’s watching