Dani. Like I never would’ve imagined falling for anyone. I’ve never even been in love before. But why are you here? Just for the baby?”
“No.” She shook her head, her brows furrowing.
Orlando pulled away, unable to touch her anymore. “You were practically engaged two months ago, Dani.”
“I told Felicia we’d talked about marriage, but I explained to you that we were never formally engaged.”
“I heard you tell the fucker you loved him just over a month ago. Now suddenly you’re in love with me?” How naïve was he? Of course, she’d profess her love to him when he had for her. Anything that would secure her stay in Oreo’s life.
“I was never in love with Ted.”
“I heard you tell him you were!”
Dani reached out for him even as he tried to pull away. She tugged at his hand then brought her other hand to his face. “I left Ted before I even came to work for you.”
Orlando shook his head. “Bullshit. You told Felicia about your marriage plans that first day and—”
“I wanted her to think I was in a serious relationship because I sensed she felt threatened the moment I met her.” She ran her hand through Orlando’s hair as he struggled to calm his anxious heart. “You don’t get it, but we women know. I felt her unease about her boyfriend’s new young nanny. After all I’d been through to get Oreo back in my life, I couldn’t risk a jealous girlfriend ruining it for me. So, I laid it on the thick about my fiancé.”
“I heard you tell him you loved him.”
“She showed up when we were in that apartment upstairs.” Dani squeezed his hand. “I saw the look in her eyes. I was already in love with you, and I was terrified she sensed it. At any moment, I could be cut off, so I waited until you two were coming downstairs and pretended to be on the phone with Ted.”
Feeling like the easily duped sap he’d begun to think himself, he brought his arm around her waist and pulled her to him again. “So, you weren’t on the phone with him that day?”
“No.” She brought her arms around his neck. “I made a show of being all lovey-dovey that day for her sake.”
Orlando searched her eyes, trying to find a trace of insincerity, but there was none. “So, you really love me? You’re not just here for Oreo?”
“Oh my God!” Her eyes welled again the way they had so much during this one conversation alone. “For weeks I’ve been questioning how I could be this lucky. How I could get back in his life and meet and fall for such a perfect man—his hot dad—that would fall for me, my shitty cooking and all.”
Orlando chuckled as he pulled her closer and held her tighter, burying his face in her neck. “Tomorrow we get that restraining order, and then I move your ass in with me for good. We’ll go visit your brother a few times a week, maybe make one of my spare bedrooms his if you wanna have him over and give your sister a break sometimes. But Oreo and I won’t be without you even one more night. We can’t live without you.”
“I can’t live without you two either,” she said, squeezing him tightly.
“You’re my life now, Dani. You and the baby. I live for you two.”
Feeling her squeeze him the way she did and the way she inhaled so deeply and satisfied, made him smile. “I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am that this all worked out. I was so scared, Orlando. So scared that you’d hate me, especially after I fell in love with you. I had so much more to lose than just the baby at that point.”
“Oreo and I will never let you go. We own you now as long as you’ll let us.”
Danica smiled, kissing him softy before pulling away. “You both own me forever, Orlando. I’ve never known so much love until that baby came into my life and then I met you. You’re one and the same. My life will never be complete without both of you in it.”
Feeling the emotion wash over him, he cleared his throat. “So, you’re with us forever?”
“As long as you’ll have me.”
Orlando wrapped his arms around her, trying not to suffocate her. “God, I love you.”
“I love you too, baby. So much.”
Epilogue
Danica
On top of her stomach feeling like crap, Danica now had a runny nose she