Catching Him(How to Catch an Alpha #1) - Aurora Rose Reynolds Page 0,84
meeting with them over the last year?”
She frowns at the reminder. “I’ve been busy.”
She hasn’t really been busy, unless you consider spending time with me and our families busy. She’s had time to plan and make some arrangements, but if it were up to her, we would have gone to the courthouse and gotten married in front of the justice of the peace. “Baby.”
“Don’t ‘baby’ me, Tyler Duncan, you . . .” She points at me. “Even you have to admit that this is all way too much.”
“I’m sorry, baby, but I don’t agree.”
Her head jerks back. “What?”
“I like the idea of our friends and our families watching us get married, watching you agree to be mine for the rest of our lives.”
“So you like it because you’re a caveman, over-the-top alpha male,” she mutters, studying my face.
“Yep.” I laugh, not even trying to deny it.
“Great,” she sighs, dropping her forehead to my chest. “I’m screwed.”
“We can give our mothers one day,” I say, running my fingers through her hair and down her back.
“One day.” Her head flies up so quickly it almost clips me in the jaw. “Are you insane? Next thing, they’ll be dressing in all black, acting like ninjas, and confiscating my birth control so they can have another grandbaby to dote on.” The image is too comical, so I throw my head back and start to laugh. “I’m not being funny,” she cries, and I laugh louder. “Tyler!” Both her hands hit my chest, and I sober instantly and look into her beautiful eyes. Eyes I know I will love looking at today, tomorrow, and fifty years from now.
“I want a boy before a girl,” I say. “That way, he can look out for his sister.” Her expression gentles, and her body melts into mine. “I’ve told you before—I’d be happy if we had babies, and that hasn’t changed. Really, I’m thinking the sooner the better.”
“The sooner the better,” she parrots, looking a little stunned, like we haven’t had this exact conversation before.
“I’m not getting any younger, and neither are you. I figure we should start having babies soon.”
“Babies,” she whispers dreamily.
I smile while touching my mouth to her stunned lips. “You want kids, baby.”
“I know, but only with you.” Her assurance makes my chest warm.
“I want babies. Boys who are protective like me, and girls who look just like you.”
Her eyes water, and it takes a moment for her to pull herself together. “You know,” she says, smiling up at me, “it really sucks that you’re better at changing the subject than I am.”
“It wasn’t really me who changed the subject,” I point out.
She lets out a big breath before adding, “You’re right, so we should go back to our previous conversation.”
“Or we could move on,” I say with a sigh.
“Just one more thing.”
“All right, one more thing.” I give her a squeeze.
“If our moms release doves tomorrow or have reindeer wandering around during the wedding, I reserve the right to say I told you so.”
“Not sure there’s any reindeer in Tennessee, baby.”
“Oh, like that would stop those two. If they want reindeer at the wedding, I’m sure they’ll have them flown in from wherever reindeer live.”
I laugh and pull her tightly against me, then kiss the side of her neck. “How about this.” I pull away to look at her. “If there are doves or reindeer tomorrow, I’ll call everything off and take you to the courthouse in town.”
“Deal,” she agrees instantly, smiling.
I grin. “Now, with everyone occupied, how about you and I go upstairs?” I trail my hands down to her ass and press her hips against mine. “The reservation said that there’s a sauna in the master bathroom. I figure we can disappear for a couple hours, and no one will notice.”
Her voice is raspy when she whispers, “Lead the way.”
I pick her up and carry her upstairs to the master bedroom and lock the door. I then proceed to take her mind off everything happening outside for a lot longer than two hours.
The next evening, with Scott at my side, I wait, like everyone else, for Leah to walk out the back door of the cabin. The sun has set, but the Christmas lights are glittering, so the space is filled with light—light that seems almost magical, like something from a fairy tale.
“It’s time,” our family pastor says, wrapping his hand around my shoulder, and I nod at him.