good head on her shoulders.”
He smirked. “She’s pretty incredible. Keeps me on my toes.” In a more serious tone, he asked, “Ever think about having another one?”
I glanced up at him sharply. “You want more kids?”
“That all depends on you.”
I’d never really thought about having more children until he mentioned it. A few months ago, it hadn’t even been on my radar.
But now, I thought it would be an incredible experience to share with Aiden from the beginning next time. And I did love kids. I’d just never considered whether or not I wanted more. I never thought I’d get serious with a man ever again.
He’d be there for everything, every step of the way.
“I think I’d like that,” I answered. “When I was younger, I always wanted a big family.”
“You’re already inheriting one of those,” he remarked wryly.
I shot him an admonishing look. “I don’t mean that, and I love your family. But I was an only child. It was pretty lonely sometimes. And I love kids. Maya would be ecstatic if she could have a brother or sister. If I remember right, she already put in the request for one.”
His expression was deliciously wicked as he answered, “Then by all means, let’s give her a couple. I’m ready to start practicing right now.”
I let go of a delighted laugh. “Not so fast, mister. I’m going to be married before I get pregnant again, and you still need time to get used to having a daughter.”
He reached over and started to toy with my beautiful engagement ring. “When you’re ready.”
“I am ready, Aiden. I’m all in. Now that you’ve seen the results, I’m putting my past behind me because right now is extraordinary, and my future will be, too. I’d much rather focus on that than my past. Let’s just go to the courthouse and do it.”
He got to his feet, pulled me up, and then swung me around until I was dizzy. “I’m getting married,” he bellowed.
When he stopped twirling me, I smacked his arm playfully. “I told you I was ready.”
“But I don’t think I really believed it until now,” he said huskily.
I knew why he felt that way. Probably because I’d been feeling unsettled since the new lab results weren’t in. “Believe it,” I said, repeating the words he said to me when I was overwhelmed.
“No courthouse,” he insisted. “I’ve waited almost a decade for this.”
“Me too,” I said as I stroked a lock of hair from his forehead. “But I guess I just never imagined it would ever happen.”
“Believe it,” he parroted with a grin.
“You do realize that if we have a regular wedding, there won’t be anybody on the bride’s side?”
“Baby, everybody will be on your side. And that’s a dumb tradition anyway. People can sit wherever they want. My family is yours now, whether you want them or not.”
“I want them,” I said quickly. “Maya and I have been lonely long enough. We’ve always had each other, but I’ve always wished she had other family, too. Your daughter adores her new aunts, uncles, and cousins. She’s happier than she’s ever been.”
I loved the animated look on Maya’s face when she talked about her family.
Aiden and I had been careful not to share why we’d argued, and my offspring had never asked. She’d just been happy when everything was normal again in her eyes.
He tightened his arms around my waist. “Then let’s shoot for the end of the summer. Earlier if possible. I’d like to get started on our new life together. We’ve both had enough of waiting, and I want you to be able to focus on the future. You’ve had way too much pain in your past, baby.”
How could I tell Aiden that he more than made up for every bit of anguish I’d ever suffered at the hands of my ex-husband and his family? I’d do it all over again if I had to in order to end up where I was right now. Nine years of hell in exchange for total happiness for the rest of my life? I’d do that deal in a heartbeat if I could finally be married to the only man I’d ever love.
“End of summer would only give me four months to plan,” I contemplated.
“Plenty of time when you have a ton of family members to help out,” he answered with a grin.
“Jade has to stand up for me. I’ll talk to her, since she already has wedding connections, and then start planning,” I promised.
He rested his forehead on mine. “And then I can seriously work on getting you knocked up,” he teased. “But I’ll practice a lot before then so I’m perfect at it when the time comes. I think I want you and our daughter to myself for a while.”
I let out a startled laugh. “You’re not going to hear me argue about that,” I teased.
I wanted another child, but like him, I needed some time before I’d be ready to add to our family. I wanted our daughter to be secure with her place in our life, and I knew that Aiden wanted to try to catch up with everything he’d missed in Maya’s life.
He stroked my hair as he said, “I wish I would have been there for Maya’s birth. But I’ll be there next time.”
I sighed as I laid my head on his shoulder, delighting in the warmth of his body plastered to mine.
I refused to lament over the things we’d missed by not being together. I was too happy about how they’d all worked out in the end. “I love you, Aiden. I’m so happy that we ended up like this, even though it took far too long.”
“I think I’ve always been waiting for you, Skye. Nobody else was ever going to make me happy,” he said in a voice raw with emotion.
“I’m glad you waited,” I whispered in his ear.
Nobody else would have made me happy, either. All my life, there had only ever been him.
“I don’t think I had much choice. I was as in love with you then as I am now.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“You must have known.”
“But you never said it. I told you that I loved you before you left, but you never said it to me.”
“Didn’t I?” he asked.
I shook my head against his shoulder. “No. I was kind of heartbroken because you didn’t say it back. I thought it was just too soon.”
“Maybe it was because I knew I had nothing to offer you,” he answered solemnly. “I was a poor fisherman, Skye. What kind of life would you have had with me?”
I leaned back so I could look him in the eyes. “A happy one,” I guessed. “Aiden, I didn’t care about that. Money doesn’t bring happiness.”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t hurt.”
“You were still the same amazing guy back then that you are now.”
“Do you really think I could have gone forever without saying it?” he teased. “Eventually, we would have ended up together, because I sure as hell wouldn’t have given you up. I would have just worked harder and let you grow up until you realized what you’d be taking on. And then I would have married you. I might be stubborn about wanting you to have what I think you deserve. But I wasn’t stupid enough to let you walk away.”
“I didn’t plan on going anywhere, then or now. I didn’t care about the money. I just wanted . . . you,” I murmured as I tightened my arms around his neck.
My heart was aching with elation because this beautiful man was finally mine forever.
A miracle I thought would never happen.
“You’re stuck with me now, sweetheart,” he joked. “I’m never letting go.”
Our eyes locked, the connection between us exchanging messages without words.
It was like that with Aiden. We usually knew what the other person was thinking.
“Take me to bed, Aiden. Maya won’t be home for another two hours.”
He gave me that lazy smile that always made my heart skitter with anticipation.
“You’re getting bossy now,” he mused.
“You have a problem with that?” I challenged.
I’d become much more sexually bold, and I was pretty sure he was completely on board with that.
“Nope. Not at all,” he answered as he picked me up and swung me into his arms. “I think I can handle it.”
I had no doubt he could cope with anything I threw in his direction, which was one of the reasons I loved him so damn much.
“I love you, Aiden.” I couldn’t seem to keep the words contained. I could say it a million times and it wouldn’t be enough.
“I love you,” he said, the sincerity of those words expressed in his magnificent eyes.
I savored those three little words as he carried me into the bedroom, the words he hadn’t said when we were younger.
I was all grown up now, and I could never hear them enough.