“Do you think it would look even better on the floor?” Her eyes met mine, and despite the bold words, I sensed the nerves behind them.
“You’re killing me, Ava.” I groaned. “The next time I take you to bed, I want everything. No more separate houses, no more nights apart. All the strings attached. Until then, I can’t.”
She moved closer. “Cole, all the strings have been attached for a while now.”
“They have?”
She nodded.
“I’ve been waiting for a sign,” I said slowly, taking a step toward her. “That you’re ready.”
She laughed, a breathless sound. “Cole, I wore your favorite perfume three days in a row. I ‘accidentally’ let my towel slip yesterday. Subtlety clearly isn't your language.”
I took another step forward, pulling the ring out of my pocket as I kneeled in front of her. “I love you, Ava, with a love that grows stronger every day. I want to watch you walk down the aisle toward me, and I want to make vows in front of everyone that matters to us. Will you marry me?”
She threw her arms around my neck, joining me on the porch floor. “Yes. Absolutely yes.”
We kneeled on the floor, wrapped in each other’s embrace, promising forever without words. When we drew back, I slid the ring on her finger and pressed my lips against the inside of her wrist.
I swept Ava into my arms and carried her to the bedroom. I slowly undressed her, wanting to take my time tonight. We might have forever in front of us, but I wanted this first night to be special.
I kissed her, lingering over her lips and pouring all my love into it. She sighed into my mouth as my hands skimmed over her silky skin. “Cole.”
Her body heated beneath me, and I stroked my fingers over her, drawing out her moans. I kissed my way down her body, memorizing the changes. Worshipping every inch. My hands—rough from sanding wood, calloused from work—gripped her hips. I wasn't gentle. I wanted to mark her, to leave the imprint of my love on her skin so she'd never doubt who she belonged to.
When neither of us could hold back any longer, I settled between her thighs, which spread wide to welcome me, and waited for her eyes to open. “I love you, Ava.”
“I love you, Cole.”
We laced our fingers together as I slid inside. She met me thrust for thrust, our bodies both seeking the same thing. I savored the feel of her around me, squeezing me, urging me to move faster and take us where we wanted to go.
When she shattered, my name mixed with a cry of pleasure on her lips, I followed. My spine tingled, and I emptied into her, moaning as I clutched her close. I rolled us onto our sides, and we kissed each other. Deeply. Languidly.
I held her close, and she nestled against me, neither of us willing to let go now that we were finally here. For us, love came fast, but learning to hold nothing back took practice. At least for me. Luckily, Ava gave me a second chance to get it right. And I would hold on every day, always remembering what was important. The family I made. The family I chose. The family I would never walk away from again.
Epilogue
AVA
I walkedinto the living room just as Maisie launched herself onto Cole’s back with a shout. “Caught you, Daddy!”
“Oh no. How will I escape?” Cole fell to his knees, pretending he couldn’t move under Maisie’s weight. “I’m trapped.”
Bella, the puppy he brought home one day—surprising both Maisie and me—barked and ran around them. She was our daughter’s constant companion, and despite Cole’s initial insistence that she sleep in a dog bed at night, one look at Maisie’s pleading eyes changed his mind.
“Time for bed.”
Two gazes swung my way, both disappointed. I bit back a laugh. Other than the summers Cole spent here with his Gramps, he hadn’t had much of a childhood, and sometimes he was like a big kid. He turned hopeful eyes my way. “Five more minutes?”
I raised a brow at him. We’d had the conversation before about not making me the bad guy. It was too easy for us to fall into the roles of him giving her everything to make up for the time he lost with her, and me setting the rules.
He cleared his throat. “Right. It’s bedtime. Go brush your teeth, kiddo. Then we’ll read you a story.”
“We can do story time on the porch tonight, sweetie.” I smiled as Maisie’s eyes lit. She loved sitting outside with the sounds of nature surrounding her and the stars overhead. She raced for the bathroom, Bella right behind her.
“Sorry. I got caught up.” Cole dropped a kiss on my forehead and rested his palm on the curve of my belly. “How are you doing? Little one still restless?”
“He’s settled down for now.” I covered Cole’s hand with mine. “Hopefully he lets me sleep tonight.”
