“You have no stuff,” Grace said.
“True.” Alex laughed. “I hardly lived here, so I never needed a lot.”
“You do now.” Grace turned to look inside at the living room through the sliding glass doors. “I think you need some posters, a couch that isn’t so white, maybe a coffee table…” She glanced at him. “Are you regretting asking me to move in yet?”
“Never,” Alex said. He moved a little closer and took her hand. “This is the best decision I’ve made in a long time. I should have asked you to move in with me the moment I met you.”
“When you came to introduce yourself to me at the office and I was your new employee?” Grace asked, laughing.
“Yes.”
“I would have said no.”
“That would have been smart. But I can’t imagine a life without you.”
She squeezed his hand. “And as long as you keep this up, you’ll never have to.”
“Good.” Alex looked down at her. “You’re such an amazing person, Grace. I’m sorry again that I didn’t recognize that sooner. I should have trusted you.”
“You should have,” Grace said plainly. “But you get another chance now. Just one more.” She looked up at him with serious green eyes. “Make the most of it.”
“I will. And I’d like to start by kissing you again.”
“Good plan.”
Alex leaned in, kissing her gently yet thoroughly. They were both a little tentative at first, with all the history between them, but any apprehension quickly gave way to passion. Alex ran his fingers up and down Grace’s back, making her shiver, and shekissed his neck. He captured her lips with his own again, gently pressing her against the railing. The kiss deepened as Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him closer.
Warmth gathered in Alex’s stomach. Kissing Grace felt so very right, as though she were the part of his life that had been missing all along. He never wanted to do anything other than kiss her, long and slow and deep, for the rest of his life. For the rest oftheirlives.
And then Grace pulled away. Her lips were pink, her eyes bright, and her cheeks flushed.
“Alex,” she whispered.
“Yes?”
“Should we go to the bedroom?”
Alex didn’t need to be asked twice. Although Grace was pregnant now, he lifted her into his arms as easily as he had the first time and carried her to his bedroom.Theirbedroom, now. For a long, lovely while, the two of them got to know each other again, physically and emotionally. It was everything Alex had dreamed of. It was more.
Afterwards, they lay in each other’s arms, dozing and talking about their many, many plans for the future. Alex held Grace tight, sure that life would never get any more perfect than this. Sure that he never wanted this moment to end.
Finally, Grace was his, and he was hers. Alex had the family he’d never dared to let himself dream of, the belonging that had always seemed out of reach. Everything was as it was meant to be.
EPILOGUE
GRACE
“Ican’t believe I’m doing this.”
Grace rested her head in her hands, her elbows propped on the table. A cup of coffee and a plate of pancakes sat in front of her, and across the table, one-year-old twins Ella and Leo drummed their hands against their high-chair trays and made funny faces at each other. The kitchen was bright with early morning sunshine and decorated in blues and yellows (Grace had redecorated the whole penthouse).
“It’s going to be fine.” Alex came to sit next to her and pushed her coffee cup closer to her. “You’ve got this.”
“I don’t know.” Grace moved to rest her head on his shoulder instead of her hands. “It’s such a big step.”
“And we’re ready for it,” Alex said. “I’m going to be home with Leo and Ella all day. We’re going to havesomuch fun.” He caught Grace’s expression and quickly added, “But less fun than we’d have if you were here too.”
“Good save,” Grace said dryly.
