“You’re finished with your day?”
“Whatever I have left to do after my meeting, I can do at home,” he reassures me. “Now eat the rest of my sub because I can tell you want it. You’re practically drooling.” He laughs ashe releases my stomach and picks up the sub from the table, holding it out in front of my mouth.
I lean in, taking a way too big bite and lie back against his chest, closing my eyes with a content sigh. “Mmm, so good. I love you, Shane,” I tell him, chewing away.
“I’m not sure if you’re only saying it because I’m feeding you, but I’ll take it.” He kisses my cheek next. “I love you too, Aubrey.”
SHANE
I massage the back of her scalp as my Angel lies on my sweaty chest. She’s been insatiable since we got home after stopping at a restaurant to eat. The moment we walked through the door, she practically jumped me and hasn’t wanted to let go since. We only stopped long enough to shower and have dinner in bed, then started up again.
“What was your five-year plan, Aubrey?” It’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately, wondering if me coming into her life, our child, has derailed that plan she had her mind set on.
“What do you mean?” she asks quietly after a moment.
“What is it you planned for yourself? Your dreams, goals. You’ve worked a crazy amount over the last year, yet I never see you spending any of that money, which means you must beputting it aside. I want to know for what?” I kiss the top of her head.
“I’d like to open my own bakery one day. I thought that if I kept working like I did, I should be able to buy a place by the time I turn thirty,” she says softly, her fingers drawing invisible circles on my chest.
“And is that still your dream?”
She lifts her head, searching my eyes with her mesmerizing ones. “What are you trying to ask me, Shane?” Sometimes I forget just how smart she is.
“I was just wondering if you thought being with me, having a baby together, would change those plans for you,” I admit, hoping she says no. I don’t want her to think that she can’t have the life she envisioned because she’s with me.
“No, I don’t think that, Shane. Yes, I’ll admit that when I found out I was pregnant, for a second, I did think that way. But I see all my friends working with kids, following their dreams. Maybe it will derail it for a little while longer than expected, but I know I don’t have to give it up in order to have this life with you.” Her hand comes up to cup my cheek tenderly as I nod, feeling reassured.
“Was that something you feared?” she asks next.
I nod again. “I don’t want you to give up your dreams for me, Angel. I want to give you the world.”
“You’ve already given me it, Shane.” She pulls my face closer to hers and presses her lips against mine. After a few more kisses, she rests back down against my side with her head on my chest. “Are you nervous about the next game?” Her soft voice reaches my ears.
I let out a sigh. Tomorrow we’re heading back out to North Carolina, for our last game in round one. It’s been neck-to-neck from the start, with five out of six games ending in overtime. We now have a tie of three-to-three wins, and whoever wins thisnext game moves on to round two, while the other heads home and puts up their skates until next season.
“Yeah, a bit,” I admit.
The boys have been working overtime to perfect all their plays, always making sure they’re at the top of their game. But if I’m being blatantly honest, the other team we’re up against is really freaking good this season.
“No matter the outcome, you’re still the best team with the very best coach in my eyes,” she says sweetly.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” I tighten my hold around her.
“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” she says, changing the subject.
“Okay, what is it?”
“I thought of a name.”
I move my head aside once her words register, needing to see her face. Instead, I push myself up to a sitting position as she does the same while facing me. “You did?”
She blushes slightly and bites her lip, nodding. “It’s okay if you don’t like it, though, it was just a thought.”
“What is it?” I take her hand in mine, feeling the need to hold her in some way.
“Stellina.” She blushes harder and looks down. “It means—”
“Little star,” I finish for her as she nods. I release her hand and cradle her face, bringing her in for a passionate, soul-shaking kiss. “I love it. Let’s do it.”
