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I smiled and dropped my head. I was so going to be busted. And I was completely naked.
Shit!
The bed dropped more as Steed sat down.
NO! I need clothes. A blanket. I need out of this room!
“You sure you don’t want to go back up to your room?”
“I’m sure.”
I sighed internally.
“What’s on your mind, pumpkin?”
“Paxton.”
I froze and my breath stilled.
Oh. No. She hates me!
“What about Paxton?”
“Daddy, I really want her to be my mommy. Why can’t you marry her?”
A huge smile moved across my face. I spied one of Steed’s T-shirts. Reaching for it, I carefully slipped it on.
“I can marry her.”
“Well, why don’t you?”
I covered my mouth with my hand. Oh, how I love this little girl. I could see it in her eyes how much she longed for a mother. Amelia told me how Chloe talked about me and asked a million and one questions each time.
“It’s not that simple, baby.”
“How come? Don’t you love her?”
“I love her very much. But when the time comes for me to ask her, I want to make it special. And that means planning.”
She giggled. “Like how you planned her special day today?”
“Yes! Exactly like that.”
Steed’s bed was tall enough for me to sit up without my head showing. Pulling my knees to my chest, I tried to still my racing heart.
“Daddy?”
“Yes, pumpkin?”
“Will Paxton want to give me a baby brother or sister?”
Tears streamed down my face. It was in that moment that it all made sense. Everything that happened ten years ago…right up until this moment. This little girl was meant to be in our world. She was destined to be in my world and even though she wasn’t my child, I would love her like she was.
“I know she will want to.”
“Will she love her baby more than me?”
Burying my hands in my face, I silently sobbed. It took everything not to jump up and pull her into my arms. I wanted to reassure her I would always love her no matter how many kids Steed and I had together.
“Oh, Chloe, no. She would love you both equally.”
“But…but I’m not really her baby.”
My face was soaked with tears as I dropped my head back against the bed.
“That doesn’t matter, Chloe. Paxton loves you so much, and I know there is nothing more that she wants than to have you as a daughter. Just because you didn’t grow in her belly doesn’t mean that she won’t love you like I do. She wants to be your mommy as much as you want her to be.”
A silence lingered, and I held my breath.
“I can’t wait to call her mommy. She’s the prettiest girl in town, Daddy.”
Steed laughed. “I know she is. And she’s mine.”
Chloe laughed. “Silly, Daddy. She’s ours.”
And there it was. I slowly fell to my side and laid in a fetal position, happiness swirling around me as I tried to hold back sobs. I couldn’t believe a few months back my heart had a black void in it. Now…now it was overflowing with so much love and happiness I was completely overwhelmed.
“That’s right, Chloe. She’s ours. Now let’s get you up to bed.”
Five minutes later Steed walked back into his bedroom. I was sitting on his bed with my knees pulled to my chest, sobbing like an idiot.
Fear hit Steed’s face as he rushed to me. “Christ. Please tell me those are happy tears.”
I nodded. “V-very…h-happy…t-t-tears!”
He laughed and pulled me up in front of him. His thumbs attempted to wipe away my endless tears.
The way his blue eyes searched my face before he chuckled and those dimples peeked out from his unshaven face caused my knees to go weak.
Reaching into his pocket, Steed pulled out a small little band. “Chloe thought the reason I wasn’t asking you to marry me was because I didn’t have a ring.”
Drifting my gaze to the band, I grinned. “So she gave you one?”
He chuckled as he lifted my hand up. He slipped the band next to the promise ring I wore on my left hand. “I’ll just leave this here for right now.”
Burying my face into his chest, I broke down crying. Again.
“Shhh…baby, it’s okay. Please don’t cry.”
Before I knew it, we were on the bed, and I was snuggled into Steed’s side. Contentment wrapped around me like a perfectly fitted glove.
Pressing his lips to my forehead, Steed whispered, “Sleep, baby. Get some sleep.”
I walked into my father’s office and stopped when I saw Trevor shaking his head and cursing.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Fucking hogs got in the north pasture and tore it to shit.”
I panicked. “What? When?”
“Must have been yesterday. It almost looks like a damn pattern.”
My hand clutched my chest as I fell back into one of the chairs in front of my father’s desk. “Thank fuck,” I breathed.
“What?” my father asked, giving me a confused look. “What in the hell do we have to be thankful for, Steed? I don’t want that many hogs on our ranch.”
