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Six hours later
Dalton sat in the silent sitting room of the birthing suite, the pale light of a new day—his son’s birthday—streaming placidly in through the window. A wheeled bassinet stood by his armchair, but it was empty. Since before the sun had come up, he’d been sitting with his newborn son, Anthony, cradled in his arms.
Maybe it was just new-dad pride, but he’d been studying his kid for a while now, and he’d be willing to put Anthony up to any other baby who’d ever lived and announce with confidence that his kid was far and away the most perfect little human to have ever been born.
Just his opinion, of course. But he was sticking with it.
“You know what, kiddo?” The low hum of his voice made his son fidget, his little face scrunching adorably. “I might be the luckiest guy in the world to be your old man, and I totally get that. But you’re pretty lucky, too. In the next room, right over there,” he nodded to the open archway leading to the bedroom where Hannah slept, “is the most amazing woman who ever graced this earth, and that woman is your mom. She’s smart and talented, and millions of people around the world love her simply for who she is. See what I mean? Lucky.” His son snuffled, a sound that melted him in ways he hadn’t known he could melt. “You may not know it yet, but your life is going to be filled with love and laughter and all kinds of crazy. But mostly, it’ll be love. That’s what your mother is, you know. She is love, in every sense of the word. She is love.”
“Dalton? Is that you?”
In a heartbeat he was on his feet, crossing to the bedroom side of the suite, only to pause in the open archway as his gaze ran bang into Hannah’s.
By God, his woman was breathtaking.
When it came to Hannah, there were countless moments forever branded in his memory—that first night when he’d held her in her arms and knew beyond all doubt that she belonged to him; watching her walk down the aisle to become his wife, looking halfway between a fairytale princess and a glowing goddess; gazing into her sapphire eyes when she told him she was carrying his baby.
Every one of those memories was a time when her beauty had stopped his heart.
Every time it started up again for her.
Because he lived for her. That was the single, basic truth that guided him in life. He lived for this woman.
His woman.
“What?” She reached a hand up to her ebony hair now woven into a casually elegant side braid. “I’m sure I look a mess, but give me a break, pal. I just gave birth.”
“You look unbelievably beautiful.” His voice was thick with the storm of emotion crashing through him, but he didn’t give a damn. “You’re perfect. My idea of perfect.”
“Then why are you standing all the way over there looking at me like you’ve never seen me before?”
“I just wanted to take a second to drink this moment in—looking at my wife, my partner in crime, my best friend, while holding our son right next to my heart. Swear to Christ, baby, if I could live in this moment forever I’d die a happy man.”
Her brilliant smile made his world that much sweeter. “I’m fine with that, as long as you’re living in that moment a little bit closer to me.” She leaned forward with a small grunt of discomfort and patted the side of the bed near her feet. “Come on over and bring that handsome boy with you.”
“He’s more than handsome.” Sniffing a little against the stinging in his sinuses, he did as she asked. “He’s as perfect as his mother.”
“Sweetheart.” Gently she cupped a hand over the baby’s dark head, the touch so visibly loving it made his throat clench. “I’m hardly perfect.”
“Like I said, you’re my idea of perfect. That’s all I care about.” Taking care not to jostle his boy, Dalton leaned forward to capture her lips with his. The first touch of her lips both weakened his knees and filled him with enough strength to tear mountains down with his bare hands, if that was what it took to keep her and their son safe and happy. That wild determination burned through him as he eased back just enough to look into her jewel-colored eyes.
“You know what?” he said just above a whisper, nuzzling her nose with his. “I never imagined how much my life would change the night we met. But I knew it would. I knew it the moment I cradled you in my arms that worlds of beauty and happiness and belonging were suddenly opening up for me. Just looking at you moves me so fucking much I forget to breathe. That’s how it was for me from the first. That’s how it’ll be for me at the last. I’m the luckiest sonofabitch who ever lived, because you agreed to be my wife, my forever lover, and the mother of my children.”
“There you go again, talking about having more babies.” She laughed while her eyes sparkled with happy tears. “I love you more than life itself, my beautiful man, and I’ll be happy to have a dozen kids with you in the future, if that’s what you want. But is it okay with you if I recover from having Anthony first before we start talking about having his little brother or sister?”
“I think I can wait that long.” With a low laugh, he once again leaned forward to kiss her, only to back up when the baby in his arms began to cry, his little face turning red while tiny fists flailed in the air. “Looks like I’m also going to have to wait to kiss you. My boy wants his breakfast.”
“He can wait another few seconds,” she said with that sassy grin he’d come to love so much. “I want my kiss.”
“Your wish is my command.” Ignoring the truly impressive volume his son could generate, Dalton leaned over to kiss her and reveled in the lightness floating through him. Then she broke the kiss with a smile and took the baby from him, and as he helped lower her gown in order to feed their child, his chest swelled with so much emotion it was hard to breathe. “I love you, beautiful.”
She looked up from positioning their son at her breast and gave him a smile that reflected all the love and joy raging in his heart. “I love you, too.”
