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With my arms around his neck and my head on his shoulder, I listen to him talk as we wait for the hot water in his en suite bathroom.
“First of all, you can do nothing about the past. Just like there’s nothing I can do about my less-than-stellar dating history. Does my history matter to you?”
I sigh and give a small “no.”
“Right. And are you my girl?”
A stupid smile creeps across my face. “Yes.”
“Good. So, as my girl, you know I’m going to love that baby as much as I love you. As much as if they are mine.”
I say nothing more but bury my face against his chest. He sets me down gently in the glass-tiled shower stall that’s big enough for five people, and I melt into this solid wall of man. The warm water rinses the night off our spent bodies, then this man soaps up a loofah and gives me the sweetest, most erotic rubdown ever.
“I know you haven’t said yes yet, but the second we’re married, I’d like to start the process of adopting the baby. If that’s what you want.”
I suck in a sharp breath and snap my gaze to his intense green eyes. “You do?”
“Are you surprised?”
“Yes! Nate, I would never put that expectation on you.”
“I know. But it’s what I want. If that’s what you want. And if the bio dad decides he wants to be a part of the kid’s life, then we’ll work through that together. She should have as many parents as she can get.”
I smile up at him. “How do you know it’s a girl?”
He shrugs. “I don’t. Just a feeling.”
Honestly, I have the same feeling.
“You would really adopt her?”
“Of course. She’s a part of you. And most importantly, she’s simply herself. Whatever that turns out to be. The only thing that matters is if she needs me, I’ll be there.”
I may cry again, so I force back the tears.
“You know what people will say about us,” I say, my voice cracking.
He nods. “They’ll say, ‘what a nice family.’ Beyond that, I don’t give a fuck. Do you?”
This “no fucks left to give” attitude is admirable, but I’ve never been able to quite get there.
“I care somewhat. Can you be patient while I work through that feeling of wanting to run away?”
“Of course I can.”
Nate smiles and sets his lips against mine. The kiss is soft, then builds into something sensuous and needy.
The running water might ice cold by the time we’re ready to leave this shower.
Nate means it when he says he’ll be patient with me. In our short time together, he’s proven himself repeatedly.
Us try-hards tend to be like that. And I wouldn’t want us to be any other way.
ChapterNineteen
Six months later
Nate
