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Lily
The cinnamon aroma of the baking cookies causes my mouth to water. Chelsea giggles at the animated story on the screen and I’m curled up with a book on the sofa. Since Austin left a few hours ago to see one of his patients, I’ve made two trays of shortcake, and one of cinnamon cookies. For some reason, Chelsea is addicted to them and her dad has a preference to the strawberry decked sweet stacks.
“Lily,” the tiny voice from the carpet calls to me, dragging my imagination away from Austin and what he does with the shortcake.
“What’s up, munchkin?”
“Can we have cookies now?” Her bottom lip sticks out as she pouts at me. The puppy dog eyes she has down to a T make me giggle.
“No cookies till I get home.” Austin’s voice comes from the doorway.
She leaps to her feet and races toward him. She’s in his arms in seconds. He looks tired, but the five o’clock shadow that graces his jaw makes him look so sexy.
Pushing off the sofa, I pad over to him and plant a soft kiss on his cheek. He turns his head and gives me a sloppy wet smooch on the lips only get an eeew gross from Chelsea.
“Behave,” I tell him as he sets her on her feet.
She’s forgotten about the cookies when her favorite TV show comes on and leaves us to talk. When Austin asked me to move in, I had to think about it. My parents didn’t accept us at first, but each time they saw us together, they noticed he makes me happy, and so does Chelsea.
“Are you ever going to give me an answer?”
I know what he wants, but I planned the surprise and if I give him my answer now, it will spoil everything.
“No, Austin. Give me time, please?” When I meet his gaze, I notice the hurt flashing in them. My heart aches at the sight. I never want to see him sad. I’ve never felt so strongly about someone before.
“Anything for you,” he murmurs and heads toward the bedroom, leaving me alone in the kitchen.
I’m about to follow when a knock on the front door that I’ve been waiting for comes. Chelsea is already pulling it open when I reach it to find my mom and dad standing in the entrance.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Mom says, pulling me into a hug. “Does he know?” she whispers in my ear.
I shake my head when she steps back. Once I’ve given my dad a hug, I step aside and they make themselves comfortable on the sofa.
“I’ll be back with Chelsea’s things. Thank you for doing this,” I say before heading toward her bedroom. They’re chattering away to her about taking her to the mall to go ice skating when I find Austin in her bedroom.
“My folks are here to take Chels to the mall,” I tell him. He nods, but doesn’t respond. “Look, Austin, I wanted to tell you this later. I planned a whole dinner surprise, but since you’re acting like a four-year-old, I’ll tell you now.”
His gaze snaps to mine in shock at my words. With both my hands on either hip, I narrow my eyes and glare at him for spoiling it.
“My answer is yes. I’ll move in with you and munchkin. I’d asked my parents to take her out for a couple hours so we can have alone time, but since you’re—”
He doesn’t allow me to finish my sentence. He’s on his feet and his mouth crashes against mine in a heated kiss. I moan under his warmth, his tongue sweeping against my lips, and I allow him to taste me. A groan so low and hungry rumbles in his throat and I smile against his mouth.
When we finally break apart, our breathing is ragged. My body is tingling with anticipation of being with him again. This man makes me crave things I never knew possible.
“Do I still get my surprise?” he questions on a sexy, sinful smirk.
I shake my head. “No, you ruined it.”
His hands trail down to my ass, giving it a playful squeeze.
“I never ruin anything. Besides, now we can celebrate with that bottle of bubbly and some whipped cream.” He releases me, striding confidently from the room. The man is insatiable, but so am I. There’s no way I can deny him anything.
Quickly, I grab Chelsea’s jumper and her boots and head back to the living room to find Austin chatting to my dad about taking a family vacation next year and my mother and Chelsea playing with Barbie dolls, dressing them up in the tiny fur coats she got for Christmas.
“I’m ready!” she squeals excitedly.
If it weren’t for her, my parents would still be on the fence about Austin and me, but because of her personality, she’s won them over in record time. My heart soars when I think of how happy I am with my new family.
