AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Our kids?Not going to lie. It's not the first time I’ve thought of Quinn’s belly rounded with my growing child, but it’s certainly the first time she’s mentionedourfuture family. Yeah, when we were younger, we talked about how many kids we’d want, but nothing as tangible as this. The thought of her with our children, sitting in the stands as I take the mound, brings on a whole new level of eagerness for my future with Quinn.
I must be lost in thought, because she stutters for a moment. “I mean—not right now… but in the future.”
“How many kids do you want, baby?” I would give her a hundred kids if she’d let me. I want enough to fill an entire baseball diamond.
“You know I’ve always wanted a big family, the backyard filled with little voices, an SUV big enough to fit the fam and all their sports equipment. So as many as we’re blessed with… I guess.” I can see it now, her vision of our future.
Grabbing her chin, I place another kiss on her lips. “I can’t wait to start building a life with you.”
“You want that too?” she asks.
“If it were up to me, we’d have an entire team’s worth of children. But most importantly, I want your happiness. So, whether that’s none, one, or seven, I'm down for the ride. As long as I have you by my side.”
Her eyes well up at my words. “Eli Barton, I'm so insanely in love with you, it's scary. Honestly… you should be scared.” She giggles as she wipes away a stray tear.
“Baby, nothing could scare me away from you. Not your man-snoring, or morning breath… nothing.” That earns me a decent whap on the arm.
“I do not snore… you must be hearing your grizzly bear self ricocheting off the walls,” she teases.
In between our usual banter, the waiter drops off the dessert menus. Picking it up, I'm not seeing anything I’m particularly in the mood for. Besides, Quinn is way too tempting, and I'm dying to get her home.
“I'm not really seeing anything I want here… you?” I ask.
“Nah, not really… Oooh, I know, let’s get some cannolis from Ferrara bakery,” Quinn says with a smile. The thought of those delicious treats makes my mouth water.
“Okay, how about we walk over to Grand Street, then catch a ride back to my place?”
“That sounds perfect.”
The air is crisp as we walk a few blocks to the pastry café. Autumn nights in New York City are some of my favorites. Even more so now as I walk these streets with Queenie by my side.
“Oh, man, look at all of these desserts…” Quinn practically moans. I can't help but chuckle. My girl’s sweet tooth might be as bad as mine at this point.
“Let’s pick a few. It's been a while since I’ve gorged myself on pastries.”
She rubs her hands together in excitement, and I can’t help but wrap my arms around her. When I lift her off the ground, she squeals in surprise.
“Now hurry up and pick out what you want to eat… then I can get to my dessert,” I whisper into her ear, nipping at her lobe as I do.
“Who’s the greedy one now, Hotshot?”
I let out a little chuckle. “Oh, I’ve always been this way… but now you’re all mine and that does something to a man.”
She looks over her shoulder at me and whispers. “Eli, I was always yours.”
* * *
We crashthrough my apartment door, ripping at each other's clothes, desperate to touch each other's skin. The pastry box is safely stored on the entry table when I throw Quinn over my shoulder and walk us down the hall.
The sound of her giggle fills the vast space as I toss her onto my bed. With her hair splayed out, framing her gorgeous smiling face, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as stunning as her.
Quinn’s it for me… My sun, my moon, my everything.
“How did I get so lucky?” I say, more to myself than to her… Because it's true.
These past couple of weeks have been like a dream. We haven’t told our families yet. We’re waiting to tell them while we’re out there for Halloween. It’s not that we’re purposefully withholding the news, it's just that we’re too wrapped up in each other to care to tell anyone else.
“I'm the lucky one…” Quinn says, pulling on my arm so my body lies on hers.
