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Gradually, my tears subside. I take a deep, steadying breath and then meet his gaze.
"I'm sorry. The hormones—"
"Ah." He runs his fingers through my hair, the gesture intimate. "You have nothing to apologize for."
His reassurance calms my anxieties. I smile up at him, filled with warmth and gratitude for this amazing man who came into my life. "What did I do to deserve you?"
"You were yourself." He kisses my forehead, then my lips. "Kind, strong, determined, and so full of love. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were special." He stops, his teeth biting his lip. "You brought light to my dark world, Talia. And now we're going to build a new life together. Once I take control of Morgan Drilling, we'll own the world."
My lips curve upward at his optimistic view.
"We'll also have a baby that cries in the middle of the night," I tease.
Dare grins. "I'll hire a night nurse so we can get our beauty sleep."
I smack his chest in mock outrage. "You will not! I want to experience every part of being a new mother, even the difficult parts."
"Whatever you say." He takes my hand and places it over my rounded belly. "I don't want to miss out on any crucial bonding moments, I guess."
Joy blossoms inside me as I feel a faint kick against my palm. Dare's hand covers mine, his warmth and strength enveloping us both. My mind drifts to the last time I was really, truly happy.
Maybe when I was a kid, playing in Olivia's yard. Olive and I would play house, making mud pies, planting flowers, and hosting pretend tea parties.
"When I was a kid, there used to be this tree I loved."
Dare quirks a brow. "That's not what I expected you to say."
"Sorry. I was just thinking how happy I am. And then I remembered the last time I was this happy. One really strong memory I have is this huge oak tree. It was in Olivia's back yard and we spent all our time under its branches, playing and exploring. We carved our names in the trunk and put wishes written on paper inside a hole we found in it."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah." I smile. "Until it was cut down when I was in high school, it was so great. I always loved that old tree," I say wistfully. "It was the perfect place to escape and dream. After a long day of chores and schoolwork, we'd climb the branches or sit with our backs against the trunk."
Dare squeezes my hand, his eyes sparkling with humor. "It sounds like you really loved that tree."
I slap his shoulder. "Don't laugh! Every kid should have a tree like that."
"It sounds like you have one item to add to your list of must-haves when we go house shopping. A big yard with a nice old tree."
Tears prick my eyes at his words.
"I... I never thought about going house shopping. I always assumed that I would just live wherever you live."
"Talia..." He fixes me with his gaze. "I started this whole venture thinking that I was just getting an heir. But I've spent the last few months falling in love with you." He cups my jaw and his eyes flash. "My goal is to make sure that you have every single thing you could ever want."
The breath is knocked out of me and for a second, I struggle to suck air into my lungs. My heart threatens to burst. No one has ever cared for me the way Dare does. And I don't know why he feels like I'm worth any of it, if I'm honest.
Flushing slightly, I realize I can't quite address the feelings that I have right now. So I smile and shift the subject slightly.
"You're going to spoil our baby rotten, aren't you?"
"Absolutely." He grins. "She'll be Daddy's little princess. Now, tell me more about this tree. Did it have a tire swing? I want to know exactly what made you happy as a child."
I snuggle into his embrace and begin spinning stories of better, simpler times. Of picnics in the park, catching fireflies on summer nights, and adventures in the woods behind our house. Dare listens with rapt attention, as if my memories are a treasured gift.
His thoughtfulness calms my anxieties. I smile up at him, filled with warmth and gratitude for this amazing man who came into my life.
Dare tenderly strokes my baby bump, feeling the little one flutter inside. He muses in a low voice about his own childhood.
