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“Yes, Dad.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “Go on.”
Muttering, I do as he says while he watches. Then I follow him into his bedroom.
He flicks on a lamp, then pulls back the duvet. “Get in.” After I slide beneath the cover, he places Leia beside me and hands me the bottle. I take out her dummy, and she starts drinking straight away.
“I’ll just lock up,” he says. He disappears, and I snuggle down. A whisper of his cologne rises from his sheets.
I hear him moving about the house, checking and locking doors and windows. Eventually he comes back in and closes the door. “Do you need anything else before I get in?” he asks.
I shake my head.
He goes into the en suite bathroom for a few minutes, then comes back out. I watch him grab a handful of his tee at the back of his neck, tug it over his head, and toss it over the chair, then run a hand through his hair. Muscles ripple in his arms and torso. Mmm, he’s so gorgeous. He pushes his track pants over his hips and takes them off, too, and then, in just his black boxer-briefs, he slides beneath the duvet.
“I’m sorry you had a nightmare,” he says, moving closer to Leia. He props his head on an elbow, then holds the bottle for me. I pull my arms closer to me, wincing at the pain.
“Before I went to sleep, I kept thinking about Blue,” I whisper. “I had the horrible thought that he might try to break in and get Leia.”
“He won’t. He doesn’t have any interest in Leia. He only wants the money. Tomorrow he and I are meeting at Ethan’s office with his lawyer to sign the document, and I’ll transfer the money over then.”
“How much are you paying him?”
“A hundred thousand. Ethan said he thought he could get the price down, but I’d rather give him all of it and keep him off our backs.”
I swallow hard. “I just hope I’m worth it.”
He frowns. “What do you mean?”
“I’m sure you didn’t think I’d be this high maintenance when you suggested we get married.”
Humor lights his eyes. “You think this is high maintenance? Aroha, you’re the least high maintenance woman I’ve ever met. All this is nothing to do with you. Jesus, you’re not even complaining after being kicked in the ribs twice. I’d be in a hospital bed asking for morphine if I was in your position.”
I give a short laugh, and he smiles and says, “That’s better. By the way, part of the document states that he’s not to come within a mile of either you or Leia. I should have told you that.”
My eyebrows rise. “Oh.”
“There’s also the code on the gate, and the walls around the grounds are very high. There are visible security cameras everywhere, so anyone who broke in would know they were being captured on film. But if you’re still worried, I’ll hire a security firm to patrol the grounds.”
That makes me smile. “You needn’t do that.”
“I would, if it’ll make you feel better.”
“I know.”
“The safety of you and Leia is all that matters to me now.” His eyes meet mine, shining in the light of the lamp. “My wife and daughter.” He gives an impish smile. Then he says, firmly, “Anyone who wants to get to either of you is going to have to come through me now.” He looks determined. Then he says, “You’re mine now, and no other man is going to touch you.”
I lift my gaze to his as a shiver runs down my spine. I suppose I should bristle at his possessive tone, but I don’t. It makes me weak at the knees.
I want to kiss him. I want to make this marriage real. I’ve wanted him for so long, and now he’s mine, and he’s like one of those chocolate fountains that you’re supposed to dip strawberries in, but I just want to lie my head under it and let it coat me all over.
“Tomorrow,” he says, “we’re going to convert the bedroom next to this one into the nursery. I’ll move the bassinet in there, and I’ll bring her change table and all the rest of her stuff through.”
“What about me?”
He rolls his eyes. “You’re going to sleep in here with me.”
My eyes widen. It feels like Christmas Day, my birthday, and Valentine’s Day have all come at once.
