Rainey greeted them, grabbed her cousin’s hand and off they went, according to Rainey, to find cookies.
“Gotta love these kids,” Izzy said. “Good to see you but I need to make sure Noah doesn’t eat the whole plate full!” She blew a kiss and followed after the kids.
“Good thing our new nanny runs the kitchen as well as the kids,” Ian said, laughing.
As usual, when Ian made a decision, he implemented it with speed and thoroughness. He had Loretta vetted and hired within a week of returning from their vacation. Riley had to admit she adored the older woman.
Gabe grinned. “It’s the best, isn’t it?” He stared after his wife and child, a loving look on his face.
Ian slapped his oldest cousin on the back. “Nothing better,” he agreed. “Let’s go have a drink. The others can find us when they make their way inside.”
Riley waited by the door, greeting Amanda and Decklan and their daughter, Hannah, along with Max and Lucy. Finally, Ian’s last siblings trickled in, Dylan and Olivia and their toddler daughter Annie, and Scott and Meg, and their son Cole. Last but not least, Avery and her rock star husband, Grey arrived. Riley’s stepmom was traveling with her husband and couldn’t make it, and Ian’s mom was home with the flu, her husband Michael taking care of her.
After hugs and kisses and directions to the tree for all the gifts, Riley finally closed the front door behind all her guests.
Nobody had mentioned or invited Robert Dare. Even if Ian and his siblings wanted to forgive him for living a double life and having another family, the current rumors of him cheating on Alex and his siblings’ mother, Savannah, killed any good will some of the children had left. It was sad, but he reaped what he sowed. And as for Savannah, well, she’d known he had a wife when she’d had her initial affair with him, so it shouldn’t be a surprise he’d repeat patterns now.
The entire Dare family was under one roof and Riley, who’d grown up with an angry man as her father, knew how lucky she was that fate had given her Ian along with his big clan. So she did the smart thing now. She headed inside to enjoy her family. The ones who mattered.
* * *
Ian wasn’t an easy man. He wasn’t easy to know, to deal with or to love. He knew this. And as much as Riley had changed him, there was much that remained the same. She loved him anyway, thank fuck. It went without saying that she was his world.
But he loved his family too. It hadn’t been too long ago that in his mind, family had consisted of his two brothers and two sisters, period. He had refused to acknowledge his half-siblings because his father had not only cheated on his mother, he’d had an entire other family he’d hidden from them. Time and Riley had changed that and now Ian had not just accepted them but invited them into his home. And yes, into his heart. His New York cousins were an added blessing.
As he watched them mingle and interact, he counted those blessings, his gaze drifting to his wife. Riley rushed around to make sure their company was fed and had drinks in hand, despite having help to serve and clean up. All while running after Riley, who managed to find trouble no matter what. White out she showed her cousin, highlighters she’d discovered in the kitchen, and chocolate she wasn’t supposed to have any more of before lunch.
And she did it all with an indulgent grin on her face.
He pulled her aside. “Come with me.” He led her into their bedroom and shut the door behind them.
“Ian, we have company.”
“That doesn’t mean I can’t have a few minutes alone with my wife,” he said, nuzzling her nose against his.
She sighed. “I love you,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I love you too.”
She bit down on her lower lip. “I wasn’t going to do this now but… why not? It’s Christmas. I want to give you your present,” she murmured.
He arched his hips against hers. “Yeah? Right now?” His cock nestled into the vee of her thighs.
“Not that, your dirty man. Get your mind off of sex for a minute.”
He laughed. “Okay what’s my present?” he asked.
She leaned in and whispered in his ear. “You’re going to be a daddy again. Merry Christmas.”
His heart skipped a beat. “Seriously?”
She eased back, meeting his gaze. “I wouldn’t joke about that.
“God, Ri. That’s the best gift you could ever give me. I love you so damned much. And I love our family.”
“And I love you, Ian Dare.” Her lips found his and locked in a long, wet, sensual kiss… until a loud banging sounded on the door.
“Mommy! Daddy! I spilt milk on my dress!” Rainey wailed, the loud banging continuing.