“Lots of babies.” He nods.
“How many are we talking here, Mr. Harris?”
“Well, we have four bedrooms here, and with the floor plan, it would be easy enough to add on.” He grins.
“Let’s start with three and go from there.”
His lips brush against mine. “Three is a good number.” He pulls away, and the smile on his face tugs at my heart. I’ve been holding us back for so long. I’m just glad he stuck around. “So, about this moving in thing.”
“Yeah, this place is bigger and ideal for a family.”
“It is. We both agreed on that when I bought it. I’ve also asked you since the day I signed the papers to move in with me.” He studies me closely. “You sure this is what you want?”
“Yes.” No hesitation, no reservations. I’m ready for this, for him, for us.
“When?” he asks, sitting up. The sheet pools around his waist, and I can’t help but run my eyes over his toned muscles, tanned from days in the hot sun.
“Is today too soon?” I ask.
His answer is pushing me back on the bed and kissing me deeply. I can feel the love, the happiness pouring off him. When he pulls back, his lips hover over mine. “You’re really moving in?”
Regret washes over me. This man, so strong, kind, and loving, has given me all the space I need, and in doing that, I’ve made him uncertain of my feelings for him. He knows I love him, but my wariness has made him question that.
My hands cradle his cheeks. “Yes, I’m really moving in. I’ll call the realtor tomorrow and get my place up for sale. I already have a lot of my clothes here. What furniture we don’t want to bring, we can donate. I want nothing more than to live here with you, become your wife, have your babies, and live our happily ever after.”
Again, a kiss. This time he crushes his lips against mine, pushing his tongue past my lips, taking what he wants, celebrating the fact that I’m no longer fighting him. “Call your parents and tell them we can’t make it to dinner,” he says.
“What?” I laugh. “Why not?”
“Because we’re moving you in.” He beams down at me.
My heart swells at the happiness radiating from him. “How about we go over and start packing. We can still go to Mom and Dad’s for dinner, and afterward, we can load up your truck and bring the first load over here.”
“How about I call Mike, Aaron, and Evan, have them bring their trucks, and we load up all four of them and bring them over?” he counters.
I chuckle. “Dave, I have to pack. It’s going to take time.”
“Fine,” he grumbles. “But as of today, you sleep here. So make sure you have the essentials, because you are in this bed every night from here on out.”
“Deal,” I agree, and we seal it with a kiss.
We’re sitting at my future in-laws’ around the dining room table. Dinner plates are long gone as we sit and talk about a little bit of anything and everything. I want to shout it out that Liv is finally moving in with me, but I hold it in. We rushed through breakfast and went straight to her place, stopping at the bar for boxes on the way. We managed to pack up her entire master bathroom, and most of her clothes. There are still some left hanging in the closet that we’re just going to leave on the hangers and toss in the back seat of the truck.
I can’t help but watch the clock, waiting for it to be time to leave so we can load up the boxes and take them home, to our home. The one I bought in hopes I would one day be calling it just that. My home with her.
“Dinner was great, Mom, as always,” Olivia says. “We need to get going.”
“No need to rush off,” her dad chimes in.
“Well, we kind of have some boxes to move.”
Reaching under the table, I lace her fingers through mine. This is happening. She’s telling her parents. I’m not just dreaming a very vivid dream. My girl is finally coming home. Suddenly every hope I’ve had for us is starting to fall into place.
“Boxes?” her mom asks, confused.
“Yeah.” She looks over at me and smiles softly. I want to lean in and press my lips to hers, but instead I give her hand another gentle squeeze under the table. “I’m moving in.” She turns back to her mom.
“Finally!” her mom cheers, and everyone starts laughing.