Only One Kiss (Only One 1)

“Have you even looked at other houses?” My mind is reeling.

“I have not,” he says, getting up. “I didn’t want to do anything without you.”

“Move in here,” I say the words before I even get a chance to think about it. “It’s not a big house, but it’s the right size for the three of us, and then we can see if maybe we want to buy another one.”

“You would be okay with us living here?” he asks, and I look around.

“I mean, technically we were kind of living here before,” I say. “But we can talk about it after we get Ari.”

“Let’s go get our girl,” he says, and my heart literally skips a beat. He holds my hand the whole way there, and when I finally walk into the door and hear her voice, the tears just come.

I walk into the living room and see her sitting on the floor with Bernadette. “Hello, baby girl,” I say, going to her, and she smiles so big but then pouts and starts to cry.

I look over at Ralph, who laughs. “That’s her way of telling you that you are taking too long to pick her up. She started doing it last week.” He walks to her and picks her up, and I’m expecting her to stop crying, but she doesn’t. “You want Candace?” Ralph asks her. I hold out my hands to her, and she flies into my arms.

“Hey there, pretty girl,” I say, hugging her as she lays her head on my chest. I kiss her head. “I missed you, baby girl,” I say and look at Ralph. “I missed you both.”

“Welcome home, baby,” Ralph says to me, and for the first time in fourteen days, my tears are happy tears.Chapter 36Ralph“Good night, baby girl.” I place her down in the middle of the crib and walk out softly, closing the door just a touch. Walking to the kitchen, I put the empty bottle in the sink and head back to the bedroom. Wearing a smile on my face, I see her sitting in the middle of the bed. Her hair is wet from the pool and tied up on top of her head as she reads something on her phone. “She’s out.”

She looks up from her phone. “You’re suing me?” she asks, shocked, and I laugh. “Don’t you laugh, Ralph. I just got a notice from Becca.”

I lean over and kiss her lips. “I had to do something to see you,” I say, and she throws her hands up.

“So your first thought was to sue me?” She gets on her knees, and I see that she is only wearing a white T-shirt. Her nipples showing through the shirt, and she walks over to me on her knees. “You know that I could have just sent my lawyer, right?” she says, wrapping her hands around my neck, and my hand comes up and grabs her ass.

“I have to make a phone call,” I say, and she looks at me.

“Now?” She leans in and kisses me. “Like right now. It’s been two weeks.”

“Trust me, I know.” I kiss her again. “I won’t be long,” I say and slide my tongue into her mouth and then smack her ass. “Don’t shower without me.” I walk out of the room because if I stood there for another minute, I wouldn’t have left her.

I walk outside to the backyard and sit down, dialing the number. “Hello,” he answers right away.

“It’s me,” I say. “I just wanted to let you know that I spoke with your sister.”

“I know,” he says and I look up at the sky as the stars twinkle like diamonds.

“I’m moving in with her,” I say and he stays quiet. “And I’m going to marry her. I don’t know when, and I don’t know how, but at the end of the day, she’s going to have my last name.”

“Is that a fact?” Evan says, laughing.

“Just stating the obvious,” I say. “Thank you for giving me the heads-up.”

“You going to tell her I told you?” he asks me.

“If she asks, I will. I’m not lying to her,” I say. “Not now, not ever.”

“You’re a good guy, Ralph,” he says. “As long as she’s happy, you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Glad we are on the same page.” I look out.

“Just because you’re dating my sister doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you on the ice, though.” I laugh now.

“Good to know,” I say and hang up the phone, getting up and going inside. I lock up and walk to the bedroom, seeing that she isn’t in the bedroom. I hear talking and walk down to Ari, and I see her rocking Ari as she talks to her.

“I missed you so much.” She holds her sideways with Aria’s face on her chest. Ari holds her finger tight while Candace kisses her. “Did you miss me?” I lean on the doorjamb and listen to her. “Did you make friends?” She looks up now and sees me and smiles. “She woke up.”