“We have plans,” he reminds me, carrying me over to the kitchen where he sets me down on the counter. I watch as he makes me a hot chocolate.
“You still have to bring the presents out,” I remind him, looking over at the tree. Little A is crawling around like a wild man, so we haven’t put anything under the tree yet. He would have been all over it.
My chest fills with warmth, my hand going to my stomach. I still can’t get over how much Little A looks like his daddy. He even came out huge. I pushed for five hours before they had to go in and get him.
With all Angus and I have been though, that was the only time I’ve ever seen fear on his face. His mom was able to talk him down quickly. C-sections aren’t that uncommon. I was tiny compared to Angus. Then he went and put a giant baby inside of me. I wasn’t shocked when he came out ten pounds.
“I’ll get them.” He brings me over my mug. “I still have to set up the train, but I promised you a Christmas movie and a foot rub.”
I moan thinking about the foot rub already. “Have I told you that you’re the most wonderful husband?”
“Having a wife like you makes it easy.” He takes the mug from my hand, helping me off the counter. “Go sit on the sofa.” He smacks my ass as I go. I drop down on the sofa, and he brings me over my hot chocolate and some cookies. He brings out the presents and starts putting them under the tree. The lights on the tree sparkle, and the light from the fire only illuminates them even more.
“Baby.” Angus gives me a look.
“They’re happy tears, I swear.” He shakes his head. “It’s your fault. You know I’m a crier when I’m knocked up, and you went and did it again.” He walks over to the sofa, sitting down next to me before pulling me into his lap. I shift around so I can straddle him. “I think about all these small traditions we’re making. It’s so different from when I was a kid.” He wipes a tear from my cheek before kissing it.
“I told you that day you said you’d marry me that I’d give you anything you ever wanted.”
I smile. I do remember. I was a crying mess then too. Okay, maybe it’s not the babies and just me or my wonderful husband.
“I know. I never once doubted that.” I run my finger down his jaw. “You’re the hero of my story.”
“Baby.” He pulls me down for a kiss. I moan into his mouth when his hands slip up the back of my shirt.
“Bed,” I tell him when his mouth starts kissing my neck. He rises with me in his arms and carries me to our bed.
“I love you. So damn much. You keep saying I saved you, but I was empty until I found you. Drifting.”
“We needed each other.” I truly believe we’re soul mates. How else would we have fallen in love so quickly? The very first night, he didn’t want to let me go. We saw each other and just knew. As messed up as it was that I got tangled in my brother’s mess, it not only freed me from him, but it gave me Angus.
“I promise you. What I feel for you goes way past fucking need.”
“I love you,” I say against his lips.
“I love you too.”
Epilogue
Angus
Ten years later…
It’s a hot summer day, and our kids are swimming at the waterfall. Bull and Teeny got here with their kids last night and they’ve all been thick as thieves since then. Bull and I became fast friends years ago after Rogue and Ember introduced us to them. He likes the quiet out here and Teeny and Bambi seem more like sisters than anything.
“You okay?” I ask as Bull makes his way to the edge of the water with a scowl on his face.
“Teeny made me be on the bottom last night,” he huffs as he scans the water for his wife. “I don’t like when she tries to dominate me.”
I try to hide my laughter as she waves over at him. There’s a smile on her face that tells me she knew exactly what she was doing. Bull barrels into the water and growls like the Loch Ness monster, and the kids squeal with delight as they splash around.
“Hey.” I feel Bambi’s fingers on my lower back and then her arms come around my waist.
“Hey yourself.” I turn and kiss the top of her head and see she’s wearing the pink bathing suit I love. “You sneak down here wearing this to drive me crazy?”
“Maaaaaaybe.” She tilts her chin up and kisses my chest.