I walked inside, and took Daniela to the nursery. I was tucking her in when two arms wrapped around my waist.
“There’s my two favorite girls,” murmured Reid.
“I was just putting our Princess to bed. Too much time with her grandmothers wore her out.”
Reid chuckled. “It’s a good thing they’re going home later, otherwise we’d never get her back.”
“Yeah,” I sighed contentedly.
“Dinner’s ready. Let’s go outside and feed the people so they can leave. I can’t wait to get you alone.”
I turned around and wrapped my arms around Reid’s neck. “We’ve waited this long,” – I brushed my lips across his and smiled when he groaned, - “I’m sure we can last a few more hours.”
I sighed inwardly, and felt my blood warm. I’d been given the all clear from Dr. Burke, but had yet to give Reid that little tit-bit. I was having too much fun getting him worked up, only to tell him, “not yet.”
Not anymore, I thought.
“You’re killing me,” he whispered. “But for you, I’ll suck it up. Besides, we have to wait for Dane to do his thing.”
“I’m so excited,” I told him, dropping my arms. “Better not keep him waiting too long, he might just chicken out.”
Reid took my hand and we joined our guests outside. The conversation flowed, and I couldn’t help but feel the happiness around me, staring at all the people I loved gathered in one place.
Dane stood up, and cleared his throat. “I’d like to make a toast,” he said. I traded a knowing glance with Reid.
“To Daniela Sofia,” continued Dane. “And the love of good friends, family, and the person who completes my life.”
He pushed back his chair, and held out his hand to Kennedy. She looked around, perplexed, and stood to join him. When he dropped to one knee we all gasped, and I squeezed Reid’s hand under the table.
Dane removed a small black box from his pocket, and Kennedy covered her mouth with her hands.
He looked up at her, his expression a mixture of nervousness, and pure adoration. “Kennedy Monroe, I love you more and more every day. You make me want to be a better man, and have chosen to love me despite our past. I want to give you everything, and spend the rest of my life being yours. I want to have a family with you, make pancakes on Sunday mornings with you,” – Kennedy giggled through her tear-filled eyes – “and grow old with you. Make me the happiest man on Earth, and marry me. Be my wife.”
Kennedy’s breath shuddered, and then she fell to her knees with a resounding “yes!”
We cheered as Dane and Kennedy embraced, and then laughed when Dane fumbled with the ring until it rested on Kennedy’s finger. As soon as they stood up they were swarmed as we all exchanged hugs, and congratulations.
When I pulled back from Kennedy we were both a little emotional. “I’m so happy for you,” I told her. “You deserve it.”
“Who would’ve thought,” she sniffled, wiping her cheeks. “I’m marrying my used-to-be enemy, and you’ve just had a baby with your best friend since childhood.”
“It can’t get any more perfect than that,” I replied, looking back at Reid. He caught me staring, and gave me that lopsided grin that was reserved only for me. In that moment, I realized every decision, and every mistake, even the big ones, had led me to him.
Chapter 25
Jade
Daddy Really Wants To Practice Making Your Brother...
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I LEANED AGAINST the door leading to the nursery, and watched as Reid walked around trying to get Daniela to sleep. He didn’t understand that hearing his voice only excited her more.
He was wearing only his cotton drawstring pajama
bottoms, and left his upper body bare, giving me the most spectacular view of his back.
“You need to sleep now, Princess,” he told Daniela in a hushed whisper. “It’s been eight weeks and Daddy really wants to practice making your brother.”
I giggled, and Reid’s head snapped up. His face broke out into a roguish grin, his cheeks reddening slightly as a result of being caught.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate to tell our daughter such things,” I laughed. I walked over to where he was standing, and smiled when Daniela saw me.
“It’s not like she understands what I’m saying,” he retorted. He looked back down. “Isn’t that right, baby girl?”
“Yet,” I mused. “She doesn’t know what it means yet.”
Reid scowled and I kissed his shoulder. “We’re not having this argument again,” he said. “I’m so not ready to worry about it yet.”
I sighed, amused by his overprotectiveness and thought back over the last two months. Bringing Daniela home had been intimidating, for both Reid, and myself, but we eventually got the hang of it. Daniela was the sweetest baby – obviously that was her father’s disposition and not mine – and only cried when she was hungry.
Reid was finishing his final semester at school, but still got up when I had to feed Daniela in the early hours of the morning. He was smitten, as was I, and there was nothing sexier than seeing him dote on his little girl. She was only two months old, but she already had her daddy wrapped around her little finger and I was proud to say that’s a skill she inherited from me.
“Sing to her,” I told him quietly. I took hold of Daniela’s small hand, feeling my chest swell when she wrapped her tiny fingers around mine. I lifted my other hand, and brushed her dark hair from her forehead as Reid started humming. It only took five minutes for her eyelids to start fluttering, and by the time Reid reached the chorus, she was fast asleep.
“How wonderful life is, now you’re in the world,” he finished. He laid her down in the crib, made sure her baby monitor was on in case she woke up, and quietly dragged me out by the edge of the shirt I was wearing. It was one of his button down shirts, and being the strategic thinker that I am, I wore it because it always drove him crazy seeing me in his clothes. That, and I was so ready to have him again, the anticipation was already making me jumpy.
“Someone’s a little eager,” I mused. He shot me a dark look over his shoulder, and kicked the door shut to our bedroom once we were inside. One look was all it took, and nothing about what happened next was slow.
Clothes flew, landing haphazardly on the new hardwood floors we’d had put in, and our bodies collided in a frenzy of rushed movements. Our mouths fused just as Reid lifted me up in his arms, and walked us to the bed. He lowered me, and stared, taking note of how my body had changed. He didn’t make me feel self-conscious about my slightly wider hips, or the feint white lines on my stomach. I still had a little baby weight to get rid of, but that didn’t bother him. In fact, judging by the look in his eyes, it made him want me more, and I loved him for that.
“Are you sure?” He asked, his voice thick with yearning.
I nodded, and bit my lip to stop myself from yelling, “Just do me already!”
Reid reached for his bedside drawer, and pulled out a condom. He hated using them, but having another baby right now wasn’t the smartest decision. Daniela’s arrival was a blessing, but no less a shock, and when we finally did decide to expand our family, I wanted us to be ready.