“Of course I did,” I said. Steven’s hips tilted, briefly dislodging me, as he fished his phone out of his front jeans pocket. “What are you doing?”
“Looking up flights to Argentina so I can kick some deadbeat ass.”
“Be serious.”
“Iamserious. Radish deserves better than this.Youdeserve better than this.”
“Steven.” Exasperated, I took his phone away. When he reached for it, I slid it across the floor. “Wehavebetter than this. We have you.”
He gripped my chin and forced my face back to look at him. “Say that again,” he said quietly.
I swallowed hard at the emotion I saw in his eyes. “We have you.”
“Damn right you do.”
He lowered his head and kissed me slow and deep. I whimpered into his mouth as his tongue rubbed mine. When he pulled back, I stared up at him, dazed. The corner of his mouthcrooked up as he studied me. Then he reached for the body butter again.
“I’m not done buttering you up, princess.”
He drew a circle around my belly button, then rubbed the butter in with his palms. I leaned back against him with a happy sigh, my hands folded between in the valley between my breasts and bump.
“What were you dreaming about?” he asked.
“Hmm?”
“When I came first came in. You said you were daydreaming. What were you dreaming about?”
I laughed lightly. “Oh, you know. Baby things. Planting peonies so we can enjoy them on the porch. Introducing Radish to his uncles and grandparents.” My voice got softer when I said, “You teaching him how to ride.”
“I dream of that, too.” His hands moved to mine, separating them from each other, massaging the leftover butter into my skin with tender care. “You want to know what else I dream of?”
“Yes,” I said.
He hooked his pinky around my left ring finger like a wedding band. “This,” he said huskily.
I stared down at our linked hands. My heart pounded like a winged bird against my ribs. “You want to marry me?” I asked, stupefied.
“More than anything in this whole wide world, princess.”
“Steven,” I whispered.
“This isn’t a real proposal, but that’s coming soon. I don’t even have a ring because I had no idea if I should get one that fits you now or two months from now or a year from now. But yes, I want to marry you. I can’t imagine a better way to spend the rest of my life than loving, honoring, and cherishing you.”
Tears blurred my vision. “Are you sure? Even if I can’t have another child with you?”
He touched his forehead to my temple. “You’re having this one with me. The three of us, we all belong to each other. How could that not be enough? You and Radish are my whole world.”
“Steven.” My voice trembled. “Ye?—”
He smashed his mouth to mine. “Don’t answer now. Save it for the real thing.”
I broke away, laughing. “Steven McAllister, youarethe real thing.”
And I got to call him mine. Forever.
EPILOGUE
STEVEN
