“So I didn’t get to the good part yet. The part Lily was referring to. So after she made that crack about you playing around with photography, I made sure to remind her that you’re a billionaire and can play at anything you want since you’re not an insurance agent or anything like that.”
A tiny smile lifts the corners of his mouth. “You do know her husband is an insurance agent, right?”
“Of course, I do. I wouldn’t have mentioned that job if he wasn’t.”
Now his smile grows bigger. “I do love when you’re sassy, Duck.”
“Maia always had a bit of the snob in her. You know I don’t look down on any job, but if our places were reversed, she would have made sure I knew she thought she was better than me.”
Marius smiles. “She was never better than you at anything.”
“Well, I didn’t stop with that little slam on her. As we were leaving, I told her to eat her heart out because she had two of you Kings and still didn’t get the brass ring.”
His eyes fill with love, and he hugs me tightly against him. “I love you for saying that. Thank you, Eden.”
I stroke the back of his neck thinking he needs a haircut. “I wasn’t going to let her get away with saying anything about you, baby. It’s been over a decade, but it was time for her to know she messed up when it came to you.”
He leans back and sighs, smiling at me. “You’re one of a kind, Duck. I love you. Don’t ever doubt that.”
“And I love you, Marius. I’m very protective of the people I love. There was no way I was going to let her say anything aboutyou, especially in front of our daughter. Let her go back to her husband and be miserable because she knows she could have had you.”
Marius shakes his head as his expression turns serious. “I thought I loved her when all that happened with her and Theo. From the moment you and I got together, I realized whatever I felt for her wasn’t love. Not love like I feel for you. You and I were meant for one another.”
“I made sure to mention that Ava married Matthias, so we’re one big happy family. Trust me. She’s eating her heart out right now.”
He cradles my face in his strong hands and softly kisses me. “Duck, how did I get so lucky?”
Pretending to think about that question, I look up at the ceiling and answer, “Hmmm. Well, I was with a jackass who thought it would be good to pull my hair and punch me in the eye. The rest, as they say, is history.”
“I’m just glad I was there that day. I hate the idea of another man being the person to help you.”
He sounds genuinely concerned, like I would have just gone with any old guy who showed up in that hotel lobby. “Marius, I don’t know if it was meant to be or a happy circumstance, but I’d wanted you for years. Why do you think Ava tried to set us up all that time?”
“Really?”
I nod, smiling as I think back to the first time I told Ava I was interested in him. “Oh, yeah. In fact, you could say we have Maia to thank for us getting together.”
“How’s that?” he asks, clearly not believing she could have any part in our happiness, other than today, of course.
I look around to see if anyone is nearby and then slide my hand down the front of his shorts. Palming his already hard cock, I answer, “I didn’t lie when I told you Maia always said shewalked funny after she was with you. That was too tempting for me not to find out if she was telling the truth.”
His eyelids slowly flutter shut as I slowly stroke him up and down. “Well, thank you to my ex-girlfriend.”
When I stop, his eyes open and he looks disappointed. “You know, I have to go out to the pool like this now.”
“You better go somewhere and handle this situation because that’s nothing short of creepy with little kids around.”
Suddenly, he gets a twinkle in his eye. “I’ve got an idea. We can go to the powder room off the living room. I’m game if you are.”
I roll my eyes at his suggestion. “The kids use that bathroom when they come in from swimming. Do you really want to risk any of them, including our daughter, walking in on us?”
His shoulders sag, and he sighs heavily. “Well, when you put it like that, I guess not. Too bad Ava and Matthias gave my old room to Matty.”
“Yeah, too bad.” I hesitate for a moment before confessing something that’s been on my mind for a while. “Marius, I was thinking that I’d like to have another baby.”
I watch his eyes grow big in utter shock. “Really? I thought having Lily put that thought right out of your head. You said it was pretty bad.”
“It wasn’t bad. That was just me talking in the moment.”