He opens the door and we step inside a large bedroom. “Master bedroom.” There are large windows on the back wall that overlook the backyard, a smaller stone fireplace along the outside wall, and two doors at the front of the house. The carpet is plush and soft, and the walls are warm beige. I stand here and take in the beauty of this large, bare room. There’s hardly any light, but this room is perfect.
Maddox walks over to the door on the rightand opens it up. We step inside a large bathroom. “Walk-in shower, Jacuzzi tub, double sinks, and private toilet area. Closet for storage.” I’m not one-hundred-percent sure of what all he said because, honestly, he kind of lost me at Jacuzzi tub. I walk over and stare down into the large corner tub. I could spend hours in that thing! Maybe Maddox would join me.
“Come on,” Maddox says breaking the spell. We exit the bathroom and walk toward the door on the left. He opens the door to the biggest closet I’ve ever seen. One entire wall consists of an upper and a lower rod for hanging clothes. The back wall is shelves and the other wall has a single rod and tons of nooks for storing what I assume to be shoes. In the center is a bench seat. My mind is officially blown. “Closet.”
I look over at his face but can’t make out his features because of the darkness. He’s shining the light around the room to make sure I get a good view of the splendid closet. Then he grabs my hand with his, and we walk out. We head down the stairs and stop in the foyer.
“I don’t understand. Why did you bring us here?”
“I wanted to show you our new home. This could be our new home, if you want it.”
Our new home? Is he serious? My mind is racing and my knees start to get a little weak. “Our home?”
“Yeah. I have the opportunity to buy this place. For us. You, me, and Brooklyn. Maybe, someday, a few more little ones. What do you say?”
Tears are starting to fill my eyes and I blink rapidly to try to keep them at bay. “You want to buy us a house?” I must be dreaming. Could this incredible man really be standing in front of me, offering me my dream?
“I want to buy us a house now. And someday, when we’re ready, we’ll talk about more. The thought of going home to my empty house isn’t what I want anymore. I want to wake up with you in my arms. I want to hear Brooklyn’s laughter filling the rooms. I want to come home every day and kiss you hello. I want us to be together. Do you want this? This life with me?”
I can’t hold back the tears any longer. I look into his amazing brown eyes that are filled with so much hope and love, and I know there is only one answer. “Yes, I want this. More than anything in the world.”
I throw my arms around his neck and Brooklyn’s body and kiss him, hard andpassionately. Brooklyn starts to giggle and rubs my head. “Brooklyn, do you want to live here with Maddox?”
“And Mommy?”
“Yep. You, me, and your mommy all together in this house. What do you say, Bean?”
“Yay! Stairs!”
Maddox and I share a laugh and another kiss.
“Let’s get out of here and get my girl in bed. I was promised dessert,” he says with a full, ornery smile.
“Yes, you were,” I reply as we walk out of our future house hand in hand.
Epilogue
Maddox
ChristmasMorning
I never knew putting together Christmas gifts and getting them wrapped was such a big job. A job that I reveled in during the early morning hours of Operation Santa. I sent Avery to bed around midnight to get some sleep but was up until almost two finishing everything.
Now, I am throwing on some lounge pants so I can go start the coffee. Avery’s in the bathroom getting ready and Brooklyn will be up any minute. I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she sees what Santa brought her. Hell, I can’t wait for Avery to see what Santa brought her.
The coffee is percolating as I pull two mugs down from the cabinet. I have to work later but everyone was cool at giving me the morning to be at home for my first Christmas morning with Avery and Brooklyn.
We don’t have too much time left in thislittle house. We close on the new house on the twenty-eighth and will be moving in the first of the year. I’m working as much as I can right now so I can take an entire week off to move and get us settled. Jake and I worked out our schedules so he’s off the day we move and the two days after to help out. In fact, all of her brothers made themselves available to help us move. And I’m so damn thankful for their help because we have two households to sort and move. The law office Avery is working at is closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s so she’s going to take a couple of days too, the first week of January.
I can smell the sweet vanilla before she comes in the room. I fucking love that smell. Avery walks up behind me and leans against my back, arms around my waist. My pants start to get tight just by the slightest press of her body against mine.
“Morning.”
“Good morning,” she mumbles against my back.
I spin around, pulling her against my bare chest. My hands dive into her long hair, my lips seek hers as if they have a mind of their own. The kiss goes straight to hungry, my tongue sliding back and forth against hers. She rocks into mybody, pressing her core against my very hard cock. My hands are seeking bare skin, unbuttoning her jeans.
“Mewy Cwissmis!”
