Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81083 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81083 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“I promise if you promise.”
“I promise,” she said, then chuckled. “Now that we’ve said promise way too much.”
I kissed her again, scooping her off her feet and cradling her against my chest before I pulled back again. “Wait,” I said, and she furrowed her brow, her arms wrapped around my neck.
“What is it?”
“Will you still love me even if I’m not the owner of the Hurricanes?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes,” she said, and I crushed my lips against hers again, drinking in her taste, my heart somehow putting itself together with every assured word from her, every little sigh and swipe of her tongue against mine.
“But,” she said against my mouth, her turn to pull back this time. “You’re still the owner.”
I tilted my head, and her smile brightened.
“What did you do?” I asked.
“I told the commissioner the truth,” she said. “Asked him to put himself in your shoes. Asked all of the other owners who were on the call to do the same. Told them about your progress, about how amazing of a human you really are.”
“And they…they’re letting me keep my team?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Fuck, you’re the perfect woman,” I said, walking us through the suite’s living room and into the bedroom.
“Perfect for you, like you’re perfect for me,” she said as I gently laid her on the bed, settling myself between her thighs.
“Tell me right now if you’re tired, Alexandra,” I said, kissing my way down her neck and over her chest. “Because I’m going to love every inch of your body until the sun comes up.”
She giggled, but arched into my slow, teasing kisses. “I’m not tired,” she assured me as I made my way back up to her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you,” I said, then kissed her again.
And I didn’t stop kissing her until we were both exhausted and spent and she fell asleep in my arms.
Epilogue
THREE YEARS LATER
Alexandra
It was well after seven by the time I’d made it home, and even though I’d prepared to miss bedtime, I was still sad as I walked into our quiet home.
Sherlock greeted me, giving me much needed kisses before leaning his massive frame against my hip. It’d been a long day, one filled with a tough session with a client, followed by hours at the shelter. I’d cut way back, but today had just been…a day.
After giving our hound all the pets he deserved, I tiptoed through the house, making my way to the nursery. My heart expanded ten times when I found Ethan standing in front of the crib, lovingly holding our six-month-old daughter, swaying back and forth as he hummed her a soft lullaby.
I didn’t say a word, just leaned against the doorframe and appreciated the view, wondering how the hell I’d gotten so lucky to fall in love with the most amazing man on the planet. My husband, my best friend, the best father to our daughter I could ever dream of.
Ethan swayed a few more times before putting her in the crib, lingering a few seconds to ensure she was truly asleep before he turned around, smiling when he spotted me. I turned around, heading down the hall to our bedroom, him following silently behind.
“How was she today?” I asked once we were out of earshot of her room.
Ethan closed the door behind us. “Perfect, as usual,” he said, and I arched a brow at him. He laughed, then shrugged. “What? You had a rough day,” he said, strolling past me and heading into our bathroom. I heard the water turn on in the bathtub before he returned. “I’m not going to tell you how much she cried because of her new teeth coming in.”
I sighed, rubbing my palms over my face. I was torn between my career and wanting to be at home with her full-time. I’d already cut back to only one client a month, and shortened my hours at the shelter to a mere four a week. But I missed her every second I was gone.
“Hey,” Ethan said, drawing me into his embrace and planting soft kisses over my forehead, cheeks, then lips. “You’re amazing. You’re home ninety percent of the time. When you’re gone, it gives me that quality daddy-daughter bonding time.”
I blew out a breath, knowing he was right.
He kissed me again, slower this time, longer, until I was breathless and loose all over. Then he pulled away, hurrying back into the bathroom to shut the water off before returning.
“Now,” he said. “You go get in that bubble bath, and I’ll heat you up some dinner. After that, if you’re up for it, I’ve been waiting all night for my dessert.”
I swear I might’ve melted into a puddle on the floor right in front of him.
“What’s for dessert?” I asked, shedding my clothes and tossing them in the hamper.