She glanced away and I held my breath, I wouldn’t give up. Ever. But, I was hoping she would start to drop her walls. When her mocha eyes zeroed back in on my face, I blew out the air I’d kept captured in my lungs. Her eyes were dancing and she smiled slyly at me.
“Are you asking me to be a kept woman, Weston Davis?”
I threw my head back and roared with laughter until tears leaked from my eyes. Aspen was giggling along with me and as my laughter faded, I silently appreciated the vision she made. Her eyes sparkled, her cheeks were flushed with a sweet pink, and she looked so fucking beautiful.
My mouth crashed down over hers, swallowing the last of her chuckles. She moaned, and I was suddenly hard as a rock. I curled my fingers around her hips and shifted her off my lap, setting her beside me. Without breaking our kiss, I lowered her down and covered her body with mine.
I ground my pelvis down and groaned, my lips moving down, leaving a trail of love bites. My fingers went to the snap of her jeans and a cry caused us both to freeze. We waited, suspended in silence to see if Carter would settle back down. He coughed and then whimpered. I dropped my head down to rest on Aspen’s chest, both of us breathing heavy. “Cock-blocking me already,” I muttered wryly.
Aspen snickered and pushed at my chest until I rolled to the side and let her up. I closed my eyes as she walked away, knowing the view from behind would severely hinder my attempts to get back under control.
***
It took less time than I thought it would to get moved into our house. I realized it was because Aspen had so few belongings. It was clear she had put everything she had into whatever she thought Carter needed. My heartstrings tugged and I vowed to make sure my girl would spend the rest of her life being worshipped and spoiled.
I’d retrieved my bike from Jenna’s and it was now parked in our four car garage with my brand new SUV. The safest one on the market. Aspen was pretty pissed when she woke up one day to find her piece of shit car gone. I used my tongue to convince her and when she saw her shiny new car, it did the rest.
I’d found my family such a short time ago and we were about to spend our first night together under our new roof. My patience had run out, and even though I knew I should feel guilty for not planning an elaborate proposal, I didn’t. I felt desperate and driven.
I changed Carter and got him ready for bed. “You ready buddy?” I asked him. “It’s your big debut.” He gurgled happily at me and I lifted him into my arms, making a crazy face and falling in love all over again at the sight of his toothless grin.
We went in search of Aspen and found her curled up on the bed in our master suite. The move had taken a lot out of her and she’d been exhausted for a few days. She was on her side, facing the middle of the bed. I laid Carter next to her, grabbed a little box from my pocket, and then joined them. I gave Carter the tiny, plastic children’s block and he immediately put it to his mouth and started gnawing on it. I rumbled with quiet laughter and let him have at it for the moment.
Our little boy squirmed between us and before I could gently wake Aspen, he grabbed onto her nose.
Her eyes popped open and her face broke out into a bright smile. “Wow,” she breathed. “I’m a lucky girl, getting to wake up to two such handsome guys.”
A corner of my mouth kicked up and I winked at her. “If anyone is the lucky one, it’s me and Carter, sweetheart.” I tilted my head in his direction. “I think your son has something for you.”
Her eyes fell to Carter and she noticed his current chew toy. She raised an eyebrow and gently removed it from his mouth. “I don’t think—” she broke off when she detected the sound of something bouncing around the inside of the toy. Flipping it over, she pulled out the little plastic stopper and shook it until something shiny fell into her waiting hand.
Her fist immediately closed around it and she closed her eyes, drawing in a rapid breath. She stayed that way for a couple of heart beats and then exhaled slowly. Her lashes lifted from where they were resting on her high cheek bones and she stared at her clenched fist.
“Are you going to open it?” I asked on a laugh.
One by one, each of her fingers unfurled until her palm was open and she could see a platinum band surrounded with diamonds, except for a solitary colored gem breaking the pattern.
“It’s a mother’s ring,” I explained. I could swear that I saw a flash of disappointment, but her expression smoothed so fast I wasn’t sure it had been there at all.
“Carter’s birthstone,” she murmured, running her finger over the surface.
“We’ll replace the diamonds with the other birthstones as we have kids.”