She glanced around some more. Everyone who meant something was here to watch them tie the knot.
“What do you say, Maybug? Ready to get hitched?” Danny asked.
“Well, I’d hate to disappoint everyone, so I guess so.”
He brushed a kiss to the shell of her ear. “You’ve just made me the happiest, luckiest man alive.”
Squeezing his arm, she said, “You make me happier than I ever dreamed.”
“I thought we’d walk down the aisle together,” he continued softly. “Then later on I plan to accidentally smear buttercream frosting across your mouth and kiss it off you.”
“There’s no one else I’d rather walk or eat cake with. Oh!” She quickly picked up Danny’s hand and brought it to her stomach. “Someone else wants to be a part of this, too.”
With his palm flat on her belly, Danny concentrated on where their hands rested.
Baby Lincoln-Ellis moved again.
“Holy shit. I felt that,” Danny said, awe in his grin. Lifting his head, his eyes met hers. “Thank you, Liv. For bringing me back to life. I love you.”
A clear, high-pitched whistle sounded from across the yard. “You guys going to stand there all day?” Bryce called out.
She and Danny dropped their arms and side-by-side, linked fingers. “You ready to do this?” Liv asked.
“I’m ready for it all,” Danny said.
Epilogue
Seven months later…
Danny held Olivia’s hand as they waved goodbye to their friends from their front porch. “You killed it with dinner tonight,” he said. “I think you’ve confirmed I should never cook again.”
Liv turned and put her hand on his chest. “I love these monthly dinners, but you’re still on for pancakes, mister.”
“I can do that.”
“And barbecuing.”
“Hmm,” he said, backing her into the house, closing the door with his foot, and trapping her against it, his arms on either side of her. “That may require a trade-off.” He nuzzled her neck.
She giggled and ducked under his arm. “Make it worth my while and we’ll talk,” she said over her shoulder.
Danny followed her into the kitchen. “You know I do my best persuading without words.”
“I think we’ve reversed how this conversation is supposed to go.” She leaned against the counter and dipped her finger in the tiramisu Honor had brought for dessert.
He caught her wrist and brought her finger to his mouth. Licked it clean. God, he couldn’t get enough of her taste, her feel, her everything. Would never get enough.
The splash of gold in her green eyes sparkled like it always did when she liked what he was doing. She dipped her finger again, made an “O” with her mouth, and closed her lips around the entire digit. Slowly, so that his cock had plenty of time to salute in approval, she pulled her finger out of her mouth, the dessert wiped clean.
He undid his jeans, hoping to have that hot mouth of hers wrapped around something else.
Hope died when Bella came scurrying into the house from the backyard. Her clumsy puppy paws were unable to put on the breaks so she slid right into his legs. Liv smiled with a sigh and bent down to rub Bella’s head. “Impeccable timing as usual,” she said.
Danny loved being surrounded by females, but his two youngest fans definitely had a knack for bad timing.
“So,” Liv said, standing. “How cute were Hannah and Daisy napping side by side?”
“Very.” He scratched Bella behind her floppy golden ears. Of course, Hannah didn’t hold a candle to his daughter. Far more times than he could count, Danny found himself staring at her precious face in wonder and love, cataloguing every tiny detail. “I think Bryce is hoping Honor will get the baby bug.”
Liv wrapped foil around the tiramisu and turned to put it in the fridge. “They just got married. I think Honor needs a little more time.”
“Probably, but there’s no such thing as too much practice.” He moved quickly and quietly to wrap his arms around Liv, kiss the side of her neck. Her back melted against his front. Not wanting to break their connection, he reached over and hit play on the surround sound. Music poured out of speakers in the wall. “Dance with me,” he whispered.
“I’d love to.” She turned and rested her head underneath his chin, her arms over his shoulders.
They swayed to the slow beat like they’d done several times before, but this time Danny sensed something different in her. “Is everything okay?” he asked.
“It’s perfect.”
“But?”
“No buts.”
He pulled away and looked down at her. She didn’t meet his eyes and chewed her bottom lip like she was nervous. “Liv?”