He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around me. “Unless you tell me no, as of today, my family will know you’re part of my life.”
“But it’s so…”
“Fast?” He finished. “Yes. Right? Yes.” He looked down, brushing his fingers over my cheek. “Don’t you feel how right it is, Sweet Pea?”
“What if you change your mind?”
He laughed, bending down and pressing a kiss to my mouth. “Not happening. When I make up my mind, I’m all in. And I am all in about you, baby. You and my little munchkin.”
“Oh,” I breathed out, unsure how to react. I wanted to throw my arms around his neck and kiss him until we were both breathless. To tell him I felt the exact same way. But I knew I had to remain calm.
“We’ll take this as slow as you need. I know we have a lot to talk about, to learn about each other, but none of it is going to change what I’m feeling. How I know that we’ll grow.”
“I snore,” I burst out.
He chuckled, ghosting his lips over my head. “So do I.”
“I hog the covers.”
“I’ll keep you so warm, you won’t need any.”
“I babble when I get nervous.”
He nibbled on my ear. “Like now?”
I swallowed. “I want this, Liam. I want you. I’m just—”
He cut me off with his mouth. His kiss was hard, sweet, and all too brief.
“Just nothing. We’ll figure it out.”
“Momma!” Little fists banged on the door. “Look at my dress!”
Liam chuckled, lifting my chin and meeting my eyes. “Mine?” he whispered.
My anxiety eased from my body, leaving me relaxed. “Yes.”
His grin was wide, and his eyes danced with happiness. “Then let’s go meet my family.”
Liam’s family was warm and welcoming. Not a single person blinked as he introduced me as “his Paige.” They all opened their arms to Lucy, who charmed them with her smile, sweet voice, and affectionate nature. His father, Aiden, hugged me so hard and lifted me right off my feet, exclaiming his sons had excellent taste in their partners.
It was obvious they were all close. Paul and Jeremy introduced me to their girlfriends, Kim and Diane. They were friendly and approachable, smiling at my wonder.
“We’re pretty new too,” Kim whispered. “It’s still overwhelming!”
Diane made me laugh. “But what a family. The DNA.” She waved her hand in front of her face. “Am I right?”
I had to agree.
Still, my head spun from it all.
The food, the people, the laughter. The love.
My God, the love.
It was all around us. In conversations, laced into the teasing, loud in its joy at the huge gathering, which I was shocked to discover wasn’t the entire family.
I could only imagine.
The men were handsome, kind, and loving. The lovely women fussed over their grown children and paid special attention to Evan and Lucy, showering them with attention and praise. More than once, I had to blink away the veil of moisture that gathered in my eyes. I had never experienced anything like it. At one point, I slipped from the room, having to tamp down the wave of emotion as I watched Aiden and Cami sit with Lucy. She talked to them animatedly, one hand on Aiden’s cheek as she made sure he was listening. And he was—pure rapture at whatever bit of news she was sharing written on his face. She’d never known family outside of Beth and Evan. She had never experienced anything like this before now. Neither had I.
Liam found me only a moment later, coming into the room and enfolding me in his embrace.
“Too much, Sweet Pea?”
“Too wonderful,” I sniffled.
He cupped my face. “I don’t know your past, Paige, but I can promise you a different future. One where you’re surrounded by love like this.”
I wrapped my hand around his wrist. “How can you be so certain?”
He shrugged. “I can’t explain it, but it doesn’t make it any less real or amazing.”
I shut my eyes as he leaned his forehead to mine. “You take my breath away,” I admitted.
“You do the same to me.”
He held me for a few moments, his warmth and strength calming me.
“You ready to go back out there? I promised Lucy she could help me plant a few things, and I want to show you the compound. And have you see my house.”
“Yes.”
I wandered through Liam’s house, smiling. It was so…Liam. Lots of windows, a large patio with big chairs to sit on. Inside, the windows flooded the house with light and warmth. Open concept, it was simply furnished with large, masculine furniture. The kitchen was modern, with clean lines and stone work surfaces. He told me he liked to cook, and I could see him in here, chopping and stirring as he created a meal. The two extra bedrooms were a good size. He obviously used one as an office, and the other was empty aside from a double bed that faced the window with the lovely view of the trees. His bedroom was slate blue and white, the two colors playing off each other, creating a bright space. His bathroom held a separate shower and the largest freestanding soaker tub I had ever seen. The window was set higher and had some sort of tint so you couldn’t see in, but your view out was unobstructed and it overlooked the water. I could only imagine how relaxing it was to sit and look out on that vista.
He came in behind me, encircling my waist and pulling me back against him. “You like?”
“Hmm. Much. Our tub is pretty small, and I rarely get the chance to use it.”
“You can come use this one. I’ll join you. Wash your back and stuff.”
“Stuff?” I teased.
“Oh, baby. Lots and lots of stuff,” he promised, nipping my neck.
My laughter turned into a low whimper as he moved his mouth up my skin to my ear, nuzzling at it.
“Where is Lucy?”
“Digging in my garden. She instructed me to go ‘get Momma’ so you could see her handiwork.”
“You shouldn’t let her order you around.”
He laughed and kissed my neck, then spun me in his arms. “I am happy to take orders from the munchkin or her momma.”
I lifted one eyebrow in challenge. “Oh yeah? Then kiss—”
His mouth was on mine before I could finish.
I liked this order-issuing thing.
Liam carried Lucy into the house and watched as I tugged off her shoes, wiped her face and hand with a damp cloth, and tucked her in.
“You don’t want to put her nightgown on?” he asked.
I shook my head. “She needs a bath. She can have one in the morning, and I’ll make her bed up fresh. She’s got a layer of dirt everywhere.”
“She did enjoy gardening.”
I glanced over my shoulder with a grin. “Is that what you’d call it? I’d say more digging as deep for worms as she could.”
He laughed. “She did like the way they wiggled.”
I straightened and kissed her forehead. “Sleep well, my baby.” I brushed my hand over her curls then headed to Liam.
“She had such a good day.”
He pulled me close. “What about her momma? She have a good day too?”