She carried a little girl, the ultrasound a couple of months ago confirming that he was going to be a father to a daughter.
He started rubbing her belly and felt the baby kick. The smile that formed couldn’t be helped. God, he loved this. He loved both of them so much.
And then she placed her hand over his. He hadn’t realized she’d woken up, but when she snuggled back closer to him and sighed in contentment, he knew this was what “being home” felt like.
“I didn’t wake you, did I?”
She hummed softly and turned her face to look at him. “I was drifting in and out.” She shifted so she was facing him now, chest-to-chest. Her sleepy smile had his cock getting hard instantly. Fuck, who was he kidding? Just being in the same room with her, hell, thinking about her, got him harder than marble.
He moved his hand back to her belly and started rubbing the roundness, smiling at how much he loved doing this.
And then his little girl kicked again.
“Are you scared?” she asked hesitantly.
He shook his head right away. “Never.” He stared into Lena’s eyes. “We got this.” A couple more slow circles. “I got you. Always.” She smiled wider at this as if she were hoping it would be his answer.
“Only thing I’m scared about is how I’m going to beat down the little bastards who come sniffing around her when she’s older.” This had Lena laughing. “No dating for her until after I’m good and dead. Until then, I need to buy a fucking closetful of guns and bullets as soon as she’s born.” He leaned in for a kiss, and at the same time, he slid his hand along her neck to cup the side of her. He tilted her head back to really delve inside, stroking her, making love to her mouth. Lena tasted sweet. So fucking sweet. And mine.
“You’re going to be one of those overprotective dads?” She was teasing. He could hear it in her voice.
Rory grunted. “You bet I am. Fuck those little assholes who come knocking.”
She started laughing, but he drowned out the sound by kissing her again, and as the seconds passed, all he thought about was this moment.
When he pulled back it was to see her looking up at him with hooded eyes and a sleepy smile.
What he saw in her reflection was no doubt what he gave her back tenfold.
Love. So much love.
“What?” she whispered as he kept staring at her.
“I love you so fucking much.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered, her breath hitching a little as if she were overcome with emotions.
“I’m never leaving you again. I’m never leaving you two.”
Pushing down the blanket, she rolled fully onto her back and he got a good look at her exposed belly. Mine. He leaned down, ran his lips along her flesh, and framed her roundness. She ran her fingers over his hair, and he shivered at her touch, knowing she would forever be his weakness but also his strength.
Mine, he thought again and again and again
After one more lingering kiss to her rounded bely, he lifted and pulled her closer, just holding her. Nothing was more important than the woman in his arms and the baby she grew in her belly.
“It’s always been you.” The words were low, meant for his mind, but they spilled out. “You were always meant to be mine.” He leaned down to kiss the soft skin on her shoulder. “And I’ll always be yours.”
Epilogue
Two years later
Lena was in her second year at college, doing well with her grades and trying not to get distracted at the fact every time she came home it was to see Rory waiting for her. Even that thought had her smiling.
After all the shit they went through, him going to Colorado, and then coming back, then the birth of their little girl, they’d become closer than ever.
She smiled as she looked down at her wedding ring, the band simple, the diamond in the center catching the light. God, even all these years later and she was deliriously happy.
Life was hard, specially being young parents, but they had each other, and they had the help of family, and so far things had been going just about as perfect as anyone in their situation could expect.
They’d gotten married in a simple, small, and intimate ceremony shortly after their daughter was born. It hadn’t been a fancy wedding, not extravagant or spewed about with wealth.
But it had been perfect. For them. Always.
Rory was it for her. He was Lena’s world, her other half, and not having him in her life was too unbearable to even think about. But she knew she’d never have to worry about that. He was with her for life. He loved her wholly, completely… possessively.
She was his, and he was hers.