They hadn’t talked about it, but it made sense that they’d eventually get married.
She stared at his chest. “I don’t need or want a big to-do. I just want...”
“Forever,” he finished for her, because that’s all he wanted, too.
She met his gaze. “Yes. A promise that we make to each other that we will choose love and each other every day.”
He smiled down at her, excited about planning their future. “Anything else?”
“Chocolate cake with vanilla frosting wouldn’t hurt.”
He laughed. “Absolutely. Forever and cake.”
She brushed her fingers along his jaw. “And one more thing.”
“What’s that, sweetheart?” He’d give her anything.
“For you to say it again.”
He had no problem saying it a hundred times a day. “I love you.” He sealed that promise with a soft kiss. “Forever,” he whispered and kissed her again.
“Mama! Daddy!” Eliza called out to them.
“I really want to show you how much I love you.”
She pressed her hand to his heart. “You already did. And you will again. Later.”
“Daddy!”
Shelby smiled, all her love in her eyes, and his heart melted. “Your girl wants you.”
“About having another child?”
“I guess how soon is up to you.” Meaning if he gave her a ring, a promise, and forever, they’d start making a baby again.
“Got it.”
She nudged him off her, so he landed on his back beside her. “Smart man. Now hurry up before she runs in here and catches us. I need to get ready for my day.”
Chase rolled out of bed, grabbed a pair of sweats and his T-shirt off the end of the bed, and pulled them on. “About your birthday... How about I ask Max to babysit and I take you out to dinner at The Rustler’s Steakhouse?”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Of course. Let’s celebrate it right.” He’d never forget her birthday again, and he’d make sure they marked the day with something special every year from now on.
“Okay. How about you have Max drive you into town and drop you off at my place? I’ll call Abby and tell her that Max is picking up Eliza today. I’ll go to my place after work, shower and put on a dress, and we’ll leave from there in my car and drive back here tonight together after dinner.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he said, heading for the bedroom door, but he turned back and stared at her sittingup in bed with the sheet tucked around her breasts, all that long hair a mass of waves and tangles around her pretty face. “But I have one problem.”
“What’s that?”
“That you keep calling that houseyour placewhen this isourhome now.”
“If it bothers you, then you should give me a permanent reason to stay and sell my place.”
“You should keep it and rent it out for extra income. We’ll need it to send our children to college.”
She smiled when he saidchildren. “How many little rascals are we sending to college?”