Mine to Promise (Southern Wedding #6)(57)

“Noted,” he says, putting the onion in a bowl before placing the knife and the cutting board in the

sink. “Do your parents know about Avery?” I look at him as he walks over to get another cutting board and knife before standing next to me. “I know they kicked you out and all that.” I see his hand grip the knife handle, his knuckles turning white. “But did they know you gave birth?”

“I don’t know,” I answer him honestly. “After they made me choose her or them, I left town.” I avoid looking at him, embarrassed my family did that to me. The hurt simmers under the embarrassment, especially since his family has welcomed us with open arms, never once judging me.

“My sister was on my side for a bit after I left, my brother, well, he’s always been a dick, so he was on my parents’ side. We would text and talk daily, but then she quickly changed her tune when my parents threatened to withhold her allowance from her.” I shrug, trying to push away the sting of tears.

“After that, I erased them all out of my life.” I take a deep inhale. “I wasn’t going to share the best thing I’ve ever done with them.” I look at him. “They didn’t deserve her.” I smile thinking of the little human we created together.

“I’m sorry you did that alone,” he says softly.

“It’s okay.” I turn and lean my hip onto the counter. “I will never, ever regret Avery.” I stop talking for a second. “With that being said…” He looks over at me as he dices the ham. “We didn’t use protection this time. I want you to know I’m protected.”

He nods his head. “Doesn’t matter to me,” he assures me, putting down his knife, turning to face me, his own hip on the counter. “But just so you know, I’ve never been without a condom.”

“The condom didn’t work the last time.” I try to make a joke.

“Look at what we created without even trying.” He smirks at me. “Can you imagine if we tried?”

His eyes darken.

“Yeah, because that would be smart.” I fold my arms over my chest. “Let’s have another child together when you don’t even know where you will be in a month.”

His eyebrows pinch together. “Where do you think I’ll be in a month?”

“Well,” I say, wanting to kick myself for saying anything, “probably in Washington working.”

“Why would you think that?” he asks me, and I throw up my hands.

“Because that is where your office is,” I reply, trying not to sound like this bothers me. “How can you have an office in Washington and live here?”

“I don’t have to go to work every day,” he says calmly. “That’s the perks of owning the business, plus I never work in the office, I’m always off-site.”

“It doesn’t matter.” I turn away and walk to grab a frying pan.

“It does matter if this is what is going through your head.” He watches me put the pan on the stove and walks over to grab the olive oil.

“Nothing is going through my head.” I avoid even looking at him as I turn the knob for the stove.

The clicking sound fills the silent room.

“Addison,” he says my name, “we are going to have this conversation.”

“And what conversation is that?” I move the pan around, making sure the oil spreads evenly.

“You aren’t going to look at me?” he calls me out.

“I’m cooking,” I say, looking at him for a second and then looking away, afraid he’s going to see even though I prepared myself for him leaving, it still bothers me.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he says, and my head whips around to look at him. “I’m here with you.

You are here with me. I finally have you in my life. I finally feel.” He shakes his head. “I’m fucking happy. I might have to take business trips a couple of times a month, but this is my home.” He looks into my eyes. “This is our home.”





stefano

. . .

I feel the bed move beside me before I open my eyes. “Where are you going?” I ask her as she walks over to the bathroom door. My eyes are glued to her perfect ass as her hair moves from side to side.

“I’m going to shower before we go and pick up Avery,” she mumbles, looking over her shoulder.

“Even though we showered before bed, I’m pretty sure I still smell like sex.”

I laugh, turning on my side and propping my head up with my hand. “Well, we had sex a couple more times after the shower. That could be why.”

She turns to face me, showing me her whole naked body, and my cock, already at half-mast, is now full-blown hard for her. “A couple?” she huffs. “We had sex three times alone during the middle of the night.” She shakes her head. “You’re worse than a teething child in the middle of the night wanting comfort.”

I grip my cock in my hand and toss the covers off me. “I need some comfort now,” I tell her, and she glares at me, which makes me laugh even more because she wants me just as much as I want her.

She just doesn’t like to admit it.

“You are going to need to self-soothe,” she tells me, slamming the bathroom door. “And don’t come in here.”