Page 65 of Love on the Ice

That could be dangerous, staring at myself all day that way.

It’s almost addicting.

Melinda takes a step toward me, then another. She reaches out and takes my hands in hers as her gaze searches mine. We’ve become so close during this wedding process. I’ve involved her the entire way because I don’t have a mom, and I wanted her to not only feel included but know I also value her opinion and advice.

“I want to tell you just how happy we are for you to join our little family. It’s clear how much Reid loves you. And you, him.” Her fingers squeeze mine before she continues. “I wanted to give you something old and something borrowed,” she murmurs, releasing my hands.

I watch as she turns her back to me, walks over to the chair where she had set her purse down, and riffles through it. Then she turns to face me, her lips curved up into a smile as she closes the distance between us again.

“Your something borrowed,” Melinda begins. “These earrings were my grandmother's. She brought them in her bodice from France after the war. I’m not sure why she thought she needed to hide them, but she did.”

She holds out her hand, and two earrings are plopped into my palm. Two gorgeous diamond earrings. Round-cut solitaires that have to be at least two carats each. They’re gigantic. Lifting one stud to my ear, I quickly slip it inside and screw the backing in tightly. Then, I do the same on the other side.

“Thank you so much for allowing me to borrow these,” I whisper, touching each of the diamonds. She smiles and dips her chin once before she continues.

“That could be your old as well, but I decided that you needed something else. I wore this inside my shoe during my own wedding. It’s been passed down for generations, and I have no idea where it even originated from, but this sixpence is supposed to bring luck. So it’s your something old.”

Slipping the sixpence in my shoe, I smile and wrap my arms around her in a hug. “Thank you, Melinda,” I murmur against her ear.

“For what, dear?” she asks.

“For being the mother I always wanted.”

And with that, there is a knock on the door, and Brooklynn sticks her head inside, her eyes finding mine over Melinda’s shoulder.

“It’s time,” she announces with a big smile.

Time.

It’s time.

Time to start my new life.

I can’t wait.

A Baby… Or Two

REID

THREE YEARS LATER

My wife has her back to me, our almost one-year-old in her arms as she sways with him. Cole Tillman was born eleven months ago, a chubby red creature that came screaming into my world. I never thought I could fall in love with someone I’d never met, but I did with him. Seeing him enter the world just solidified my love for him.

Cole sees me, but in true mama’s boy fashion, he doesn’t call out or reach for me. Instead, he places his chubby cheek on his mother’s shoulder, cuddling her closer. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I’ll have my alone man time with him eventually, but right now, in this vulnerable state, it’s my job to protect him and his mother, and it’s Lorelai’s passion to nurture him. I move toward my family and wrap my arms around both of them from behind.

Placing my lips against Cole’s soft baby head, I give him a kiss, then lift my head and touch my mouth to Lorelai’s cheek before I shift it to her ear. “Good afternoon, baby,” I murmur.

“I was just getting ready to put him down for his afternoon nap,” she says softly, her tone so calm and even, and I know it’s for Cole’s sake, an effort to keep him calm. I would offer to put him down for her, but I can tell it would only disrupt their moment.

“Put him down. I’ll take a shower. Meet in bed?” I ask.

Her gaze cuts to me. “Bed?”

My lips twitch into a smirk. She knows exactly what I’m saying, but she’s playing with me. However, she’s not the only one who can play, so I join in.

“Baby,” I begin, “I want to taste you. All of you. And after you come on my tongue, I want to slide inside of your sweet wet pussy. Then I’m going to make you come again, and only then, after you’ve come twice, am I going to allow myself to come deep inside of you.”

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