Page 80 of Wilde In His Arms

“Wish I could, but I’m taking Lyric home and rubbing her aching feet.She’s not going to be able to stand over a stove for hours at a time for much longer.”

“How is my niece coming along?”

“Getting bigger by the day.Doc says everything looked good on the ultrasound.Now it’s just waiting for her to pop out.”

Nick eyed his brother.“I think it’s a little more involved than her just popping out.”

“I know.”Mason looked a bit worried about the whole birth thing.“We’ve got birthing classes coming up.”

Nick felt a pang of envy for his brother.“I’m happy for you both.”

“Happy for you, too.I called Stacy earlier today.Lyric wanted to check on her.We had a good chat.Stacy seems like she’s hanging in there.”

“I hate that she’s stuck in protective custody with no answer to where she’ll go once it’s over.It’s like her life is on hold.”

“I suppose she’ll go into foster care.Hopefully she’ll get a good family to take care of her.”

Nick wasn’t sure that was good enough for Stacy.She deserved a loving family.One she knew she belonged to after everything that happened to her.

Right now, he hoped she continued to heal, but knew there would be setbacks and dark periods where her past overwhelmed her.She needed people who’d support and love her through it.

The uncertainty of her future weighed on him.He needed to think about it and what could be done to ensure she had a safe and happy future.

Nick glanced over at Mason and sighed.“Did you ever think we’d end up marrying sisters, having kids, any of this?”

Mason shook his head.“Not me.Not until her.”

“Exactly.”Nick raised his beer to Aria as she walked by.“To the Wilde women.”

Mason clinked his glass.“To the Wilde women.”He raised his voice so Lyric would hear and lifted his glass to her.

Aria and Lyric exchanged a look, then shook their heads at them, like they were sweet but nuts.

Nick just grinned and sipped his beer.

“What was that about?”Aria asked.

Nick leaned over the bar and kissed her.“I just love you, that’s all.”

“That’s a lot,” she shot back.“And I love you, too.”

Yeah.It didn’t get better than this.

Chapter thirty-three

Nickwokeupinheaven, wrapped around Aria, her head on his arm, her sweet ass pushed into his hard dick as he spooned her from behind.“I could get used to this,” he whispered, nuzzling his nose into her hair.He breathed in her scent.Beer, booze, and peaches.He wasn’t trying to wake her.Not at this hour.He simply couldn’t help himself.

She needed her rest.She’d gotten home around two a.m.and snuggled into bed beside him.

Their first night officially living together.

He had a list of things they needed to buy for the house, starting with a dresser for her.He’d put away some of her clothes in the massive walk-in closet.Of course he gave her more than half of it.His suits and casual clothes barely took up 40 percent.

But just seeing her stuff with his made him so damn happy.

He gently untangled himself from Aria and eased out of bed.He couldn’t resist kissing her forehead before he headed to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee and check his work emails.He might be on leave, but that didn’t mean his cases stopped.He had agents who reported to him and needed his guidance or approval to move ahead, depending on the case or situation.

The coffee was ready and he poured himself a cup.As he took his first sip, he noticed something stuck to the sliding back door that led out to the backyard.He set his coffee aside and walked up to the door and read the note staring back at him.