Page 162 of Gracefully Yours

Kneeling down in front of her, I pushed back her shirt.

“Hi, baby,” I whispered to her stomach. Kissed the skin there, reverently. Then stood back up, taking her face in mine. “Darling?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.” I leaned down, brushing my lips against hers.

“Daniel?” It was my turn to hum in response. “I love you too.”

And I kissed my wife. The love of my life. The only woman who ever owned my heart. I was glad she’d never given it back.

She could have it for the rest of our life, as far as I was concerned.

Picking her up in my arms, she squealed. “What are you doing?” Her laughter-filled voice echoed through the room.

“Taking my wife to bed.” I leaned down, pressing a kiss to her neck. “Showing her how much I love her. How I want to worship her.”

I dropped her on the bed, practically inhaling her giggles before I kissed her again.

“Mmm, I like the sound of that.”

“Good. Because I never plan on stopping.”

“If this is what forever looks like, I think I like it very much.”

Forever with Charlotte? That was the dream I’d worked so hard to achieve. And it was everything I could have asked for. Everything I could have wanted.

Epilogue

CHARLOTTE

THREE YEARS LATER…

Puppy dog eyes. My weakness.

I quickly diverted my attention away, deeply inhaling the sweet smell of ice cream that surrounded me. My stomach rumbled, and a waffle cone sounded incredible right now.

“Please?” my daughter begged, and darn it—she was just too cute.

“Okay,” my husband said with a sigh. “But only for a few minutes.”

“Careful,” I murmured, looking around us at the crowds. Family photo taken, we were standing off to the side waiting for our friends to join us. It was busy, and I didn’t want her to end up kicking anyone in the back of the head.

I was regretting agreeing to meet outside as everyone else ran to the bathrooms. It was hot, and the Florida humidity was no joke. Wiping the back of my neck, I watched as tourists strolled by, balloons and churros in hand.

I might have been in my thirties, but this was still one of my favorite places in the world.

“Daddy!” Abigail squealed as Daniel lifted her up onto his shoulders, holding onto her legs so she couldn’t fall off. “Look at the castle!”

He grinned. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it, sweetheart?”

She rested her head on the top of his, sighing dreamily. “I want to live in a castle like that someday.” Abigail’s dark curls mirrored her father’s. The only sign ofmewas her adorable little button nose and her gray eyes.

“I’m sure you will, baby girl.” He smiled, looking over at me.

I gave him a warm smile back as a little hand tugged at my skirt, and I looked down to the toddler looking up at me with wide brown eyes—Daniel’s brown eyes.

“Mommy?” my son asked. I hadn’t even realized he was awake.

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