Page 63 of A Billionaire's Second Shot

Much later,we lie tangled in the sheets, the soft sound of the waves drifting through the open windows. Tania’s head rests on my chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns along my skin.

“You know,” she says, her voice drowsy but filled with warmth, “if this is what marriage is like, I think I made the right choice.”

I chuckle, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Just wait. This is only the beginning.”

She tilts her head to look at me, her eyes shining with a mix of love and contentment. “Promise?”

“Promise,” I reply, my lips curving into a smile as I pull her closer.

As the night stretches on, the weight of the world feels miles away, replaced with the quiet certainty that this—her, us, this moment—is all I’ll ever need.

Chapter Fifty-One

Levi

The morning sunlight filters through the gauzy curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. The faint sound of waves lapping against the shore drifts in through the open doors leading to the balcony. Tania stands there, wrapped in a light throw, her hair tousled from sleep. She gazes out at the ocean, her expression peaceful, a small smile tugging at her lips.

I lean against the doorframe, taking in the sight of her. She doesn’t know I’m watching, and for a moment, I let myself just exist in the perfection of this moment. This woman—this incredible, complicated, beautiful woman—chose me. And every day, I’ll work to be worthy of that choice.

“You’re staring again,” she says, her voice teasing but soft.

“It’s becoming a habit,” I reply, stepping closer.

She turns to me, her smile widening. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” I say, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her against me. “How’d you sleep?”

“Like a dream,” she replies, her head resting against my chest. “This place is perfect.”

“It is,” I agree, glancing out at the serene beach stretching before us. The water sparkles under the sunlight, the sky a perfect shade of blue. “But it’s better with you here.”

We settleonto the balcony’s cushioned chairs, our coffee cups warming our hands as we watch the waves roll in. The silence between us is comfortable, a shared peace that doesn’t need words.

“Do you ever think about how we got here?” Tania asks suddenly, her gaze still fixed on the horizon.

“Every day,” I admit. “Sometimes it feels like we lived a whole lifetime before we found our way back to each other.”

She nods, her fingers tracing the edge of her cup. “It wasn’t easy.”

“No,” I say, reaching for her free hand. “But I think that’s what makes it worth it. Everything we went through brought us here.”

She turns to me, her eyes shimmering with emotion. “I wouldn’t change any of it. Even the hard parts. They taught us how to fight for each other.”

As the sun climbs higher,the conversation shifts to the future.

“What do you see for us?” she asks, her tone light but curious.

“Everything,” I reply, smiling. “I see late nights and early mornings, arguments over what movie to watch, and celebrating every little milestone. I see us growing together, building a family, and never letting go of what we’ve found.”

“A family,” she echoes, her smile soft. “How many kids are we talking here, Nichols?”

“Three,” I say without hesitation. “Two boys and a girl. The boys will be smart like their mom, and the girl will have your laugh.”

She laughs, the sound light and full of joy. “That’s quite the picture you’ve painted.”

“It’s our picture,” I say, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “And it’s just the beginning.”

Her gaze locks onto mine, and for a moment, the world feels still. “I love you, Levi.”

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