Page 118 of By the Letter

“I thought maybe you’d balance his genes out.” Ben shook his head, snuggling Jonah closer. “This combination of the two of you works just right, though. I like this kid a lot already, and he hasn’t even bothered to open his eyes to greet me.”

“We like him too,” I agreed.

More Wells brothers arrived soon after, all equally enamored with their new nephew. Even Adrian, who was always so contained, shed a tear. Just one, and he wiped it away quickly, giving me a sheepish little smile when he saw me noticing.

Bea and Clara stopped by too. They didn’t stay long, bringing us food, giving us both hugs and holding our son for a minute or two. Bea promised she was just a call away if we needed time off, even if it was the middle of the night, and on her way out, Clara took my hand.

“You’re in the bliss stage now, but if you get the blues and need someone to talk to, I know what it’s like. Don’t hold it in, okay?”

I promised her I wouldn’t, and I truly meant it. Clara had been my friend for years, cracking through my ice queen reputation and finding the real me. If I needed her, I would go to her, no questions asked.

Finally, we were down to the three of us again. Exhausted, we trudged upstairs. Mary wandered into our bedroom for a moment, heard Jonah crying, and took off for a quieter spot. Fortunately, Roman had bought her multiple beds. He’d claimed he didn’t want her on his furniture, but we both knew he liked spoiling her. Mary had her choice of places to sleep in this house, and as long as my girl was comfortable, I didn’t mind.

After nursing Jonah, Roman changed and swaddled him and carefully laid him in the bassinet beside our bed. The two of us lay together, my head on Roman’s chest, his heartbeat steady under my cheek.

“Two days down,” he murmured.

“A million more to go,” I finished.

“Thank god. Don’t think I’ll ever get enough of these days.”

“Even with no sleep?”

He kissed my crown and sighed. “Even then. I think we’re going to have to renegotiate about seven.”

I smiled into his chest. “Seven isn’t happening.”

His arms tightened around me. “A man can dream, can’t he?”

“Why not? You’ve made my dreams come true, after all.”

He pulled his head back, his lips ending up on my forehead. “You’re saying I have a chance?”

That made me laugh. “Not seven, but probably more than two.” I trailed my fingers over his collarbone. “How about you give me a little time to recover before asking me for more children?”

He paused. “What if I ask you something else?”

I yawned. “Ask away, honey. Though, I warn you, I’m seconds from nodding off, so you’ll have to be quick.”

“I had other plans for this, but—” From nowhere, he produced a small, navy-blue box and placed it on his chest. “The thing I want most is to have a life with you.”

Heart in my throat, I propped myself up on my elbow. “Roman, I—”

He tapped my lips, his gaze soft on mine. “I will love our family no matter how big it grows, and you’ll always be at the center of it—the very heart of everything. Will you marry me, Shira?”

“What? I…uh, I didn’t expect this.” My eyes dropped to the box. He’d clearly been planning this since before Jonah was born. “You really want to marry me?”

“Yes, I do. Never been more sure of anything.” He flipped the box open, revealing an elegant sapphire surrounded by small, round diamonds. It was pretty, but right now, I only had eyes for Roman. “I love you, Shira. I think we’re at the start of building something beautiful together, and the one thing that would make it better is if you would agree to be my wife.”

I’d been proposed to before, but the sole commonality between these two instances was the question that was asked. The first had been for convenience and companionship—a need on both our parts. There’d been lots of love there, but not the right kind. Not the kind that made my heart skip a beat at the prospect of spending a lifetime together.

In stark contrast, neither Roman nor Ineededto be married. The only thing we would be getting out of a marriage was a legally binding agreement. Yet, he wanted to marry me so badly, he couldn't wait for flowers or candlelight—and knowing him, that had been his original plan.

When I searched inside myself, I didn’t have to go deep to find I was bubbling with excitement at the prospect of becoming Roman Wells’ wife. It would be different this time. It would be real, and he was right; it would be beautiful.

“Yes!” I flung myself at him, which was a mistake given how tender I was, but I didn’t let the pain stop me from wrapping my arms around his neck. “Yes, my answer is yes. I love you so much.”

The ring forgotten, he wrapped me in his arms and rolled us to our sides. He ran his nose down mine and gently kissed me.

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