Page 88 of Resolute

A giggling Ava covers her mouth with her hands before squirming to break free. “You two are silly,” she says as she heads toward the living room.

Once Ava is out of sight, Camila turns to face me, a pretty blush covering her cheeks.

“Hey, grumps. How was your day?” She smiles.

I frown and press a hand to my chest. “Grumps? Really? You wound me, wife.”

Her laugh spills easy from her lips, and the sound makes a bunch of butterflies take flight in my stomach.

“Wouldn’t you say you’re a grumpy man?” she asks.

My frown deepens, which only makes her laugh harder.

“I was hoping you’d notice I’ve been way less grumpy ever since you and Ava came into my life.”

She moves her head from left to right, as if to say maybe.

“What? I can show you how grumpy I can be.”

I take her in my arms, and her hands immediately go to my hair. She tugs gently, and I can’t restrain my need to kiss her.

The kiss heats up within seconds, and I grab her leg, hiking it up to my waist.

When we hear giggles behind us, I reluctantly break the kiss.

Camila fixes her hair and turns back to the stove. “Dinner will be ready in a minute, sweetie,” she says, not looking back.

I shake my head to try to remove the lust fog and grab Ava’s hand.

“What do you say, duckling? Should we wash our hands and get the table ready for dinner?”

Ava nods and leads me toward the restroom, where she continues to share her tales of the day. She tells me how Mrs. Evans helped her make a craft for Camila. It’s a heart made with coffee filters, markers, and water.

“I can’t wait to see it,” I say as I wash my hands too.

And it’s true. I can’t wait.

I’ve never been around kids, but things are easy with Ava. I feel like I can do no wrong in her eyes, and that both excites me and terrifies me in equal measure.

I never planned to help shape a little one’s mind, but being part of Camila and Ava’s world is a privilege, and I’ll try to do my best every single day of our lives.

Chapter 22

Camila Flores

“So what did you get today?” Vicente asks as he takes a huge bite of his steak. This man looks delectable but can eat like a mountain man.

“Let’s see.” I pause eating and try to count in my mind the obscene amount of stuff I bought today.

After Vicente called me and reminded me I could buy more than my wedding dress, I ended up getting clothes for Ava and myself for whatever trip we’re taking as our honeymoon.

I know I’ve never been married—let alone been in an arranged marriage—but the way Vicente treats me doesn’t seem arranged at all.

“Since you mentioned honeymoon, I got a few summer clothes for Ava and me.”

At the mention of her name, she grins, a mouthful of food nearly spilling from her mouth.

“Ava Marie, what have I told you about manners at the table?” I say in my stern mom voice, glaring at her.

---