Page 167 of Whispered Sins

She laughed softly and pulled up another chair.

“Do you want to hold her?” I asked.

“No, no,” she waved me off. “Let her sleep. She looks so peaceful.”

“You think she’ll always be this good of a sleeper?”

“Don’t get your hopes up.”

She placed her hand gently on Bridgette’s back and ran her fingers softly up her spine.

“Thank you for calling my parents,” she said, keeping her eyes on Bridgette.

“Of course. I hope you didn’t mind I found their contact in your phone while you slept. I knew you were so tired that phone calls weren’t the first thing on your list.”

“For being so small, she sure kicked my ass,” said Heart with a smirk.

There was a moment of silence, then she added, “No, but really. You don’t know how much that meant to me. How much I needed it.” Her eyes held a happiness that was new, as if she was fulfilled. I hoped it meant she found peace with her parents.

“Will they be here for a while?” I asked, not wanting to pry too much or reveal anything Monica had just told me.

“I think so,” she said, a smile spreading across her lips.

I reached over and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “I know we have a lot to learn about each other, and you don’t need to tell me everything now. But I want to know you. All the parts of you, the good, the bad, the sad, the scary. All of it.”

I brought her hand to my lips and kissed her smooth knuckles. Her eyes closed at my touch.

“I want to know you, too,” she whispered.

“Our life starts now,” I said, placing her hand on Bridgette’s back.

She opened her eyes and smiled lovingly at our beautiful baby.

“What’s it going to look like?” she asked dreamily.

“Well, I’m hoping it means you’re my…”

“Girlfriend?” she asked playfully.

“God, this is so weird. I feel like I’m in middle school, except I’m thirty-something with a baby.”

Heart let out a loud laugh and Bridgette stirred in my arms.

Heart covered her mouth and her eyes widened as we watched Bridgette fall back asleep.

“Yes,” I whispered. “I want you to be my girlfriend. Will you?”

She looked at me, her eyes dancing. “I’d love that.”

“And another thing,” I said, hoping I wasn’t moving too fast.

“I’d like you and Bridgette to move in with me,” I said.

Heart’s breath caught as she looked at me. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

“I want us to be a proper family. I want us to go to sleep together and I want to wake up to help with her. I want to set up a nursery where she can play, and learn, and grow. I want to dance with you and laugh with you, and show the baby what a loving home is,” I said.

“You mean it?” she asked.

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