Page 124 of Rebel Heart
She sighed. “Okay.”
Placing my hand on her forehead, I stroked her hair. “We’ll read more tomorrow night. I promise.”
After fixing her blanket over her and giving her a kiss, I stood at the side of her bed. “Goodnight, Rosie.”
“Goodnight, Daddy.”
“I love you.”
“I love you more.”
I grinned at her. “I love you the most.”
The smile was back on her face.
That had become our nightly routine. Rosie and I would attempt to outdo one another when it came to expressing our love. And just like nearly everything else I experienced being her father, it was one of my favorite things.
I stepped away from the bed and crossed the room to where my wife was still waiting. She’d stepped back as I approached and said, “Good night, Rosie. I love you.”
“Goodnight, Mommy. I hope Daddy reads you a good bedtime story.”
Skye laughed as we walked out of the room and closed the door. She draped her arms over my shoulders and pressed her body close. “Have I told you how much Ilove watching you read to her, Cooper? Do you know what it does to me?”
“You might have mentioned it once or twice.” I gave her a squeeze. “You have that bookstore, and I’m still not sure we’ll ever have enough books for that little girl.”
“We’ll probably be able to keep her busy for a couple of years, though. And don’t worry, because you’ll need to read the same books all over again to Lily.”
The air left my lungs, a peace settling over me. Even if the days were long right now, I did my best to soak up every last moment. It felt like Rosie had been born mere weeks ago, not whole years. Time was flying, and my girls were growing faster than I wanted.
“Did she go down okay?”
Skye kissed my neck. “Like a champ. She was so exhausted.”
My hands drifted down over my wife’s ass. “Mmm. And you? How are you feeling this evening, sweetheart?”
She tipped her head back to look at me, a smile playing at her lips. “Well, I’ve been thinking. And I was kind of hoping for a bedtime story. One that might lead to us making another baby.”
My brows shot up in surprise. “I didn’t realize you were ready for another.”
“It’s been on my mind for a little while now. Rosie’s going to be five, and Lily turned two a few months ago. It’s time. Don’t you think?”
As her fingers drifted up the back of my head, my hands roamed along her sides. “If you feel ready, we can absolutely have another.”
A mischievous grin washed over her expression. “What kind of story do you plan to tell me tonight?”
I glanced over at Rosie’s door, confirming it was still closed. Then I leaned close and whispered, “A naughty one.”
“Oh?”
Taking a step back, I bent at the waist and lifted Skye over my shoulder.
“Cooper!” she hissed in surprise.
I ignored what was a foolish attempt at a protest and carried her to our bedroom. Once there, I went about telling her the very best kind of bedtime story. Skye was such an avid fan of the stories I told that it was no surprise we’d accomplished what we set out to do.
And nine months later, we welcomed our first son, Ashton Westwood, to our growing family.
TATE - ONE YEAR, FOUR MONTHS LATER
