Page 95 of The Archer and his Rosebud

I massage the top of her foot beneath the blanket.

“Honestly? I’m relieved. I hadn’t really considered all the problems that would come up from having left things unresolved with Ty until he showed up.” She finishes off the last of her cereal milk. “I’m glad I decided to go to his parents. She’s a part of them, even if he isn’t in her life.”

“And they’re happy to be in her life without him taking responsibility? Without her taking his name?”

“Obviously, they need to talk with him, and I’m going to need to meet with him again, but they agreed that if Ty isn’t interested, they won’t force the paternity issue. She deserves a daddy who loves her with his whole heart. I won’t force him to claim a daughter he doesn’t want.”

“I want her.” Maybe that’s the wrong thing to say tonight, but I’d call her mine if Willa would allow me. “No matter what happens with us, Will. You should know I’ll be there. Maybe it’s crazy. We’ve known each other less than a year, but I love her like my own.”

Drawing a deep breath, Willa places her bowl on the coffee table and shimmies closer, her knee pressing against my chest. “And what makes you think something bad will happen to us?”

“I don’t.” I draw her tighter into my side, my fingers tracing circles around her knee. “As a matter of fact, I’m going to marry you someday when you let me. And when you take my name, maybe you’ll let Clementine take it, too.”

Her teeth scrape over her bottom lip as she touches my face. “How in the world did I nearly walk away from you?”

“The answer to that isn’t a secret, and I would never have blamed you, but maybe from now on we do this together? Like a team.”

“Like a team.” she agrees, pressing a kiss to the side of my mouth.

“You’re staying the night, right?”

“Of course.” Her smile turns coy. “As long as you don’t mind me borrowing your clothes.”

The reminder that she’s wearing nothing beneath my T-shirt sends my hand wandering. “I’d prefer you naked, but I did promise the boys I’d help them build the largest snowman known to mankind if the snow sticks, and they’re off school tomorrow.” Which, judging by the white glow lighting the living room, I’m going to say it’ll be a snow day.

“Do you even know how to build a proper snowman, Mr. Texas born and raised?”

“How hard can it be?” I brush the soft crease at the top of her thigh, causing her to suck in a breath and swallow that sass.

Raising her brows, Willa adjusts our blankets and swings her leg over my lap, wiggling into place. “I’d say pretty hard.”

I’m lifting and preparing to shove away the one layer between her body and mine when a little grunt echoes through the living room. Our heads swivel toward the bedroom Clem’s sleeping in.

Willa groans when a second grunt, then babbling follows. “Hold that thought.”

I grab her hips as she tries to stand and set her down beside me, kissing her hard. “I’m coming back to this in a bit, but for now, let me get her. This is my penance for putting her down so early.”

Feeling Willa’s eyes on my backside, I walk toward the second bedroom and the little howler monkey whose cries are where it all began. The little angel sits in the middle of her crib, patiently chattering.

“Hey, little Rosebud,” I call softly, and a fuzzy head turns my way. “Guess who’s home?” Clem giggles, her legs kicking so hard I fear she’ll topple herself. “Mommy’s home. C’mon, let’s go see her.”

Lifting her into my arms, I snuggle her close. An overwhelming sense of gratitude tightens my chest, making me hold tighter. I’m not losing them.

“I love you so much. I’m never letting you go, my darling Clementine. You or your mommy.” Clem’s fingers paw at my mouth and I kiss her fingers. “I’ll tell you a secret. My Gran once told me when I found the girl who I could sit with in silence and be content, then I’d know I found my one. Your mommy’s that one, Clem. You, Mommy, Nolan, and Eli, we’re forever. How do you like that?”

“Forever has a nice ring to it.”

Swiveling my head, I take in Willa wrapped in the blanket, holding the monitor with a tender side-smile.

“Willa Thomas sounds even better.”

Pressing a kiss to the top of Clem’s head, she places her hand on my chest. “One step at a time, Arrow.”

ChapterThirty

WILLA

ONE MONTH LATER

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