His lips were on my jaw. “Hmm?”
“As soon as this baby arrives safe and sound, you’re getting snipped. Otherwise, I’m never going to be able to use my vet degree.”
He threaded our fingers together by my head and pushed himself up so he could look down into my eyes. “What the wife wants, the wife gets.” He kissed me. “I just want to give you the world, sweet Anna.”
I relaxed beneath him. “You already have.”
A smile played at the corners of his mouth. “What if it’s twins again?”
“Don’t.” I stopped him with a finger to his lips. “Don’t even think it. We do not need to put that out into the universe.” Twins clearly ran in the Dupree family. I loved Blaze and Belle but they’d been hard on my body and even harder on our sleep schedules. I did not want to do that again.
Blue chuckled and stared into my eyes. “Don’t worry about the baby and your career.”
“How can I not?”
He dropped a kiss to my mouth, putting heat right back into my stomach, revving me up again. “Because.” Another kiss. “I’m going to retire.” Kiss. “After this season.” Kiss. “And be a stay-at-home dad.” Kiss.
The idea of him staying home while I worked was almost laughable. Being at home all day would drive him crazy. “Ha. Ha.”
He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Get some cows. Coach some youth league. Catch lightning bugs?—”
“Fireflies.”
“Lightning bugs, with you and the kids all summer. Be home for every one of their school activities. No overnight away games. No more being away from you.”
Wait. He was serious? “You might get sick of me.”
“Never. Not even possible. You’re my best friend. Every time you leave the room, a piece of me goes with you.”
“So cheesy.” I teased but my heart took a happy bow. Because it’s exactly how I felt about him. I hated it whenever he was away.
“Maybe,” his voice went husky. He placed a kiss on my shoulder. “But true.” Then he whispered, intensely, “It’s time for you to live your dreams, Anna. I’m done after this season.”
“You’ve only been in the NFL for five years.” He’d promised me he’d only be in for ten when he started. But he’d had two more concussions since the game at Knoxville. One at Virginia Tech and one here in Kansas City. And we were always concerned about him getting chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he was older. It caused horrible migraines, depression, aggression, and could shorten his lifespan. They were finding that it was common in football players with lots of head injuries.
His head tilted. “Do we need more money?”
I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips. Because no, we definitely did not. “Are you really ready?”
“I’m ready to go home. Ready to spend all my time at our house on Dupree Ranch and raise our kids where magic happens. I already talked to Dr. Atkins. He’s excited to hand the reins over to you.”
My heart swelled. “What are you going to do with all your time? Babies grow up and cows don’t need babysitting.”
He shrugged and brushed a wisp of hair back. “I’ll figure something out. Don’t worry about me. Maybe I’ll just come to work with you every day and watch you do your thing.”
My breath stuck in my lungs and not just because a hundred and ninety pounds of solid muscle was lying on top of me. “We’re finally going home?”
He nodded. “If that’s okay with you.”
“If that’s okay with me?” Was this man serious? I’d wanted to go home every day since I left for college. But not without him. Never without him.
Four little fists pounded on the door again.
“Let us in!” Blaze yelled.
“I want ice cream!” Belle shouted.
“Go get it yourselves!” Blue hollered. “I’m not done kissing Mom.”
