It’s perfect.
“This old thing? We’ve owned it for years.”
I text Alex to get it done as Des barks a laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Kat asks as she comes back into the room, Addy almost taking her off her feet as she runs past her into Des’s arms.
“Dessy!”
“Hey princess, are you ready to go spend some time with Nonna and Nonno? A little birdy told me that Nonno made meatballs.”
Addy claps and cheers.
“And Nonna might have some kind of dessert-making night planned for you guys. You have to promise to bring me some, though. You can’t eat it all.” Addy giggles and nods.
We all know there’s no way she could possibly eat it all; they will make far too much, they always do.
“Alright, let's get you over there before Nonno eats all the food.” He moves past me to press a kiss to Kat’s cheek, making her cheeks turn that beautiful shade of pink we all adore before he walks away.
I hope she never stops having that reaction to us, to our attention.
“Dessy, do you think Mommy and Daddy will get married?”
“Yeah, I think so. That’s what you do when you love someone, isn’t it?”
“But don’t you love Mommy too, and Oli and Uncle Alex?” Desmond chuckles and shakes his head, but whatever response he gives, we can’t hear as they move out to the car.
“Maybe this is a bad idea?” The worry in Kat’s voice has my feet moving before I even register what I’m doing. Walking up behind her, I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her back into my chest as she waves at Des’s car as it moves down the driveway, Addy’s tiny hand just visible through the rear window.
“What we're doing isn’t normal. I don’t want to confuse her.” She reaches up, her hand resting on my forearm, and I hate that she even feels like this is a concern.
“She’s five. Everything about love confuses her, but you're missing the important thing. Addy knows what love is because we show her. You show her.”
She sighs, her shoulders sagging as if under some invisible force, and I hold her a little tighter.
“I just want her to be safe and happy.” Her voice is hardly more than a whisper, like a prayer not meant for me.
“She’s safe. You made sure of that, and we will continue to do sotogether. And she’s happy, Katherine, and she’s blossoming with you taking care of her. She’d been missing something I couldn’t give her before. I’ll be forever grateful to you for providing that.”
She spins in my arms, her eyes narrowed as she glares up at me.
“Don’t thank me for that. How could someone not love her? She’s adorable, sweet, and just perfect. You were raising her just fine before me,” she tells me matter-of-factly, and I know she’s serious and worried, but damn the way she’s looking at me right now.
“If you say so, but I much prefer raising her with you.”
Her eyes go wide, and she opens her mouth, but nothing comes out, and she quickly snaps it closed again.
That’s okay. I don’t need her to say anything. I already know she’s not going anywhere. I won’t let her; I couldn’t bear it.
I do love making her speechless. The way she looks when she’s all flustered is so much like the look she gets right after she comes that my cock twitches in response.
That reminds me.
“Next time you call me Daddy, I’m going to spank your ass,” I tell her, leaning down so that we're only an inch apart.
“Wh-what, why?” she manages to stammer as her brain seems to short-circuit, her eyes wide in confusion that somehow only makes her look more appealing.
I reach out, wrapping my fingers around her much smaller wrist, and move her hand to the crotch of my jeans as an explanation.
