Ryan is nodding off, and I decide to put him to bed. Walking over to them, I reach down and slip my hands beneath his arms. Eli sets his bowl of cereal on the small end table next to him, then reaches out and curls his fingers around my wrist.
His eyes focus on mine, and I can tell he’s tired. His lids are lowered, but he’s trying to stay awake. I try not to laugh because he looks exactly like Ryan. If I could have reached into my back pocket for my phone and snapped a picture, it would be like looking at twins.
“Meet you in bed?” he asks, his eyes very intently focused on mine.
A thrill of excitement slides up my spine.
Yes.
Yes, I will meet you in bed… will you be naked?
I want to ask that, but I don’t. Instead, I sink my teeth into my bottom lip and nod once. “I’ll meet you in bed,” I rasp.
He grins, his eyes searching mine before he releases my wrist. I pick Ryan up, holding him against my chest as I straighten and take a step backward.
“See you in a few minutes,” he murmurs.
I move backward a few more steps, then turn to the hallway and move toward the guest bedroom, where Ryan’s bed is all set up. After I lower him into the pack-n-play, I can’t help but watch him for a moment.
He’s not quite asleep yet, but he’s also not awake. He’s in a halfway dreamy state, and I can’t tear my gaze away from him.
He’s perfect.
I’m not sure how long I stand there, staring at him as he drifts off to sleep. But when I feel a palm against my lower back, my spine straightens. I’m startled by the touch. Turning my head slightly, I look over to see Eli with his chin dipped as he watches Ryan, too.
“I’m so thankful that you’re his mother,” he murmurs.
I’m not quite sure what he means by that, and thankfully, I don’t have to ask because he continues.
“None of this was planned, and I’m not a perfect man by any means, but I think someone bigger than us stepped in and knew what we needed.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, rolling the skin back and forth for a moment, trying to think of how to respond to that. Again, no response is necessary because he continues. I don’t even know if he’s really talking to me or if he’s simply working through his own thought process.
Either way, it ends up being a truly sweet moment.
“There are a million what-ifs and little moments that have changed the trajectory of our lives. And I’m not sure we would be right here, together, had everything not happened the way it did. If Ryan weren’t here, I’m not sure I would have ever seen you again.”
God.
That’s sweet.
Turning to him slightly, I tilt my head back and look up into his eyes again. “I would have been far too embarrassed to ever see you again, misunderstanding or not. I can, without a doubt, confirm that Ryan is the reason I’m standing right here.”
Eli lifts his hand and curls his fingers around the side of my throat, his thumb sliding across my bottom lip as his lips curve up into a grin.
“Thank fuck for divine intervention.”
Then, before I can respond, he slams his mouth against mine and gives me a hard, owning kiss.
A perfect kiss.
EIGHTEEN
ELI
Wrapping my arms around Wrenly,I grip her ass and pick her up, backing us out of Ryan’s bedroom and toward mine. I close the door behind me before I lower her feet to the floor, then break the kiss before I gently glide her shirt up her body.
“You’re staying,” I announce.
