I laugh, resting my head on his chest just as Isla comes running back into the living room.
“Why are you crying, Lucy?” she asks.
I quickly swipe at my eyes. “Oh, sweet girl, these are happy tears.” I wipe my eyes one last time. “Sometimes grown-ups cry when they’re really, really happy.”
Isla looks between Aidan and me, her brows furrowing in thought. “Are you happy because Daddy’s home?”
“That’s part of it, but your daddy just told me some really good news.” I meet Aidan’s gaze, my heart swelling. “He’s going to be home a lot more now.”
Her eyes widen, the realization hitting her in an instant. “Really? You’re not going away anymore?”
“That’s right, love. I’ll be here every day now.”
Isla’s eyes sparkle with pure joy. Without missing a beat,she throws herself on top of us. “Yay! We can go to the park, have movie nights, make pancakes on the weekend?—”
Aidan chuckles. “Aye, we can do all those things and more. I promise.” He presses a kiss to the top of her head. In that moment, I see a future I didn’t dare dream of before. Lazy Sunday mornings, family dinners, bedtime stories with the three of us snuggled together.
“And you’ll be here, too. Right, Lucy?” Isla asks. “You’ll stay with us?”
The question is so innocent and pure, but it catches me off guard. The weight of her words, theimplicationbehind them, settles heavily on my chest. I glance up at Aidan, unsure how to respond. His eyes meet mine, and I catch a flicker of uncertainty there, too. It’s not like we’ve had a chance to talk about how this changes things, or if it does.
Finally, Aidan breaks the silence. “Lucy will be here,” he says. “As much as she wants to be.”
I feel tears prick at my eyes again. “I’d love to be here,” I tell Isla, reaching out to smooth a stray piece of hair from her face. “If that’s okay with you?”
Her face lights up instantly. “Yes! Can you stay forever?”
I laugh softly. “Well, let’s start with me being here more often and see how it goes, okay?”
Her head bobs up and down. “Okay. Can we have pizza now?”
I can’t help but marvel at how, one second, she’s asking if I can stay forever, and the next, she’s laser-focused on pizza as if that’s the most pressing matter in the world. Kids really do keep you humble.
“All right,” Aidan chuckles, giving Isla’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I’ll order the pizza. Why don’t you go pick out a movie for us to watch while we eat?”
She dashes off to search through her pileof movies while Aidan pulls me to my feet, his hand sliding into mine as he leads me toward the kitchen.
Once we’re out of earshot, he turns to me, his face growing serious. The playful smile from earlier fades, and I can see the weight of his words hanging between us, waiting to be said.
“I hope you know I meant what I said,” he begins. “I want you here, as much as you’re comfortable with.”
My heart swells at his words, but there’s something vulnerable in his eyes that makes me step closer. I reach up to cup his face, feeling the rough texture of his stubble beneath my palms.
“I know you meant it,” I whisper.
His shoulders relax, tension I didn’t even realize he was carrying melting away. “Good,” he says simply, but the relief in his voice is unmistakable.
His eyes drop to my mouth, darkening in a way I’ve come to recognize. “Fuck, I missed you.” He backs me up until I’m pressed against the counter. “I plan on showing you exactly how much once Isla’s in bed tonight.”
My breath catches in my throat as his hands find my hips, fingers digging in just enough to make me shiver.
“Oh?” I manage, my voice embarrassingly breathless. “And how do you plan on doing that?”
He leans in, his lips brushing against my ear. “I’m going to take my time with you tonight.” His voice drops to that rough, gravelly tone that makes heat pool low in my stomach. “I want to hear those little sounds you make when I touch you just right.”
I swallow hard, feeling my face flush. “Aidan…”
“I’m going to make you blush just like you are now.” His teeth graze my earlobe before he pulls back, his hands lingering on my hips before dropping to his sides. “Now, cheese or pepperoni?”
