“Wilde…ka-kade?” he says with a laugh against her lips.
“Keep your name, Freya. We’ll still know we’re married, even if our names don’t change.”
She moves away from Archer’s chest and glares at me. “I’m taking someone’s name whether you like it or not, Julian. Besides, I want our children to have the same name as us.”
“Children?” Archer replies with a gasp.
I feel a grin tighten across my lips. The idea of children is something we’ve discussed, and I knew Freya wanted them, but to hear her talk about them fills me excitement. “How many children are we having?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know…two or three?”
“I’m ready. Let’s go.” Archer picks Freya off the ground and starts to carry her inside. She howls with laughter, smacking him on the shoulder until he drops her back on her feet.
“Okay, well, if we want children, then I guess you’re right. We should have one last name that we share…as a family.” Leaning back against the balcony wall, I cross my arms over my chest.
Archer can’t take his hands or his lips off Freya. The mention of children has turned him into a horny caveman, ready to procreate. It’s a delight to watch, but Freya is still staring at me, a look of deliberation on her face.
The idea of children and this concept of taking one family name makes everything feel so real, and I fucking love it. This is my family. These two are my forever. My future.
We are officially making plans for children, our name, and our legacy. I couldn’t be happier.
“I say we take Wilde.”
The words come out of my mouth so fluidly it feels as if I’ve wanted to say them forever. Both of them pause, looking up at me with elation in their eyes.
“Why do you say that?” Freya asks.
I shrug. “It sounds better. Julian Wilde. Freya Wilde. Besides, Arch is the one who keeps us together when we fight and act like fools. The one whoclaimedus. Seems only right that we take his name. We should be his.”
Screwing her mouth up in the corner for a moment, Freya thinks through my idea before letting her mouth relax into a smile. “I love it. It has a nice ring to it. The Wildes.”
“Wait, are you two serious?” Archer drops his hands from Freya’s sides and looks between us as if he’s waiting for us to say we’re joking.
“We’re serious, Chopper,” I joke with a lopsided grin.
“Wait, wait, wait. Say it again,” he pleads as he comes toward me and places his hands on my hips.
“Say what?”
“Your names.”
There is so much happiness brewing up inside me that I can’t possibly keep it off my face. Running my hands through his long brown curls, I whisper, “Julian Wilde.”
Archer grunts as if me taking his last name gives him physical pleasure. His eyes roll, and his hips thrust toward me. “Do it again.”
Freya runs her hands up his chest as she sensually murmurs, “Freya Wilde.”
“That’s it,” he snaps. “We’re fucking. Right here on this balcony.”
Freya shrieks with laughter as Archer wrestles her to the floor. He hikes up her skirt and wraps her legs around his waist.
“Come on, Arch,” I say, trying to tug him toward the window. “We have guests waiting downstairs.”
“Fuck them.” He grabs my arm and pulls me to the ground next to my wife. The three of us are howling with laughter, and I don’t care that my clothes are getting dirty on this balcony or that my hair is mussed and out of place.
I’m happier than I’ve ever been before. And it’s the knowing that time is finite and our moments are so precious that makes me savor each and every one of them.
These two love me unconditionally, and I might be spoiled with this affection, but I will never be ungrateful.
