“You can’t have him,” I joke.
“I already have one ofthose,” she says, pointing at Noah. “I want one ofthose.” She points at Cece.
Steph laughs and I’m happy to see that her good mood from earlier is returning.
“Have you guys talked about it?” she asks Piper.
A sigh. “Yeah. We’ve decided we want to wait another year. Maybe two. We want to take some more time for ourselves first. Maybe do some traveling. Still, I’m looking forward to it when the time is right.”
“Itispretty great,” I agree and Steph nods. “Lots of work, though,” I add, “so you’re smart to enjoy some you-time first.” Noah and I didn’t have that, and sometimes I wish we could have, but I don’t regret my baby girl for one single second.
I turn back to my little family again. Cece catches sight of an osprey circling overhead, a fish caught in its beak. The community maintains tall wooden posts all along the waterfront with large platforms perched atop for the ospreys to make their nests. No doubt this one is carrying the food back to its own little ones. Cece calls out in wonder, adorable babbling spilling from her lips as she points toward the bird. Her head tips back in the process causing her hat to fall into the water. Aidan makes a dive for it, scooping it up and shaking it out. Noah chuckles, nodding at him in thanks and cupping his massive hand against the crown of Cece’s head. He runs his fingers through her fine dark curls as they dance in the light breeze, his face serene, and not a single frown line in sight.
A feeling of peace washes over me. I’m pretty sure I’ll never get sick of seeing them together like that, my tiny daughter cradled safely against her brawny father’s chest.
I let out a contented sigh.
And as I continue to watch them, I know.
I know.
I can’t go a second longer without making this thing official.
???
NOAH
Istare down at my adorable daughter prattling happily against my chest. I’m still so in awe of her, still frequently overcome with disbelief that this perfect little person could be mine. I probably always will be.
I shake my head in amazement.
Lucy and Imadeher.
Right here on this very beach.
She kicks her tiny legs as though ready to give chase after that bird. Already, at just four months, she’s so alert, so curious about everything around her. Stubborn too, and seemingly ready to take on the world. Her little personality is emerging and it’s such a joy to see. My little wildcat cub, already so much like her mother. And I’m convinced that she’s a genius, insisting to Lucy that she’s advanced for her age. Lucy just smiles at me indulgently, but … come on. Our daughter is perfect. Plus, she rolled over on her own almost two weeks ago! That’s definitely early according to all the books.
Cecelia. Cece.
No matter how much I’d anticipated her arrival nothing could have prepared me for the feeling of being a father. The pride, the fear, the utter sense ofcompletenessthat she’s brought to my life. Sheandher mother, that is. The two of them are my world.
Speaking of her mother, Lucy’s laugh drifts towards me, carried out over the water on the fragrant breeze and drawing my attention. The lowering sun at my back casts golden light across her smiling face. Hazel eyes twinkle with mirth as she leans in to listen to something Piper is saying, absentmindedly tucking an unruly curl behind her ear.
Stunning. She’s simply stunning.
She’s wearing a modest sky-blue two-piece that contrasts deliciously against her skin, tanned an even deeper shade of bronze from the summer sun. She’d called it her new mom suit and had been uncharacteristically self-conscious about coming to the beach today, complaining that she couldn’t wear one of her usual string bikinis what with her post-baby figure. It’s true that her much fuller tits likely would have spilled right out of one of those old suits–not that I would have complained, but I’d rather not have anyone else there to witness it. And while I think she looks amazing in this bathing suit, and I want her to wear whatever makes her comfortable, I also never want her to feel anything less than the goddess that she is.
I loved Lucy’s curves before Cece and I love their even lusher counterparts now. That’s the body that carried my child, and I intend to spend however long it takes kissing her scar and worshipping those stretch marks until she’s reassured that I still find her as mouth-watering as ever. Until she’s able to see herself the way I do, love herself again the way I do.
I’ll never stop showing her how much she means to me.
She’s the most beautiful woman I know, inside and out. And when I’d glanced over earlier to see her sauntering towards me with that unmistakable heat in her eyes, that seductive roll of her hips … that beauty had stolen my breath. And when she’d paused to give me a quick kiss on her way for a swim? Well, I’d been unable to resist taking it deeper. I’d had to bite back the growl that had threatened to rumble up from my chest. I’d wanted nothing more than to drag her out into the depths so that I could wander my hands all over those curves.
Pretty sure she wanted that too.
I often feel as though she’s able to read my thoughts these days, that we’re so very frequently of the same mind. I’ve never felt closer to her, and I love it.
“Oh, I recognize that look,” Joe remarks with a knowing smile.
