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Stopping her, I said, “Let me finish,” as I let out a nervous laugh. “I, um… last night was amazing with you. You deserve everything. My daughter deserves everything. I want to be the person, the man, who gives you everything. I know it’s fast, but I love you, Elly.”

Her eyes were welling as she brought her hands up to my face. “I love you, too, Dean. I love you and Ada so much. Who cares if it’s fast. Sometimes it happens that way and when you know, you know. I love you!”

Pulling her into me, we kissed and stood there hugging each other for what seemed like forever. “I hate to end this, but I have to go to work. Flo said she’s going to bring Ada to the house so you can go straight there. She texted me and said she stopped at our parents this morning already to pick her up. I guess we were all early risers today.”

Elly smiled. “Sounds good. Let me get dressed and we’ll get out of here.” As she turned to walk away, I smacked her ass making her squeal. I loved the sound and she made me a happy man.

Chapter 18

Elly

Two Months Later

Dean and I were taking things slow for Ada’s sake. Ada’s only ever known Dean and his family. We started with more frequent dinners together in the evening with Ada. Dean and I went to dinner together alone sometimes and Flora would watch Ada. We’d sneak in some time together throughout the day on the weekends and during the week. He’d come home early and surprise me in the laundry room while Ada had her afternoon nap. Laundry room sex was becoming my favorite activity.

All I wanted was to spend all my time with Dean and Ada. They meant everything to me. We’d gone to my parents about two weeks after my dad had showed up to my apartment. My mom absolutely gushed over Ada. Ada took to her right away. She was a little more nervous around my dad because he’s usually so serious, but she quickly broke the ice when she said to him, “Only my daddy is the boss of me.”

Everyone laughed until she teared up and ran to Dean’s arms. Dean reassured her, “Oh baby, come here. Everyone is laughing because you’re the cutest little girl there ever was.” He was incredible with her.

My dad walked up to them and said to Ada, “Ms. Ada, you’re right. Only your daddy is the boss of you. But I’d like to be your friend.” Ada smiled and when my dad reached out his arms to her, she went with him.

He smiled and said, “I remember when my Elly was this little.”

The dinner went perfectly and we left with my parents expressing how much they wanted us to come around more, and they would love to spend time with Ada any time. I’m sure my parents thought they’d be grandparents someday but probably didn’t imagine it so soon.

Things moved fast with Dean and me, so it was important to slow down a bit. We hadn’t officially explained anything to Ada. I think we were nervous too. Would she understand? Would she be happy? Those were questions we kept asking ourselves, so the conversation kept getting pushed off, keeping things the same as they always were. I’d show up in the morning, he’d leave for work, Ada would be napping, and Dean and I would get a little quiet time before she woke up. We’d have dinner and I’d go back to my apartment. Sometimes Dean would show up at my apartment after I’d left for the evening saying, “I can’t wait until tomorrow.” We’d make love and he’d set an alarm so he could wake up and go home after a few hours of sleeping together.

One day, Dean was still at work and like every other day, Ada was napping. I was on my hands and knees putting her toys away in the living room. Not hearing Dean come in, I jumped slightly when I felt him press against my ass and wrap his arms around me. He whispered, “How long has she been sleep?”

I turned to hug him. After he lifted me up and squeezed me tight, he set me down and leaned his arm on the counter. He stared at me for a second and smiled.

I smiled, too, and asked, “What are you up to?”

Dean paused and said, “I want you here all the time, Ell. I want you to move in with us.”

I was shocked, even though I shouldn’t have been. “I want the same thing, but we have to tell Ada first.”

His eyes brightened. “Really? You would move in here?”

Beaming, I said, “Of course. I love you. I hate leaving every day. I want to be sensitive to Ada.”

Leaning down, he kissed me and said, “That’s one of the reasons I love you. You’ve never stopped thinking of her first.”

Exhaling, I assured him, “I never will.”

Chapter 19

Elly

Ada and I were waiting for Dean to get home from work and my nerves were frayed. Dean and I were ready to tell her about us. I didn’t know how she was going to react, or if she would understand what we were saying.

I was manically cleaning the house in the meantime and called to Ada, “Ada, sweetie, come pick up your toys. Your daddy will be home soon.”

All I could hear was her little sigh as she made her way to the living room. “But daddy knows I have these toys.”

Grinning at her, I said, “Of course he does, but we still have to clean up after ourselves.” Ada huffed and dragged herself to the living room in dramatic fashion, stopping to talk to the plant in the dining room, and spinning in circles in the kitchen around the island, before she found herself in the living room and dropped to the floor to do carpet angels amongst her toys. “Ada Flora Thorne…”

“I’m cleaning, see?” She began picking up her toys in a rush.