Ian

I left my brother in the capable hands of Nick—and Nick’s snark—and grabbed Zoe’s hand to lead her downstairs.

“Where are we going? Margo’s going to have the baby. We can’t leave.”

It boggled my brain how some seemed to think childbirth was a spectator sport, but perhaps it was an American thing. I still had a lot of British sensibilities, though I was learning.

Some things I never wanted to grasp.

“We aren’t leaving, just escaping for a moment.” At the bottom of the stairs, I turned toward her and cupped her cheeks. “When it’s our turn, we aren’t going to have an audience.”

“Um, yes, we will. I will be having this baby in a hospital. If you think I’m doing it at home with classical music playing and that whole ‘quiet room’ business, you’re crazy. There will be drugs and as many doctors as it takes to get the kid out of me as painlessly as possible.”

I blinked. “You’ve done a lot of thinking about this.”

“Someone has to. We just raced into this whole thing. Actually, we’ve been at top speed since we met.” She sidestepped me and paced away then came right back. “Your brother is right. We’ve only known each other a little over half a year. Yet I’m knocked up and—”

“We’re in love and I desperately want to spend the rest of my life with you.” I stopped her mid-stride and took her hand, brushing a kiss over her knuckles. “Not because I can’t live without you. Not because I don’t have my own life. But everything is better with you. You make my world so much richer. And now, there’s this little one.” I cupped her belly with my other hand and watched her caramel eyes melt for me, even as her face remained so stern. “You and our child are my miracles. I will always treasure you both.”

“And they wonder how I got pregnant,” she muttered. “I try to be reasonable and I just can’t. It’s like we’re this whirlwind and every part of us is crazy and chaotic and beautiful.”

“We could slow things down. Pretend we don’t already know what we want. But what sense would that make? I already know you’re my forever.” I took a deep breath, staring down at her pale hand locked in mine. Imagining my ring on her finger and the promises we would make. “I’m not yet the man you deserve. I know that. But I will be. I’m getting there.”

“The man you are is the man I love.” She reached up to touch my jaw. “I don’t want perfection. I want you.”

“Good thing, because you have me, Magic. For as long as you’ll keep me.” Gently, I took her mouth with mine, extending the kiss until she let out a little soft sigh. “I won’t forget the push present either.”

In truth, I’d just learned about push presents from Nick. I would make sure not to skip that vital step.

She laughed. “I don’t expect a push present. That should be the baby, right?”

This was why I loved this woman to distraction. “Yes, but you’ll get one just the same.” I lowered my head to hers for another kiss.

“Will I get an engagement ring too?”

My heart stuttered to a stop. Damn my brother and his big mouth. If not for the fact his wife was about to give birth, I might’ve been annoyed at him. As it was, I was amazed he wasn’t annoyed at me for walking out of the jewelry shop without the ring I’d just purchased. They’d gone in back to box it up and I’d signed the charge slip and just walked out of the shop.

Good Lord. And I thought I was ready for fatherhood? I’d probably forget the baby upon leaving the hospital.

I started to speak, and Zoe reached up and closed my lips for me. “That expression says it all. So, I won’t ruin the surprise. I’ll let you do it in your way, in your own time.”

I couldn’t respond. I’d just fallen in love with her all over again.

“Just remember, you’re not just marrying me, you’re marrying into the Manning family. And my brothers expect a fairytale for their baby sister, especially after everything we’ve been through this past year to get here.” She shrugged. “But no pressure.”

She stepped around me to go back up the stairs. I didn’t move.

I wasn’t sure I retained enough strength.

Zoe’s three older brothers were large and formidable. Never mind her parents, who weren’t as big but just as mighty. Love had a way of making a family strong.

I wanted to be a part of them just as much as I wanted my Zoe.

“Coming?”

I rubbed the heel of my hand over my heart to get it going again. Then I followed her up the stairs and gave her perfect heart-shaped ass a pat. “One fairytale, at your service.”

She grinned at me over her shoulder. “You’re off to a good start, Kagan.”