Nothing is sexier and more breathtaking than the sight of a baby in the arms of a big, rugged hockey player.

Don’t believe me? Take a look.

Josh was sitting on the wooden rocking chair, cradling our daughter—and I knew without a doubt that he had already fallen unequivocally in love with her.

But how could he not?

“I see you’ve already met your daughter,” I said softly.

He smiled at me in the way that always turned me heated. Even after twelve hours of labor and pushing out a seven-pound baby, he still had that power over me.

“I have. She’s beautiful, just like her mother.”

And apparently south of the equator wasn’t the only place to heat up. My face got pretty hot too. “Thanks.”

“Any idea what we’re going to call her?” he asked. “I’m guessing Noah is no longer on the table.”

Definitely not—even though I really did love the name.

“I thought maybe we could name her after my grandmother. Lily.”

He studied his daughter for a moment. “She looks like a Lily. All right, Lily it is. If it’s okay with you, I’d like her middle name to be Grace—after my grandmother.”

Lily Grace. “It’s perfect.”

“I was thinking,” he said, smiling at Lily in a way that clearly suggested she already had him wrapped around her finger, “of maybe taking a picture of her and me together. Then the team can release it. People are going to find out I’m now a father”—he nodded at the door—“and it’s not like I’m trying to hide that I have a child.”

“That’s a great idea.” Plus, then I’d have a copy to look at whenever Josh wasn’t around.

“I was also thinking”—he glanced back up at me—“that maybe we could move in together. Probably your apartment since she already has her room there.”

Did you hear that? No? That was because I’d stopped breathing. I wasn’t too surprised that he wanted to go public about the birth of his daughter. But had I even for a second thought he would suggest we live together as a family?

Was Australia’s national animal the polar bear?

“I still have my apartment, but I can sublet it until my lease ends,” he said. “Or I can stay where I am now if you’d prefer.”

I think I might have blinked. I couldn’t be sure. My mind was still trying to digest what he had just said.

And then it hit me. Well, more like what he had meant by the second part hit me. Did he really think that I didn’t want him to live with me and Lily?

I grinned. “I would love it if you moved in with us.”

Like a family.

Which we now were.

He smiled at me, clearly relieved. Then he returned to smiling broadly at Lily. “And your Daddy is going to sell his Nissan GT-R and buy a nice car-seat friendly vehicle. Then I can take you and your mommy for rides.”

His words warmed me up inside. “You’re really going to sell it? But you love that car.”

He looked up at me. “I do, but what’s the point of it if I can’t take Lily for rides?” He went back to smiling at his daughter.

I grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand and shuffled over to join them. The picture I took of father and daughter was nothing like what Kelsey would have taken—but I thought it looked utterly adorable.

Since I hadn’t told my parents yet, I fired off a text with the photo. Next, I sent one to Erin and Kelsey. Erin immediately responded.

Congratulations! She’s adorable. Samantha and I can’t wait to meet her.

Mum texted right back, congratulating both Josh and me, and telling me she couldn’t wait to meet her granddaughter.

A moment later I received a text from Drew. Congratulations, Holly. She’s beautiful like her mother. Look forward to meeting the newest Whittaker someday real soon.

I leaned down and kissed Lily’s forehead, then kissed my boyfriend’s scruff-covered cheek.

“How’re you feeling?” he asked.

“Sore. Like my body doesn’t belong to me.” The second part wasn’t anything new. I’d been feeling that way since getting pregnant. But at least then I had a baby inside of me.

The best thing about being pregnant? Having a tiny life growing inside you.

The worst thing right after giving birth? Hello, stretch marks and postpartum flabby stomach.

But I would be going home with a healthy baby—and a sweet and caring boyfriend.

What more could I wish for?

Right—for Josh to love me like I loved him.

And for my green-card application to be approved.