The strum of guitar strings came to me in a hazy, dream-like state that I struggled to end. When I finally won the battle, I blinked my eyes open. The cabin was silent, and the bedroom was dark except for the crack in the doorway. A golden beam of light lit it up.

The distinct scent of basil and oregano filled my nose. It made my belly churn and gurgle. I hadn’t eaten dinner. From the delicious aroma filtering into the bedroom, I assumed Ayden was making it, or he’d finished.

Glancing at the digital clock on the nightstand, a twinge of panic hit me when I realized it was after seven. I hadn’t meant to sleep this long. Guess I was more tired than I thought. If I didn’t get up now, I’d never go back to sleep this evening.

Once I made the bed and used the bathroom, I turned off the light to go downstairs. As soon as I stepped out, I heard a guitar strumming again. When I glanced over the banister, I spotted Ayden sitting by the fireplace with my dad’s guitar. He kept it here for the holidays to play Christmas songs for the family.

At night, when he thought I was sleeping, I once caught him serenading my mother. They’d looked so in love back then. I couldn’t believe the way their story ended.

Like most everything else, once my mother died, my dad quit doing the things he loved. I’d changed the strings on the guitar over the years, hoping he would pick it up again, but he hadn’t. Seeing it in Ayden’s hands brought back memories. At the same time, I saw our future too. My father may not play anymore, but Ayden would, and he would do it for our child and me.

Whatever notes he formed at present weren’t to any song I remembered. It wasn’t one of his band’s songs either. Yet as I stood at the balcony staring down, I was hypnotized by the sound. The guitar hooked me. Ayden’s voice kept me there.

There are plenty of love songs to say how we feel,

But they wouldn’t come close to revealing,

I’m head over heels for you.

No one else but you.

And when the light around you touches your eyes,

It’s like a million stars shooting through the sky.

There’s no place I could run, even if I tried,

But I don’t want to.

Just wanna’ be with you.

The last note hung a moment as I held my breath. I knew for a fact that I had never heard this song. Had he taken my advice and written while we were away from Music Haven?

The rhythm picked up enough that his body jostled as he strummed the guitar and closed his eyes.

And if my world would suddenly end,

It’d be worth it just to feel your skin.

Under my hand,

To remind me,

That I’m just a man,

Who would give his life,

So that yours would remain,

Take the love we have,

Never let it fade.

Hold it close to your heart,

When you need me,

To remind you,

That I’m just a man,

Who would give his life,

So that you could breathe.

I gasped at the words. My chest tightened as I fought to keep my lower lip from quivering. This had to be a new song he’d written. I would know it otherwise.

As I waited for Ayden to continue, he didn’t. His eyes opened as he stared at the fireplace. His blank expression didn’t reveal much about what he was thinking. When he released a deep breath and stretched his neck, I knew whatever it was weighed on him.

Making my way down the steps, I did my best not to make much noise. If he was in the middle of writing new music, the last thing he needed was for me to disturb him. Of course, I wasn’t sure what I would do when I reached the main floor. He had his back to the steps so he wouldn’t see me, but if the floor creaked at all, he would know I was awake.

As soon as I made it off the last step, I froze. Not one time during my descent did I make any noise. Still, something caused Ayden to cock his head to the side like he was listening.

Great. I’d disturbed him.

“It’s just me.”

He flinched at my words and turned to face me. A smile swept over his lips. “Did I wake you?”

I shook my head. While I remembered hearing music just before I woke, the house was silent once I was awake. If anything caused me to stir, it was hunger pains.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you while you were playing.”

“You didn’t.” He set the guitar on its stand and stood. Once I reached him, he opened his arms and took me into a warm embrace. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah.” I drew in a deep breath, taking in the savory aroma coming from the kitchen. “Whatever it is you’re cooking, it smells delicious.”

“It’s ready. I was giving it a little time to cool down.”

The thought of food made my mouth water. “What did you fix?”

“An old family recipe for beef stew and bread bowls.”

My mouth gaped. All this time, I had no clue the man I was about to marry could cook. With the restaurant we had in the community, we didn’t cook often, but I had made him a few meals.

“I had no idea you could cook.”

His sexy laugh made my heart flutter. “My grandmother and mom both taught me. They wanted to make sure I didn’t starve if I ever moved away or found a woman that wasn’t—how did they say it—domesticated.”

“I think it’s great they taught you how to cook. It smells amazing. I can’t wait to try it.”

“Come on. Let’s eat.”

As he took my hand and led me into the kitchen, I gazed at the guitar once more. I wanted to ask him about the song but didn’t. Something had been on his mind, something he didn’t want to talk about. I’d leave it alone for now, but before the night was over, I’d make sure I knew what was troubling him.

Mia curled up on the sofa and sipped on some tea as she stared at the fireplace The wood crackled as the flame around it wavered toward the chimney. I sat near her feet and took the blanket off the back of the sofa. As soon as I covered her with it and smoothed it over her legs, she clasped my hand.

“Thank you.”

“You look cold.”

She shook her head and stared at me. “That’s not what I meant. Thank you for taking care of me.”

I brought her hand to my lips and kissed the back of it. “I’d do anything for you, Mia. Don’t ever forget that.”

Nodding at me, her eyes trailed to the end of the couch. “Tell me about the song you were playing earlier.”

My face grew hot. I wasn’t sure how much of the song she heard. It came to me while we were at my parents’ house. I’d jotted down the lyrics, but the moment I found the guitar sitting in the corner of the den, I decided to finish what I’d started. Yet it wasn’t as easy as I thought.

“How much did you hear?”

She studied me as I leaned my back against the couch. “Enough to know it was beautiful. It’s new, isn’t it?”

I nodded. “The night we took Toni to see the parade, the lyrics came to me after we went to the apartment.”

“What’s the song about?”

No matter how hard I swallowed, I couldn’t remove the lump from my throat. This was part of the reason I had quit playing earlier before I knew Mia was awake. This song was powerful and personal.

“It’s about you and our baby.”

Her breath hitched when our eyes met again. She squeezed my arm and gave me one of her amazing smiles. “Will you play me the rest of the song?”

I wasn’t sure if my voice would fail me. It nearly cracked earlier when I sang. Still, it was hard to refuse Mia. I just told her that I’d do anything for her. Refusing to play the song would make me a liar, and I swore I’d never lie to her again.

Lifting the guitar into my lap, I glanced at her again. “You heard the first verse and the chorus, right?”

“Yes.”

My insides shook. Even though we’d been through so much together, it still made me nervous to play in front of Mia. This song would make it more challenging. It was me baring my soul to her and the rest of the world, but it was the only way I knew how to express my feelings.

Placing my fingers on the strings, I found the next set of chords and began to strum. I focused on the chamber and cleared my throat. Maybe I could keep my emotions in check if I didn’t look at her.

It doesn’t matter what they think.

It doesn’t matter what they say.

You are mine ‘til the end,

‘Cause God wanted it that way.

Put your hand in mine.

Face the unknown with me.

Where you go, I’ll be.

With each moment that you and I share,

I’ll protect you, your burdens I will bear.

Please believe me,

No other love compares to the one we know.

Never let me go.

When I came back to the chorus, I took a deep breath, felt the music vibrate through my body, and my emotions come alive. There was no fighting back anything. I couldn’t.

And if my world would suddenly end,

It’d be worth it just to feel your skin.

Under my hand,

To remind me,

That I’m just a man,

Who would give his life,

So that yours would remain,

Take the love we have,

Never let it fade away.

Hold it close to your heart,

When you need me,

To remind you,

That I’m just a man,

Who would give his life,

So that you could breathe.

As the note rang through the air, I lifted my eyes to Mia. It was a mistake. She was tearing up. I tried to look away when I began the next verse, but I decided not to. This was the hardest part for me to sing, but it was the whole reason the song came about. Now she would know how I felt about her and our child.

And if I had to choose,

I’d die a million times,

Just to make sure the light in your eyes never faded,

Never jaded.

I’d face every single battle,

I’d fight ‘til the death.

Give up everything I had

‘Til nothing was left.

Then I’d take my last moment,

I’d take my last breath.

Just so you could breathe.

Take a part of me.

And remind her,

That I’m just a man,

Who would give his life.

Just to see her breathe . . .

The words caught in my throat. I blinked my eyes as they began to blur. Mia’s hand rested on my shoulder. I heard her whisper my name, but I couldn’t speak. I didn’t trust my voice.

As I placed the guitar back on the stand, I turned to face her. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her arms were around my neck a second later and her chest heaved as she wept.

“I love you, Ayden.”

Squeezing her body, I drew in a deep breath and buried my face against her neck. “I love you too, Mia, you and our baby.”

She didn’t say anything for the longest time. All she did was hold me close and sniffle. I’d already lost the battle with my emotions too. Warm tears streamed down my face. This moment would remain in my mind for as long as I lived. It was when all the walls came down, and I exposed my heart and soul to the woman I loved.

When she finally regained her composure and eased back, she kissed me softly. This time, when she pulled away, she stared at me. “You said her. Do you think the baby is a girl?”

Wiping tears from her cheek, I inhaled the sweet scent of her perfume and nodded. “I’m probably wrong, but for some reason, every time I think of our child, I think of a girl. Maybe it was from spending time with Toni. I don’t know.”

I felt stupid for saying it. It’s not like I had psychic powers and knew without a doubt that Mia and I would have a daughter. It was just a gut feeling. I’d love our child no matter if it were a girl or boy, and if I got my way, this wouldn’t be the only baby we had. I wanted more kids.

The thought drifted from my mind as Mia’s lips pressed to mine again. There was something desperate about the way she swirled my tongue with hers. I gripped her body, tugging it closer to me.

She was on my lap a second later. I grabbed her ass, squeezing it harder when she worked her hips in a circle. Her hands slid under my shirt and lifted it from my chest. I helped her yank it off. Before she could undo my jeans, I stood up. Her feet touched the floor, then we took turns undressing each other.

I led her to the rug in front of the fireplace and eased onto it. Mia went to her knees. I guided her body to mine until she straddled me. As I gazed at her, taking in every inch of her beauty, she covered her belly.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m getting so big.” Her head hung like she was embarrassed. It took me a moment to realize it, and when I did, I stared at her in disbelief.

“Mia, look at me.” Her eyes rose and locked with mine. “You are a beautiful woman. No one can deny that. I was attracted to you the moment I saw you.” I folded my hands over hers and broke them apart. She tried resisting at first but finally gave in. “When I look at you, I see the same woman I met almost a year ago. When I see this—” I teased the firm mound below her navel and smiled. “—it reminds me how lucky I am that a beautiful woman chose to share her life with me. I love this part of you, and knowing you’re carrying my child . . . I think that’s sexy as hell.”

The corner of her mouth lifted. She lowered her body until her chest pressed to mine, then she kissed me. Nothing else was said. As our tongues rolled together, I lifted my hips and guided her onto my cock. Warm, wet heat sheathed me. I groaned at the sensation, loving the way it felt to be inside of her.

Her hips circled slowly. She took me in and out of her as our tongues danced together. The instant her body relaxed, I sank deeper and rolled her hips into me. Mia broke our kiss as moans left her mouth. She closed her eyes and sat up, but she kept her hips working with mine.

I gazed up at her, dazed by her beauty. Her breasts had increased in size and were twice as sensitive to my touch. The moment I cupped them and thumbed over her nipples, she moaned louder. The sweet sound of her voice made me thicken as she rode me.

Too amazed to look away, I stared at her face, even though she wasn’t looking at me. Just seeing the way it contorted as her little nub got caught in the friction building between us was almost as satisfying as feeling how deep my cock was buried inside of her.

When her movements quickened, I knew she was close to orgasm. I eased into a sitting position and curled my hands around her shoulders. As she tossed her head back and slid onto me again, I raked my teeth over her neck.

Working my mouth up to her ear, I bit the section below it, causing her to buck against me. When she took me to the hilt, I grabbed her ass and held her in place. She whimpered when she realized she couldn’t move. Just as I teased her nipples with my tongue, she began grinding against me.

A second later her nails dug into my shoulder. Her pussy contracted around me as she began to come. I worked her hips faster, building the friction between us. She convulsed around me, making my cock so hard and thick I knew I couldn’t hold off.

So I didn’t.

As we came together, I held her body and cried her name against her neck. My chest heaved in and out as I struggled to breathe. A few seconds later, her body grew weak. She had to be drained at this point.

Once she eased off my cock and laid beside me, I grabbed the blanket I used to cover her up earlier and pulled her into my arms. The blanket cascaded over us, providing another layer of warmth. I kissed her lips, her cheeks, her nose, even her eyelids. She laughed at me on the last one, but I didn’t care. She was happy and content and safe. That was the only thing that mattered to me.

“I guess I shouldn’t have to tell you how much I enjoyed the song.”

My chest jiggled when I chuckled. “No. I think you just showed me.”

She smiled again and snuggled closer. “I know you will do everything you can to protect the baby and me. I’ve never doubted you, but I don’t think it will come to that. At least, I hope not.”

“We probably need to check in with your dad soon and see how things are going.”

“He texted me a few nights ago and said he’d be in touch in a few days. I’ve just been giving him time to call.”

“Well, let’s give him a few more days. We have more than enough to keep us busy here.”

She laughed when I wiggled my brows at her. “Oh, I have no doubts we won’t be bored. Besides, it’s been nice to have time away from work. I love what I do, but there are times I needed to get away. Now that we’re starting a family, I want to make sure I take more vacations.”

“Sounds like a plan. I know we’ll work it out. We’re committed this time.” When I cupped my hand around her belly, she stroked my face and nodded.

We spent the next few minutes watching the fire, holding each other and forgetting everything but the love we shared. I hated to think this would end at some point, but I knew it would. We both had careers. Still, we’d spend every second together when we weren’t working. It was those moments that would get me through the tours that were ahead of me. I hoped like hell Izzy was better or out of our lives by that point because I knew one thing for sure.

If I thought leaving Mia behind the first time was next to impossible, I wasn’t sure I could do the same to her and our child if Izzy was still causing problems. No way was I spending time away from my family or allowing her an opportunity to harm them.

I had to do something to prove to Izzy that any chance she had with me died with our relationship, and if she threatened my family again, she’d regret the day we ever met.