“Your baby is so beautiful,” Stella cooed at Ally’s newly christened baby girl named Elizabeth.

“Here, why don’t you try to burp her? I need to go and check on something in the kitchen.”

Stella looked skeptical. “Uh, yeah. If you really want me to.”

“I’ll hold her if you like,” Blake Knightly, who was sitting next to Sienna on the outdoor settee, offered Ally as he placed his drink on the coffee table.

Ally reddened. “You would? Thank you, Blake,” she muttered, not looking him in the eye as she moved closer to pass the small, cute bundle over.

I hid back a smile as I took another sip of my wine. Blake Knightly and I weren’t really friends since I loathed his cousin’s guts, but since our wives were friends and colleagues, we had to interact. The man wasn’t bad actually.

Elizabeth looked so tiny in Knightly’s arms and he seemed to be absorbed in the baby as he studied her facial features. When Elizabeth let out a tiny, cuter than anything that I had ever seen, small, sleepy yawn, the rest of us cooed and melted.

“I want one of these soon, cara,” Blake addressed Sienna without even giving his wife a glance because he looked so enthralled at the now sleepy form in his arms.

A round of laughter was shared while I reached for Stella’s hand and kissed it. My wife glowed as she gave me a smile.

Stella, after months of being married to her, still took my breath away.

Sienna, on the other hand, only shook her head. “Talk to me about babies after you’ve potty trained both dogs, hm?” She then looked at us, grinning. “He spoils them rotten and doesn’t seem to know how to control the urge to keep giving them treats for no reason. If the dog looks cute sitting down, he hands it a treat. If one is acting all sweet and cuddly, he hands out another treat. I don’t even want to imagine how he’ll be with babies.”

“How many children did you guys plan to have?” Stella asked Sienna.

Before his wife had the chance to respond, Blake did it for her. “Five.”

“You two better get on that then,” I teased, but deep inside I wanted to start on my own.

The number didn’t really matter to me. I knew Stella was young and she was busy with her business, so I hadn’t really said anything because I didn’t want her to feel pressured. Maybe next year…

That was how our Sunday went. It was spent with a group of friends. Luciana and Mark later joined us. I must say that married life was suiting us both well.

I was deep in thought, driving us home on the motorway, when I felt Stella’s hand reach out for me. “What’s that smile for?”

I was smiling? I didn’t even notice. Taking hold of her hand, I kissed it again and placed it against my heart for a few seconds before setting it on my thigh. “I was just thinking about how much I love being married to you. I’m deliriously happy, wife.”

“That’s always good to know.” She glanced at me before looking out the window then back at me again. “How do you feel about babies?”

Funny how our thoughts are on the same subject, I thought as I approached the subject that I had wanted to discuss with her. “Cute little monsters.”

She snorted, squeezing my hand tight. “They’re cute, aren’t they?” she murmured more to herself before directing me the next question. “How do you feel about making one when we get home?”

Did I say how much I loved my wife? “Don’t joke about that if you aren’t serious, my love.” I darted her a quick glance.

We hadn’t been on this particular subject really. I wanted Stella to be happy and, as much as I wanted to start expanding our family, her needs came first.

This might sound odd for some, but I’d choose my wife over my children. Yes, I would love offspring of my own madly, but my wife was my world. Without Stella, life would hold no meaning for me. Other parents I knew had chosen their kids over their spouses… but for me, it was the other way around.

My wife was my other half. Take that piece away and then I would be half a soul.

I was hers, unequivocally, forever was too soon, loving her was my reason for breathing; it was kind of like being owned.

Stella shook her head. “I wouldn’t joke about such a subject, Cal. Not only do I want one, but I also want to feel your baby growing inside me. When I said I want your all, I meant the whole thing. If you’re not so confident about your baby making skills, I would understand,” she lightly teased, but I knew she was undoubtedly serious about having a child.

Pressing the gas peddle on my sports car, I gave the love of my life a heated can’t-wait-to-get-you-writhing-underneath-me gaze. “You better take the next few days off because you will not be able to manage to walk, my dear wife. Also, as for my skills, they’re legendary.”

We didn’t say a word until we were united in bed. The thought of Stella bearing my baby brought me to my knees.

No matter what happened in the future, my wife came first, forever and always. Her needs were my own. Her desires were mine to deliver. Her wishes were mine to achieve.

Stella was the best thing that had ever happened to me. When I agreed to marry her when she was eighteen, I didn’t know then, but I’d finally realized that she was Richard’s last gift—he gifted us love, each other.

It was true what they say, that sometimes what you’ve been looking for was right there in front of you all along. We get so blinded by so many things, that we fail to see what was before our very eyes.

Never more, my heart vowed as I looked into her crystal gray eyes.