“Hi,” Addie says with a grin. “I had a baby.”
“That’s the rumor,” Kat says, tears filling her eyes. “Oh my gosh, Addie.”
“Right?” She gently brushes her finger over the baby’s cheek. “She’s so little.”
Kat walks around the bed to hug Jake, then pushes him out of her way. “It’s my turn, dude. You’ve been hogging her all morning.”
“Well, you know, I’m the dad and all,” Jake replies with a grin.
“I’m the auntie,” Kat says with a smile. “Oh, can I hold her?”
“Of course.” Addie passes the baby to Kat. Her face softens and she begins to sway back and forth.
“Hello, baby. We’ve been very excited to meet you, you know.”
“What’s her name?” I ask.
“You didn’t tell them?” Addie asks Jake with a frown.
“I was running on adrenaline,” he says. “We’re lucky I made it out there to tell them she was born.”
“Well?” Kat asks.
“Ella,” Addie says with a smile.
“As in Fitzgerald?” Kat asks.
“Of course,” Jake replies. “Her name is Ella Lou Keller. She weighs in at six pounds two ounces, and she’s only eighteen inches long.”
“You’re a tiny little thing,” Kat whispers to Ella. “Oh, I’m so in love with you. You’re so wonderful.”
“Look at her toes,” Addie says, unwrapping the bottom of the blanket to show us ten perfectly pink little toes. “They’re so little.”
“Everything about her is little,” Jake says, then swallows hard. “I don’t want to break her.”
“You won’t,” Addie says. “Babies are strong, and you’re gentle. She’s going to be just fine.”
Kat yawns widely, then kisses Ella’s head and passes her back to Addie. “I’m so happy for you both. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Jake pulls Kat in for a tight hug. “Now you need to go home and get some rest.”
“That’s the plan.”
Kat blows a kiss to Addie as we leave the room. “I’ve never been this tired.”
“Let’s get you home, sweetheart.”
“It’s crazy,” Kat says as we walk into her condo.
“What is?”
“Think of everything that’s happened in the past twenty-four hours. I mean, a lot of shit went down.”
“Yes, I was there.”
“But I walk in here, and it’s exactly as I left it, as if nothing happened at all.”
“Come here.” Unable to wait a minute longer, I pull her to me and hold her tightly. “I haven’t had you to myself yet.”
“I’m right here,” she replies softly, but then sniffles. “I’m not sad.”
“I know.”
“I’m not even scared anymore.”
“It’s exhaustion, baby.”
“I’m so happy for Addie.” She wipes her nose and looks up at me. “Maybe I changed my mind. Maybe I do want a baby someday.”
“You’re allowed to change your mind about that.” I smile and brush a tear off of her cheek.
“I know that I haven’t said it before, and I feel dumb because I wanted to say it a thousand times, but I was scared and I thought I had all the time in the world. I love you, Mac.”
I scoop her up into my arms and carry her to the bedroom, laying her gently on the bed, then covering her body with mine. I cup her cheek and kiss her softly, sweeping my lips over hers, nudging her nose, as my heart soars with her sweet words.
“You’re the best part of my life, Katrina,” I whisper against her lips. “You taught me something, from the very beginning.”
I brush a piece of hair off her cheek and smile down at her, enjoying the way her brown eyes shine.
“Just because you’re breathing doesn’t mean you’re alive. You’ve made me feel alive. It’s like I took the first full, deep breath of my life the minute you sat in that seat on that plane, Kat. You consume me in ways that are both exciting and terrifying because as I learned yesterday, if I were to lose you, it would kill me.”
“You’re not going to lose me,” she whispers.
“I love you, but even those words seem too simple to describe how I feel about you. It’s an ache, right here in my chest, but it’s an ache that you don’t want to end. I look at you, and I’m calm. I hold you and I’m complete.
“Loving you, Kat, is like coming home, and it’s better than any other feeling I’ve ever had.”
A tear escapes the corner of her eye, falling into her hairline.
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she whispers. “And you calm me too. You make me feel safe and so fucking happy. I can be me with you. Being vulnerable is so out of my comfort zone, but it’s easy with you.”
I kiss her lips, softly at first, then building into a kiss as passionate as we’ve ever shared. Our hands and arms work fast to shed our clothes, and when we’re naked, I cover her once more and rest my cock in her soft folds, cradle her head in my hands, and kiss her until we’re both breathless.
“Mac?”
“Yes, my love.”
“I need you to make love to me.” She bites my lower lip and circles her hips, making my eyes cross.