Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
“I think our children will appreciate that,” I say, as another wave of shame tries to take me under. “But you know, they might find it a little confusing if you’re constantly shifting between different characters around the house.”
He chuckles. “What, you don’t think they’d like me to be Captain Hook one day and Shrek the next?”
I giggle, tapping my chin. “Come to think of it, that will make family life very entertaining.”
He smirks and reaches over, stroking his hand along my cheek. I tilt my head toward the movement, savoring his touch, savoring the tingles that radiate at the ends of his fingers and whisper all over my skin.
“Let’s savor this moment,” he says huskily. “Me and my woman, on a rooftop in LA, the stars glittering down on us… talking about our family.”
I close my eyes and place my hand atop his, pushing firmly so there’s as little distance between our skin as possible. I savor the warmth of his palm, the security in his touch.
“When you touch me like this, I feel like nothing bad can ever happen, or has ever happened. I know how crazy that sounds. I know how impossible it is, or should be. But that’s exactly how I feel. Is that just freaking insane?”
It’s easier to say things like this when my eyes are closed and I don’t have to see the impact my words have on him.
“How many children do you think you can give me, Bria?”
I force my eyes open when his voice catches, as though with emotion. I would’ve thought that was against the freaking laws of physics before I met him in real life, but there’s no denying that Braden Braxten has emotional depths nobody could ever guess at without meeting him in person.
“How many do you want?” I counter.
“A hundred.” He laughs dreamily. “A thousand. As many as you can give me.”
“A thousand?” I laugh, shaking my head. “I’m not sure my body will be able to take that.”
“Are you saying you’re going to try?”
“Yes.” I laugh, the feeling bubbling up inside of me, warm and welcoming and right. It feels like the truest emotion I’ve ever experienced. “I can’t believe we’re going to have children together. I just hope… I’m just so happy.”
I just hope I can live up to your expectations, I was going to say, but something tells me Braden is as tired of hearing that as I am of thinking it.
“Have you ever thought about having kids before?” Braden asks, removing his hand and cutting into his steak. “Because let me tell you, Bria, I never did, not before I saw you. It never even occurred to me, because having children meant being with somebody, committing to them, and I could never see myself doing that. Before I met you.”
“I used to fantasize about what it would be like, when I was in high school,” I tell him, after a mouthful of steak. “I wasn’t very popular, well I guess maybe that’s an understatement. I didn’t really have any real friends. Anyway, there was always this feeling inside of me, this need to have somebody to love, to dedicate myself to. And now I’ve found them… with our children, I mean.”
Heck, I need to be careful.
I got dangerously close to saying I love him then.
Which might be true, which might be a fact.
Because how else can I describe all these feelings flurrying through me, all these bright and starry feelings?
“With our children,” he says, nodding, as though reading my mind.
Maybe he wants to make sure we steer clear of the L-word.
We go on eating in silence for a while, as a million warm feelings flutter inside me, as the importance of the conversation hammers into me.
Children, lots of them.
A house full of laughter and happiness, little kids with Braden’s eyes and his smirk and maybe with my passion for costume design, or his passion for acting. Or a passion completely their own, unique and special, born inside their beautiful little souls.
“What are you thinking about?” Braden asks. “You get this real dreamy look in your eyes when you drift off like that.”
“Our future,” I tell him. “And… and my dreams coming true, Braden. I know that sounds cheesy as heck—”
“No,” he says, with a light teasing note in his voice. “What sounds cheesy as heck is the word heck. But go on.”
I shoot him a look and he chuckles.
“Well, it’s the truth. I never could’ve imagined any of this. But now that it’s happening…”
“It feels like the only thing that could happen,” he growls, nodding. “I feel exactly the same. Me and you, Bria, we’re something special, something unique. What we have is the best thing that ever happened to me. Now eat your food so I can take you home and claim that virgin body of yours. I’ll give you a ride to the set tomorrow.”