Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Cheering doesn’t accurately describe the way I whoop and whistle and clap, screaming at the top of my lungs. Hell, I even jump to my feet despite the way the baby kicks me in the ribs in protest at the sudden movement.
“Your daddy’s the best man ever!” I tell our baby, resting a hand on my bump, watching with tears in my eyes as Aidan winds through the maze of tables up to the stage.
He climbs the short set of stairs and joins the MC in the center of the stage. I cheer so loud that I feel breathless, wanting to make sure he can hear me over the roar of the crowd around me.
That’s my husband! I think, pride filling my chest. That’s my love!
Aidan beams and he takes the glass award from the MC, accepting a friendly handshake before the MC gestures for the microphone.
Finally, the cheers settle down while Aidan takes his place in front of the microphone. I sit down on the edge of my seat and everyone settles in to listen, leaning forward as though permanently pulled in his direction.
“It’s an honor to receive this award and recognition today,” Aidan begins, looking out over the crowd. His eyes find mine and my heart flips, still as enamored with him as I was when we first met. “I would not be here without the incredible team of firefighters I work alongside, my colleagues and friends throughout the years. This award is for them as much as it is for me.”
More cheers erupt from our table where a bunch of his colleagues sit with me, and I grin at them all as they celebrate their captain.
“I have been lucky enough to have many adventures over the twenty-plus years I’ve spent as a firefighter,” Aidan continues, “and hope to have many more before I retire. In fact, the biggest adventure of my life is about to begin.”
Aidan raises his free hand towards me over the audience, his smile soft and full of love. Dammit, I think I’m crying. I can blame it on the pregnancy hormones, right?
“My incredible wife, the love of my life, and about to be the mother of my child. Out of everything I have done with my life, being your husband and the father to our baby is by far the thing I’m proudest of.”
A collective awww ripples through the audience, but I’m caught in Aidan’s gaze. “I love you,” I call back, hoping he can hear me even though he’s the one with the microphone.
“I love you, sweetheart,” he murmurs back into the microphone. “Thank you, and I hope you all enjoy your night!”
With that, he steps away, giving the clapping audience a wave and a wide grin. He jogs down the stairs, award in hand, and ignores the people trying to congratulate him to run straight to me. I leap to my feet, squealing as he wraps me up in his arms, lifting me off my feet to spin me around even with my bump between us.
When he sets me down, he strokes his hand over my belly where the baby’s kicking like crazy, leaning down to place a kiss over the movement. Straightening, he pulls me in for a long, burning hot kiss that leaves me panting and star-struck when he finally pulls away.
The rest of the award ceremony passes with cheers and congratulations, and I lean on Aidan as we mingle with others afterward.
“So, you coming out for the afterparty?” Isaac asks.
It’s already late, and I’m tired from the whole making-a-human thing I’ve got going on, but I smile up at Aidan, showing him it’s okay if he wants to go. It’s his night after all, and I want him to be able to celebrate.
But he shakes his head at his friend. “Nah, I’ve got to get my real prize out of her heels and into her slippers,” he says with utter warmth in his voice, squeezing me tighter to his side.
We say our goodbyes while the others plan their after-party antics, then slip into our taxi.
“You could’ve gone out, you know,” I say as the taxi pulls away.
“If you think I’d rather be anywhere except with you, you’re crazy.” Aidan chuckles, his hand settling on the back of my neck. With slow circles, he massages the tense muscles in the back of my neck and shoulders with his thumb, making me sigh happily. Damn, he’s good with his hands. “Besides, I have something to show you.”
Confused, I frown at him. “What is it?”
“Always so impatient,” Aidan teases me as the taxi stops outside our building. He pays the driver and then darts around the car to open my door, holding out his hand to help me out.
Always such a gentleman, I think happily.
By the time we’re walking through our front door, I’m practically bouncing with the need to know what the heck he’s talking about. He laughs at my barely contained eagerness, putting me out of my misery by taking my hand and leading me down the hallway where the bedrooms are.