Callum, page 23
“You know,” I say into the void, breaking the silence, “everything’s been so crazy the last several hours, I didn’t get a chance to talk about your little stunt with Joshua.”
“Little stunt?” she asks softly.
“Yeah… that thing you did where you goaded him to move for the gun. It was dangerous and you took too big of a risk.”
“I won’t apologize,” she says, her tone no different. Just sleepy and content.
I can’t help but chuckle. “I wouldn’t ask you to. My point in bringing it up is only to highlight how well you know me. You knew I’d never pull that trigger unless he made a move. You provoked him to make it easier on me and my conscience. Even though we were both facing possible death, you were clear-headed enough to reason out a way to end it. Most of all, you trusted me to be able to take him down. If that doesn’t tell the complete story of why I love you so much, I don’t know what does.”
Juniper lifts her head to look at me. “If the gun was in my hand, I would have pulled the trigger when I walked into the room. I thought he’d killed you in that garage and I wanted to end him.”
I put my hand on the back of her head, pulling her down for a kiss. “You wouldn’t have pulled that trigger any faster than I would have. You would have made sure there was no other way. But honestly, babe, that gun wasn’t the most dangerous thing in that room. It was your sharp tongue and you knew exactly what to say to cut him deep. You were fucking amazing.”
“You were amazing. You reacted so quickly and stopped him cold. You saved my life.”
“And you saved mine when you told me you loved me last night,” I reply, kissing her again.
When her mouth lifts from mine, she smiles with so much tenderness, my heart clenches tight. “We’ve had a hell of a journey to get here, haven’t we?”
“So many regrets within that journey—”
She kisses me hard to shut me up. “Not for me. I refuse to boil down what we have to what we didn’t. It’s all about the now.”
“And the future,” I add.
“We’re going to have the best future,” she promises and then settles back down against my chest.
I wrap my arms around her, squeezing gently. “The absolute best,” I agree.
We fall into silence and I’m drowsy, the trauma and expenditure of adrenaline finally latching on. My eyes drift closed but pop right back open when Juniper says, “I want children.”
She lifts her head again and stares at me intently. I hate that I see trepidation in her gaze.
My lips curve upward. “How many?”
“Two at least.”
“That sounds like a good number to me.”
“Really?” she asks in surprise. “You want kids?”
“I want everything with you, Juni. So, kids it is. But I’m old-fashioned, so as soon as Julia gets your divorce, we’re getting married.”
She frowns, pressing her hand on my chest. “You don’t think we’re too old for kids, do you?”
“Fuck no,” I exclaim, putting my hand back to her head and easing it down to my chest. I wrap her up tight again. “Prime of life, baby.”
“I love you so much,” Juniper whispers, her breath feathering over my skin.
“Feel free to say that all the time. I’ll sure be telling you the same. Showing you, for that matter.”
Juniper doesn’t reply and I twist my head to get a look at her. Her eyes are closed and her face has gone lax.
She’s sound asleep.
Grinning, I press a soft kiss to her forehead. “I love you too.”
Foster MacInnis is ready to spend time with his daughter in the off season. When his ex-wife flakes and he finds himself with full custody, the nanny he hires to help brings a new complication—an attraction he can’t ignore, no matter how hard he tries. Is the feeling mutual? CLICK HERE to get more info on FOSTER.
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New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
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Sawyer Bennett, Callum
