“How can a man refuse that kind of offer? Let’s go say goodbye to Ky and Eden, and then I’ll take my girls home.”
Hang on a minute. “Your girls?” I asked with a smirk as we stood from our chairs and Josh placed his jacket over my shoulders.
“I’m destined to have a daughter, so the universe can pay me back for all the shit I did. But fuck, I’m going to be protective of her. I actually feel sorry for any guy that attempts to get anywhere near her. She will be locked away until she is at least thirty, and I’ll be buying a shot gun.”
I laughed and grabbed his hand. “Maybe she will be a mini version of me.”
“I love you, more than anything, but I do not wish to think of my baby girl riding a man’s face, sucking his dick, or fucking for hours on end. Yes, I hope she gets your beauty and strength, but my baby girl will not be a naughty little minx like her mother. Fuck, I need people to start praying for me or something.”
I was still laughing when we reached Ky and Eden, who were standing toward the back of the room and having a quiet moment after an amazing wedding. The night was coming to an end, and I could tell by his touchy feely ways that Ky was ready to sweep Eden off her feet and take her away for the night before they headed to Fiji for their honeymoon.
“The three of us had an amazing time. It’s been a huge day, so we are going to head home,” Josh said softly as we began our goodbyes. He squeezed my hand tenderly, and I watched Ky and Eden closely for any sign of reaction.
“The three of you? Please do not tell me that you just referred to your cock as a person.”
“Yes, Ky, I refer to my cock as a person,” Josh said, scoffing at Ky’s question. “Seriously, Eden, I can see you didn’t marry him for his brains.”
“Wait a minute,” Eden said excitedly, and looked at me with wide eyes. That was when I knew my best friend clicked. “What have you been drinking tonight?”
It was my turn to squeeze Josh’s hand. This was it. “I’ve been drinking orange juice.”
It took barely a second for her to react. “Oh my god!” she shrieked, and turned to a confused-looking Ky.
“Will someone tell me what the fu—holy shit!” Ky’s gasp shot through the air as it dawned on him, and his eyes went straight to my stomach. I let go of Josh’s hand and stepped in front of Ky. His eyes found mine, and they looked at me with such fascination and hope. “You’re pregnant?” he whispered.
“You’re going to be an amazing uncle to this little one, and in about seven months you get to meet him or her.”
“Jesus,” Ky whispered, and his gaze shot over my shoulder. “Get over here, Josh.”
I stepped away and went to Eden, who pulled me in for a long squeeze. She linked our arms, and we watched in silence as Ky wrapped Josh in a tight hug and said something softly in his ear that neither one of us could hear. Josh nodded and smiled at Ky, before turning back to me. My legs trembled under his intense gaze as he walked toward me.
“You ready to go home?”
“Yep.” I turned back to Ky and Eden, who were looking at us in awe. “Have the most amazing honeymoon. Go and make a baby, so this little one has a cousin to grow up with.”
“Believe me, we will be trying.” Eden smiled and got a quick look from Ky. “Text me regular updates. I mean daily. Hourly, if you feel up to it.”
“Christ,” Josh mumbled beside me, and I was soon being pulled away.
“What did Ky say to you?” I asked as we stepped out into the night air and headed toward the car. Josh wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and my arm threaded around his waist. With a light kiss to the side of my head, we fell into step.
“He just said something that I am very well aware of.”
He stopped and grabbed both of my hands, then lifted them to his lips. With the lightest of touches, he kissed my knuckles, while looking at me with contentment and love sweeping through his eyes.
“What are you aware of?” I whispered, and held my breath as I knew his response had the potential to completely unravel me.
“That I am the luckiest guy in the world.”
Seven months later
“I FEEL LIKE I’M about to explode.” Ashlyn groaned beside me. “I just want to meet our baby. Is that too much to ask?”
Sunday morning sunshine beamed through our bedroom, and I rolled to my side to find Ashlyn on her back with her stomach on full display. It was the sexiest sight in the world. Ashlyn had been glowing for months. Pregnancy looked amazing on her, and if she hadn’t threatened to cut my balls off, I’d make sure she was pregnant constantly.
The past seven months had been phenomenal. That was the only way to describe it. There was nothing in this world that could make me happier. I had Ashlyn—my girl, my lover, my best friend—and I had my little prince or princess due to join us any day now.
“I’ve read that sex brings on labor,” I said with a smirk. “I’m willing to help in any way I can.”
Her laughter sounded like music to my ears. “How about this? If there is no movement in the next twenty-four hours, you can have me anyway you want. Get your rest, though, because I’ll be fucking you until this baby comes out.”
“You really are my soulmate, aren’t you?” I laughed and moved in close. “You and me, Ashy.”
I leaned in and kissed her good morning, before moving down the bed until I could drop my lips to her belly. “Good morning, bubba.”
Ashlyn giggled and ran her hands through my hair. “I love how you do that.”
“I’ve got to give my baby a good morning kiss too.” I shot her a wink. “Do you want a hot chocolate?”
“Yes, please. With extra marshmallows.”
“Your wish is my command.” I smiled, then climbed out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. “I’ll go see if Ben and Austin have any plans for today.”
Austin and Ben had flown in the night before, and were staying with us until the baby arrived. Having Ashlyn’s brother and his best friend—and practically her second brother—in the house was good.
I stumbled into the kitchen to find Austin standing by the sink, looking out the window at the view of the cove. My arrival grabbed his attention, so he swung around and offered me a chin lift in greeting.
“How’s Ducky this morning?” Austin asked, using Ashlyn’s childhood nickname.
I pulled out a mug and poured myself coffee. “She thinks she is going to explode,” I said with a smile. “But besides that, she is okay. We are both getting anxious and just want to meet our little boy or girl.”
“Thank you for giving her this. It is all she ever wanted. I tried to give her as much as I could when she lived in Monroe, but you are giving her everything. I appreciate it.”
“You never have to thank me for anything when it comes to your sister. She’s my life, it’s as simple as that.”
“Do we have a baby yet?” Ben’s deep voice rumbled as he stepped into the kitchen. “Seriously, a man is going to get fuckin’ old waiting.”
“Not yet,” I said.
The three of us stood in the kitchen, catching up and talking about random shit. Our conversation ceased when Ashlyn came walking in. The first thing I noticed was that she had dressed in a pair of my old sweats, and was wearing a tank top that covered her belly perfectly. She stopped just inside the door and, when her eyes met mine, something shifted within them.
“Sorry to break up the chat, boys, but Joshy, it’s started.” The smile that hit her lips was mind blowing. “While I was in the bathroom, my water broke.”
I froze. Water breaking meant the baby was coming. I had read enough baby books over the past seven months to know exactly what was happening. Fuck. It was happening. Now.
“Josh. Fucking come back to us.” Austin stood there, clicking his fingers in front of my face and pulling me back to reality. “Here he is. Josh, your baby is coming. Take my sister to the hospital. Now.”
After being at the hospital for fifteen hours, I stepped out of the delivery room
to give everyone another update. The moment I appeared, Ky came straight up to me. Having him there provided me more comfort than I could have imagined.
“How are you doing?” Ky asked quietly, clearly reading my thoughts. “Any news?”
“Not yet. Soon though. Ky, I’m going to be a dad. Have I got everything we need? Does the baby need anything else? What if I fuck this up? You and I both know that I’ve fucked up a lot. I can’t fuck this up.” My insecurities were no longer hidden, and I couldn’t stop spilling my thoughts.
“You are a Crawford; we don’t do things half-assed. You are going to be a great dad, and Ash is going to be an incredible mom. Your little one is lucky to have parents like you. And come on, me as an uncle? That kid can’t do any better.”
“And everyone says I’m the cocky Crawford.” I laughed, and immediately a sense of calm swept through me. “Can you tell everyone that things are going okay? Ashlyn is absolutely amazing. I’ll be back out when the newest Crawford is unleashed into the world.”
“There you are.” A flustered nurse appeared and hurried toward me. “It’s time. We have to go now.”
The moment the nurse said those words, I increased my pace.
“I can’t. Josh isn’t back yet. I am not doing this without him.” Ashlyn’s panicked voice floated down the hall as I made my way back to her.
I burst through the door, and rushed back to her bedside. Relief immediately spread across her face, and I encased her hand with mine, kissing her forehead tenderly.
“I can’t do this, Josh. It hurts too much,” she whimpered in a voice that broke my heart. Seeing my girl hurt or in pain was something I didn’t deal well with.
“We just need one big push, Ashlyn, and your baby will be here,” the nurse said in encouragement. “I can see the head,”
She could see my baby’s head.
“Let’s become a family, Ashy. Our little one wants to meet us,” I said through a thick voice, as the thought of our duo about to become a trio slammed into my heart.
Her grip on my hand intensified, and she nodded in silent acknowledgment. Ashlyn was my past, my present, and my future, and seeing her once again about to give me another life-changing gift was indescribable. I couldn’t put into words what this moment felt like. No words would ever be enough. I would show her what this meant to me by giving her endless love, forever devotion, and a life where she never doubted her worthiness again.
“Team Joslyn,” she whispered and offered a sweet smile.
The sound of her inhaling sharply sounded, and her eyes slammed shut. I watched in complete fascination as a strength I’d never witnessed before washed over her. After what seemed like forever, everything around me went silent, like the world had stopped spinning. It was that split second before new life was brought into the world that things decided to change. Ashlyn’s grip on my hand lessened, and her eyes shot open. Our gaze locked fiercely on one another, before we both looked at the nurse.
Then we heard it.
The sound of life.
The sound of forever.
The cries of our baby.
“Congratulations, you have a healthy baby girl,” the nurse announced with a congratulatory smile, then turned her attention to me. “Would you like to cut the cord?”
Holy shit. We were parents. We had a baby girl. We had a little Princess Crawford.
Ashlyn’s loud sob of happiness echoed through the room and she squeezed my hand tenderly. I leaned down and kissed her hard. I fed her my love, devotion, and happiness in that one kiss. “I love you so much, Ashlyn,” I whispered against her lips.
I freely allowed my emotions to bubble over as my eyes first connected with our baby girl. With a head full of hair, the poutiest lips I’d ever seen, and a tiny button nose, she was beyond perfect.
I wasn’t a man that often showed his emotions, but as I cut the cord, and then when our baby was placed on Ashlyn’s chest, I let my tears freely fall. Suddenly, I was invaded with an overwhelming sense of reason and meaning.
This was what it truly felt like to be a man.
Aria Joslyn Crawford was born to an ecstatic father and an exhausted mother at just after one P.M. on a sunny Monday afternoon. From her very first breath, she took complete ownership of my heart.
Our little princess.
Our miracle.
Our forever.
After both of us were cleaned up and Aria had been checked over, she was placed on my chest and was now fast asleep. It was Josh, me, and Aria in the silence of the room; my beautiful little family. Contentment flooded me. Happiness engulfed me. Peace owned me.
“I never would have believed that this type of love could exist,” Josh whispered from the chair beside the bed. His gaze was locked with mine, and the devotion he showed me was heart stopping. “Ashy, I’ve never been as in love with you as I am right now. You were incredible.”
“You constantly make me swoon, Josh Crawford.”
“I can’t believe she is ours,” he said with worship and admiration caressing his words. Shifting in his seat, he ran his finger over our daughter’s delicate features and leaned in to place a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “We did good, Ashy.”
“We did,” I replied through a voice that was cracking with emotion.
“You should get some rest. I’ll spend some daddy time with my little princess, because we have a lot to discuss.”
“Josh,” I said softly, and his eyes left Aria to meet mine. “I’m crazy in love with you.”
He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on my lips, then let his mouth hover over mine. “Let’s be crazy in love together.”
An hour later, I fluttered to consciousness at the sound of Josh’s soft voice beside me. I rolled my head to the side to see Josh curled up in the visitor’s seat, with Aria snuggled against his chest and his hand protectively resting on her back. A grown man with a tiny baby in his arms was the most exquisite sight in the world.
“I’ve loved your mommy since we were in college, but you have to wait till you’re at least thirty to even think of boys. I know for a fact that your uncles and I won’t let them near you. Did you know that your Uncle Austin is a police officer, and Uncle Ky is the coolest guy I know? I’m going to take such good care of you, my little princess. I love you and your mommy so much, and I can’t wait till we get to take you home to the beach.”
During my fifth month of pregnancy, I fulfilled one of my biggest dreams. We moved to Lilac Cove. We left New York behind us, and moved to the one place that made me feel alive, the only place I envisioned raising a family. Our house was near the beach, allowing views of the cove, and was the perfect place to spend the last few months of my pregnancy getting ready for this exact moment.
“I don’t know how I’m going to handle not having sex with you for six weeks. Seeing you being all cute with her isn’t going to do my lady parts any favors.”
Josh looked up with a smirk, and gently covered Aria’s ears before he said, “I don’t know how I’m going to stop myself from fucking you right now. Ashy, you were beyond incredible. I am in complete awe of you. Look at what you . . . we, created.”
Josh climbed up onto the bed beside me. Then, with Aria lying on his chest, he took out his phone, and we took our first photos as a family together. An hour later, a soft knock on the closed door shunted me out of my happy place, and the nurse popped her head into the room.
“We have a lot of visitors out here wanting to come meet her and give her cuddles.”
“Send them in,” Josh replied with a smile, and gently placed Aria in my arms before standing from the bed.
With a smile and quick nod, the nurse closed the door. Within seconds, it reopened, and Ky, Eden, Austin, Ben, and Josh’s parents stepped into the room. All eyes fell on the sleeping baby in my arms, and a loud sob from Eden filled the room. Austin, Ky, Ben, and Josh’s dad all stood with Josh, while Eden made the first move to the bed. Our eyes met, and the first tear rolled over my cheek as I witnessed
my best friend fall in love with my daughter.
“Would you like to hold her?” I whispered as emotion strangled my voice.
She simply nodded, and her eyes welled up as I placed Aria in her arms. I looked around the room, and immediately my eyes trained onto Ky, who was looking at Eden adoringly while she held his niece.
“I promise I will protect you from absolutely everything, baby girl. Your Aunt Eden will never let anything bad happen to you,” Eden whispered with a shaky voice.
I looked at my best friend, and the pride and love I had for her was unexplainable. This girl had faced hell, yet she was the happiest person I’d ever met. Her promise to my daughter had so many meanings, and every one of them made me proud to call Eden my family.
“She is absolutely stunning, Ash,” Eden said.
Ky made a move to the bed, then stood behind Eden and looked down at Aria. “So damn proud of you, Ash,” he whispered in a voice echoing with emotion.
“Aria will need a cousin to play with,” I said with a suggestive wiggle of my brow.
“We are working on it,” Ky replied firmly. “Hopefully sooner rather than later.
The beginnings of another beautiful sunset filled the bedroom, and I stretched as I woke refreshed and ready for another night with our little party animal. Aria was six months old, and had a newfound love for the night life, which meant that mommy and daddy had become well acquainted with late night infomercials and coffee.
There was no sign of Josh or Aria in the silence of the bedroom. Josh had come home from work early and crawled into bed beside Aria and I, just as we were getting ready for our usual afternoon nap. As soon as Aria heard Josh’s voice, her sleepy eyes shot open and she held her arms out for her Daddy. The love those two had for each other was phenomenal.
The past six months had been an incredible journey. Aria was becoming more beautiful by the day, and watching her learn and experience new things was amazing. It was an honor being her mom. Josh never ceased to amaze me. He was born to be a father, and his devotion to Aria was like nothing I had ever witnessed. He was absolutely wrapped around her tiny little finger and, wherever Aria was, Josh wouldn’t be too far away. Every morning he would get up and get her bottle ready, then bring her into bed with us so we could have family cuddles before he went to work. Seriously, it’s shocking I never died from swoon overload. During the day, he would regularly call to check in, and he wanted at least two photos of her a day sent to him. When he got home from work, she was in his arms, and they would more often than not fall asleep on the couch together.
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