The Proposal

by Katie Ashley

  Emma’s heart melted a little when Aidan glanced back at her for her approval. She grinned and bobbed her head at him.

  “You don’t want him back first?”

  Although she wanted nothing more than to have Noah in her arms again, she wanted Aidan to have his first moment as a father. “No go ahead. It’s time you held your son.”

  “Okay,” he said.

  As Annie passed Noah into Aidan’s waiting arms, tears welled in Emma’s eyes at the look of absolute and total wonder that came over Aidan’s face. He stared down at Noah, unblinking and unmoving. Finally, he shook his head. “He kinda looks like a glowworm all bundled up like this.”

  “Keeping him swaddled makes him feel like he’s back in the womb,” Emma replied.

  Aidan continued staring down at Noah. One tiny fist escaped his tight bindings, and he thrust it up at Aidan almost defiantly. It caused Aidan to smile broadly. “Ah, there’s that Fighting Fitzgerald spirit coming through. No one ties you down, right Noah?”

  Emma shook her head. “You’ll be changing your tune about that defiant spirit when he gets to be a teenager.”

  “Nah, I like him tough and feisty.” Noah’s response was to stick his tongue out, which made Aidan chuckle. “Yep, see, already a cocky little thing like his Old Man.”

  Casey took a hesitant step towards Aidan. “So we know he’s got his daddy’s douchenozzle personality—”

  Aidan arched his brows. “Hey now.”

  Casey grinned and patted his back. “Just teasing you, Big Papa. My question is who does he look like?”

  “He looks just like you, Em,” Aidan noted as he took in Noah’s tiny features.

  “Hmm, let me see,” Casey said, peering over Aidan’s shoulder. She squealed and clapped her hand to her chest. “Oh my God, that face! He’s so handsome and adorable!”

  Emma beamed from ear to ear at Casey’s compliment. Connor walked over to them. “Between Aidan and Emma it was a given he’d be good-looking. But is he really Emma’s mini-me?” Connor questioned.

  Casey cocked her head. “No, he’s got a lot of Big Papa in him, too.”

  Aidan threw a glance over his shoulder at Casey. “Really?”

  She nodded. “He’s definitely got Em’s hair and mouth, but he’s got your nose and eyes.

  Aidan grinned at Emma. “He got some mighty fine genes that’s for sure.”

  She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Uh-oh,” Aidan murmured as Noah’s face clouded over, and he appeared ready to cut loose with a giant scream.

  “Looks like right now might be a good time to see if he wants to latch on,” Annie suggested.

  “He’s already hungry?” Aidan asked incredulously.

  “Some come out of the womb ready to eat, others it takes hours,” Annie replied.

  “If he’s hungry, I want to try,” Emma said, holding her arms out for Noah.

  “Yeah, um, on that note, I think I’ll head out,” Connor said, starting for the door.

  Casey laughed. “Why don’t we go out and tell the rest of the waiting crowd that Noah’s here.”

  “There’s a crowd?” Emma asked in surprise.

  Casey nodded. “Nate texted me that the waiting room is full with yours and Aidan’s families. Patrick’s out there, and Grammy and Granddaddy just walked in. He said Becky’s boys made her promise to bring them even if it was the middle of the night. “I’m sure they will all want to get a peek at Mr. Handsome.”

  Emma felt slightly overwhelmed at the prospect of all the visitors, especially with her post-delivery exhaustion setting in. But a sense of renewal filled her at the thought of all the people waiting to see and love Noah. It made her feel very grateful and very loved. “Okay, that sounds good.”

  Once Casey and Connor left, Emma slid her hospital gown down on one side and took Noah from Aidan. As she brought him to her breast, apprehension filled her that she might not be able to do this. What if her milk wasn’t strong enough, or they had to seek out a Lactation Consultant? She had heard from her friends as well as reading in books how breastfeeding was tricky business.

  But miraculously after rooting around for a few seconds, Noah latched on to her nipple and began to nurse heartily.

  “Oh you’re so very lucky,” Annie noted.

  With tears filling her eyes, Emma glanced lovingly from her son back up to Aidan. A smile filled her cheeks. “Oh, you have no idea.”

  Epilogue

  Aidan rubbed his blurring eyes before stretching his arms over his head. A glance at the clock on the computer screen told him it was clearly past time to call it a night. His phone buzzing in his jacket pocket also reminded him to get his ass moving. So he grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair along with his briefcase and headed out the door.

  When the elevator doors dinged opened, a loud commotion drew his attention. Instead of barreling forward ready to save the day once again, he only smiled. He knew that the cause of the commotion was an eight month old angel with his father’s blue eyes and a lighter version of his mother’s fiery auburn hair.

  Turning the corner, he saw Emma standing beside a stroller, flushed with all the attention Noah was receiving from a gaggle of female admirers. Even though they had almost been married a year, she still took his breath away each and every time he saw her. Most days he didn’t get to see her all dressed up like she was now. Outfitted in black stilettos, a short black skirt, and a slinky green top that showed off her fabulous cleavage, she made heat stir below Aidan’s waist.

  Lately since becoming a stay-at-home mom, Emma spent her time in yoga pants or jeans. But to him, she could look amazingly beautiful and sexy in a ragged t-shirt and his boxers. While she lamented the alleged ten pounds of baby weight she still needed to lose, he loved the fact it seemed to reside in her breasts and ass just as he had teased her about.

  In the end, quitting work had been a tough decision for Emma. At first, she had tried working part-time, but most days she still ended up in tears at the prospect of leaving Noah. Because Aidan wanted her to be happy, he suggested she quit. So when Noah was three months old, Emma left the company.

  That’s why this particular evening she had wanted to meet him at the office so the women she used to work with could see how much Noah had grown. He noticed that not only were several of the women those she worked with, but some of them were from his floor as well, including his secretary Marilyn. They all stood around, smiling and cooing at Noah. He perched in his stroller like a King with his court. Peeking up at them through his long eyelashes, he flashed his two new bottom teeth when he grinned.

  Aidan shook his head at his son. He was already a terrible flirt and knew exactly how to work the ladies or anyone for that matter. He was truly a chip off the old shoulder when it came to attracting the attention of females. Of course, anytime Aidan made that comment, Emma liked to smack his arm and roll her eyes.

  He strode over to the group of women. “Well hello there.”

  Noah’s gaze jerked from his admirers and over to Aidan’s. “Dada!” he cried holding his arms up.

  Aidan’s heart melted at the sight. No matter how many times he heard Noah call for him, he always had the same reaction. Pure love tingled from the top of his head down to his toes. “Hey Little Man,” he said, picking Noah up out of the stroller.

  “Give Daddy a kiss,” Emma prompted.

  Noah immediately leaned over to bestow a wet, slobbery smooch on Aidan’s cheek. A chorus of “aw’s” rang around him.

  “I can’t believe how much he looks like you, Aidan,” Marilyn said.

  “He does, doesn’t he?” he replied with a grin directed at Emma.

  She rolled her eyes while another woman shook her head. “I see some of Emma in him too—especially that sweet smile of his.”

  Emma laughed. “That’s only when he’s not giving the cocky Fitzgerald grin that he does most of the time.”

  Noah began to squirm in Aidan’s arms. “You getting hungry, Little Man?”

 
; Reaching in her bag, Emma took out a pacifier and popped it in Noah’s open and ready to scream mouth.

  Marilyn smiled. “Well, we better let you two get going.”

  It took a couple of minutes for them to say their good-byes and for each one to give Noah a kiss on the cheek. While he may have been fussy before, he reveled in their attention and waved happily good-bye before taking out his pacifier to blow kisses.

  Aidan set Noah back into the stroller. “I’ll get him, babe. You take a breather.”

  As Emma held open the door for Aidan, she shook her head and grinned. “What?” he asked.

  “I’m sure that most people in this building would do a double take at the sight of Mr. Manwhore Fitzgerald pushing a stroller.”

  He scowled at her. “That’s former Mr. Manwhore, thank you.”

  She giggled. “That’s right. You’re my Mr. Manwhore now.” She gave him a playful smack on the behind as they started down the sidewalk.

  “Mrs. Fitzgerald, I will kindly ask that you not maul my ass in public.”

  “Oh really?”

  A sexy smirk curved on his lips. “Save it for when we get home.”

  Emma giggled. “Okay, then I will.”

  When the crosswalk sign flashed for them to go, Aidan pushed the stroller onto the street. “Are you sure we should be taking Noah to O’Malley’s?”

  Emma shot him an exasperated look. “We’ve brought him here at least five times. Jenny has been blowing up my phone with texts about when we’re coming back.”

  “Yeah, but he was smaller then. And there’s all that smoke.”

  “We sit in the non-smoking section, Aidan.” Once they made it to the other side of the street, she gazed up at him. “Besides, he’s part Irish. Shouldn’t he be growing up around booze?”

  He rolled his eyes. “Har fucking har.”

  She grinned and then linked her arm through his. “I love you, babe.”

  “Right back atcha,” he replied, before leaning over to kiss her.

  When Emma reached to open the door, Jenny burst through it. “Oh my God! I thought you guys had decided not to come!” She barely gave a fleeting glance at Aidan and Emma before she reached out to Noah. “There’s my big, beautiful boy!” After spitting out his pacifier, he grinned and waved his arms to let Jenny pick him up.

  “I see we rank pretty low these days, huh?” Aidan said with a smile.

  “Exactly. At least it’s consistent. I mean, everywhere we go from your dad’s to Grammy and Granddaddy’s it’s the same,” Emma replied.

  As Jenny bounced Noah in her arms, they followed her inside. “Can we get a booth as far away from the smoking section as possible?” Aidan asked.

  He watched as Emma and Jenny exchanged a glance before Jenny nodded. “Sure. Nikki, can you take them to booth fifteen, please?”

  Nikki nodded and started trailing through the bar. When Emma reached for Noah, Jenny shook her head. “No, no, no. I haven’t gotten my fill of him yet.”

  Emma laughed. “When he gets fussy like he wants to eat, just bring him over.”

  “I will. You two can have some privacy. Like a date night,” Jenny said, with a grin.

  “Right. I don’t even remember what those were like,” Aidan mused.

  “Yes, you do. Remember how Megan kept Noah for us two months ago so we could go back to the lodge in the mountains?”

  Aidan’s mind immediately flashed to dropping Noah off at his niece, Megan’s, apartment before they went back to the lodge where they spent their honeymoon. While Noah had been happy to go to Megan and excited to get to play with his cousin, Mason, Emma had wept the entire ride to the mountains. Thinking of her behavior, he shook his head. “You mean the night you spent texting Megan every five minutes to make sure Noah was all right?” Aidan countered.

  Emma grinned. “Yes, that’s the one.”

  “Whatever,” he replied as they hurried to catch up with Nikki. She was standing in front of the booth in the farthest corner.

  When Emma slid in beside him rather than across the booth, Aidan’s brows furrowed. At the sight of the dreamy expression on her face, he asked, “What are you all moony about?”

  “Don’t you remember?”

  “Remember what?”

  She sighed. “This is the same booth we sat in the night you came home from India.”

  “Really?”

  She bobbed her head before leaning in to give him a lingering kiss. Her tongue had just brushed against his when someone cleared her throat, ending their brief make-out session. Nikki gave an apologetic smile as Emma snapped back from Aidan like a rubber band. “So what can I get you two to drink this evening?”

  “Just a Coke for me,” Emma replied.

  Aidan grinned. “You should have a drink. I mean, you aren’t breastfeeding anymore, and we’re allegedly on a date night.”

  A flush crept across her face, and Aidan knew he had embarrassed Emma by mentioning breastfeeding. Finally, she shrugged. “Nah, I’m good.”

  “Come on. Have a margarita, Em. You deserve to celebrate and cut loose a little. I’ll even be the DD tonight,” Aidan urged.

  She shook her head at him and then glanced up at Nikki. “Just a Coke.”

  Aidan grunted. “Fine. Be a killjoy. I’ll have a Heineken on tap.”

  “I’ll be back to get your food orders in just a minute.”

  Aidan nodded at Nikki before she walked away. Then he turned his attention back to Emma. “Why didn’t you want to have a drink? Were you afraid I was plying you with alcohol to get you drunk, so I could take advantage of you?”

  She grinned. “Since when do I have to have alcohol in me to get your libido kicking?”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Never.”

  A squeal drew their attention to where Jenny was bouncing Noah on her hip. He was reaching for one of the balloons that the bartender was blowing up for him. Aidan couldn’t help smiling at the look on Noah’s face as he kicked his legs excitedly.

  Emma cleared her throat, and Aidan glanced over at her. “I’m sorry, babe. Now I’m the one not doing a good job at date night.”

  “Well, speaking of your libido…” Aidan watched as she shifted her menu and chewed her bottom lip.

  “Em, what’s the matter? You look a little pale. Are you all right?”

  “I need to tell you something.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Aidan saw Jenny with three bobbing balloons walking Noah over to a group of admirers. He held up a finger. “Just a second, Em.” He rose up from the booth. “Jenny, don’t get him so close to the smoking section,” he called.

  She glanced back at him over her shoulder and nodded. Once he felt like Noah was safely away from the second hand smoked danger, he turned back to Emma. “I’m sorry. What is it?”

  “Well, it’s…I know we weren’t actually planning on this, but—”

  “Aw, look, Em. Noah’s blowing kisses to all the old men at the bar.”

  The next thing he knew she had grabbed both of the sides of his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. “Would you please listen to me!”

  “Jesus, what is the matter with you?”

  Her green eyes narrowed at him. “I’m pregnant! That’s what is the matter!”

  His heart jolted to a stop. “Y-You’re what?”

  Emma’s expression momentarily softened. “I just came from the doctor. That stomach flu I thought I had...yeah, that’s not what it was. I’m six weeks pregnant.”

  “Holy shit…but we were using condoms.”

  Pink tinged her cheeks. “Not the weekend at the lodge.”

  He leaned over and lowered his voice. “Yeah, but I pulled out.”

  Emma cocked her brows. “And you’re Mr. Super Potent Sperm, remember?”

  Aidan swallowed hard. His mind whirled with out-of-control thoughts. He was going to be a father again. He hadn’t even thought of the prospect of having more children until Noah was at least two, if not older. Sure, his sisters An
gie and Julia were fourteen months part, but he had never imagined having two so close together. Noah would still be in diapers when the new baby arrived. Jesus, he could barely survive all of Noah’s changings…what would it be like with two?

  “Aidan?” Emma prompted. When he met her gaze, he could immediately read how she was feeling. She was thrilled at the prospect of another child to love, but she was also fearful of his reaction.

  He brought his lips to hers and gave her a deep, reassuring kiss. When he finally pulled away, tears shone in her eyes. “Does that mean you’re okay with this?”

  His hand went to tenderly touch her abdomen. “I’ll admit I’m scared shitless at the prospect of another child, but we’ve already been through so much. Another baby will just mean more love.”

  Her bright smile warmed his heart. “Oh, Aidan, you made me the happiest woman in the entire world by giving me a baby. Then you made my life complete by giving me your heart and your love. I can’t imagine anything more amazing than another child of yours.” She then gave him a lingering kiss.

  When she pulled away, he grinned. “Does this mean I can expect your libido to be kick-starting soon like when you were pregnant with Noah?”

  She gave him a sly grin and then winked. “Oh yes.”

  He closed his eyes in exaggerated bliss and brought his hand to his chest. “Be still my heart.”

  She nudged him playfully as Nikki returned to take their orders. When Emma ordered her usual Rib-eye, Aidan stared at her in surprise. “You’re ordering a steak?”

  “Sure, why not?” she replied as she handed the menus back to Nikki.

  “I thought meat made you sick in your first trimester when you were pregnant with Noah.”

  Emma shuddered. “Oh it did. I couldn’t even stand the smell of it, remember?” Surprise flashed on her face as the wheels turned in her head. Without missing a beat, a smile spread across her face. “I guess that means this baby is a girl!”

  “Oh God,” he moaned.

  Emma tilted her head to the side and gazed up at him. “What’s the matter, Big Papa? You don’t think you can handle a girl?”

  “I think I’ll be fine until she gets to be a teenager, and then I may end up in prison for cutting some little horndog’s dick off!”