by Jane Blythe
“Oh, who is this?” she asked, reaching out to tickle his tummy, making him squeal in delight.
“This is Lorenzo,” the man holding him replied. “Don’t be fooled, he might look cute, but his favorite thing to do is wait until the middle of the night when you finally fall asleep before deciding it would be fun to scream his lungs out.”
“Aww, he just needs his mommy and daddy,” she said, smiling at the baby.
“I’m Graham by the way,” the man said, his eyes twinkling as he grinned at her.
“Right,” she said, tearing her attention away from the baby. “Sorry, he’s just such a little cutie, he’s hard to resist.”
“Tell me about it,” Graham said with an eye roll. “Impossible to stay mad at him no matter how many nights he wakes us up crying.”
She ran a hand over the baby’s soft little head. “Babies are irresistible. I’m Florence, nice to meet you, Graham.” She held out her hand to shake his, but instead he handed over his son.
“Lorenzo loves to meet his fans. Come in, Soraya is dying to meet you, Florence, we’ve heard a lot about you.”
Florence threw a frown over her shoulder at Eli as they walked into Graham’s living room, wondering what he’d said about her. Huge windows filled one wall, showcasing an impressive view of the Manhattan skyline.
Graham laughed when he saw her frown. “Don’t worry, he only said good things. Please, sit, Soraya will be right out, and as soon as we put Lorenzo down for the night, we can eat.”
“No hurry,” she said, sitting down on a soft leather couch and bouncing the baby on her lap. “You like to sing, Lorenzo?” she asked him. “Here, give me your little hand. This was my favorite song when I was a little girl, my brother used to sing it to me, and it always made me laugh. Let’s see if it makes you giggle.” Taking one of Lorenzo’s cute little hands, she touched a fingertip to his palm and began to trace circles. “Round and round the garden like a teddy bear. One step, two steps,” she walked her fingers up his arm, “tickle you under there.” She finished with an accompanying tickle under his armpit that made the baby screech with laughter.
“That is adorable.”
Florence looked up to find a pretty woman around her age with long black hair that had red tips, smiling at her.
“Every day I think he can't get any cuter, and every day I get proved wrong,” Soraya Venedetta said.
“He’s gorgeous,” Florence said.
“And now we have a new song to sing together. I'm Soraya, you must be Florence.”
“I am, it’s nice to meet you. I hear that I have you and Graham to thank for my tattoo date the other night. Eli was telling me that he got the idea from you two. He said that Graham got a tattoo that matched yours, and apparently you were telling Eli that he didn't need to take me to fancy restaurants to impress me, and I'd feel more comfortable not feeling like we came from two different worlds. I wanted to thank you both because I think standing there in that tattoo parlor watching Eli get a tattoo that matched mine was when I realized I was falling in love with him.” She turned to smile at Eli who was sitting beside her, watching her with a smile on his face that she quickly realized was him imaging them sitting side by side while she bounced their own baby on her knee.
For some reason the idea didn't freak her out like she thought it would.
“Glad to be of service.” Graham grinned.
Soraya swatted at him. “We’re delighted we could help out. I know when Graham and I first got together, I was concerned that our different worlds might mean we wouldn’t work as a couple, I figured you might be feeling the same thing.”
“I was.” Florence already knew that she and Soraya were going to wind up being friends, she liked the woman and her down to earth attitude already. Plus she had possibly the world’s cutest baby.
“If it wasn't for these two I would probably still be trying to take you to fancy restaurants and flying you to Italy,” Eli teased.
“You know I wouldn’t turn down another trip to Italy.” She grinned at him.
“I wouldn’t either.” Soraya poked Graham in the ribs. “Well, I better put this little guy to bed. Graham, can you go check on the lasagna.”
“Sweet dreams, sweetie,” she said, kissing Lorenzo’s chubby cheek then handing him off to his mother.
“We’ll be right back.”
Alone, Eli slid his arms under her legs and drew her over and onto his lap. “You looked good with a baby in your arms,” he whispered, his lips teasing her as he trailed kisses along her jaw.
“I love babies,” she agreed, turning her face so his next kiss landed on her lips. “Know what I love more than babies?”
“Me?” he asked with an arched brow and that cocky grin she was growing to love more and more every time she saw it.
“No, not you,” she said, smacking his shoulder lightly. “Our baby.”
“Our baby? Is this the same lady who kept trying to convince me that it was too soon to move in with someone you’d only known a couple of weeks talking about having babies?”
“I don’t want to have a baby today.” She rolled her eyes at him, then gave him another smack for good measure. “But I wouldn’t mind having one in the semi-near future.”
“You know we can start working on that tonight. I hear it can take a few months to get pregnant, then it’s nine months until the baby actually arrives, I think that would qualify as the semi-near future.”
Were they really talking about having a baby sometime soon?
And was she really okay with that?
Florence was surprised to find that she was.
All her life she hadn't believed in love, had thought that it didn't exist that it was just make believe fluff that someone created to sell movies and books. Now she was completely rethinking that notion.
She was in love with Eli, she’s already agreed to move in with him, she knew he was just biding his time before he proposed, and now they were discussing babies, and instead of feeling like it was too soon she was just excited by the idea.
“Baby making is definitely going on the agenda for tonight,” she agreed, dragging his face to hers so she could kiss him.
“H-hmm,” someone cleared their throat behind them.
“Sorry, are we interrupting?” Soraya asked, smothering a laugh.
“Yes,” Eli replied with a groan.
“Raincheck number two?”
“Oh yeah.”
MARCH 9TH
7:23 A.M.
“Rise and shine, princess,” Eli said, leaning down to kiss Florence awake.
“What time is it?” Florence groaned, rolling sleepily onto her side and refusing to open her eyes.
“Nearly seven-thirty,” he replied. He’d had meetings all day yesterday, closing a deal, and he hadn't made it home until just after midnight. It had been another two hours before Florence got home. He’d been waiting up for her, and she’d been buzzing with excitement because she’d just closed a case she and Jake had been working on for the last week, and it had been five before they’d finally made it to bed.
“I don’t want to get up yet,” Florence said, pulling the covers over her head.
“You have to,” he said with a laugh.
“Don’t. Today is my day off.”
That was exactly the point.
Today was Florence’s day off, and it was also their one month anniversary, there was no way they were spending the day sleeping. Of course he had some in bed plans for them, but that was for tonight, today he was going to spoil her rotten.
He’d been planning this day ever since they’d officially become a couple and done the whole him meeting her brother and her meeting his friends thing. At first he hadn't known what to do, he’d toyed with the idea of flying her back to Florence but then decided that she tended to enjoy when he made gestures rather than threw a bunch of money at something.
Eli was pretty sure he had planned the perfect day.
If he could get her out of bed.
He had to laugh at that, usually he wanted to get her into bed, not out of it.
“Princess, you can get out of bed or I can get you out of bed, your choice.” He slid his hands under the blankets and found her ribs, he caressed her bare skin, tracing under her breasts before rolling her nipples between his fingers, making her moan. Then he tickled her, making her squeal and wriggle away from him.
“What are you doing?”
“Waking you up,” he said, reaching for her and tickling her again.
“Stop,” she shrieked. “Eli!”
“Ready to get up now?” he asked, throwing the covers off the bed so he could feast his eyes on her naked body. Maybe they should stay in bed for the day, make love, eat ice cream, and just chill.
“Why are you so intent on us getting up? You do realize that we only went to bed two hours ago, right?” Florence rolled to face him, propping herself up on one elbow.
Fighting temptation, he pulled Florence over so she was lying on top of him. “Trust me, I have a whole day of fun planned for us to celebrate one month together.”
“I can't believe a whole month has gone by.”
“Best month of my life.” He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, Eli loved when she wore her hair loose so it hung in golden blonde waves down her back.
“Mine too.” She kissed him lightly then rested her head on his chest. They lay together like that for a few minutes before she sighed. “Well, I guess I'm awake now, and I can't deny I'm curious about what you have planned.”
With that, she stood, and when he watched her tight little backside sashay off to the bathroom, he nearly grabbed her and tossed her down on the bed to make love to her until they both forget anything but making each other come so hard nothing else mattered.
Eli somehow managed not to succumb to temptation and stuck with his plans, and after Florence had showered and dressed, he took a shower himself. Once they were both ready, he took her hand and led her into the lift.
“So, are you going to tell me what we’re doing today?” she asked.
“You’ll see.”
“Do you get some sort of pleasure out of torturing me?”
“Yep,” he said, grinning at her then kissing her. He loved making her squirm, Florence was always so in control, so put together, and he liked to see her ruffled.
The morning was crisp but not too cold, the sky was a clear blue that hinted that spring was only a couple of weeks away, the sun shone, and there was a gentle breeze. The day was beautiful, and he hoped that it stayed that way because what he had planned for later would be better if the weather held.
The traffic wasn't heavy, and they reached their destination a little before they needed to be there.
“The aquarium?” Florence asked as she looked out the window.
“I remember you telling me that you always wanted to go to the beach when you were a little girl, so I thought it would be fun to come here and spend the day with sea life.”
“I love it.” Florence threw her arms around his neck and hugged him hard.
“They do a few behind the scenes encounters, and I booked us into all of them. We’re going to be meeting penguins, sea lions, and sharks.”
“Really?” she squealed like a schoolgirl and clapped her hands together delightedly, and he was infinitely glad he’d gotten out of bed this morning. Bringing that smile to Florence’s face made him ridiculously proud like he’d cured cancer or solved world hunger or something.
“Really,” he said and kissed the tip of her nose.
The next few hours flew by, the penguins were adorable, and being kissed by the sea lions was fun, they’d even got to touch the sharks. By the time they were done, he didn't think he’d ever seen Florence smile and laugh as much as she had in those couple of hours at the aquarium.
“That was amazing,” Florence said as they climbed into the back of his car. “Thank you, that was such a fun date, it was a perfect way to celebrate our one month anniversary.”
“Part one of the one month anniversary celebrations,” he corrected.
“There’s more?” she asked, surprised.
“Did we just meet? I thought you knew by now that I love to go all out when I'm looking to impress.”
“I guess a certain trip to Florence for a few hours walking through the city and dinner speaks to that.” She giggled. “So what's up next?”
“You’ll see.”
His answer earned him an eye roll, but he just chuckled and pulled her onto his lap so they could make out until they got to part two of the celebrations.
When they pulled to a stop and got out, Florence squealed again, her eyes as round as saucers as they stared at the hot air balloon ready and waiting to take them floating through the sky.
“How did you know that I've always wanted to go in a hot air balloon? I've never told you.”
“A little birdie may have whispered it in my ear.”
“Fletcher. It had to be my brother because he’s the only one who knows.”
“I may have asked him for a few tips on things to do today that you’d enjoy,” he told her. He’d wanted to make this day special for her, and he and Fletcher had become friends over the last couple of weeks.
“A hot air balloon ride at sunset, that has to be the most romantic thing ever. Eli, this is so wonderful,” she gushed, giving him a quick kiss before running over to the balloon.
They climbed into the basket and slowly rose to fly. Florence oohed and ahhed as they floated over fields and beaches, the Manhattan skyline as their backdrop.
The more excited she got, the more he fell in love with her. Eli had thought that the love he felt for her was stronger and deeper than anything he had ever felt, and yet every day she did or said something that made it grow. He wondered how much he would love her a year from now, a decade from now, a lifetime from now.
Throughout the ride the sky put on a show, turning red and pink and gold as the sun slowly set, and by the time the balloon landed, it was dark out and time for the third and final part of his celebration plans.
“That was so romantic,” Florence said as he led her back to the car. “Are we going back to your place now because I want you naked and inside me sooner rather than later.”
“That will have to keep, princess, because I have one more surprise.”
Florence yawned as they got into the back of the car, and snuggled up against his side. He thought she’d fallen asleep, but when they’d driven back into the city, and the car stopped, she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked out the window.
“What are we doing here?” she asked, confused.
Instead of answering, Eli took her hand and tugged her out of the car. They were parked right outside the alley where he had spotted her that first night and saved her life when he’d pushed her out of the way of the car.
He passed her a tub of ice cream. “Dinner.”
“Aww, mint chocolate chip, my favorite.” She took the tub and pulled off the lid as she asked, “So why did you bring…” she trailed off, and from the look on her face, he knew she’d seen the engagement ring nestled in the ice cream. “Is that what I think it is?”
Dropping down onto one knee he took her hand. “Florence, you drive me crazy, make me laugh, and make me love in a way I didn't realize I was capable of loving. I know we’ve only known each other for one month and that everything we’ve done we’ve done at full speed, but when I see something I want I go after it, and I want you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I don’t see any reason to wait. You’re everything to me, I would do anything just to bring a smile to your beautiful face, and I don’t want another day to go by without you as my wife. Will you do me the honor of trusting me with your heart and your life and marry me?”
* * * * *
7:20 P.M.
Florence couldn’t take her eyes off the ring in the tub of ice cream.
An engagement ring.
Eli was down on one knee in fr
ont of her and had just said the most beautiful things to her.
Every logical bone in her body told her this was too soon. One month wasn't enough time to know if you were ready to commit the rest of your life to another person. One month wasn't enough time to know if the feelings you thought you had were real.
One month was too soon, and yet…
Her heart told her everything that she needed to know.
“Of course I’ll marry you,” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Eli’s neck, causing him to lose his balance and they both tumbled to the ground. Somehow Eli managed to break her fall, taking the brunt of the impact, and it just made her love him even more.
“Yes? You're saying yes?” Eli wrapped his arms around her and stood, bringing her up with him. He held her feet off the ground and spun around in circles, dancing about the alley as though they were at a fancy dress ball.
“You thought I'd say no?” she asked, her arms still wrapped around his neck.
“I didn't think you'd say no, I thought you'd say it was too soon.”
“I don’t care. I love you, and we’re living together anyway, I want to marry you, I want to officially start our lives together.”
“Am I going to be pushing my luck if I ask you to marry me today?”
“Today?” she squeaked. “How can we get married today? It’s already after seven, and I don’t have a dress or an appointment to get my hair and makeup done. My brother isn’t here, neither are your friends. And we don’t have a venue or a caterer, how could you possibly think we could pull that off?”
“Are you doubting me?” he teased.
“No, but how do you think we can pull together a wedding tonight?”
“Oh, you of little faith.” He set her on her feet but kept an arm around her waist, then called over his shoulder, “You guys can come out now.”
Florence looked in surprise as her brother and the Blacks—who she’d really connected with over the last two weeks—Jake and his wife and baby, Graham and Soraya with Chloe and Lorenzo, some of her friends from work and the gym, and some people she didn't know but assumed were Eli’s friends, and his nephew Joey whom she’d met last week, all suddenly appeared in the alley.
