by J. P. Comeau
After all of the weeks I had spent moving that thing around so she wouldn’t find it, I couldn’t believe how careless I had been to simply leave it out like that for her to stumble across.
Or, you could take the opening.
“Trey,” she said softly.
I offered her our daughter. “Want to trade?”
She scooped our daughter from my arm, and I plucked the box from between her fingers, and the weight of what I was holding almost pinned me to the floor. In that tiny box I had picked up from the jewelry store nearly two months ago was my entire future. Everything I had ever dreamed about and everything I had ever wished for Leslie and me to have. It all sat there, inside that little box with red-velvet covering.
“Better now than never,” I murmured.
Leslie scoffed. “What in the world are you going on about?”
I ushered for her to sit. “Take a seat. You should be sitting for this.”
She did as I asked. “You’re freaking me out a bit. What’s going on?”
Then, I got down onto one knee and took her left hand in mine. “Just a little something I’ve been thinking about.”
She gasped. “Oh, my God.”
I smiled as I cracked open the box and revealed the massive diamond ring I had picked up for her. I heard the pitter-patter of quick footsteps up the staircase before Rori made a beeline for my side, probably wondering where I was and why we weren’t already having our morning cereal.
But, when Rori laid eyes on the ring, she squealed with delight. “I’ve seen this in movies!”
Leslie shushed her. “The baby’s still sleeping, sweetie.”
Rori lowered her voice to a whisper. “Have you asked yet?”
I winked at her. “I’m getting to it. With your permission, of course?”
She nodded. “Yes, you have my permission.”
Leslie giggled as her free hand cupped itself over her mouth. “That thing is massive.”
I chuckled. “Leslie, you have brought more joy and more passion and more wonder into my life than I ever thought possible. You’ve given me a family I never thought I’d have, you’ve made this place a home when I didn’t think it was possible, and you’ve shown me that this world is no place for someone who holds onto the kind of anger I was carrying around. You are the billboard definition of someone not allowing the past to hold them back. Until you came into my life, I didn’t even think it was possible to move forward. You’ve changed me in every positive way, Leslie Popovich, and for the life of me, I can’t see my future without you in it.”
She sniffled. “Oh, Trey.”
I plucked the ring from the box and took hold of her left hand. “My life would be empty and fruitless without you in it. You, and Rori, and Angel… the three of you are my world now. And I don’t want to fall asleep and allow another day to pass by without asking you the one question I can’t seem to spit out without worrying about whether or not I’m going to fuck it up.”
Her eyes widened. “Trey, there are kids around.”
Rori fell apart in giggles as I peeked over at her.
“Don’t say that word. That’s a grown-up word.”
Then, Rori kissed my shoulder and smiled at me. “You’re doing a good job.”
I lowered my voice. “You think so?”
She nodded. “Now, ask, you crazy-head.”
I turned my attention back to the center of my world. “Leslie Popovich.”
She smiled as a tear-streaked her cheek. “Yes?”
I poised the ring just beyond her left-hand ring finger. “Will you marry me?”
And when she nodded, my heart burst with ecstatic glee. “I’d love nothing more, handsome.”
I slipped the ring onto her finger as Rori ran out into the hallway, clapping and screaming that her parents were getting married. I stood to my feet, bringing Leslie with me as I kissed her with just as much passion and lust as the first time our lips had ever met. My heart hammered against my chest with delight. I cradled our infant daughter’s head as Leslie’s free arm wrapped around my waist tightly.
And after our lips finally parted, our beautiful daughter finally woke up.
“I feel someone sucking on my robe,” Leslie whispered.
I smiled. “Might want to do something about that, then.”
She eased back down into her rocking chair. “Do you mind getting me something to eat? She’s cluster-feeding, and I haven’t even had breakfast yet.”
I bent forward and kissed her forehead. “Anything for my future wife and the mother of my child.”
She tilted her head back, giving me an upside-down kiss. “I love you so much.”
I nuzzled my nose against hers. “I love you, too, Lizzy.”
She giggled. “You know, I usually hate it when people call me that. But, I don’t hate it from you.”
I picked myself up. “I’ll take that as a win. How do hot tea and a breakfast sandwich sound?”
“Oh, that sounds amazing. Can you put some of that horseradish sauce you have on it, too?”
I chuckled. “Anything for my queen.”
“Daddy!” Rori exclaimed.
Leslie gasped. “Since when is she calling you that?”
I walked over to the doorway and peered over my shoulder. “Let’s just say it’s been an interesting morning with all of my main ladies.”
Her eyes glistened in the morning sunlight. “And you’re okay with it?”
I furrowed my brow. “Why wouldn’t I be okay with my daughter calling me Daddy?”
She wiped at her tears. “You’re just incredible, Trey. Sometimes, I can’t even convince myself that you’re real.”
“Hmph,” I said as I stared out into the hallway, “that’ll make our sex life a bit more difficult, don’t you think?”
She snorted. “Get out of here and get me some food, funny man.”
I patted the doorway. “Anything to put a smile on your face.”
I made my way toward the stairs, and Aurora came rushing up to my side. She slipped her hand into mine as we walked down together, then she accompanied me into the kitchen. I hoisted her up onto the kitchen counter and let her help me put together breakfast for her mother. And as I taught her how to make her first-ever breakfast sandwich over the stove, I heard Tom and Jerry re-runs rolling in the background.
This is all I’ve ever wanted.
“Here, take this up to your mother, and I’ll make our bowls of cereal,” I said.
Rori hopped off the counter and took the tray into her hands. “I can definitely do that. Can I have some Fruit Loops like you?”
I smiled. “Only if you don’t drop that tray. Make sure to walk very carefully, all right?”
She nodded slowly and spoke with elongated words. “I… pro-mise…”
My cheeks hurt with my smile as I watched Rori slowly make her way down the hallway toward the staircase, and as she disappeared out of view, I let the smell of fresh coffee waft up my nostrils. I heard Leslie’s soft singing filtering through the ceiling, gracing my ears as my heart skipped a beat. I folded my arms over my chest and closed my eyes, drinking everything in.
A Saturday spent with family and not in the office.
A Saturday spent with a woman who had become my fiancée.
A Saturday spent with Rori on the couch, watching cartoons until we fell back asleep.
A Saturday where I’d get to take Angel for the entire afternoon so Leslie could have some time alone with Rori.
And finally, a Saturday that would end with all of us in the kitchen, cooking together instead of calling up a chef to throw something together for us.
I found the life I had been striving for in a sassy little secretary that I hired on the spot.
And I swore, at that moment, to protect and cherish it and upkeep it, no matter what it cost me. No matter what it took.
Because my newfound family was worth it.
I hope you enjoyed Rude Boss’ Secret Baby and will leave a positive review
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the characters in Billionaire’s Accidental Marriage, the next book in the Tall Dark and Handsome Billionaires Series, click here to grab your copy on Amazon.
