Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
“Did we wake her?” Robyn asked.
“I don’t know, Braveheart. I’ll go see to her.”
“I can do it.”
I smirked and pressed a kiss to her nose. “I doubt you’ll be able to walk straight right now.”
“Cocky bastard,” she teased, rolling her eyes.
As much as I would have loved to pull Robyn into my arms and just hold her for a bit, I hastened. Hurrying into the bathroom, I quickly cleaned up and then drew on my pajamas. Vivien’s cries still filled our suite.
“I’m coming, angel,” I whispered to myself as I rushed from the bathroom.
Robyn laid on the bed, naked, relaxed, and so inviting it physically hurt. She smiled lovingly at me as I passed, and I winked at her before disappearing from the room.
Vivien’s nursery was just down the hall. Like us, she had a magnificent view of the North Sea.
That view was nothing compared to my wee girl as she stood in her cot, face scrunched, cheeks red and tears streaming. My chest caved at the sight as it always did. No one prepared me for that. To feel Vivien’s tears like a score across my heart, no matter what had produced them.
“Aw, wee angel, Daddy’s here,” I told her, feeling guilty that we might have woken her.
She reached her chubby arms out to me, and it was then I noted how easily she could have crawled out of her cot. It was maybe time to move her to a bed, but the thought filled me with a weird sense of panic. Time was moving too quickly. “Isn’t it, angel?” I lifted her warm body into my arms, and her cries instantly quietened to hiccups and sniffles. I pressed kisses to her face and coaxed a smile from her.
“Dada,” she said with exhausted, relieved weariness before leaning her head on my shoulder.
I overflowed with love, unable to contain its magnitude as I wandered over to Vivien’s large window to show her the morning sun spilling across the water.
“It’s a beautiful morning, Viv,” I whispered as she stared sleepily out the window. “See the sun sparkling on the water? Like diamonds.”
“Cookie,” she replied.
I grinned. While she wasn’t yet ready to string entire sentences together, Vivien had learned a fair few words. However, after being treated to a bit of Sloane Harrow’s cookies, cookie was Viv’s new favorite word. Robyn was not pleased as she was determined Vivien would be sweet-free until at least two years old on the guidance from our health advisor. Regan, the cookie giver, to my amusement, got a guilty look on her face every time Viv said cookie. “How about some banana instead?”
Vivien lifted her head to blink at me, her tear tracks still staining her cheeks. “Nana?”
“Aye, banana.”
She made a face and sighed wearily again as she rested her head on my shoulder. I took that as a reluctant yes.
Pressing another kiss to her head and breathing in her scent, I tightened my hold. A few years ago, if anyone had told me I’d be married and a father, I’d have laughed at the absurdity of it.
Yet, here I was. Wedding band on my left ring finger. Daughter in my arms. Watching the sun rise over Caelmore. In a few hours, I’d head onto the estate to see to business. I’d then drive to the small distillery I owned with Brodan to check on the building of the main distillery, as well as the progress of our whisky production. It was a slow process, but one I knew would be worth it. From there, I’d call Robyn to see where she’d taken Vivien on her travels for the day, camera in hand, and I’d drive to find them. Be with them. I was on call if anyone needed me. Perhaps I’d settle back into a more normal routine as Vivien grew. But for now, I didn’t want to miss a thing.
Footsteps sounded behind us, and Robyn, dressed in her robe, hair still a wild mess from our spectacular sex, drew up beside us.
“Mummy.” Vivien lifted an arm to her without raising her head from my shoulder and Robyn grinned, leaning into kiss Viv all over. Giggles erupted from our daughter, and she smiled sleepily as Robyn lifted her head.
Our eyes met, and she smiled at me.
Fear tickled the back of my mind. Its shadow never left me, the terrifying thought of one day losing her, losing Viv. But I fought it back each day. I chose gratitude. Because very few people in this world were given the chance to love like I loved.
I wouldn’t waste that gift by worrying about tomorrow.
My wife slid her arm around my waist, leaning into my side, our daughter between us.
“Beautiful morning,” she whispered, staring out at the water with us.
“Aye,” I answered, voice gruff with emotion. “It is that.”
THANE
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