Page 131 of The Irresistible One
“I believe that.” As I went quiet, a feeling moved through me so fast, and I had to say, “I love you.”
He kissed me harder this time. “I love you more.” He nodded toward the stairs. “Now let’s go tuck in our babies.”
FORTY-THREE
COLSON
When we had boarded my private jet in LA, Sophie knew our destination was Fort Lauderdale. I couldn’t keep that a secret, considering the trip required packing and I didn’t know what clothes and cosmetics she kept at her condo—if any. But what Sophie didn’t know was what I had planned for when we arrived.
With Hayden’s help, I had rented a yacht, and it had everything Abbi would ever want to play with on the water. A trampoline that jumped on top of the ocean. Jet Skis. A slide. There was tubing and rafting. Throughout the day and evening, a chef would serve all the princess food she could ever eat. The interior of the boat was decorated in pink and glitter, balloons, and sparklers. And once the sky turned dark, there would be fireworks set off from the beach across from us.
Most importantly, everyone on board was someone who cared deeply for Sophie’s little girl. Abbi had layers of family,and they were all here. On Sophie’s side were Hayden, Troy, Jones, Callum, Talon, and Leo. There was Dottie, of course—the woman who had orchestrated Abbi’s adoption, changing both Sophie’s and Abbi’s lives forever. And then there was my family, who had landed this morning, coming straight to the marina from the airport. Hart had brought Sadie, Beck was with Jolie, and Alivia had joined Walker. Eden, the only solo one of my group, hadn’t engaged much with any of the single men on the yacht, although each of them had tried. My sister would only give them less than a minute’s worth of conversation before she walked away and clung on to one of my brother’s girlfriends.
Not that I was surprised.
I just wished things were different.
As I was sipping a vodka on the rocks, observing the party from the back wall of the starboard side of the boat, Sophie joined me.
At first, she just pressed the front of her body against mine and smiled. Happiness was exploding across her face, and I fucking loved to see it. I ran my hand along her side, appreciating the thin flimsiness of her bathing suit cover-up, skimming the edges of her bikini. The moment we were off this boat and the kids were asleep, I was tearing both off her.
The longer she held that position, I knew there were some deep thoughts in her head.
“What are you thinking about?”
“This. You. Them.” Her arm slipped around my back. “I can’t believe they all came, Colson.”
My lips pressed to the center of her forehead, and I breathed her in. “You mean the Westons?”
“Yes. It’s such a long trip for them. And it’s an extreme effort to make for mylittle girl?—”
“My family will always be there for you.” I held her chin. “Because you’re part of us now.”
When I had told my siblings about the plan I had come up with for Abbi’s birthday, they were immediately in. Although they’d only met Abbi once—at a barbecue I’d held at my place a few weeks back—they loved who I loved, and they supported who was important to me. Sophie was going to be my wife; they knew that, and they were here for her as much as they were here for Abbi.
“I know, on the West Coast, all you’ve ever had is Troy, and he’s a hell of a dude, but you have my family now too.” I brushed my thumb across her bottom lip.
She set her drink down and hugged both arms around me, locking her hands behind my back. “But they showed up. I’ll never get over that.”
“They’ll continue to do that, Sophie.Forever.” A word I would emphasize until it became ingrained in her head.
I never wanted her to think any of us would leave her.
The heavy emotion in her eyes wasn’t the reason I kissed her. I did that because I couldn’t wait another second to have her taste in my mouth.
“I love you,” I whispered when I pulled back.
“You have no idea how much I love you.”
I placed my drink next to hers and cupped the back of her neck. “Do you think Abbi’s having the best time?”
She laughed. “I don’t think it’s possible for Abbi to have a better time. Ellie too. She’s been bonding with all my boys today, and I love that.” Her lips pursed, creating an adorable expression. “Our worlds are colliding in the best way.”
Ellie was already quite fond of Hayden. Since he’d watched both girls during the boat trip Sophie and I took, my daughter hadn’t stopped talking about that weekend.
“I think after today, Ellie’s going to want to become some type of racer.”
“Why do you say that?”
