Page 35 of A Hal for my Heart

I cradled his face in my hands. “But you do now.”

“Now get to work!” Elias sassed, sending a wink my way. “And make sure to familiarize yourselves with all the rooms.”

“That’s horrific!” I exclaimed, looking at the mustard-colored armchair in the corner.

“What?” Hal laughed. “You don’t like the brown marks on the arms?”

“I don’t even know what caused that color,” I sniffed, moving away from the offending chair. “Just look at how big our living room is!” I spun around in a circle with my arms out. We had a spacious, well-lit living room with huge windows and a small balcony. There was a fireplace, encased in white marble, and I could just envision my alpha and me snuggling up in front of it on a cold winter night.

“Most of the things we don’t like can be changed. Like the wallpaper and curtains.” I frowned at the heavy curtains. Brennan had surely loved his yellows.

“If only the chair had been a lighter and brighter yellow,” Hal mused, sounding deep in thought as he took in the room. The wallpaper was brown with mustard-yellow flowers, a dreadful look, in my opinion. I wanted bright and happy colors.

“What about the bedroom?” Hal waggled his eyebrows, moving toward the office.

“Wrong way,” I giggled, gesturing to my right. “The bedroom and bathroom are in there.”

Hal followed me, and it was obvious we needed some big changes in there as well. It didn’t put a damper on my excitement, though. We would live here for the rest of our days. Mostly. I had this idea of living in a small cottage in the country with my alpha once we retired, but this would be home for many years to come, and the thought of sharing this space with Hal and our future children made me giddy as hell.

“We also have the office and a guestroom,” I said, leading Hal back to where he’d tried to go before. “I doubt we’ll need a guestroom, mostly because Seb has a lot of free rooms for visitors.”

“So they’re what? For our future sons?” Hal peeked into the first room while I went all weak in the knees. Our sons. The way he’d spoken so casually about it, as if we would for sure have children together. My brain turned to mush as I gazed adoringly at his strong back.

“Do you want children?” I asked, my mind now reeling.

He turned with a wide smile that lit up his face. “Yes.” Then his face fell. “You don’t, sweetness?”

“I do!” I rushed out, nodding my head furiously. “I just wasn’t sure if you also wanted them.”

A slow grin that didn’t help my weakening-knees situation curled along his lips. “I want to fill you up with so many babies, Briar, you have no idea.”

“So, that wasn’t just the heat talking? When you said you wanted that?” I’d been too afraid to hope for it, brushing it aside as dirty talk in the heat of the moment.

“Gods no! I want everything with you, silly omega.”

“You want to breed me for my next heat?” I asked, blushing a little for being so forward.

“Not until your doctor deems it safe.” Hal looked stern. “I won’t risk your health, Briar, and we have no idea what pregnancy will do to you after your previous strenuous heats.”

I swallowed. “And if he says I can’t have them?”

“Then we’ll adopt, or live happily just the two of us. We decide what happens going forward, Briar. You and me.”

I wondered if Hal could truly be happy if we couldn’t have any children of our own. As if he’d read my mind, he lifted me into his arms. “Look at me, sweetness.” He cradled my chin. “I was abandoned by my birth father. The only love I’ve ever known, before I met you, was from my found family: Lord Willoughby, Kenneth, and Gus. Being a parent has nothing to do with blood or genes, but everything to do with love. We will love our children regardless. Won’t we?”

I nodded. Hal was right. My father hadn’t loved me, not really. “We will,” I whispered, then kissed my alpha.

Chapter Sixteen

Hal

I understood Briar’s concerns, and I didn’t want the matter of a future pregnancy to hang over us like a dark cloud. We both needed peace of mind to commence our new life together.

“Is there a doctor we could talk to about children?” We were back in his chamber, packing our things after ordering new wallpaper, curtains, carpets, and furniture.

“Yes, our palace physician, Doctor Aron.”

“Good. I think we should let him examine you.”