“She was okay, right?”
“Yeah, a broken wrist and some bumps and bruises, but she’ll be okay. The shocker was that when I walked into her room, she knew me; she knew who I was to her, her parents had been open with her and she and her dad would watch me play. I had no clue.”
“Awww, poor baby.”
“Yeah, it is sad, everything she has gone through.”
“If she was adopted, how did someone know to contact you?”
“Ryan Lacy, her adoptive dad, listed me as a contact for Ireland should something ever happen to them. They also stipulated that I regain custody of Ireland if something were to happen to them.”
“Mom?” I jumped at the sound of a little girl’s voice. Tiny feet were smacking against the tile floor, and I turned just as a dark-haired little girl came to a halt in front of me. “You’re not my mom,” she cried and then huge wracking sobs broke free and a torrential downfall of tears fell from her eyes.
I reached out for her hand. “No, I’m not your mom, sweetie. But come here, let me hold you.” I opened my arms and was shocked as the little girl, who I assumed was Ireland, climbed into my lap.
She was tall and lanky, so much like Aaron that it almost took my breath away.
“Vivian, this is Ireland, my biological daughter,” Aaron announced.
I processed his words as I finger-combed her hair and held her close. Oh, what she had been through broke my heart. When I lost my husband, it was earth shattering, but to be a child and lose both parents, it was unconceivable to me.
“Hello, Ireland, I’m Vivian. You’re so beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Ireland whispered but didn’t release her hold on me.
“Aaron was just telling me all about you.” She tilted her head and stared over to him. Slowly, her tears stopped, but she was still trembling with sadness.
“My mom had black hair just like yours.”
“Oh.” What else could I say that wouldn’t send her back into gut-wrenching sobs?
I sat there for what felt like hours, seeing what could only be described as love radiating from Aaron as he looked over at Ireland.
“Shhh, she’s asleep.”
He moved closer. “Let me take her.”
“No, she’s fine.”
He nodded slowly and dragged one hand down his face. “As you can see, I gained custody of Ireland. She’s going to live with me, and we’ll be a family.”
“I admire you,” I admitted. “I think you are going to be a wonderful dad. She is awful lucky.”
“Thanks. But what about you? There’s no denying that there is something between us, but I want to know that you’re okay with me being a single dad.”
“That doesn’t bother me at all. I would have been sad if you had told me that story and then didn’t have this precious girl. I meant what I said, I admire you.” I gazed at Ireland sleeping. “She looks so much like you. I think that she’s going to be a basketball player as well.”
He grinned, but then we both sat in silence. I hummed to Ireland, my maternal instincts coming out strong. I had always wanted kids—hell, Eric and I had planned on having kids. If my life hadn’t gone completely sideways, then I would have had kids years ago.
I wasn’t sure when I fell asleep, or how long I’d been asleep, but I processed Ireland being slid out of my arms. I instantly missed her body heat, but at the same moment, it gave me freedom to relax and I was diving back into the pool of dreams.
“Put your arms around my neck,” Aaron whispered. It was a strange dream, but I did as he asked. Then I was floating like a feather, and that was when it dawned on me that I wasn’t dreaming, this was really happening.
I opened my eyes and lifted my head from his shoulder, but he dropped a soft kiss to my lips to stop the words I was going to say.
“You can stay the night here.”
“No, I really should—”
“You really should,” he whispered, as he lowered me onto the world’s softest bed. It was like a pillow of clouds.
I was already falling back into peaceful sleep by the time he slipped off my shoes and then moved to unbuckle my jeans. Before I knew it, I was in just my T-shirt and panties. He pulled back the covers and tucked me in.
“I’ll be in the room next to Ireland, okay?”
“Kiss me,” I begged.
He lowered his mouth to mine; the lips that I had missed for a week were on me . . .
Vivian
That felt nice.
I slid my face against the silkiest sheets that smelled like soap and leather as it slowly started to come together. Aaron was kissing me around my neck and along the curve of my shoulders. This wasn’t a dream.
"Wait, don't go." Strong masculine fingers wove through mine.
Pulling myself out of my sleep haze, I woke just as he, flipped me to face him, and then leaned in, and lifted me to him halfway. This time I was ready for his kiss, his slightly soft lips that swept back and forth along mine, before I opened and he slid his tongue in.
I was hit with the memory of the first time Eric had kissed me. It had been so passionate we knew it was going to take us to that next level. Kissing Aaron wasn’t something that made me feel guilty. After all these years, I thought I would have these gilded chains wrapped around me, but I didn't; I actually felt free. Something about this man, this moment, seemed right.
Aaron leaned up. "Are you—"
"Shhh, don't stop," I begged, digging my fingers into his thick, wavy hair and pulling
