Chapter 19 #2
“Let me get you cleaned up and we’ll move this to the bedroom,” he said, kissing her ear.
He quickly soaped up his hands and ran them over her body, then down between her legs to wash away his semen as it dripped from her body.
When he was done, he kept one hand on her waist as he quickly washed his own body, then turned off the water and quickly dried himself first, before wrapping her in a towel and carrying her to his bedroom.
“I hope it’s always like this,” she murmured as he lay her down on his bed.
“It will be,” he promised, as he lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms.
Her head was lying on his chest, so she turned her face upward to better see him. “I can’t believe I found you.”
“I hope that’s a good thing, because you’re kind of stuck with me. I’ll love you forever.”
They lay quietly for a few minutes before he asked what was weighing on his mind. “Daisy, how do you feel about children? I mean of your own. Children with me.”
Daisy lifted up on her elbow so she could really look at him. “I don’t know if you noticed a moment of hesitation a little earlier… that was exactly what I was thinking. I think maybe we should use protection before we take any more chances.”
“So, you don’t want them?” he asked.
“Oh, no! I want like, ten or eleven! I just don’t know if you do.”
Charlie laughed boisterously. “If that’s what you want, my love, that’s what we’ll have.”
She laughed, too, then rested her head on his chest again. “Charlie, what if we already…”
“Daisy?” he asked.
“Yes?” she asked quietly.
“There’s something I have to confess…”
Daisy felt her heart thud in her chest wondering if she even wanted to know anything he considered a confession. “Okay,” she said softly.
“The day after we had a play date with Havoc and his family, and the rest of your extended family…” he stopped, waiting for her to acknowledge what he’d said so far.
“Yes,” she said.
“I went shopping. I talked to Carson first,” he said, getting up and walking across his bedroom, completely comfortable with his nudity as he took a couple of seconds to dig around in one of the drawers in his dresser.
He seemed to find what he was looking for and came back toward her wearing a huge grin, “and he was so very excited about what I was shopping for that he wanted to be a part of it, too.”
“I don’t understand,” Daisy said.
As she watched, he went down on his knees beside the bed she still lay in, and presented her with a very small, velvet box.
Daisy’s eyes widened and she sat bolt upright in the bed as she watched him speechlessly.
“I’ve known since the moment I met you that there was something special about you that I’d never find in anyone else.
When you and your family took us both in like they’d known us all our lives, any reasonable doubt I might have had disappeared.
I love you, I’ll always love you. I’ll make you happy for all of my life, and I’ll even try in the after life if I get the chance.
With what I’ve learned of your family, I believe I’m your mate, but will you also be my wife?
” He opened the box and Daisy gazed down at a brilliant cut round, pale yellow diamond set in platinum with a halo of white baguette diamonds of varying lengths surrounding the main stone, giving it a look similar to the rays of light leaving the sun.
Daisy’s mouth fell open, and remained open as she stared at the stone.
“Carson said he thinks of the color yellow when he thinks of you, and I can’t help but see the light shining from your soul, so I chose this one. If you don’t like it, we can exchange it for another.”
“No! It’s perfect! I’ve just never seen anything so beautiful! It’s perfect!”
Charlie smiled at her and took the ring out of the box, quickly discarding the box somewhere behind him before sliding the ring on her finger. “Perfect fit,” he said.
“Oh, Charlie. I love it! It’s beautiful!”
“So, is that a yes?” he asked.
Daisy realized he was still on his knees, waiting for an answer. “Yes! Yes, a thousand yeses!” she exclaimed.
Charlie launched himself into the bed and took her in his arms again, kissing her breathless.
When they finally came up for air, she smiled at him with tears still in her eyes. “I love you.”
“That’s all I want, forever, and I really, really hope we’re already pregnant. But if we’re not, we’ll make sure we are soon,” he promised.
Daisy hugged him close, as she laughed. “I am so happy!”
~~~
Two days later, Avaleigh had just poured the creamer in her coffee and taken her first sip in the hazy early morning light before the sun had completely risen.
Before she’d even poured Daniel’s cup, a soft tap on the front door had her looking in that direction.
Keeping her coffee in hand, she started that way.
“I’ve got it,” Avaleigh called out when she heard the comforter and sheets on the bed rustling as Daniel prepared to get up.
Daniel had been still lying in bed taking a few extra minutes to lounge around, but was already on his way to the door. “Let me get it.”
Avaleigh recognized the protective instinct roared to life in her mate and without a second thought, let him take the lead.
Daniel looked through the peephole, then shot her a look that said ‘no worries’, before unlocking and opening the door.
Remi stood there, disheveled, dirty, exhausted, ashamed. He lifted his head just enough to look at his parents, but came just shy of looking either of them in the eye. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Daniel stepped into the threshold of his front door and curved a hand around the back of Remi’s neck, pulling him into an embrace. “I love you,” Daniel said softly. “We both do.”
Remi nodded, but didn’t answer. He was struggling to stop the trembling of his lips, the tears dampening his lashes, though he fought valiantly to keep them inside.
“Come on. Let’s sit for a while,” Daniel said, guiding him fully through the door and closing it behind him.
Avaleigh went to her son, holding him to her with one hand, trying not to spill the coffee in the other.
Remi grabbed her and leaned over, burying his head against her neck. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’m so sorry,” he said, as tears began to flow more freely.
Daniel took her cup from her hand so she could hug Remi tightly.
It took a good five or six minutes before Remi finally got ahold of himself, and stood back from Avaleigh, taking deep, calming breaths as he used the bottom of his shirt to dry his eyes.
“I’ve really made a mess of things,” Remi said.
“You have. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be fixed,” Daniel said.
Avaleigh walked over and sat down on one end of the sofa.
Daniel placed a hand on Remi’s shoulder and guided him to sit beside Avaleigh, then he sat on Remi’s other side.
Remi sat there, looking down at his hands, not quite sure where to start.
“There’s a lot going on inside you. Whatever feels like it needs to be said, say it. If something feels too raw to put a voice to, don’t. We’re not going anywhere Remi — never,” Avaleigh said.
“Mom’s right. We might track you down and kick your ass, but it’s with love,” Daniel said.
Remi chuckled and shook his head ever-so-slightly. “I know. I just, there’s so much to make amends for. With you, with my clan, with yours. My behavior has embarrassed so many people that are important to me. I’ve let so many people down.”
“Can I ask what sent you over the edge?” Avaleigh asked.
“So many things, but mainly frustration, rage.”
“Rage?” Daniel asked. “At who?”
“That’s the thing. I’m not even sure anymore.
After Cristie came to find me, I spent hours thinking about all the things she said to me.
And at first I was indignant. Who the hell was she to even presume to know how I felt?
Then I realized, she was probably the only person that had a right to be there calling me on my bullshit.
I mean, yes, you’re my parents, but you’ll always lean toward forgiving my behavior.
No matter how fairly you’d make me face whatever issue I’ve created, you’d personally forgive me, because you love me unconditionally.
Brandt, not at all the right person, because I’d grown to resent him and everything he had, because I didn’t have it.
I wanted a mate, a family, a baby. A home that was haven for me and mine.
And I thought I’d found the person to build that with in Bailey.
I loved Bailey, I really did. Even now I wish her nothing but happiness.
But it makes me angry, too. I should have known she wasn’t the mate I longed for, and I think on some level, I did know.
I just wanted that so badly. I’d always thought so highly of her that I just, I don’t know, I just said, okay, she has always been drawn to me, I’ve always been drawn to her, this is it.
Let’s go for it. Then Cristie came to Havoc’s wedding, and my world fell down around me, while at the same time all the possibilities of what my world could be opened up.
I was so confused. My Dragon demanded that I grab Cristie and run, my conscience demanded loyalty to Bailey.
Then anger at myself for dragging Bailey into a situation she should never have had to struggle through. So much guilt,” he said.
“All of that is understandable,” Daniel said. “True unfortunately, but understandable.”