Beau
“Hey, have you seen my hat? I can’t find it anywhere?”
I knew my voice carried up the stairs, but Birdie didn’t answer.
“Ugh!” A frustrated grunt reached my ears the second my foot hit the hallway landing.
The package in my hand crinkled, and suddenly I had a pit in the bottom of my stomach.
I probably should have taken her dress out of the damn shipping bag.
At least tossed it out on the line or in the dryer to get any wrinkles out. Fuck. How the hell did I mess this up?
“Hey, are you okay up here?” I asked as I walked into the bedroom, fully planning on dipping into the closet to grab a hanger before she could see me.
“No!” On second thought…her response had me moving at the speed of light.
My jaw dropped as I came around the corner, catching Birdie standing in front of the bathroom mirror in my favorite dress of hers.
It was light green with little wildflowers all over it.
The design cinched at her waist and flared out down to the floor.
I almost couldn’t tell she was still wearing her ankle brace.
Her hair was down, messy and free, and my heart stumbled around in my chest as slivers of sunlight illuminated her from the bedroom window.
Why had I thought getting her a dress to match Juniper was a good idea?
“Beau! Are you listening?”
Shit. She was snapping at me. “Sorry.” I chucked the package over my shoulder, closed my eyes and took a deep breath, begging my dick to behave. “What’s the matter? You look amazing.”
She clicked her tongue at me, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek not to laugh.
“I need to be downstairs, and I’m running behind on getting everything packed up to go to your brother’s house!
I need to take the cake out of the fridge and make sure it looks okay after last night.
I’m pretty sure I was half delirious when I finished it and you were just trying to get me to bed—”
“Damn straight, I was.” I stepped up behind her, slipping my fingers through her hair and pulling it up off her neck. Leaning in, I blew my breath across her overheated skin. “Take a deep breath, Chickadee. Everything will be perfect.”
“I’m sure your family is already over there, and I can’t even finish my makeup because my stupid wrist aches and is making everything impossible,” she whispered. “I just want today to be perfect for you and Juniper.”
“Well, first of all, she’s five months old. She’ll be thrilled if you hold her and give her a bottle. And don’t stress about it not being the perfect day for me. Both my girls are here, that’s all I need.”
“That’s not all you need. That’s the bare minimum. And I’m not letting you or Juniper accept that. Today will be perfect. I’ll get a million pictures of you and her together. We’ll fill her baby book up in one go!”
“Her baby book?”
“Oh, I wasn’t going to tell you until you opened it! That’s the present I got for her today.” Birdie’s eyes fluttered shut. “Sorry I ruined the surprise.”
“No surprises were ruined. That’s a really sweet gift. Thank you.” My lips pressed against that little hollow in her neck right next to her collarbone that I loved.
“I did. I think I’m going to pack everything up and just send you two over. I-I…I’m too flustered.”
“You’re going with us.” I chuckled. She was so goddamn adorable. All flustered, her cheeks had this watermelon red tint to them, her freckles fading into the red like stars in the night sky.
“This isn’t funny, Beau. This is the first special celebration day for Juniper, and I’m not going to be the reason why you two don’t have the best day!”
I placed my hands on her shoulders and took an exaggerated breath, hoping she would catch on. She did, closing her eyes to cycle through a few breaths.
“You already look perfect.”
Her eyes popped open just before they dramatically rolled at me.
“I do not. My hair is a mess. This is the only dress that looks halfway decent on me today because I’m bloated, I can’t even do my make up because I have to wear this stupid brace, and it hurts trying to hold anything right now.”
“First, this dress looks incredible on you.” She tried to scoff at that, but I stared her down. “I think it’s perfect, but if you’d like another option, I did get you a little something for today.”
“You got me something? Why?”
“It’s not just my day to celebrate Juniper. It’s our day. There is no Juniper and me without you. I wouldn’t have lasted a single second into fatherhood without you there helping me these last few weeks. Do you want to see it?”
Her eyes went wide. “Yes.”
I pressed my lips to her forehead. “Good girl. Stay right here.”
Birdie’s hip rested against the sink, the heat of her eyes on my back the entire walk into the bedroom. As soon as I bent to grab the bag off the floor, I heard her giggle.
“See something you like, Chickadee?” I asked, wiggling my hips back and forth.
“You know your ass is one of your best features, Cowboy. Sue me for looking at it every chance I get.”
“Mm…if I did sue, what could I win in damages?”
“Probably not much from me. Funding Lainey’s business drained my savings. But it was worth it to see how happy she is now.”
“Hm.” I slid my hand into my back pocket, pulling out my wallet. I grabbed the credit card linked to my bank account and walked back over, sliding it under her fingers. “Take that and put it in your wallet. Use it whenever you need something.”
“Beau—”
“It wasn’t a suggestion, Birdie. You’re a kept woman now. My kept woman. And I’ll take care of anything you need.”
“I make a decent amount of money, you know. I just need to build back up my savings, that's all.”
“That money should be for fun things. Not for things you worry about like groceries, or clothes, or anything you want to get for Juniper. Keep that money safe and, hell, I don’t know, plan a vacation once a year with my sister and Vi if you want to.
Do something crazy and fun with it. But when it comes to something you need, I want to take care of it for you. ”
“I can’t take your money.”
“You’re going to be my wife. The mother to my children.
” If I thought her eyes went wide at the first declaration, they were saucers by the time I finished the second.
I tried not to chuckle as I continued. “It’s not my money, it’s our money.
And it’s yours to use for whatever you need or want.
And I mean whatever, Birdie. No questions asked. ”
She was still staring at me, I think a little too stunned to speak. I cupped her cheek. “What’s a man got to do to get a ‘yes, cowboy’ around here?”
“Yes, cowboy,” she repeated, her head shaking back and forth a little.
“You’re so fucking perfect.” I laughed, kissing the tip of her nose. “Now, are you ready to see the dress I got for you?”
“You got me a dress?” Birdie’s voice cracked.
My shoulders shrugged as my hand came up to cup the back of my neck. Why was I so goddamn nervous to show her this dress? “To match Juniper. I saw a lot of moms wearing matching outfits with their daughters when I was looking up how to throw a party for a baby.”
“I’m not her mom, though.”
“Hey. You’re not her biological mom, no.
And I know you’re going to help me keep Rosa’s memory alive for Juniper in the best way we possibly can.
But you’ve already been there for her in every way a mom naturally is.
She’s going to look to you for so much growing up.
So many things that only you can give her, not me.
That role is yours for the taking, Birdie. If you want it.”
“You see me as her mom?”
I nodded. “I see you as her mom. And one day as a mom to our son. And maybe mom to another little girl…and another little one after that.”
“How many kids do you want?” Her laughter was watery, but I could see the excitement in her eyes.
“As many as you’ll give me.”
That flush was back, only this time it didn’t just fill her cheeks. No—I watched with my breath held as it lowered across her neck and her chest. I couldn’t see much further than that, but I bet it made its way down to her belly. Fuck. My fingers were itching to take her dress off and see.
“Beau…” My name left her lips, sounding like a desperate plea.
“Can I help you into your new dress, baby?”
“Yes.”
I slipped my fingers across her hips. The fabric gathered in my fingers easily enough, bunching into the palm of my hands. Her breath was barely there as I lifted the fabric over her stomach, then her breasts, then finally her arms slipped through the little straps, and the dress was over her head.
My dick twitched as soon as my eyes landed on her chest.
“No bra?”
“You know I hate wearing them.”
“I’m not complaining.” I chuckled as I lowered my lips, licking the hard bud closest to me. Birdie’s fingers were in my hair the next second, the sweetest moan vibrating through her chest and shooting straight to my rock hard cock.
“We…can’t…”
“I know. Just a little preview of our own little celebration we’re going to have tonight.” I grazed my teeth over her nipple, loving the gasp left lingering in the air between us before my lips were on hers.
“Can I see the dress now?” she sighed.
“Your wish is my command, baby.” Ripping open the package, I said a final prayer the fabric was some of that silky stuff that didn’t wrinkle. As soon as my fingers slipped over it, I knew I was being blessed by the universe. I found the strap that would tie around her neck, and pulled it out.
Birdie’s eyes went wide. “It’s perfect. That’s almost the same pattern as Juniper’s.”
“I know. Here, I’ll help you step into it.”
I crouched down, holding the waist open so Birdie could slip her legs in. She opted to hold onto my shoulder, and I was happy to provide the support, especially when the fabric snagged on the Velcro of her ankle support.
“I can’t wait to not have to wear this stupid thing anymore,” she grumbled.
“We still have to find some role play to use it for. I’m thinking ski instructor and her southern gentleman lover are lost in the wintery tundra…”
“Oh, I like that one. Do we have any ice in the freezer? We can put some down on the bed before you get in to make it realistic.”
My fingers wiggled against her waist.
“Hey! Quit it!” she yelped.
“Shhhh. You’re going to wake the baby,” I teased. My eyes glanced over to the baby monitor Birdie had set up on the sink.
“She’s a good sleeper.”
“Yeah, she is,” I agreed. Sadly, my fingers continued moving the fabric up Birdie’s body, covering her stomach and chest, before reaching up to tie the straps around her neck.
There was a second set of ties at her breasts that wrapped around her back.
I’m not going to lie, knowing all this skin on her back would be exposed was exactly why I’d bought this style of dress.
I knew she’d look incredible in it, and I wasn’t wrong.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong?” she asked, her eyes catching mine in the mirror.
“Yeah. There’s a huge problem.”
“I can take it off if I don’t look good—”
“You look too good. That’s the problem, Chickadee. I only just got this on you, but I want to cancel the party so I can rip it off you and take you to bed.”
Her eyes rolled as she reached for one of her super fluffy makeup brushes.
“Hey. I can do your makeup,” I volunteered. Did I have any idea what the hell I needed to do? No. She looked fucking perfect already. But I also wanted her to feel her best.
“Beau—”
“Nope, I have a daughter now. It’s important that I know all about this stuff.
I mean, I’ve watched you do your makeup for years, so I think I get the gist. And I know she’ll always be able to go to you to ask for help, but I want Juniper to know she can come to me, too. Always. I never want to let her down.”
Birdie’s hands rested on my shoulder. “She will. She’s been here just a few weeks, and she already has the best bond with you. You’re a great dad.”
I took advantage of her position and slipped my hands onto her waist, lifting until she was sat on the counter. Birdie squealed, and I laughed as I picked up some pencil-looking thing I knew was either for her eyebrows, her eyes, or her lips. Christ. Maybe I was in over my head.
“Where do I start?”
“I’ve already done some tinted moisturizer, so—”
“What is that? What does it do?” I asked.
“Oh, it’s like foundation, which would even out your skin tone and maybe cover things like blemishes or freckles.”
“Never wear that,” I growled. My chest ached at the thought of her covering up her freckles. I loved every single one of them.
Her eyes went wide, and her head tipped to the side. “Why not?”
“I love your freckles. Hell, sometimes I even dream about them; memories from when we were kids and we’d run around the fields out here.
That one summer we swam at the springs every day from sun-up to sun-down?
Your freckles were out like crazy then. They’re beautiful, Chickadee.
Please don’t ever cover them up.” My finger dusted across the bridge of her nose and over her cheekbone, where so many of our memories together were painted in light brown spots over her skin.
I wasn’t lying. I loved each and every one of those cute little things.
“Okay,” she whispered, and I watched the muscles in her neck contract as she swallowed.
Fuck, being this close might have actually been a bad idea.
Because now all I could think about was kissing every inch of her body where a freckle lived, and couldn’t do a damn thing about it because my family was all downstairs.
“So, um,” I cleared my throat, “you don’t need foundation because you used tinted moisturizer. What about that brown sparkly stuff you put on your forehead.”
She nodded. “Bronzer. I can probably manage that myself. I was just…having a moment.”
“Too late. I’m here, and I promised to help. So, big fluffy brush and what? Swipe it all over this thing?”
“Yeah. Not too much, though. You can dust it on my forehead and my cheekbones.”
I swirled the brush around the compact a few times before picking the brush up and inspected the end. There was a lot of product on it.
“Too much?” I asked.
Birdie nodded. “Tap the brush onto the edge of the compact. Some will fall back, and then you’ll be good to go.”
I did just as she instructed, watching the bulk of the product fall back onto the mound I’d just picked it up from. Then I brought the brush to her face, gliding the bristles across her skin.
Her hand came up, resting on my wrist. I froze.
“Are you okay?”
Her chest heaved up and down as she nodded slowly. “I want it to be tonight.”
Blood rushed to my dick so fast I was dizzy. She couldn’t have known I already had things planned out. That I wanted it to be after we’d had a day, surrounded by people who loved us, who were cheering for us.
“I’ll see what I can do,” I answered, tapping the brush lightly against the tip of her nose.
She laughed, wild and carefree as I worked on getting the rest of her makeup on her already perfect face.