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We clung to each other as I nuzzled my face into his neck, breathing in the scent of him. My knees were sore from the marble, and it suddenly occurred to me I might need to shop.
“I need to buy some thick rugs to put in here.” My husband grinned, then pulled me in for a kiss. He didn’t care, and neither did I. All that mattered was we were together.
After we’d cleaned up, Austin wandered into the closet. “Will there be room in here for my clothes?”
I looked over at the hanging space and at least a dozen empty shelves. “If you need more space than this, we might need to have it re-done.”
Walking to the island of drawers in the middle of the room, I pulled open three drawers that were completely empty. “These are empty, as are all the drawers on the other side. And if that’s not enough room, you’ll need to have a yard sale.”
Austin smiled and pulled me against him. “Have you ever had a yard sale?”
I bit my bottom lip and feigned thinking. “I can’t say I have.”
“I like clothes, but I’m not a hoarder like GQ. That guy has more than anyone I’ve ever seen. Well, except for maybe Marcus Monroe. To hear Aidan talk, he needs more than a closet for all his clothes.”
I laughed. “That’s good to know. Come on, let me show you the rest of the house.”
Taking him by the hand, we walked back through the central hallway, and I pointed out the guest rooms that overlooked the river and city. “And as you saw, my office also overlooks the stadium.”
“Of course it does,” he teased. “That’s a requirement, right?”
I looked over my shoulder at him. “No, smartass. It’s just a perk for me.”
“Is this why you didn’t buy a house?”
Heading for the kitchen, I opened the fridge and took out two Portland IPAs. I popped off each bottle cap and handed him one. I looked at the bottle, then at him. “This was what I needed at the time. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. But it didn’t say family home to me. It was a luxury home for one. And honestly, it’s too much. I didn’t think I’d be lonely here, but I was wrong.”
Austin looked at me with sadness in his gaze before pulling me to the sofa. The inky black sky and stars were bordered by all the myriads of city lights and provided our view as I settled beside him. “You’ll never be lonely again, babe. I’ll be right here by your side.” He took a swallow of his beer as I watched his sexy throat, then set his bottle down. “This place is great for now. But if we decide to have kids, we’re going to need a pool and a yard. I want a neighborhood where they can ride their bikes and play with friends. I want to grill out on holidays and invite our friends over. I want a life with you like Simon and Jackson have.”
I smiled at him. “You really want kids, don’t you?”
“You don’t? It’s okay if that’s not something you’re interested in doing again.”
Shifting on the sofa, I leaned forward and put my beer on the coffee table. “Austin, it was terrible when the baby died, and I still have a lot of guilt. But that doesn’t mean that we should stop living. So spell it all out for me. Tell me what you see for our future, because as long as we’re together, I’ll do anything.”
“But do you want kids? I know you, Greer. You’ll go along with whatever I want to do. You’re a ‘yes’ man.”
I laughed. “Okay, you’re right. But come on. Spell it out. Explain to me what’s changed for you.”
He nodded. “Costa Rica changed me. Our eight-hour conversation changed everything. My entire worldview is different now. My parents were too busy with their own lives when I came along, and I never wanted to do that to a kid. But now, I see things a little differently. Neither of us has to do anything, and I guess I have my parents to thank for that. But I want the life I’ve always wanted with you. I want us to walk our daughter down the aisle one day, and I want to watch our son do whatever he wants to do that makes him happy.”
My eyes were filling with tears at the beautiful picture he painted. “You’re talking about years that I may not have.”
His brows drew together as anger clouded his gaze. “Why do you keep doing that? Don’t start that age shit with me, Greer. You’re fifty-eight, not seventy-eight. If you don’t want that life, then just say so. It’s fine.”
He got up and picked up his beer. Finishing it, he placed the bottle in the sink. Panic flooded me, because I just knew he was going to leave. But he didn’t.
Austin came back and sat on the coffee table in front of me. He reached out and took my hands, then brought them to his lips. When he looked at me, the anger had passed. His look now held one of adoration.
“We can have whatever we want, and there is more to life than security firms and football teams. All I want is for us to pass along this deep love we feel for each other to another little human, because we have a love that should be replicated, not end with our story.”
Leaning forward, I cupped his handsome face and kissed him. “I’m sorry,” I whispered to him. “I’m not saying no. I just need some time to wrap my head around it.”
Austin nodded. “Yeah, okay.”
I needed to lighten the mood. “Besides, we’ve only been married for a week. We haven’t even told anyone other than Dreamboat.”
His grin and chuckle made me smile. “Don’t worry. By tomorrow, everyone in Portland will know.”
