Aidan and I spend a good amount of time talking. He’s already head over heels in love with Aarabelle. She delivers him toys as she shares her half-eaten cookies. He never blinks an eye, just takes a bite and asks if he can have her call him Seanathair, which means “grandfather” in Gaelic.

Of course, this will take a long time to teach her, but it means a lot to him. It also will help cause less confusion for the new baby as well. It gives the men the same name for both children.

“Okay, I’m going to eat the damn cake myself if we don’t get to it now,” Liam says and claps his hands.

Everyone laughs as Reanell glares at him. “One call and I’ll have your ass back on a plane,” she toys with him.

“That is, of course, if Commander’s wife says it’s okay to cut the cake.”

We all laugh at Liam’s quick rephrasing, and Rea smiles.

“Let’s go find out what the bun in the oven is.”

We head over to the table where there are two small egg shaped cakes. Both white, and once we cut them open, we’ll know.

“Okay, the way this works is only one of you cuts the cake and the other announces the sex,” Rea explains.

“Why are there two?” I ask.

“Maybe there are two babies,” she jokes. Or at least she better be joking.

“Not even funny.”

Rea smiles, “I got two because the one wouldn’t feed this herd. Let’s be real here, Mark could eat that cake on his own.”

Mark scoffs, “I’m not the one named Muffin Top. Let us not forget who’s the fat kid with the cake here.”

“Funny,” Jackson replies, and we all bust out laughing.

“Liam, why don’t you cut the egg, and Lee can let us know what it is!” She bounces with excitement.

Liam’s eyes focus on the cake as he grabs the knife. He places it down, my eyes look to him in confusion before hands grip my face, and he presses his lips to mine. You can hear the group laugh and make teasing noises, but all I focus on is him.

He pulls back and stares for a beat. “I love you and right now . . . I’m just happy.”

“Me too. You make me this way.”

We both smile at each other and Liam starts to look around the room. “Aara?” he calls out.

Within seconds, she’s running across the room toward us.

“There you are. Wanna see if you’re going to have a sister or brother?” She starts to reach for the cake. “Or better let’s have some cake.”

Liam inclines, and I think he’s going for the knife instead he sticks Aarabelle’s hand in the cake.

“Liam!” I start to complain, but then when her hand comes out, we both just look at each other and smile.

“A boy?” Liam and I both start laughing. Which only increases as Aarabelle presses her now blue hand on Liam’s face.

“Well,” his eyes shine bright. “We were both wrong.”

“It’s going to be a boy!” I yell out as everyone claps.

Aarabelle goes back for more of the cake, which is now everywhere. Liam’s face is covered in frosting and cake. He dips his finger down while I warn him with my eyes.

“Don’t do it.”

“But we should match.”

“Liam Dempsey, you do it, and so help you God . . .”

“You wouldn’t want to make me blue.”

“Something else is going to be blue.”

Liam leans forward and lifts Aara between us and she gets me straight on the nose. Her hands glide down my face as she smears it everywhere. We all laugh, and I can’t help but feel as if the sun is shining down upon us.

We clean up and everyone comes over to talk to us. Liam reaches around and grabs my hand. Sometimes out of nowhere he’ll do this. It’s as if he needs to ground himself and I’m that for him. I love that through our touch he can feel like home.

I head into the kitchen and start to put away some of the dirty dishes. I look out the window at the ocean and smile. Arms come around my stomach, and I settle back against him. He holds me against his chest, and I rest my head on his shoulder.

“I just talked to Quinn,” Liam grumbles softly.

“I’m sorry,” I joke.

“He gave me the keys to the house in Corolla. I can call a priest and we can go next weekend. What do you say?”

I put the plate down and shut the water off. Liam moves back so I can turn and face him. Immediately his arms find their way around me again. I wrap mine around his neck and look into the eyes of the man I love. “This weekend?”

“I don’t need anything but you and Aarabelle. Quinn said he’d stand in for me and I’m sure Reanell will. Jackson and Catherine are here . . . it’s your call, sweetheart.”

If it were any other man, I don’t know that I could so soon. If it were any other SEAL, I wouldn’t be able to. But this is Liam. While we didn’t find each other in the most conventional way, we found each other when we needed to. He’s truly my other half.

“Looks like you’re about to get hitched, Dreamboat.”

“I’m going to make you the happiest woman in the world.”

My fingers glide across to the scruff that’s trimmed again. His strong jawline and dark brown hair scratch against my skin. “You made me fall in love with you and then you gave me a child. You loved me even when I was a mess. I think you’ve fulfilled that promise.”

Liam’s lifts me gently and lowers himself. Our lips meet and I sigh. His tongue enters my mouth and pushes against mine slowly. Each slide against each other makes my body warm. I feel his fingers glide down my back as he cups my ass. Using the counter behind me he raises me up so I’m sitting. My legs naturally wrap around his waist and he continues to plunge into my mouth.

My fingers grip his hair, holding him against me, but he’s just as urgent. Even though there’s a house full of people, I can’t push him away. I hold him close and I mold to him.

“Seriously, get a room,” Reanell enters the kitchen.

I wipe my mouth and the tingle and swelling of my lips is torture. I want more.

“So,” I say nonchalantly. “I’m getting married next weekend. Would you like to be my matron of honor?”

“Only if you don’t call it matron. Makes me feel old.”

“You are old.”

“Whatever. You’re pregnant.”

“You’re quick. So . . . will you?” I ask trying not to laugh.

Reanell rushes over and pushes Liam out of the way. She wraps her arms around me and rocks back and forth. “I would love to. You know I can’t say no to you.”

Mark walks in carrying a bunch of trash. “So the party is in here?”

Liam looks over with the biggest smile and I give him one right back. “Next weekend,” Liam says. “We’re getting married.”

“You can’t,” Mark says deadpan.

“Why the hell not?” I ask.

“Because you’re my wife and that’s my baby. This is some Jerry Springer shit up in here.”

Liam pushes his chest. “The wedding will be in Corolla, fuckstick.” He laughs and walks out of the kitchen.

Mark heads over. “I’m happy for you, Lee. I don’t know if I’ll make it and I hope you understand. It’s not choosing . . . it’s just that if it were me . . .” he trails off and it clicks that he’s talking about Aaron. “I wouldn’t want to be alone.”