“Willa,” I whispered, or maybe growled.
She brought her legs up and wrapped them around my body as she guided me inside of her. The feeling of no barrier between us was like heaven, and I thanked God Willa had told me to forgo the condoms a few weeks ago, since she was on the pill. My body inside of hers was the most magical thing I had ever experienced in my entire life. When I was with Willa, especially when we made love, I forgot everything and everyone else.
“I love you so much,” I said as I slowly moved in and out of her.
Her reply was soft and almost whispered as she held on to me. “Oh, Aiden. I love you. I love you…I love you.”
Willa buried her face in my neck and cried out with her release. I followed almost immediately, spilling myself into her, and for a moment wishing like the devil that she would get pregnant with my child. With our child.
Withdrawing from her, I kissed her once more before I went and cleaned up. “I’ll be right back with a washcloth, don’t move.”
She let out a contented sigh. “I’ll be right here waiting.”
I returned with a warm washcloth and cleaned her up before I crawled back into bed with her. I lazily moved my fingers up and down her arm as she did the same over my chest. “How much did you hear?”
I felt her smile as she answered. “Enough to know my son is lucky to have you in his life.”
“Did you hear him say Mama?” I asked as I smiled at the recent memory.
She moved her body and rested her chin on the back of her hand, which lay across my chest. “I did. That’s when I broke down, and I’m surprised you didn’t hear me out there sobbing like a small child.”
“I want to ask you the right way, Willa. With flowers and music and all the romance.”
Her eyes sparkled as she watched me for a few seconds. “I don’t need flowers and romance. I don’t even need you to drop down on one knee and give me a ring. You, Aiden O’Hara, you are all I need. You’re all I want. All I’ve ever wanted. In the good times, the bad times, and all of the in between, I want us to stand together. We’ve both crossed over bridges we’ve burned; we have scars that won’t ever go away. Fate has brought us back together, and I have no intention of ever letting you go. Not ever.”
I laced her fingers in mine and stared into those soft blue eyes of hers. “The journey is going to be crazy. You taking over the orchard, me taking over Granddad’s business, as well as starting a new one. Not to mention my own internal battles.”
Willa moved to sit up, so I did the same. She reached over the bed and grabbed her robe, wrapping it around herself as she sat and faced me. “Let’s get married.”
I smiled. “Excuse me, but are you trying to ask me first, Ms. Turner?”
She nodded. “Yes. I am. Let’s get married.”
“When?” I asked as I felt my heartbeat speed up.
“New Year’s Eve. Let’s just go for it! Everyone will think we’re crazy, but I don’t want to wait, Aiden. Not a moment more. I want to be yours officially.”
I placed my hand on the side of her face. “You are mine, Willa.”
She shook her head as she covered my hand with hers. “No, I want to be Mrs. Aiden O’Hara. I want our crazy lives officially tangled together. I want you to be a father to Ben.”
The back of my eyes stung, and I fought the urge to let my tears fall free. “Do you think Brian would let me adopt him?”
She exhaled and said, “Honestly, yes. He doesn’t seem to want to have anything to do with Ben. I’ll talk to Bree about it if you’re serious and you want to adopt him.”
“I’m dead serious. I’d like for him to have my name.”
A wide smile appeared on her face. “I’d like that too.”
I pushed Willa back onto the bed, and she let out a shocked cry of laughter. Crawling on top of her, I took both her hands in mine and placed them over her head. “I want all of that too—you, Ben, marriage. All of it. More than you’ll ever know.”
“Then is that a yes, Mr. O’Hara? Will you marry me on New Year’s Eve?”
Bending down, I pressed my mouth to hers. The kiss was slow and sweet, our tongues barely touching before I leaned my forehead against hers. With our eyes locked, I answered her. “Yes, I’ll marry you on New Year’s Eve.”
Willa
The sound of voices rang out in my folks’ house as I made my way back to the kitchen. Sitting at the island was Hunter, Lacy, and Connor. Lilly sat in her booster seat at the table. Ben let out a delighted laugh when he saw his cousin and fought for me to let him down. I quickly made my way to his high chair, which my mother was already moving over next to Lilly.