[Book 2] Chapter 133
Flair's
POV
I leaned into Grayson's embrace, enjoying the feel of the wind against my hair, the soft touch of his stubble against the top of my forehead, my eyes closing softly as I lost myself in the moment. The wedding had been beautiful, and momentous. I had been afraid that when lan had become disabled, he might push everybody away and when he had proceeded to do that in the first few months after the shooting, I had thought that he might never find love the way that the rest of us had. Dawn was beautiful, inside and out, but she also possessed the kind of personality that wasn't going to give lan a free pass just because he was a Grant. I knew it was because of her determination and her unwillingness to bend to his will that had gotten him back up and moving, and I couldn't be more grateful to her. Knox and lan meant everything to me. They had looked after me since I was a small child and now, all three of us were married with partners of our own. It felt surreal. Like a fairytale that was destined to never end. "Penny for your thoughts" murmured Grayson teasingly, his voice husky against my cheek.
I sighed deeply. I knew we would be going to get Hunter soon from the nanny, and knew that chaos would ensue now that our one-year-old was beginning to walk and get into everything, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Hunter Knox was a force to be reckoned with and part of me suspected he was trying to live up to his Uncle, whom he had been named after. I turned and tried to give my husband a winning smile, but he wasn't fooled in the slightest, raising an eyebrow at me.
"I was just thinking about how lucky I was," I told him truthfully, as he narrowed his eyes at me, gesturing towards the wedding party and my father and Carina "All of my family is now married with partners that they love." "It's really quite remarkable" Grayson agreed, grinning mischievously at me "but I think I might be the lucky one. I never thought that I would be so lucky as to get such a wonderful wife, let alone have a beautiful son with her." I melted. He kissed the top of my forehead. He led me onto the dance floor, taking hold of my hand and beginning to sway to the music. I glanced around and noticed that lan and Dawn were missing but wisely chose not to comment, more interested in spending time with my husband instead. Many paragraphs are missing. Read the complete book on J o=b n-l b. c (o) m. I leaned into him, still feeling the magnetic pull of his charm and the irresistible allure of his sexiness that never failed to make me desire him. Even though we had been married for over a year now, I still wanted him with a fierceness that shocked me. Neither of us got tired of the other. Even when Grayson worked long hours, he still made time for me and made both me and our son a priority. He didn't lose sight of what mattered to him. Even with all the mess of Charlotte and Karen. We had been through so much together and come out stronger on the other side. Because of him, I had learned to trust and love again. He had made me whole when I had been broken and split into pieces.
"I wish I had given you the wedding you wanted" Grayson murmured regretfully as we swayed back and forth, surprising me "It's always been a regret of mine that I never gave you that" he confessed.
"You gave me something better," I told him, blinking and gripping his hand even tighter, relishing in the tingles and the small pulses of electricity that always accompanied his touch "You gave me love and you gave me the family I always wanted," I said fighting back tears "a wedding is nothing in the grand scheme of things. What's important is that we have each other."
He sighed. "Have I ever told you how amazing and gorgeous you are?" he said gruffly as I giggled and batted my eyelashes at him.
"Only every day," I said honestly.
He never failed to tell me he loved me. For someone who had first proposed a contract marriage, we had gone a long way. He smiled down at me and I could see the love in his eyes and the affection he never held back.
I had a secret. One I had been keeping to myself. I smiled wryly knowing that this might be the perfect time to tell him. I leaned up and cupped his cheek, standing on tiptoes to press my lips against his, butterflies in my stomach. As usual, Grayson had failed to notice that I had refused alcohol, not surprising when he could be astute in the courtroom but oblivious in social settings. It had worked to my advantage. This wasn't something I had wanted him to guess. I had wanted to tell him myself. I knew he would be excited. He loved Hunter so much, how could he not be excited at the prospect of being a father to another child? I smiled to myself as we danced, feeling the comfort of my husband's arms around me, lost in the moment, oblivious to anything going on around us. "What are you thinking?" Grayson asked suddenly "You have a look on your face, as though you're trying to hold something back."
He could always read me like an open book, or maybe I wasn't good at keeping secrets, I mused. I feigned innocence, even as a wide smile spread across my face. It had been difficult keeping this to myself.
"I don't know what you mean?" I said innocently.
He grunted "Don't give me that Flair Oakes, I know for a fact that you are keeping something from me. Your face gives you away every time. You can't help yourself. Now why don't you spit out what it is, so I don't have to worry that it's something important and dangerous" he said in a low tone, even as his eyes narrowed and he paused in our dancing, forcing me to still.
"It's nothing dangerous" I scoffed, inwardly laughing.
Now that Karen was dead, we no longer had to look over our shoulders. We had nothing to fear. Our lives were our own again. The future was bright. Brighter than ever. Grayson's law firm was taking off, and he had more cases than he knew what to do with, but even then he steadfastly stuck to his morals, which I admired him for. I was still busy designing and taking care of my businesses but I had hired more staff, wanting to spend quality time with Hunter and not able to keep up with the workload like I once had been. Rachel had felt the same way, fortunately, having had her child too. I sighed and looked at my husband underneath my eyelashes.
"Okay," I said teasingly as he frowned "Maybe I have something to tell you, but it's good news," I said.
He c****d his head "Is it your designs? I know you were working on a new concept. You were discussing doing a maternity line with Rachel in regards to the wedding dresses and then expanding into practical businesswear for women" he said.
Bless the man, he had paid attention to what Rachel and I had been discussing and planning. I shook my head, my smile growing wider. "I appreciate that you listened but that's not it" I teased further.
"Woman" he growled impatiently, "you're driving me crazy. What is this so-called news?" he demanded, looking frustrated "You know how I get worried about you."
I laughed in spite of myself, and then carefully and ever so deliberately placed a hand on my stomach, raising my eyes to meet his as realization dawned and his own eyes widened in shock. For a moment he was speechless, looking into my eyes as though wanting to confirm it as I gave a subtle wink.
"Do you mean..." he trailed off, looking stunned "Do you mean to tell me you're pregnant?" he asked in a hushed voice.
My eyes were bright as I slowly nodded. For a moment Grayson was speechless, his mouth opening and closing. I waited. Sure enough, he gathered his composure and rushed at me, lifting me high into the air and whirling me around, while I fought back the nausea, a wide grin on his face and excitement palpable in the air.
"I'm going to be a father again" he crowed, unable to hold back, gently placing me back on the ground and kissing me possessively as I panted, gasping for air as he pulled back "I can't believe it, do you have any idea how happy you've made me?"
I giggled as he put a hand on my stomach, looking awed. "I have a feeling," I said as he ran a hand through his hair, looking a little disheveled.
He looked towards the rest of the group "I'm going to be a father again" he yelled, and my father and Carina were the first to come and congratulate us before Knox and Lorelai joined us and shook our hands.
Dawn and lan were nowhere to be seen still. I suspected I knew the reason why. "I'll tell them later," I said giggling. Grayson still looked like he was about to jump for joy. I laid a hand on his arm "Honey, calm down. We have plenty of time before the baby is born" I advised him.
He relaxed and then wrapped his arms around me, resting his head on top of mine. "I just want to hold you for a minute" he murmured, "and tell you again how much I love you and how I'm going to love you for the rest of our lives together" he promised, his voice thick with emotion.
I could feel my own eyes beginning to well with tears. This man meant everything to me. He'd changed my life and turned it upside down, given me love when I needed it the most, and was undeniably the other half of my soul. I could feel my voice breaking as I whispered back, "I love you Grayson Oakes, for now, for tomorrow, and for the rest of our days" the sincerity dripping from my voice.
Whatever it took, we would face the future together, as the couple we were, because when you loved each other as we did, there was nothing you couldn't do and nothing you couldn't face. I laced my fingers in his hand, glanced towards the mansion where our son was currently being watched over, and smiled. My life had come full circle and there was nothing I would change Nothing.
"Let's go get Hunter" I whispered, wanting to feel my child in my arms "and tell lan the news."
We headed towards the mansion, neither of us letting go of the other's hand, our gaze only for each other, and the love I knew would never fade but grow stronger in the years to come. I had found the elusive true love that had always been missing from my life, and I was never going to let it go this time.
Cat Smith
Writing this book has been an emotional rollercoaster. It's the first book I have written that has not been werewolf genre and my first ever billionaire romance! I have loved every minute of writing it and sadly, there are only a few chapters or epilogues to go and the story will be wrapped up. I hope that you have enjoyed the story as much as I have writing it and want to thank everybody who has read this book and continued to comment and encourage me to continue it. It means so much to me.