“Funny — she’s onlymydaughter when she’s causing problems. She’syourdaughter when she’s successfully taking her first steps across the patio three weeks ahead of schedule.”
“Ourdaughter,” I compromise, stretching lazily across my husband’s chest, where I’ve spent the past hour sprawled. “Though, with those blue eyes of hers, she’s your spitting image.”
“Are you complaining?” Said blue eyes narrow at me.
“Not at all. Though I have a feelingyouwill be in about… oh, fifteen years or so.”
Carter groans. “We still have dungeons, don’t we?”
“I believe so.”
“Perfect. We’ll throw all her prospective boyfriends in there when they come to pick her up for dates. Problem solved.”
I snort. “Great plan. That’ll work.”
“What time do we have to be downstairs?”
“The ceremony starts at noon.”
Carter grins. “Can’t believe Riggs finally convinced Galizia to marry him.”
“Only took half a decade… And an iron-clad agreement thathe’sthe one staying home to raise the kids while she leads the Queen’s Guard as our new Commander.” I giggle. “Frankly, I’m not sure who’s happier with the arrangement.”
“A commando fairy tale,” Carter murmurs. “Is Chloe coming?”
“I think so. She’s been so busy lately, I feel like we haven’t seen her in ages.”
“Sponsoring someone new?”
I nod. “Isn’t she always? Plus, Parliament just passed her new pharmaceutical reform bill. Getting drugs off Germanian streets is a full time endeavor. Minister Thorne isfartoo important for us now, haven’t you heard?”
“True. If not for her auntly duties, I doubt she’d step foot in the castle.”
I smile happily. “Then I suppose we’ll be seeing more of her soon…”
Carter’s grin is so warm, it makes my bones melt.
“Princess Nina!” Outside, the nanny sounds like she’s about to lose her mind. “That is aworm! Worms arenotto be eaten!”
“Should we go investigate?” I ask, arching my brows.
“In a bit.” He trails a slow finger along my spine. “I think we have at least fifteen more minutes before this one quits.”
“Like I said —yourdaughter.”
With a wolfish smile, Carter flips me over onto my back and pins me against the mattress. He hovers over me, careful not to put any weight on my swollen stomach.
“I think this one is a boy,” he murmurs, planting a kiss just above my bellybutton. “I can feel it.”
“And if it’s another girl?”
He scowls. “Then we’ll have to build more dungeons.”
I giggle and pull him down into a kiss. Growling playfully, he returns it — but his lips soon replace all traces of laughter with burning lust.
As Carter’s hands move down my body, hitting all my favorite spots with expert precision, I marvel at the wonder that is my life.
My glorious life, with my glorious man.