Chapter 67 Aria, My Piece of Forever
POV Scarlett:
So he’s grateful?
“It was no trouble at all.” Her eyes travel from Damian to me, and every second of it irritates me. “I need to go. Will you walk me to the car?”
Five, I take a deep breath.
Four, I look Damian in the eyes, daring him to go.
Three, would I collapse to the floor if I tried to stand?
Two, Ethan’s hands massage my shoulders.
One, I open a smile—a beautiful and wicked smile.
“That won’t be possible, Madison. It is Madison, right?” My voice drips with sarcasm, and I do my best not to stutter. “You can’t imagine how hard we’re restraining ourselves from ripping our clothes off and fucking right here.” Her eyes nearly pop out of their sockets, while Ethan’s hands falter on my shoulder, squeezing harder. “You… uh… would you mind going to your car by yourself?” I ask, reaching out to touch Damian’s abdomen, which makes him take a step back
“She’s joking,” Damian laughs nervously, and that irritates me even more.
“Aren’t you, Scarlett?”
“I don’t know. Let’s find out when you want to touch me—and I don’t… let you.”
I didn’t look back at Damian, much less at that woman. I gently touched Ethan’s hands, asking in code for us to go inside. I want to meet my daughter, and I won’t waste my time getting irritated. I passed by the two of them, shooting both with my gaze. So he forgot his wallet? At the hotel? With her? Interesting. This whole story is very interesting. I’m not jealous of that asshole, and I hope he knows that; I just didn’t like the way that woman looked at him.
If there’s one thing I’m not, it’s jealous…
Because if I were… well, Damian would be very screwed.
...
Aria is perfect. Her rosy little face looking at me with curiosity fills my eyes with tears. With Ethan’s help, I sat her on my lap facing me, and everything around me loses importance far too quickly. With my forehead pressed to Aria’s, I contemplate instant love, pure love, unconditional love. If I had any doubt about diving headfirst into a relationship that is still all confusing to me, having this little piece of me in my lap makes me know I couldn’t have made a better choice.
I breathe in her scent, imagining everything I lost, but hopeful for everything I will live by her side. I open my eyes and, as if in slow motion, Aria’s eyes focus on my face. Her eyes are identical to mine, her hair as dark as night, falling to her shoulders. Aria is wearing a beautiful dress, and my silly heart is fascinated by the one-year-and-four-month-old girl in my arms.
“You are beautiful.” I smile, enchanted. I kiss her nose, hugging her once more. I never want to let her go again.
“Aria is definitely a copy of you.” The woman’s voice in the corner of the living room draws our attention—especially Aria’s, who starts calling for her, wanting to go to her. “Come, my girl, come to Grandma.” Aria asks to be put down, and it doesn’t take long before she’s in her grandmother’s arms.
“My mother helped us a lot. We hardly knew what milk to buy,” Ethan whispers in my ear. “And you don’t even want to know the war we fought over the first diaper change... Spoiler: Damian got himself dirty.” I let out a laugh, imagining the scene.
“I wish I had enjoyed every minute with Aria, but I’m happy and relieved to know that... she had you.” I’m honest. I can’t keep thinking about what I lost, and I don’t want to. I just want to think ahead.
“Just like you, Scarlett. We had you every minute,” Noah says, and my heart beats faster.
“And I hope to keep having you.” I blink, flirting shamelessly. Of course I took advantage of his mother being distracted with Aria.
“Don’t tease,” Ethan asked, and I shivered, because his voice sounded more like an order than a request.
“Don’t tempt me,” I replied, biting my lower lip.
I turned my attention back to my daughter, and soon she was sitting in my lap again. I started a conversation about dolls, which she answered in monosyllables, but it was enough for us to begin creating our mother-and-daughter bond. I didn’t introduce myself as her mother—not yet. I still don’t think it’s the moment. I want her to get used to me first. I want Aria to see me as a maternal figure in her own time—only in her time.