Page 266

Emery snuggled even closer, no doubt, feeling the significance of it, too.
“Guess I didn’t have afingto be worried about.” Maci shrugged one of her adorable shoulders.
Amused affection pulled through my being, and I pressed a kiss to her temple. “No, Angel Face, you don’t have a thing to be worried about.”
I would fight with everything I had for that. For her to be able to live a life that wasn’t riddled with the types of fears that no child should face.
Give her a life that wasn’t wrought with injustices and wrongs and abuse.
No, I knew I couldn’t protect her from everything. I knew she needed to experience some hardships and obstacles.
They’d make her strong and wise.
Discerning.
But I’d be right at her side to help her see them through.
But for the rest? The monsters that lurked? They’d meet with my wrath first.
“That’s ’cause I goteveryfingI need.” Maci gave a resolute nod.
“Well, you got me and you’re always gonna have me,” Nolan told her in his sweet little drawl.
Could feel the love that rolled through the entire circle as everyone watched down on these kids who had us enchanted.
Theo and Cash chuckled a bit, and River and Charleigh smiled softly where they were snuggled under a blanket together on the other side of Nolan.
From where Raven sat on Otto’s lap on a folding chair across the fire, I could see the flames dance in her dark gaze as she watched down on them.
Otto squeezed her a little tighter, the two of them obviously dreaming about the day their little one was going to join Maci and Nolan.
“That’s because I had to come here to find my daddy and my aunties and my uncles and my most very best friend,” Maci prattled.
My arm tightened around her waist, and I simply breathed in her sweetness. “And I am so glad you found me,” I murmured before I shifted to gaze at Emery through the babbling night.
“So glad you found me.” It came out rougher that time as I stared at my woman, and Emery bit down on her bottom lip, toffee eyes full of so much emotion the sight of them hit me like a freight train. The amount of love that slammed me every time I looked at her stunning face.
“I’m so glad we found you, too,” she whispered.
Charleigh tipped her face toward the serene calm of the heavens and exhaled a contented breath. “I really do think this place draws us to it. Guides us where we’re supposed to be.”
Emery peered over at me, so much joy in her expression I could feel it spilling into me. “I do, too.”
“Daddy! I got a fire!” Maci suddenly shrieked.
“Uh-oh, that’s bad. Real, real bad.” Nolan sadly shook his head.
“Ah, crap,” I rushed, a bit of laughter riding up my throat as I saw the orb of fire that had become Maci’s marshmallow.
It flamed and charred before it fully melted off the tip of the rod and plopped into the flames.
“Oh, no!” Maci cried, close to distraught.
“It’s okay, sweetheart, we have plenty more. Maybe this time your dad will pay attention and stop being so distracted.” Theo sent me a razzing look as he tossed me the bag of marshmallows from the ground next to him.
“Hey, what can I say? I can’t help myself.” I turned my words to Maci. “I got distracted looking at how pretty your auntie is, and I missed the perfect moment.”
“That’s ’cause you lovie doves don’t never stop kissin’.” She huffed like the fact put her out.