by Leigh, Elisa
I smile, only remembering small pieces of my dream at this point. “It was a good dream, but real you is always better.”
He starts tickling me, but it’s short-lived when I hear our daughter Rosie crying through the baby monitor. I stand to go grab her, but Hunter stops me. “I’ll get her, take your time. Get a shower if you want one.”
“Are you sure? You just got home from work.”
“I’m sure. We’ll go and join Thor and Tony while they watch their cartoons.”
Standing on my tiptoes, I reach up for a kiss. Hunter leans down, giving me a kiss that leaves me wanting more. I’m tempted to pull him into the shower with me when I hear Rosie crying again.
Hunter kisses me on my forehead then turns and pulls on some basketball shorts and a t-shirt and leaves our bedroom.
I take a quick shower, not wanting to take advantage of the break. I wash up and change into some capri leggings and tank top. When I go out to the living room, Thor, who is seven, and Tony, who just turned six, are sitting in the living room at the coffee table eating cereal. Hunter is feeding our six-month-old, Rosie, a bottle. Arya, my sweet Arya is lying on the ground between the boys waiting for them to drop food.
After my short stay in the hospital, Hunter took me home, and I cried because Arya wasn’t there. I knew she wasn’t going to be there, but the empty house just drove it home. She fought for her life for two weeks as she healed from the gunshot wound. Once she was finally better, she was more protective of me and I of her. She was my first baby, and I still feel guilty, yet grateful for what she did to save my life. Without her, who knows what would have happened.
I go to the kitchen and make myself a cup of coffee and look at the pictures on the refrigerator. There are so many memories that we’ve made. Every single one is a blessing that we don’t take for granted.
When my coffee is made, I go sit beside Hunter on the couch who looks ready to fall asleep. At least he’s off for the next five days. “Want me to take her?”
He smiles at me and shakes his head no. “Not yet.”
We sit watching the kids, Rosie still sucking on her bottle and the boys laughing at the cartoon they’ve got on. I swear these things are getting better than they used to be.
I continued working at the Emergency Call Center until I was ready to give birth to Thor. After my maternity leave was up, I had a hard time leaving him to go to work. I would never get those days with him back, so I quit. It was a hard decision for me to make, but one I don’t regret. I get to take care of my family, and that’s the best job I’ve ever had.
Right after Tony was born, Hunter’s parents caved and came back to town. They had already missed Thor as a baby and they wanted to meet him and baby Tony. Once they met Thor in person and held Tony, they knew they needed to come back. With everyone in prison, they decided to risk the consequences, like Hunter had, and moved back to Emerald Isle to be closer to their family.
Rosie finishes her bottle and I set my coffee down before Hunter hands her to me to burp. He swears he doesn’t have the magic touch. I rub my daughters back, loving every second of getting to hold her in my arms. After a few minutes of patting her back, she burps and smiles up at me. She’s got strawberry blonde hair, pretty blue eyes, and is the most beautiful baby girl I’ve ever seen. We thought Tony would be our last because the delivery was very complicated. The doctor even told us it would be hard to get pregnant after that. Five years later, we were surprised by Rosie, my tiny warrior. The pregnancy wasn’t easy, and after I had her, I chose to get my tubes tied.
Our story wasn’t predictable, but it’s ours. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I’m married to my best friend, who just keeps getting more handsome as the years pass. He never forgets to tell me how beautiful I am each and every day. Hunter says he’s lucky, but I know I’m the lucky one. He gave me everything in my life that matters, and I could never thank him enough.
The End
Keep a look out for Andi and Keenan McManus’ book.
It is next in the series.
Acknowledgments
Jeb - Thank you for supporting my dreams and always encouraging me to keep going.
Claire - Thank you so much for all of your help with this book.
MK - Thank you for reading His Curvy Woman and your suggestions.
Merin - Thank you for your positive support and friendship.
Amazing Beta Readers - Ashley, Jennie, Jenny, Lola, Shelly, and Stephanie you women are so amazing! Thank you for your thoughtful suggestions and sticking with me through this book. I can’t wait to continue working with you on the books I have coming up.
ARC readers, thank you for reading and reviewing His Curvy Woman. I hope you loved it as much as I loved writing Hunter and Whitley’s story.
If you loved this book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon, Bookbub, and or Goodreads.
About the Author
ELISA LEIGH
Author of the Panthera Security series, the Steel Daggers MC series and the Daddy Knows Best series, Elisa Leigh writes steamy love stories about men who know exactly what they want from their lady love, that being everything and forever.
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Also by Elisa Leigh
Panthera Security
Finally, Our Forever
Keeping Our Forever
Fighting Our Forever
Book 4 Cash Owens - coming soon
Book 5 Adam Kingston - coming soon
Steel Daggers MC
PRES
ROCK
RASH & JESTER
PRINCE
TRITON
CARTER - coming soon
Holding On
Holding Onto Kinsley
Holding Onto Becca - coming soon
Kennison Ranch
Roped Into Love
Lassoing Her Heart - coming soon
Daddy Knows Best co-written with MK Moore
Daddy Captain
Daddy Lawyer - coming soon
Black Hills Shifters written with M.Merin
Cole’s Salvation
Slate’s Surrender (M. Merin)
Ruby’s Strength
Gabe’s Destiny (M. Merin)
The Lions will be getting their books soon.
Clearwater Curves Novella Series
(Created with M.K. Moore, C.M. Steele, and KL Fast)
Sweet Curves
Forever Safe Romance Series
Loving Summer Co-Written with MK Moore
Sweet Love
Falling on the Fourth
Red, White, & Mine - Book 3