Dare to Love by Lylah James

Lila

Seven years later

I woke up with a cramp in my lower back. Rolling over onto my side, I tried to find a comfortable position, but it was almost impossible. My arm stretched out, seeking Maddox’s warmth, only to find it missing. Oh, so he was awake then.

I closed my eyes, wishing I’d fall back asleep quickly. Ten more minutes, I silently begged, Just ten more minutes. But a loud crash had me completely awake. Well, shit. It looked like no more sleep for me.

With a groan, I got off the bed. After brushing my teeth and relieving myself, I went downstairs to hunt for my husband.

I found him in our kitchen.

He wasn’t alone.

And my kitchen? Well, it was an absolute mess.

He faced me, as I walked into the kitchen, grinning. “Good morning, Mrs. Coulter.”

Something small and rowdy crashed into my legs. “Good morning, Mommy!”

Our son. The exact replica of his father. I ran my fingers through his curly, blond hair. He perked up and grinned with his signature Coulter grin. Four years ago, Logan Coulter made me a mother. He was everything that his father was. Stubborn. Bold. Strong And that Coulter attitude? Oh, yeah.

The moment the nurse put him in my arms, he opened his eyes, blinking at me with blues that were so familiar, I knew he was going to be a problem. And I was right.

Logan was Maddox 2.0.

“Hi, Mommy,” another sweet voice joined the first.

I looked up toward the table, where my other baby was sitting on the kitchen counter. He smiled at me; his face covered in flour. He was my sweet boy. The much calmer version of Logan. Quiet and perceptive, unlike his older brother. Brad stuffed his tiny fist into his mouth and licked whatever was on his hand. Chocolate, probably. Brad Coulter had a sweet tooth, and, ironically, like his namesake, his grandfather had had one, too.

“Mo-mmy.” With my heart full, I turned toward Maddox, who had our hiccupping baby on his hips.

Levi Coulter, Brad’s twin. The prankster. Out of the three boys, Levi definitely had more me in him than his father. He liked reading, loved Disney and was the bubbly one out of all three boys. Although he loved to tease, he was quick to be serious. Oh, and he was obsessed with mint-chocolate chip muffins.

“Good morning, babies. Are you making mommy pancakes?”

God, they were all a mess. Flour. Chocolate. Whip cream.

Brad nodded, shoving more chocolate in his mouth. Oh sweet Jesus. Sugar rush, I could see it coming. I shot Maddox a glare, before scooping up Brad and putting him in his booster seat, away from the mess and the chocolate.

“Pancakes,” Levi agreed.

“Uhuh. How come you decided to make me pancakes today?”

Logan gave me a dead serious look. “Because we love you, Mommy!”

Oh dear.

Oh no.

Oh shit.

My nose tingled, and the back of my eyes burned.

“Yeah, love you,” Levi and Brad agreed, at the same time.

Maddox smirked. “Love you, little dragon,” he mouthed.

And so… Lila Coulter promptly burst into tears.

“Oh no.”

“We made Mommy cry. Again.”

“Daddy, Mommy is crying!”

Maddox safely tucked Levi into his booster seat and reached for me. He wrapped me in his embrace, and I hiccupped back another cry. “Why are you crying?”

“Because… I’m just… so happy. Shut up, okay!”

This was my family. My crazy, sweet family.

Maddox laughed, before his hands lowered to my stomach. He cupped my heavy, swollen belly, and his lips feathered over my forehead with a chaste kiss. “I know. Now, let’s go eat. The boys worked hard to make you edible pancakes.”

I gave him a quick peck on the lips, before kissing all three of my boys. They loved mommy kisses, and I wanted to give them as much as I could, before they grew tired of it.

My boys. The exact replicas of their father.

Funny how, more than a decade ago, in the halls of Berkshire Academy…

“Remember how you once told me there was only one of you?” I asked Maddox.

His eyebrows shot up, and he gave me his panty-melting smirk.

“Now look at me! I’m stuck with four Coulter boys!”

As soon as I said the words, my stomach tightened, and the baby kicked. I palmed my pregnant belly, and my eyes widened in realization…

“Maddox,” I whispered. “If this is another boy, I’m going to lose my mind.”

He chuckled, but I was utterly serious.

“No… I can’t… I need a girl, Maddox!”

He was laughing, and I was this close to crying again. He must have felt it coming, because he quickly cupped my face and smashed his lips on mine, giving me one long, searing kiss, until I stopped freaking out.

“It’s okay, if it’s not a girl. We can keep trying, until we get a girl for you.”

He smirked.

I glared. “Are you trying to make me give birth to a whole football team.”

“I want at least seven,” Maddox replied innocently.

“And I’m going to kill you.”

He just winked, not at all scared by my threat.

“Mommy, hurry. We hungry.”

With a laugh, we sat around the table and ate our too soft, too sweet pancakes. Maddox had his big palm over my pregnant belly, and the baby was hyperactive, as if he – or she – knew his – or her – daddy was there.

I loved my babies, truly.

But I was also about done with being pregnant.

Logan was four.

Brad and Levi were two.

And I was seven months pregnant.

I literally had been pregnant for four years.

As much as I loved being a stay-at-home mom, the last few years, I really wanted to go back to work. I enjoyed being a Chemist. After this baby, I was ready to go back to the world of science and research. My four years absence wasn’t really an issue, since my manager’s boss’s boss was my husband. (Yes, he bought the research laboratory I worked at)

Maddox wanted more kids, and I wasn’t opposed to the idea. But I needed a break in between.

I ate my pancake and watched, as Maddox fed Levi a few bites, wiped Brad’s messy face and flicked some whip cream at Logan’s head. They laughed and Logan flicked a spoonful of whip cream back at his father. It smacked Maddox right in the middle of the chest.

He was the perfect dad I always knew he’d be.

Three years ago, Maddox sold half of the Coulter empire. He didn’t want it… never wanted to be what his father was. Never wanted that life. I had never seen such a relieved look on his mom’s face when he told her. She was expecting it, and she supported Maddox in his decision.

And so, he lessened his burden and made sure he had people doing his work for him. He only ever went to the office, when he really needed to. Which was, like, once a week.

As a part-time hobby, he coached our local high school’s football team.

And the rest of his time? He spent it with us. Maddox was a family man, through and through. He was a hands-on dad. When I was pregnant with Logan, he vowed that he wouldn’t miss a day in our kids’ lives.

And he didn’t.

He was here for our babies’ first laughs, first crawls, first words, first steps.

First everything.

“I love you,” I whispered.

Those eyes.

This smile.

That face.

My little finger curled around his, over my big belly. “Pinky promise? One last time?”

His pinky tightened around mine. “There’s no one last time. We’re forever, Baby.”