Page 50 of The CEO

They’d pushed the furniture back close to the walls and fashioned a gate in front of the fireplace.

The middle of the room was bare except for the blanket and Lilly’s toys.

“Lilly, look who’s home.”

The baby looked over at her parents. “Dada. Dada. Dada.”

Adam grinned as wide as his face.

Bree had been working extra hard to get her to saydada,but the stubborn little thing she was, she refused and called him mama instead.

He lifted Lilly in the air above his head and jiggled her a little bit.

She screamed with laughter.

Then he brought her down and held her with his arm under her butt. “You made Daddy very happy. Who’s Daddy’s girl?” He tickled her. “Who’s Daddy’s girl?”

“Lilee,” she said.

Adam’s eyes widened and he looked at Bree. “She said her name. She knows who she is.”

Nodding, Bree’s eyes filled with tears.

Lilly had been chattering for months with mama being the only word that Bree and Adam understood. Now she was talking. Saying new words every day.

How would she react to a new baby? Would she be jealous? Excited?

She wouldn’t understand where the baby came from but she would understand when the baby was here.

Was Bree ready for another baby?

Should they have waited until Lilly was out of diapers?

Adam put his free arm around Bree’s waist and snugged her close. “What are you thinking about? I can see your mind whirling a mile a minute.”

She looked up at her husband, then at her daughter in his arm, and realized nothing else mattered. These two were her heart and she loved them more than life itself. The new baby would only add to her happiness.

“I was thinking about our family,” she answered honestly. “You two are my heart. I love you more than I can ever express.”

Adam’s gaze softened. “I feel the same way, my love.”

She realized then that her dreams had come true. Not as she expected them, that was true. But it was perfect all the same.

Bree smiled at her husband. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. What brought that on?”

“I was just thinking how wonderful my life turned out to be and how happy I am.”

He grinned. “That was awfully schmaltzy.”

“I can live with that.”

The followingday Adam received a call and headed to his office to take it, leaving Bree with a sleepy Lilly in the family room.

When Lilly finally conked out and Adam wasn’t back yet, Bree sought him out in his office.

“Yes, I understand. Thank you for calling.” He set his phone on the desk and looked up at Bree. “That was the DA. Simon has pleaded guilty to stealing secrets from Danvers. I didn’t even know he’d been doing that.” He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand on end in spots. “Anyway, the kidnappingcharge is off the table. He’ll still spend time in prison, just not as much. And we don’t have to testify.”