Living Again (59 page)

“Well, we could practice,” he teased again. “Just kidding, Kay. If you’re ready, I’m ready. We can start on our wedding night as far as I’m concerned.”

Ben stopped and picked up a stick that was lying near the edge of the water. Releasing her, he crouched down in the wet sand a few inches away from the foam gently lapping the shore. She watched as he drew a heart in the sand, then another one connecting it. He then overlapped a smaller heart through the bigger hearts. Under the hearts, he wrote “The Nichols: B, K, and A”.

Kayley crouched down next to him, seeing her ring sparkle. Touching his face and feeling the late day scruff that she loved, she closed her eyes, her feelings swirling around her. “I love you. You have the kindest, sweetest heart of anyone I’ve ever known.”

Ben touched his lips to hers. “I want to talk to you about something else,” he said, indicating the hearts. The water started touching the edges but they stayed intact. “I want to adopt Alexis.”

Kayley’s eyes widened. He wanted to
adopt her?
“Really? You do?” Emotion clogging her throat, she stumbled over the words she was trying to say.

“Are you okay with that?” Ben looked uncertain. “I mean, I always want her to know that Alex was her dad. But, we’re going to be married and we’re going to have more children. I don’t want her to be the only one without my last name and thinking she’s somehow lesser because she’s not blood related to me. I will always love her just as much as I love any of our other children. I will never see her as anything other than a part of me. I just want to make it official, show her that she is as much mine as any other children we’ll have.”

Kayley stared, her mouth slightly agape, processing his words. Was there no end to this man’s endless surprises of love? “That’s amazing, Ben. Of course I’m okay with it. I totally agree with you—Alexis needs to grow up knowing that she had a dad before you, but that you’re her dad and you wanted her to have your name. You’ve really been thinking this all through, haven’t you?”

Ben stood up and took her in his arms, hugging her to him tightly. “Yes. I’ve been dreaming of it. All the details. The rest of our lives together. I think we should do her name as Alexis Kayley Carson Nichols. That way, she gets to keep a part of him.”

She tipped her face up, love oozing from every one of her pores. The sun was rapidly setting now, and it was getting dark. “I love it. Thank you for that. She won’t understand it now, but she will thank you later. Are we ready to head back? I think we need to visit our room.” They headed back, arm in arm, as the sun completely disappeared from the sky.

“I’m going to blindfold you,” Ben murmured in her ear, standing behind her. The soft caress of his words and the sensuality of his voice made her stomach somersault like a gymnast on the competition floor.

“O-okay,” Kayley whispered, the gymnast in her stomach doing a round-off back handspring. She wasn’t worried—not at all. She was just the opposite. She was completely, over the moon, elated. She knew that whatever Ben had planned, it would be remarkable. He put the blindfold gently over her eyes, then leaned in. She knew he was close because she could feel his hot breath tickle her face, which made her body immediately respond by tingling in anticipation. He brushed his silky lips over hers, and the sensation of not being able to see him made it even hotter.

“I think we need to keep this,” she whispered.

Ben moaned against her lips. “Stop saying that or we aren’t making it out of this house, and we’ll be late to our own rehearsal.”

It was a few hours before their rehearsal and dinner, the day before their wedding. Ben told her he had a surprise for her, but he wouldn’t let her see until they got there. With Ben, she had no idea what it could be. The man never stopped, and even though he had already given her the world, he always did more. Living the rest of her life with this man was going to be an adventure in surprises.

“Can’t be a rehearsal without the stars of the show,” Kayley flirted, feeling brave since she couldn’t see him.

“Woman, you’re going to be the death of me. First of all, you’re wearing the sexiest dress. Then, you start talking like that—you better believe I’m going to take you up on that if we don’t go now. So come on.”

Ben took her hand and led her out of the house and to his car, helping her get in the passenger side. Smiling to himself, knowing that this surprise was going to be his best one yet. Well, the engagement was right up there, too. But where he was taking her right now, Kayley had no idea it was coming. At all.

Driving out of the way a bit before heading to his destination in order for her to not know where they were, Ben looked over at Kayley to see her face fixed in a small smile and her hands fidgeting in her lap. Whatever she was thinking this could be, he hoped her guesses weren’t anywhere close to the truth.

“How much longer?” Kayley reached a hand out for him. He took it and laid their hands on his leg.

“A few more minutes, my impatient love.” Ben whistled along to the radio, knowing that he was making her crazy with anticipation. Hell, his stomach was knotted up like a kindergartner’s shoelace, waiting to see her reaction to what he had done.

She rested her head back and tried to relax. Ben’s thumb caressed the top of her hand, and she smiled. They were getting married tomorrow. She was finally going to be his. She scrolled through the things they needed to do and have happen before tomorrow night. The wedding was going to be on the beach at sunset. Her dress was now hanging in her room since Ben wouldn’t be going back to the house, and just thinking of his reaction when he saw her in it made her stomach coil with excitement.

“We’re here,” Ben said, killing the engine and snapping her back to reality. He stepped out of the car and came around, helping her out. Pushing her back against his car after he shut the door, he kissed up her neck until he reached her lips. “I brought you to a place that is going to become very, very special to us. When I saw it, I had to do it for you. For us, and our future family. I hope you love it as much as I do.” He kissed her, tipping her head to the side so he could deepen the kiss. His tongue teasing hers, he gripped her waist as he pressed her to the car. “I just had to taste you again before I took that off,” Ben chuckled as he released her, leaving her breathing erratically and slightly light headed. “Ready?” His hands stilled on the blindfold.

“Yes,” she said, her voice shaky from nerves and from the toe-curling kiss he had just given her. Ben slowly lifted the blindfold off of her, careful not to mess up her beautiful makeup or hair, since she looked so breathtaking for their rehearsal.

Kayley blinked, knowing what was in front of her but not registering what he had done. She took in the large sign near the front porch, made of wood and decorated with shells. It said “The Nichols” on it. Behind the sign was the most stunning home she had ever seen. It was a two story, pale yellow home with columns adorning a striking front entry and porch, a three car garage, a tile roof, and a long, brick driveway. It was breathtaking. It finally processing what Ben did, she looked around, her mouth agape. The home was one of an entire neighborhood of amazing family homes. She turned to him, her eyes as wide as saucers and her mouth opening and closing, but nothing coming out.

“Surprise,” Ben announced, gesturing to the house. “Welcome to our new home.” The smile on his face was so wide, she could almost see his molars in the back. He searched her face, his eyes wide with excitement.

“You bought us a
house?
” Kayley screeched, jubilation taking over her. “Are you
serious
, Ben Nichols? It’s
gorgeous
, babe! I cannot believe this!” Jumping into his arms, she held on to him as they both jumped up and down in the driveway. Twirling her around, Ben lifted her feet off the ground. “Are you ever going to stop this? I cannot even believe the stuff you do!”

Ben stopped her, dipping her backwards as he kissed her. “I’m never going to stop,” he said against her mouth. “I’m going to spend my life doing this, because you’re worth it.” He pulled her back upright. “Now, do you want to see inside?”

Kayley nodded enthusiastically, pulling Ben’s hand so he would start walking for the house. As he opened the front door, he scooped her up and carried her through the door. She giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck and using the opportunity to kiss him from his neck up to his ear.

He set her down in the foyer of their new house. Once again, Kayley was struck by what she was seeing. Beautiful tile floors carried through the house as far as she could see. A formal dining room was to their right, and a formal living room in front of them. Through an arched passageway was the kitchen, and as she got closer, she could see that it had top of the line stainless steel appliances, granite counters, and breathtaking cabinetry. It was the hugest kitchen she had ever seen in a house. Off of the kitchen was an enormous family room, with sliding glass doors almost as tall as the ceiling. Overlooking a fabulous pool, complete with waterfall and a separate spa, the family room was big enough to easily entertain their guests as Kayley cooked in the kitchen. She couldn’t say anything but wow as she went into every room. Off of the kitchen was also an office with a half bathroom, and then a huge laundry room that led to the three car garage. Every single part that she had seen was exactly as she would’ve picked it had she been designing it. The staircase that led to the upstairs branched from the family room, so they walked back in order to go upstairs.

Walking upstairs, Kayley looked down over the banister to look down at her house. Their house. It was so picturesque. Like something she would’ve seen in a magazine and dreamed of someday owning. She loved her little house that she had bought with Alex, but this was a home that you stayed in for a long, long time.

As they reached the top, it opened to another family room type area that Kayley could use as a playroom for Alexis. Off to the right was a double door entry that she could only assume was the Master suite. Heading that way, Ben followed. He opened the door for her and then stepped back so she could go in first. Plush carpet softened up this room, and Kayley gasped. Trey ceilings, crown molding, and French doors to their own private patio enraptured her. The room itself was probably the size of two, if not three, of the bedrooms at her house. To the right were more double doors that led to the most enormous closet she had ever seen, full of shelves, storage, and cabinets, followed by the most awe-inspiring bathroom, rival to the one in New York at the posh hotel. Marble floors carried throughout, and a large glass shower stood in the corner, next to a giant whirlpool tub that could easily fit the three of them. Across from that was two ornate sinks and a huge countertop, and a smaller vanity area.

“I have never seen anything like this place,” Kayley said incredulously. “It’s stunning.”

“Let’s go look at the rest,” Ben pulled her out of the room. “You have to see Lexi’s room.”

They headed back out of the master, through the second family room, and down the hall. Ben opened the door to a room, and Kayley gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. He had the room decorated just for Alexis, and it was already filled with new furniture for her. The room was a pale pink, with chair rail running through the middle. She had a new white sleigh bed with a matching dresser, nightstand, and toy compartment. On the wall were framed photos of her in all of her Princess outfits. Kayley was totally stupefied. “You’re
sneaky
, Ben! It’s a good thing I trust you! It’s amazing how you can keep something as big as this from me.”

“Well, it wasn’t easy, baby, for sure. But it was worth it to see your reaction tonight. Come on, there’s more to see.” He led her past the bathroom that would be Alexis’ and into another bedroom on the other side. Again, this one was painted and decorated, this time a pale yellow with chair rail. A white crib sat in the corner, with a matching dresser/changing table, rocking chair, and armoire.

She looked at her stomach, then at him. “Is there something I should know about myself?” Kayley teased him.

Ben put his hands on her flat stomach. “I can only wish that there is one in there very, very soon.”

“Goodness,” Kayley said, blown away. “I don’t have to do a thing!”

“That’s the point,” Ben said. “You just worry about being my wife, and the mom to our kids. The rest is done. Come on.”

“More? I don’t think my heart can take it.” Going back into the hallway, there was another bedroom on the opposite side. Opening that door, she smiled at what was
not
a child’s room, but a guest room, painted pale lavender with a queen sized bed, a dresser, and a nightstand. A bathroom adjoined this room. “What, no more kids’ rooms?”

“I would love for this one to be a kid’s room, too,” Ben admitted. “But, since they usually come one at a time, I figured we could use this as a guest room for a while. Oh, and want to know the other surprise?”

She put a hand to her heart. “Can I handle it?”

“You can handle anything,” Ben complimented, twirling her around as she laughed. “When we get back from our honeymoon, we’ll come home to this house. Our families and a moving company I hired will take care of moving all of our things.”