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“From day-to-day life Fros for you Froreat, but that I want a faacy one leaves behind Fro to protect your father, and I recognize that family means more to you than you realize And froive you space, it isn’t working—not for me This baby-step stuff is crap I want irlfriend Not just in a halfway, live-together mode I want you as my wife, as the mother of my kids”

Derek’s pronounce out there, like a finely suspended thread of silk that could either be broken or caressed

A wealth of emotion swelled inside Sloane—one that was ot to hand it to you,” she ie, you really meant it”

“So, aht, or can I wait until to his redecorating job?”

Sloane didn’t smile at Derek’s attempt at dry humor

“When you started talking, I thought you were about to call it quits,” she said with stark candor “The pain I felt was excruciating When I realized you were talking about the total opposite, aboutus permanent, official—I didn’t feel trapped I felt moved, overjoyed, and so relieved, you have no idea I don’t think I realized until this very instant just how much I want to spend my life with you The space I needed—at so it As for kids…” This ti the adorable little tyrants they’dto take so to take soiven our careers But I’d love to have children—our children I just hope they don’t line up their booties in neat little rows beside their cribs”

Sloane’s eyes were sparkling with mirth and misty with tears as Derek pulled her into his arms and rolled her onto her back

“I love you,” he said hoarsely, tunneling his fingers through her hair

“I love you, too” Too choked up for words, Sloane resorted to actions, wriggling out of her T-shirt, tugging it over her head, and tossing it aside

Derek kicked off his gym shorts, then blanketed her body with his

“Mental preparation, yeah,” he mur j

ust the right babies is going to take hard work and practice” He took her mouth in slow, deep kisses “Lots of practice”

“Then we’d better get started right away” She wrapped her arms around his neck “Froe”

Xiao Long sat alone in the back rootao Dark Beer Every now and then, he took a swig Most of the tihts

He was closing in on his prey A little ot the word Then came the kill