Page 50 of Triplets for the Dark Elf
The depth in which I’m willing to go in order to keep this woman and my children happy and safe is more than I think she’ll ever be able to imagine.
I would do anything for them.
“You’re not building another house.”
“I will,” I peck her lips with my own. “If you’d like me to. But we should all fit in my penthouse… I will have to toddler-proof it though.”
That earns me another laugh. “That is important.”
Both of my hands come around to cup her face, my thumbs brushing over her cheeks to graze over her soft and smooth skin. She’s such a vision that I have a hard time looking away from her. I love this woman so much that it hurts my chest to think about how long we’d been separated and how much time we’d wasted.
But in the end, it did all work out. So I can’t complain too much.
“Please move in with me,” I say.
Her hands curl around my wrists. “How can I say no to that?”
* * *
Packingup and moving us all back into town isn’t difficult.
Despite it being three years worth of stuff that Annalise has accumulated, it really isn’t that much. I use a cart to pack our bags onto as well as an equu to help pull it through the streets. The triplets are more than excited to ride on the bench on the top part of the wagon, gripping onto their mother as we slowly move through the busy streets.
I’m sure it’s strange for passersby to see all five of us together like this, out in the open and not the least bit worried about judgment. But I don’t care to put any stock into their stares, I’m finally getting what I’ve always wanted, a family.
They can stare all they want.
As we arrive back at the shop, I park the stead and wagon on the side of it and help Annalise carry the triplets down from the wagon. All three of them are practically vibrating with energy, bouncing off the walls the moment we put them down inside of the shop and they get to take in all of the merchandise.
“Wow!” Maeve points to one of the walls lined with quills and ink. “Mama look!”
“I know, I see.” Annalise puts a hand on top of her head, smoothing back her hair. “No touching, Indie.”
The toddler snatches his hand back, already halfway to grabbing one of the rolls of parchment down from a low shelf.
I smile at them all. It feels like a fever dream to have them standing here in the shop with their bags still on the wagon waiting to be taken to our new home but I wanted them to see the shop first. Some days, I have to pinch myself to make sure this isn’t all an elaborate dream.
Because that’s certainly what it feels like.
When we do get to the penthouse, Annalise brings the kids upstairs and I grab their bags, bringing them in and setting them down by the door until the wagon is empty. Already, I can hear quick footsteps running around upstairs. The sound makes me smile, my chest warming at imagining my kids exploring their new living arrangements while Annalise chases them around.
Chuckling to myself, I head upstairs with their bags, excited laughter growing stronger as I clear the landing.
Both Indie and Maeve are chasing each other around in a circle in the middle of my living room, giggling to each other. Hazel is in her mother’s arms, watching them astutely as if she is trying to assess their intentions.
I set the bags down, looking around the penthouse.
Hm, now that all five of us are up here, I’m beginning to suspect Annalise was right about how cramped it might be. The moment I turn back and catch her eyes, we smile at each other.
“So…”
“So,” I chuckle. “A bigger house is most likely needed.”
“You don’t have to do that,mon lutin.”
My feet are already moving over to her by the time she stops her sentence. Mindly of Hazel, I wrap my arm around Annalise and pull her against me. “I want to.”
Her smile widens. “Alright, fine. No use arguing with you when you’ve clearly made up your mind.”