Page 67 of Protected By Her Daddy

“That was Ed. Want to go to Dubai? Meet a prince?” The words seem surreal, the kind of question that doesn’t fit into the realm of everyday conversation.

My jaw drops because what else can it do? “Um, yes?” It comes out as a squeak, a funny sound that has Gabriel chuckling low in his throat.

“Good answer.” He goes back to his call, all business again. “We’ll be there.”

He hangs up and strides over, scooping me into his arms. “Remember how you said we’d never need passports? That your home was now with me, and you couldn’t see why you’d ever leave?” The tease in his tone is gentle, loving.

“Okay, okay, you win,” I admit, laughing despite the flutters in my stomach. “I guess we’re about to become international travelers.”

“Guess so.” He plants a kiss on my forehead. “We’ll finish our vacation, and then we’re off to Dubai.”

I smile, warmth spreading through me that has nothing to do with the Hawaiian sun beating down on the beach house. My arms find their way around his waist, pulling him closer. “You keep giving me these amazing experiences,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “And I don’t know what I give you in return.”

“Everything,” he says, voice firm as his arms tighten around me. “You’ve given me everything I didn’t know I needed. Stability, laughter, love. You’ve made me a better man, Wren.”

A surge of emotions wells up inside me, and I press my lips against his. The man who saved me, who gave me a world I never thought I’d belong in. The taste of sea air and promises mingles between us, the simplicity of the act grounding me.

“Thank you,” I breathe into the space we share. “For being my guardian angel.”

“Always,” he whispers back, and there’s a finality in the word, a promise etched in time.

The wail of our daughter slices through the calm like a siren, and I’m on my feet before I even register moving.

“Shh, little one, Mommy’s got you,” I coo, scooping her up from the play mat where she was content moments ago. Her tiny fists flail, and her face scrunches up in that all-too-familiar way that tugs at my heartstrings.

“We’re going to see the world together, you and I,” I whisper against her downy head, bouncing her gently. “Papa’s going to make sure of that.”

Gabriel’s grin quickly spreads across his face, a spark of adventure lighting up his eyes.

“We have to be careful in Dubai. Things aren’t the same as they are here,” he says, standing and stretching with a yawn. “But it’s an amazing place, one you have to see to believe. And even then, you can’t quite believe it.”

“Sounds like my life since meeting you,” I reply, glancing over at him with a smirk while patting Nova’s back.

Her cries subside, the promise of a new expedition already working its soothing magic. I settle onto the couch, the soft Hawaiian breeze drifting through the open windows, and unbutton my shirt to feed her. Gabriel slides in beside me, his presence a steady force as he wraps one arm around us.

“Save some for me,” he purrs, sending goosebumps skittering over my flesh.

“Greedy man,” I tease, leaning into his chest. It’s strange, this feeling, like I’m complete. Where there used to be a gaping hole in my life, Gabriel filled it and fitted the pieces of me back together without even realizing he was doing it.

I glance up at him, and his eyes meet mine, a silent conversation shared in a look. From now on, I know I’ll never be alone. I have someone who loves me, cherishes me, and wants me around as much as I do him. Nothing could be better.

“Love you, Daddy,” I murmur, the nickname slipping out as naturally as breathing.

“Love you too, little one.” His lips press into my hair, and for a moment, we’re just a family, nothing complicated, nothing broken, just us, here, now.

And as our daughter’s soft sighs fill the space between us, I know this is what peace feels like.

I nuzzle closer to Gabriel on the sofa, our little one nestled on my chest, her tiny fists curling and uncurling in dreamy motions. The sun dips lower, painting the sky in strokes of pink and orange. I let out a contented sigh, his warmth against my side.

“Did you ever think we’d end up here?”

Gabriel chuckles, a low, soothing sound that vibrates through his chest to mine. “In Hawaii, with the most beautiful girls in the world? Always hoped, never really knew.”

I smile, and my heart swells a bit more. Not long ago, hope was a luxury I couldn’t afford. But now, it’s something I nourish every day.

“Remember when I said I had nothing to offer you?” I keep my gaze on the horizon, where the sea meets the sky in a perfect line.

“Yeah, I remember,” he says, his thumb brushing over my hand. “Silliest thing I ever heard.”

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