Page 25 of Milk For The Billionaire's Little

He’d been out of town for work most of the week, and it gave me the perfect opportunity to get everything set up. I’d ordered a cake from the same bakery we used for our wedding, and a meal from the same caterers too. I even bought a new set of dishes that matched the ones we had on our reception tables. I was setting everything up to mirror that day—our day. It might not have been a flashy wedding by billionaire standards, but it had fit us perfectly, and I wanted to recreate a piece of our wedding.

It had been a small wedding, but it wasn’t tiny by most people’s standards. But by the expectations the papers all had for my husband, given his status, it had been minuscule. Fewer than a hundred people, including us. No press, no board members. No extended cousins or “my grandfather’s lawyer’s friend’s daughter.” Just our people. Friends and family. The people who mattered most.

It couldn’t have been more perfect.

We even wore the masks from our first real date during our first dance as husbands. People thought it was sweet and romantic, and it was. But it was also a reminder of who we were… of the fact that it wasn’t the world’s version of us that mattered. Not the titles. Not the expectations. I was a manager at a small nursing home, and he was a billionaire CEO. But those were roles. Costumes in their own way. The real us? That was what counted. That was what stood under the twinkle lights on our wedding night.

If I’d known the first time I’d worn my mask that it had real gemstones on my face, ones set there by some designer I couldn’t even pronounce… I probably would’ve panicked all night, worrying I’d break it. But I didn’t know. I just felt like a prince.

Willow licked my ankle—her newest habit.

“Hey, Willow. Did you need to go out?” I asked, looking down at her wagging tail, going a thousand miles a minute.

Just like Rosco had come into my life, Willow had too via work. One of the new residents couldn’t find anyone to care for her, and the intake coordinator knew exactly who to go to. She didn’t even ask me. She went straight to Kennan. She knew which of us would cave fastest, and she was right. Kennan and Willow were best buds from day one.

I barely got a hello from Daddy when he came home anymore. Nope. He was too busy rolling around on the floor with her, she demanded it.

It was sweet.

I slapped my thigh, and she followed me out to the back door, and I let her out to explore the yard. The sky was that perfect kind of blue, the clouds soft and puffy and lazily drifting. I stared up at them, finding shapes… like I used to as a kid. A bunny. A car. A train.

When she was done, we trotted back inside together, and I double-checked everything one last time before heading to the shower. I wanted to be done and ready when Kennan got back.

I stood under the hot water, rinsing out my hair, when I heard a familiar voice cut right through the sound of the spray.

“I canceled my morning meeting,” Kennan said casually.

I smiled. “Let me guess. You missed Willow?”

He chuckled, walking the rest of the way into the bathroom, his shirt already halfway off. “There room in there for me?”

“I suppose I could make room.”

The thing was huge. The shower, I mean. We could probably fit a dozen people in here and still have space. Showerheads above and from all sides. It was totally ridiculous. I adored it.

Daddy finished taking off his clothes and stepped inside, warm water cascading over his skin.

“Happy anniversary, my love,” he murmured, pulling me close.

“Happy anniversary,” I echoed, and kissed him gently.

I helped him wash his hair, then his body. It was slow and sweet, not rushed. Just the comfort of being together. Being home. Gods, I missed him.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” I said, shutting off the water. “Thanks for coming home, really.”

He dried his hair with a towel and looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “How could I not be here? This is the anniversary of the happiest day of my life.”

Even though I knew we had a whole fancy dinner planned, when he suggested we climb into bed to take a quick nap, I agreed. I needed to snuggle up under the covers, just as badly as he seemed to.

“You must be tired,” I said, brushing my fingers over his arm.

“I’m…” He yawned. “That’s all I’m gonna say.”

“Me too,” I laughed.

“Then maybe you should have some milk before you fall asleep.”

I wasn’t gonna say no to an offer like that, that was for sure. I kissed his jaw and shifted, resting across his chest.

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