Page 49 of The Rough Ride

Liz tossed her hands in the air and laughed. “Pissed is thefurthest emotion from my mind. I’m ecstatic.” She took the glass from his hand and sipped. “I’m beyond thrilled that you’re Ella’s biological father. All along, I’d hoped against the odds that you were the one. I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve yearned for a family, that you’d understand my decision to keep her and not hate me for it. You’re all I’ve ever wanted, Nick. You’re my best friend. I can never seem to get enough of your love.”

He cupped her cheek and pulled her close. “You’ve been the love of my life since high school, honey. How can I possibly make any of this up to you? I’ll try to be a good father to Ella.” Emotion clogged his throat, and his eyes filled again.Not just overwhelmed, but surprised and happy.

Liz lifted her eyes and smiled. “It’s the little things, Nick. Like how you held her until she fell asleep tonight.” She gave him a firm but gentle kiss and whispered, “I believe in you. I believe you’ll overcome the pain from your past and find joy in getting to know your daughter.”

That was a very tall order.He kneaded the tight muscles in her shoulders.“Why did you name her Ella? Is it a family name?”

She wrapped her arms around him. “It’s an acronym.”

Of course, it was an acronym.Her brilliant mind would insist on something with significance. A chuckle rumbled through his chest as he ran his hands through her hair.

Liz sighed. “I didn’t know if she’d ever have a strong male figure in her life, what with my dad gone and the baby daddy situation in the air, so I named her after strong, vital women. The E is for Eileen.”

Hmmm.“After my aunt?”

“Yeah, she’s amazing, don’t you think? She was so good to you. Still is.” She traced a soft finger along his jawline. “Thefirst L is for Louise, my mom’s friend. Her positive attitude and sense of humor encouraged me all through rehab and pregnancy.”

“I don’t know her very well. Guess I’ll have to change that.” He gave her an encouraging smile.

“Yes, definitely. The second L is for Liz because I’m her badass mom.” She laughed out loud. “God help her.”

“And the A?”

“For Arlene. Kindest woman I know. She’s made of love.”

His eyes filled again.Wow.Why did he want to weep? He swallowed hard. “Beautiful name, babe. It has a truly heartfelt meaning.”

She stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. “There’s more, Sergeant.” She ran her hands up his biceps. “Ella has a middle name, too.”

He trailed kisses across her shoulder. “What’s that?”

“Rose. Ella Rose.”

His breath hitched, and he buried his face in her hair. His voice choked in barely a whisper. “After my mom?”

“Yes. She loved you so much, and she loved me. Bravest woman I’ve ever met.”

“Honey,” he sighed deeply. “She’d be so honored. I’m honored. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I always wanted Ella to be yours, if not by birth, then by love.” Liz leaned back, dabbed the tears from her face with her dress sleeve, and swiped the moisture from his cheeks as well. “So, what happened at the Richardsons’ this weekend to soften your attitude about children?”

Nick barked a laugh. “It’s a long story. The short version is that I babysat the two younger kids for almost three days until Angie, their mother, arrived home early this afternoon. The first six hours were the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done.”

She eyed him speculatively. “Mostterrifying, huh? That’s saying a lot since you’ve thrown a live grenade out of an airborne chopper.”

“Yeah, well, I survived. More importantly, the kids did. Natalie, the four-year-old, broke through my shell. She got to me.”Slayed me.He cupped Liz’s derriere and whispered in her ear. “Why’d you work so many hours on a national holiday?”

“Somebody’s sabotaging my work. That’s all I can say about it. But they needed help straightening it out.”

He raised his eyebrows. “And did you?”

“Sort of. I’ll need to start from scratch, though. Once it’s broke, it can’t be fixed. Next time, I’ll make it even better, more efficient.” Liz shrugged. “I can’t worry about it anymore. My brain is too tired.”

“But you’re okay? Can I help with anything?”

She rolled her eyes. “Always my watchful security specialist, aren’t you? I’m fine. Work will be fine. Trust me.”

“You, I trust. It’s everyone else I worry about.” But he wouldn’t be concerned tonight. She was right here, where she belonged. He cleared his throat. “Thank you for giving me a daughter. She’s a priceless gift.”

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