Scent, p.22
Scent, page 22
“You’re probably going to have to get Trish’s permission on the dog,” Sophia said. She slipped in the room and kissed me quietly before kissing Everly’s soft head.
“How did you know where to find me?”
“Oh, please. Your mother didn’t even have to tell me you were up here.” She knelt beside me, and we stared at Everly. “She’s so round and perfect.”
“I hope her eyes stay this blue.”
“She’ll be a heartbreaker, like her aunt.”
I put my hand up to my chest. “What? Me? Never. I’ll teach her all the right things to do.”
“You look good holding a baby,” she said.
The words still didn’t make me panic. I knew Sophia was my soul mate and we were destined to start a family together. We just had one more thing to clear up.
“So, will our babies be Marshall-Sweet or Sweet-Marshall?” I asked.
She paused. “That’s a good question. Both have a nice ring to them.”
“I know this isn’t really the time or place and that the idea scares you, but I really want to marry you, Sophia Sweet. I want us to have tiny babies together and have our dream life. We’re on the right path, but I want to do this legally. Will you—” I didn’t get to finish. She kissed me so hard I clutched Everly for fear we’d topple backward in the rocker.
“Yes, Nico. I want to be your wife and have a family with you and be part of the Marshalls, because you’re the best thing that’s happened to me.”
Tears instantly sprang to my eyes, and I had to let them fall, because in one hand I held my niece and in the other the woman who’d just agreed to marry me.
“I’m so happy, babe.” I cupped her cheek and wiped away her tears with my thumb.
“I’m so happy, too,” she whispered.
I was the luckiest woman in the world. All my dreams came true because I never gave up. I never gave up on Sophia, I never gave up on us, and I never gave up on love.
About the Author
Multi-award-winning author Kris Bryant was born in Tacoma, Washington, but has lived all over the world and now considers Kansas City her home. She received her BA in English from the University of Missouri and spends a lot of her time buried in books. She enjoys hiking, photography, spending time with her family, and her dog, Molly (who gets more attention than Kris does on Facebook).
Her debut novel, Jolt, was a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Forget Me Not was selected by the American Library Association’s 2018 Over the Rainbow Book List and was a Golden Crown Finalist. Breakthrough won a 2019 Golden Crown Award. Listen was an Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award finalist and won a 2020 Goldie for Contemporary Romance. Kris can be reached at krisbryantbooks@gmail.com, www.krisbryant.net, @krisbryant14.
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Kris Bryant, Scent
