Perfect Fit: Book 4 of the Fated Hearts Series (38 page)

JAG AND I
worked hard to get the media room set up because we wanted to celebrate our new home with an early movie marathon with the kids. We wouldn’t keep them up too late on a work and school night, but we could have an early dinner and surprise them with the space we created for all of us to enjoy.

Jag had purchased an actual popcorn maker similar to those they use at movie theaters, but on a smaller scale. We installed a mini refrigerator up there so we didn’t have to walk down two flights of steps every time we wanted to get a drink. My favorite part was a large electric fireplace built into a wooden entertainment center. We placed a flat screen TV on top of the mantle and placed the cable box and DVD player in the compartments. We put the couch and loveseat from my house in the media room and Jag’s in the living room since his furniture was newer.

We planned their favorite dinner of chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and apple sauce for our family Valentine’s Day dinner. We bought them small gifts and Jag had ordered them each a little cake from Adam and Steve’s Bakery. We didn’t want to go overboard, but we wanted to make it a happy day. Destiny did those types of things for them and I wanted so badly to keep up her traditions.

“I can’t believe how much I missed the munchkins,” Jag said, interrupting my thoughts. “I was looking forward to a break, but I was ready for them to come back Saturday morning. I feel really guilty for saying this, but I was hoping Joann would call and tell us the kids were upset and wanted to come home. What kind of selfish asshole does that make me?”

I chuckled at the perplexed frown on his face. “If you’re a selfish asshole then so am I, but as hard as it is to be away from them, it’s good for all of us to have a little break now and then. I was so happy that Joann and Herbert didn’t make things awkward on Friday when they picked them up.” I tilted my head in consideration. “I mean, they weren’t smiling all over themselves and hugging us, but they greeted us warmly. That’s progress, right?”

“It sure is, Bones. I’m sure in time that any remaining tension will be gone. They’re just missing their daughter and are afraid of losing their last ties to her. Once they see that you genuinely want them to be involved in Lucas and Lily’s life then they’ll relax.” He glanced over and smiled at me when he pulled up at a red light. I noticed that he liked driving the new SUV when we went places together. It didn’t matter to me who drove, but I figured I should try to wrestle the keys from him on occasion so his ego didn’t get too inflated. I gave up my ass more than he did so I figured I would need to assert myself a little more so I made it known this was an
equal
relationship. Last night was the first time I had topped him in quite some time. We shared the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and lawn maintenance responsibilities equally, but apparently I needed to add ass topping and driving to the list of things we’d do
equally.
“What?” He asked when he saw me smiling at him.

“I was just thinking that I’ve been giving up my ass more than you have lately.”

“That’s what you were thinking just now?” He raised his brow in mock disapproval and then looked back up at the light. It turned green so he eased out into the intersection before he spoke again. “You transitioned from harmony with the Candlesses to sex with me? That’s a weird leap.”

“I’m a guy. We think about sex all the time. Plus, you look really sexy over there in the driver’s seat. You handle this beast masterfully and I find it really hot.”

“Bones, you don’t need flattery to have a go at my ass. If you want something from me then tell me or just take it. That’s never been a problem for you in the past. You always wrestled me down and took what you wanted. Why the hesitation now? Are you worried that I didn’t want to bottom for you and I just did it to appease you? I can assure that is not the case. I’ve loved every second that your dick was in my ass.”

I was quiet for a minute as I considered my answer. Why was I acting different? In the past, I had taken what I wanted from him, but never in a forceful way. It was always during foreplay when having sex was more than a foregone conclusion. Normally, we alternated who topped and who bottomed, but recently I automatically assumed the bottom position. It just felt like that was what I needed and maybe I did.

“I think it’s because of the pressure and grief I’ve struggled with over the last several weeks.” I knew my words were the truth as soon as they were spoken. “I’ve had to be in charge of so many things, and at times it just felt right to give myself to you and let you be in charge of our pleasure.” I looked over at him and admired his beautiful profile as he stayed focused on driving. Jag always stayed focused on whatever it was he was doing, which made it feel so damn good to turn myself over to him. “Like always, you knew just what I needed when I needed it.”

“I always want to be that for you, Bones. Our home should be our sanctuary, especially our bedroom. That’s our place to shut out the world and focus on us. We need that to be a healthy couple and healthy parents.” Jag reached over and took my hand. “Up until now, I’ve been going on pure instincts and what I thought I might need in your situation, but I’m not always going to guess right. This right here, us talking about what you need from me, is good. I don’t want to be selfish prick.”

“You’re the least selfish person I know.” He hid his true self beneath a shallow, handsome exterior, but I knew better. I saw the guy who dropped whatever he was doing to color with the kids, play Barbie’s, build Legos, or read them a book. I saw the guy who was learning to cook and was teaching me so we could make good food for the kids. I saw the guy who always put everyone’s needs before his own. “I don’t want to be the person who takes advantage of your willingness to do anything to make me happy.”

“Listen to us,” Jag said as he pulled into the Candlesses driveway, “sounding all grown up and shit.”

“Aren’t we cute?” I cooed in response. Jag turned off the car and I got serious because I wanted to ask him something before we went inside to get Lucas and Lily. “I was thinking about inviting Herbert and Joann to open house at the YMCA so they can see the kids swim and tumble. I wanted to make sure you were comfortable with the idea first.”

“It’s a great idea.” He leaned forward and gave me a soft kiss.

I raised my hand to touch his face and the sunlight reflected off the band he placed on my finger the night before. Like every time I saw it, my heartrate increased as I remembered the way I felt when I dug up each piece of his puzzle and the symbols of a wedding. I kept looking into his eyes to see if it was some kind of joke, but I could see the love he had for me smoldering in his eyes. My insides quaked when I assembled the cookie pieces to form his proposal. My God, when I saw that Tiffany’s box at the bottom of the sandbox my tears started to fall. I would never again make fun of a guy for being moved to tears from the overflowing of love and joy he had inside him. Never again.

“Let’s go get our kids.” I told him.

Joann and Herbert smiled warmly when they opened the door. They were overjoyed when I extended the invitation to them and Joann went to her kitchen and wrote the open house on her calendar by the phone. “We’ll be there,” she said when she returned.

Lucas and Lily ran squealing to us when they heard our voices. They leapt into our arms and held onto our necks. They were so excited to tell us about their weekend that they talked over one another. It was obvious that spending the weekend with their maternal grandparents had been a wonderful thing for them.

“One at a time,” Herbert said, laughing.

The constant chatter kept up through their goodbyes to their grandparents and the entire ride home. Jag and I couldn’t do anything but smile at one another and ask them to talk one at a time, but they were too excited about the museum and aquarium they went to the previous day.

“We have a surprise for you,” Jag said, finally getting their attention.

“Ohhhhh,” Lily said, clapping her hands. “What is it, Uncle Jag?” She always poured on the charm for her Uncle Jag and he needn’t think I didn’t know that she had him wrapped around her little finger. If I wasn’t careful, Lily would be ruling the household and we’d end up her loyal servants.

“You’ll have to wait until we get home, Princess.”

“That’s just mean, Uncle Jag,” Lucas said, crossing his arms across his chest and trying to look angry.

“When we get home, Uncle Miller and I are cooking a Valentine’s Day dinner for our special Valentines while you guys get your rooms set up the way you want.”

“I’m only five,” Lily said. “I can’t put my bed together, Uncle Jag.” We laughed at her irate declaration.

“Your beds are all set up, but your clothes and toys need to be put away.” Jag told her.

“I guess then.” She struck a pose to match her brothers and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. I looked over at Jag and he was doing the same thing.

Once we got home, the kids were suddenly eager to get upstairs and get their rooms set up. Jag and I set about making the chicken nuggets from scratch using Liam’s recipe for crispy oven baked nuggets, rather than frozen ones. Jag cut the chicken breasts into strips and then bite size chunks while I put the breading together.

We had the nuggets baking in the oven and turned our attention to the macaroni and cheese recipe. Liam basically cooked the noodles, drained them, and added milk, butter, and fresh American cheese to the noodles and stirred until the cheese melted.

“This is a really easy dinner,” I remarked. “If you can read, you can cook,” I said mimicking Liam. “You want to take over here and I’ll start the laundry?”

“Gladly.” He hated laundry more than any chore, but he always pitched in. Often he did the folding and putting away. He liked cooking more than I did, so I thought it was a fair trade off, because I would do the dishes afterwards. We had found a balance and rhythm that worked for us.

Jag let us know when dinner was ready and we met in the dining room. I think all of us were surprised at how well it turned out. Once they were finished with dinner, we gave them their presents. Lily loved her Elsa doll and Lucas was ready to whip out his age appropriate chemistry set and start working on experiments.

“That’s not all,” I told them.

“There’s more?” Lily’s surprised looked on her face made me smile.

“What? Where?” Lucas had always acted much older than he was, but there were times when he showed his real age and it was usually when he was excited over something.

“Follow us,” Jag said as he scooted his chair back. Lily took his hand and skipped beside him while Lucas and I followed at more leisurely pace. He had resorted back to his much calmer and older demeanor. “Are you ready?” Jag asked as he stood by the closed door of the media room.

“Yeah!” Lily bounced up and down.

“It’s okay to be excited and act like a six-year-old,” I said quietly for Lucas’s ears only. He looked up at me with big blue eyes that were just like mine and smiled widely.

“Yeah!” Lucas said, echoing Lily.

“Me too.” I clapped my hands and jumped around. Jag threw open the door and we rushed inside.

“Wow!” Lucas said.

“I love it!” Lily squealed and did a happy dance like I had just performed.

“This is our media room where we can come and watch movies and eat popcorn together as family,” I told them. “Someday you’ll have friends come over to stay the night and you can come up here and have fun. Do you love your surprise?”

They showed us how much they loved us with hugs and kisses. Jag pulled a coin out of his pocket so he could flip it to see who got to pick the movie first. Luckily, Lucas won so we were able to put off Frozen for at least ninety minutes. Once we settled in to watch Monster’s Inc., I felt Jag’s eyes on me and I looked over at him. I saw the comical look on his face and I thought I knew what he was thinking.

How did the kings of no commitment, who hated Valentine’s Day, end up celebrating the holiday with happy, sappy hearts in their eyes? How did we end up wearing matching engagement rings and dreams of happily-ever-after? It was fated, that’s why. Chase and Gray met and fell in love by some wicked twist of fate, and because of them, we did too. It wasn’t love at first sight, it wasn’t even love at third sight, but it developed over time into a love just as solid as the rest of our friends had. We might not be as vocal or as demonstrative, but it didn’t make our love any less real or significant.

We were no longer two oddly shaped pieces of a giant puzzle that never fit. We connected and realized that together we were perfect. The puzzle expanded to include two more beautiful pieces that made an even more beautiful puzzle. I couldn’t help but wonder if our puzzle would be expanding someday down the road to include more perfect pieces. I guessed that time would tell.