“Shut up,” he said with a shake of his head and kissed her again. She tried to get away, but soon she realized that he wasn’t done and melted into him. Pulling away from her lips, he smiled as he said, “I want your forever, Reese. I know that makes you nervous, but we can go on your time. I don’t care because as long as I have you, what else do I need?”

“Kids?”

He laughed. “We have Claire, and we are young. If down the road you want to pop one out, baby I’m there, and you better believe we are going to do a lot of practicing for that baby.”

She closed her eyes as she let out a gut-busting laugh. He laughed along with her until he couldn’t take it anymore and then crashed his mouth to her again, needing to feel her lips on his. When they parted, not only because this was getting too hot, but because they were standing in front of hundreds of people, Phillip backed up and then dropped to one knee. The look that came across her face was priceless, and he had to hold in his laughter as he said, “Reese Allen, I love you.”

“What the hell are you doing, get up,” she whispered in a demanding way, but he ignored her and her family, who was gasping and basically losing their shit. He was pretty sure Mrs. Allen was on the her knees thanking God, while Harper and Piper hugged tightly, tears welling up in their eyes.

Holding in his laughter, he said, “And I would love the chance to date you, so what do you say?”

Her shoulders relax as she scoffed. “Are you serious?”

“Heck yeah, it’s baby steps with you.”

She laughed as she rolled her eyes and then pulled him up off his knee. When she nodded her head, everyone lost it as she said, “Yes, of course. I sort of love you.”

“Good,” he said, mushing his nose against her. “Cause I love you too.”

She gave him a quick peck and he turned, holding up her hand and said, “She said yes!”

When she pulled back, punching him in the arm, he laughed, scooping her up in his arms and kissing her loudly on the lips. “I’m gonna kick your ass for that!”

“I look forward to it, sweetheart.”

“They think we are getting married!” she said, her lips still in a frown.

“Yeah, but we will, one day.”

“Like in years!” she exclaimed, still shocked he had did that, but he liked that. He wanted to keep her on her toes. She sure as hell kept him on his.

With a content smile, he said, “That’s fine with me, as long as I get to spend every single second, minute, and hour with you.”

“And me!” Claire chimed in.

He smiled as he put Reese back on her feet before saying, “Of course you. I couldn’t live a single second without you either.”

“Good! So we are like a family now, right?”

Reese smiled as she met his gaze, and then she slowly nodded. “Yeah.”

The look that came over Claire’s face stunned him as she wrapped her arms around Reese, hugging her tightly. When they parted, he wrapped his arm around Claire’s neck, hugging her in close, before he reached for Reese, holding her in the nook of his arm, kissing her temple. He watched as Reese shared a smile with Claire before snuggling close into him, closing her eyes as a blissful look came over her beautiful face. Holding them felt so perfect, so right, and he knew that it wouldn’t be easy loving these two. They were going to drive him nuts, piss him off, and gang up on him, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He needed them. He was theirs for the rest of his life. When Reese looked up at him and gave him a sneaky grin, he wondered if she felt the same way he did…

Complete.

Epilogue

Two years later…

“WANNA GO for a quickie in the bathroom?” Phillip whispered in her ear, and she waved him off.

“Shh, we are singing,” Reese scolded as everyone sang together.

“Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear Dimitri, happy birthday to you!”

Everyone cheered as Dimitri blew out the candles of his cake before dropping his face into the icing for a big mouthful. Piper and Erik laughed as they pulled him up, wiping and licking the icing off his cute little face before posing for a picture. Reese stood with her arms wrapped around Phillip’s waist, a satisfied grin on her face as she watched the festivities happen before her eyes. All the kids, Ally, Journey, Shelli, Posey, Owen, Even, Penny, Asher, Aiden, and Claire all sat at the table, waiting for their piece of cake. It was loud and rambunctious, but that was usually how a typical Assassins’ family party was.

When Claire turned and grinned back at them, completely beautiful and stunning in all her eighteen-year-old glory, Reese’s heart stopped. She knew that she should be happy that her nephew was turning three and she was, but at the same time, dread filled her from the inside out. When she glanced up at Phillip, a sad smile sat on his lips, and she knew he felt the same way.

They were sending Claire off to college in a matter of hours.

She knew she should be glad that Claire was staying close to home, going to Bellevue University, with only a thirty-minute commute, but she was moving into the dorms and out of the house they had made their home. She felt like a piece of her was leaving. She knew she was probably overreacting, but she was going to miss her, so much, and she knew that Phillip would, too.

“Reese, can you hold Quinn for me?” Elli asked, holding out the youngest of the Adler clan.

“Sure,” she said, letting go of Phillip to take the sweet, dark-haired, blue-eyed toddler that looked just like his daddy.