It was incredibly quiet in my home, calm even, but despite that my heart continued to race and it had everything to do with the woman in my bed, sharing my pillow, staring back at me.

My hand rested on her hip possessively as my thumb rubbed lazy circles into her warm skin.

We had been lying here, facing each other, quietly observing the details of each other's faces for nearly an hour.

I had been waiting for this moment for so long and now as I took in the green and gold flecks in her eyes I couldn't make myself believe it was real. If it wasn't for the fact that I could feel her here with me I would be convinced I was dreaming.

"You're beautiful."

The blush that spread over her cheeks at my words and the soft smile that graced her lips made me want to repeat that phrase forever if it would make her look at me like that.

She quickly tucked her chin into her chest and laughed to herself.

"Wha?" I asked completely fascinated by her with my own chuckle leaving my lips.

"It's kind of strange, us being like this."

My hand slide over the curve of her body and up towards her face were I pushed the hair that had fallen into her face behind her ear before sending her a grin.

"I think it's something I could get used to."

Her response to that was to close the small gape between us and press her lips to mine. Once again my hand slid from its place on her face until it was securely wrapped around her waist and pulling her body tightly against mine.

I groaned when she pulled her lips away with a small smirk. "Me too."

My face evened out once more while my eyes scanned her face. "I meant it Aria."

She frowned at me in question as I tightened my hold on her affectionately. "I won't hurt you. You and Jamie, you're what was missing and I won't do anything to ruin that."

She just looked at me with widened eyes, taking in every word and for once I really felt like they were sinking in, like she believed me.

"I promise." I repeated my words from earlier soliciting a sweet smile from the beautiful woman in my arms.

And once again we let the quiet consume us, this time both our eyes lazily closing allowing ourselves to settle in the comfortable silence.

It was odd for me.

I hadn't had a woman in my bed like this in a very long time.

For the longest time I lived up to the playboy title the media gave me because I was broken after Rachel, but it never accorded to me that I would one day find myself in bed and be completely satisfied with just cuddling, holding each other and stealing kisses.

My eyes slowly opened to look at Aria's peaceful face. Her eyes closed and lips slightly parted and only a breath away from mine.

She wasn't overly made up like the other girls I had been this close to in my resent past, she didn't wear revealing clothes to entice me, or flirt shamelessly like they did. I laughed at the thought, if anything she fought me for everything.

Aria was so different from what I was used to, so refreshing.

She was everything I needed and everything I never knew I wanted. Strong, stubborn, nurturing, beautiful... perfect.

And she was here, finally, and I wasn't going to ruin this.

I hadn't wanted anything as badly as I wanted this in a very long time.

Aria and Jamie were the perfect puzzle piece that was missing from mine and Darcy's lives and I finally had a hold of that now. I would spend forever trying to prove to her that I wouldn't hurt her, that I would keep her and our babies safe.

A small cry from down the hall had me look towards the door and Aria's eyes snap open before she turned slightly to face the same direction.

"Jamie." Her sleepy voice breathed out. "I got to go get him."

I pressed down on her hip as she began to get up causing her to look at me in question.

"I got him."

Her brows furrowed in confusion and I could see her mind start to come up with a protest; however I cut her off with a quick kiss on her lips.

"You're not on your own anymore babe. Let me help you."

I knew that it would be hard for her to allow me to help her, especially when it came to Jamie. It was what made her such a wonderful mother, but I wanted her to know that I was now here for her and her son and if that meant getting up in the middle of the night to comfort Jamie then that was what I would do.

Reluctantly, she allowed me to get up and leave the room, her eyes on me the whole time.

I chuckled to myself as I quietly made my way back into the room I had found myself in just the night before.

And like last night, Jamie's teary eyes glanced up at me from where he sat in the center of the bed.

"Hey buddy."

At my words his cubby little arms reached up towards me, I pulled him up out of the bed and looked at his sleepy face.

His little hands patted my cheek causing me to laugh. "I imagine you want to see your mummy. Sick of seeing me are you?"

As if to answer me his head fell onto my shoulder affectionately, making my heart squeeze.

It wasn't just Aria I had become attached to. This little boy had stolen my heart as well.

I couldn't imagine not having him around, the thought hurt me just as much as the idea of his mother being gone did.

"Come on let's take you to your crazy mummy before she comes in here wondering what's taking me so long."

I reached back into his crib grabbing his pacifier and smiled when I recognized the fluffy pink bunny in the corner.

It was Darcy's favorite stuffed toy.

The bunny's appearance only solidified my thoughts about Jamie and Aria belonging here with Darcy and I.

My daughter had readily accepted Jamie as hers, granted to begin with she had claimed him as her own personal baby doll, but I could see the affection she had for the younger boy, the way she played with him, or held his smaller hand.

It was the way my sister played with me when we were younger, before the age where we hated each other's existence as most siblings go through.

It made me long for my daughter to get back so I could truly have everything I needed under one roof.

"So I suppose I owe you a thank you." I whispered to the baby who still had his head resting on my shoulder as we made our way down the hall. "And I will make good on my deal since you did your part."

I held my hand on the door while looking down at Jamie who tilted his head to look at me through his long lashes. "Range Rover or Lamborghini?"

Jamie's mouth slid into a two toothed grin causing me to laugh as I opened the door.

Aria sat at the end of the bed looking like she was struggling with whether she should spring up off of it of stay sitting.

"What took you so long?"

I padded across the floor and handed her a happily gurgling Jamie.

"Just settling a few things." I responded after kissing the top of the baby's head.

Aria looked at me with narrowed questioning eyes.

"It's nothing. I was just trying to figure out which of my cars I would be parting with in the future."

Again Aria looked confused but I quickly wiped the look off her face with a strategically placed kiss to her lips.

It instantly made her face light up into a grin and forget what I had said.

Interesting, I'll have to keep that in mind for the future.

"Hello baby." She greeted her son happily.

I took the opportunity to climb back onto the bed until I was propping myself up on my elbows behind her, watching her interacted with her son.

It still amazed me how she lit up whenever her son was around, how her already radiant smile seemed to glow even more when he was near.

She was a born mother; it just came naturally to her and oozed from every pore in her body. I had never met anyone who, despite everything she had been through, could still be so loving and nurturing.

Even I couldn't say that about myself.

Darcy was my world and I loved her insanely, but for a while after Rachel left I had forgotten who I was, what I was. I on rare occasions still struggled with it, with balancing it all, and sometimes the pressure of it all go to me and I had to distance myself a bit but Aria never let any of her obstacles hinder her from being the best mum for Jamie.

He was always on her mind, always a major factor in every breath she took, ever step she made.

He was lucky to have her and I was lucky to find her. I just hoped that I could keep her now.

Jamie's hand reached over his mum's shoulder and towards me, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I let his tiny hand wrap around my finger as Aria turned to watch the two of us.

"He likes you."

Her statement made my heart swell. I hadn't realized how much I had wanted to hear that until she said it.

I smirked at him and reached around Aria to pull him away over her shoulder, chuckling when she huffed indignantly at the fact the the little boy practically threw himself off of his mother and into my arms.

"Traitor." She huffed turning all the way around to face me and Jamie as I lay back with the baby on my chest.

For a moment she just stared with a misty, faraway look in her eyes as Jamie once again laid his head on my shoulder while my large hand spanned over his whole back.

I lazily turned my head to the side to watch her watch us.

She noticed right away and shook her head before offering me a soft smile and lifting her legs back onto the bed to stretching out beside me allowing my other arm to slide under her hip and pull her into my side.

Happy.

That would be the word I would use to describe myself at that moment.

I was undeniably happy.

The only thing that would make this better was my daughter.

I looked down at the top of Aria's head as she reached out to run her finger up and down her baby's arm soothingly.

I wanted this to last forever.

So maybe Darcy wasn't here right now but I could see this being a common occurrence in my life and next time I would have all of my little family here.

Next time it would be perfect.

Notes

the first in a series of fluffly chapters... hope you guys like it