A Family For The Billionaire ✅

13.

This was not how Aston had planned to spend his evening. Very few men would complain about being surrounded by a roomful of Southern women, being served delicious home cooking—-and Aston wasn't going to be the one to start.

He'd simply planned to spend it with Aubrey. Alone. Preferably naked.

It took considerable self-control not to watch her every love with a hungry gaze, though baby Luca's attachment to him had dampened his ardor significantly, as had the avid speculation of the other women's faces. He wasn't sure what was up with the little squirt, but he'd appear rly decided Aston was his one and only adult tonight. He wasn't having it any other way. Any time Aubrey or her sisters tries to hold Luca or move him away from Aston, big tears flooded his little eyes and rolled down his cheeks.

Much to his chagrin, Aston was a sucker for it.

His high chair had been set beside him with Aubrey on the other side. The set up felt unreal for him, as if his brain couldn't comprehend what he'd gotten himself into. But he also had no Desiree to hightail it for the front door—an odd development, to say the least. Normally, he would have been the first one to hit the road.

As they are, Luca alternated between his baby food and supply cup, and playing with the emerald ring in Aubrey's right hand.

"You wear that ring a lot," he said, "Where's it from?" The table went strangely silent, as if he'd asked something completely inappropriate—or solemn ring they didn't really to answer.

"It's an heirloom piece we recently found in an old jewelry box," Aunty finally said.

Aston could swear the women around him slumped just a little.

"The girls' family line goes all the way back to the origins of Savannah. Their ancestor was a pirate who turned respectable and married the daughter of one or the founding families."

Aston grinned at Aubrey over Luca's head, "Respectable, huh? So that's where you learned to fit in with the elite crowd so well."

"It's in the genes," she confirmed, putting on a fake bravado.

"It's actually quite fascinating," Wynter said before launching into an monologue about Savannah's origins.

"History need," Aubrey mumbled out of the side of her mouth.

Aston quickly smothered his laugh when Wynter glared, "I would hope so," she declared, "otherwise I'd suck at teaching it."

"That makes perfect sense," Aston said, "I'm sure someone who loves history makes it much more interesting for her students."

That seemed to mollify Wynter—that and sticking her tongue out at her sister. Aston felt himself relaxing even more. Dinner around the family table was an experience he'd never had. When he and his mother had eaten together, usually on Sundays, they'd sat next to each other in front of the television, eating off TV trays. He hadn't expected to enjoy this when he'd sat sown tonight.

Just then, a soft weight rested against his arm. He glanced down into the two soft blue eyes in Luca's tiny round face. He blinked slowly, then rubbed his head against his arm.

"Um..." Aston glances around the table, something akin to panic building in his core.

Wynter giggled first, then Summer. Auntie simply smiled.

Aubrey rolled her eyes, shaking her head at her son, "You big flirt."

"Well he is a man, after all," Auntie said. Aston glanced back down. The baby grinned, showing the first of his teeth in his otherwise empty gums. The panic disintegrated. A feeling he didn't recognize settled in its place. Something similar to how he felt when lying exhausted in Aubrey's arms. Almost like....peace.