This Time Around (Sequel to All Over Again)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

The rest of Christmas was spent celebrating Aislinn's first birthday, laughing at Odin's expression as she smashed her fist into her birthday cake. It took McKenna a while to scrub the cake and icing off her daughter’s face and out of her hair, and by the time she had Aislinn bundled in her cozy sleeper, Aislinn was yawning and rubbing her eyes.

“Did you have a nice birthday, my big girl?” McKenna asked as she carried Aislinn to her crib.

Aislinn nodded. “Mama… “

“I can’t believe you’re a year old already. It just isn't possible.”

Aislinn yawned and rubbed her left eye. “Mama… Dada?”

“Daddy will be here in a few minutes, sweetie. He’s just tucking Selig in.”

“Seewig…”

McKenna chuckled. “Close enough.”

“Close enough to what?” Loki asked as he came into the room.

Aislinn smiled sleepily and waved a chubby hand. “Dada.”

Loki lifted her from McKenna's arms and kissed her forehead. “Happy birthday, Princess,” he murmured, smoothing her hair away from her face. “And now, it’s time for you to go to sleep.”

“No, Dada…”

“Yes.” He shifted her, cradling her against his chest as he slowly rocked her. “You’ve had a long, busy day. You need your sleep.”

“Dada…”

“Shhh…” he whispered, leaning closer to whisper something else. McKenna smiled as she moved into the doorway. She couldn’t hear him, and that was fine. They could have their secrets, just as he and Selig had their secrets. Her Jötunns. Her family.

She left them to their secrets and made her way down the corridor toward Selig's chambers. It had been one of the most wonderful Christmases she could recall and when she thought about it, it was so difficult to remember a time before Loki came into her life.

Her family had been small. Her and her mother. A few cousins, but none she was close to, and that was it. And she never realized how lonely it could be until now. Back then, she’d have told anyone who listened she didn’t want children of her own. She never planned on having them. And since it seemed every guy she ever found herself with turned out to be some kind of loser, it was more than likely she never would have children of her own.

Selig was unplanned. A complete accident. It was silly, to assume she couldn’t get pregnant by Loki simply because he was Jötunn and she was Midgardian. And honestly, the first time they slept together, she was so caught up in the moment, the thought never crossed her mind. But then, Selig was conceived.

Unplanned.

Most definitely wanted.

And now? Now, she couldn’t imagine her life without him. Without Aislinn. Without Loki.

Her family.

Selig was already in bed, Cap One and Cap Two tucked in on either side of him and his blanket Blue balled up on the pillow. “I’m ready for kisses, Mommy.”

She smiled as she sank onto the edge of his bed. “Did you have a nice Christmas, sweetie?”

He nodded. “It was great, Mommy. I love being here for Christmas.”

“Really?”

“It’s fun, now that I’ve got friends to play with. I like it here.”

She smoothed his hair away from his face. “I’m glad you like it here, sweetie. Now, it’s time for you to go to sleep.”