Author's note: This chapter is chock full of adorable sweetness. I hope you're prepared!

I have it figured that there will be three more chapters after this and then an epilogue. So we're drawing to a close. It is actually my longest fanfic so far. Isn't that so cool?!

Happy reading!

Chapter Thirty-One

"Jill is coming the second week in June and she can stay through July." Adrian announced, pouncing onto the bed.

I grumbled and rolled away. "It's the middle of the night, couldn't this wait?"

Yeats gave a disgruntled meow from the pillow beside my head. He tucked his face back under his paw.

"Sorry. I thought you were still awake." He kissed my cheek and gave the cat a scratch behind the ears. "Go back to sleep, baby."

I pressed my face into my pillow. "We need to set up the cake appointment, then."

"Wedding stuff always on your mind. But don't worry, I got this covered. I know some people. I'll call around tomorrow while you're at work." He kissed me again and then settled in on the other side of the bed.

I rolled toward him once again when his light was out. I reached out and found his hand in the dark. "Good."

That night, I dreamed I was in a church. I wore my wedding dress. I walked toward Adrian at the top of the aisle. He was in a tux with a bow tie. I already knew that detail in real life because I'd caught my fiancé practicing tying one. He looked so incredibly handsome. He smiled sweetly. But just as I reached him, I woke up.

I said a string of curses under my breath as I reached over and turned it off. I stretched and looked over to see Adrian was still snoozing away. I heaved a sigh and got out of bed.

When I got out of the shower, he had moved. His eyes were half open, watching me as I dressed and moved around the room.

Yeats was stretched out beside his head. He moved when I came back in. He stretched and yawned.

I smiled at the cat. "Are you going to stay in bed a while?" I asked Adrian as I pulled my hair back.

"I was thinking about it." He mumbled, his eyes completely closed again.

I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Go ahead and sleep, sweetheart. I'll come back up to say goodbye before I go."

He nodded and then caught my hand. "Please eat something."

"I will. I promise."

He kissed my hand. "I just worry. You've taken a large backslide the last few weeks."

"I felt horrible in my dress the last time I put it on." I admitted.

He pulled me down on the mattress and sat up. "Did it fit?"

"Yes."

"Was it too tight anywhere?"

"Not really."

"Then don't freak out too much. It'll be fine. You look great. Please eat breakfast. A good breakfast."

"I will, sweetheart." I kissed him and then got up. "Go back to sleep."

Yeats followed me out of the room. I filled his bowl and reluctantly went about making breakfast for myself. I chose oatmeal. It wasn't so bad for me and it would stick with me for a while.

As I sat down, Adrian came into the room, scratching his messy hair. He smiled, kissed the top of my head, and then started assembling his own breakfast. The cat rubbed against his leg.

"I thought you were going to sleep." I said as I ate.

"I couldn't." He sat down beside me with a bowl of cereal. "I need to go to the feeder today. Then I'll do some errands."

"Are you sure you don't want to hire one? It would be so much more convenient."

"Convenient for me. But then we'd have to house and feed an extra person who would only be needed for a couple minutes a day. It's not that far out of my way to go to the feeder house once a week or so. And I need to do some things around town anyway."

"Okay." I stirred the last of the contents of my bowl around.

"Not to mention how uncomfortable the thought actually makes you." He put his hand on top of mine. "But thank you."

We ate in silence for a while. I looked up at the clock after a while and sighed. "Time to get going."

Adrian stopped by at lunch looking fresh. The actual thought of a feeder gave me the creeps, but what it did for his health and his looks and demeanor were worth the uneasy feeling.

"Hello, gorgeous." He kissed me. "How's it going?"

"It's going." I chuckled. "You look like you feel a lot better."

"Oh, I do." He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. "Got time for some fresh air?"

"I think so. Let me get my lunch and some coffee."

We sat at a picnic table on the side of the garage. It was shady there, so no fear of Adrian becoming ill. It was a nice late spring day. There was a little chill to the air, but otherwise it was perfect. I offered my fiancé part of my sandwich, but he refused.

"I'm good for now, thanks." He put his hand on my knee and pressed his face into my neck. "Much better."

I nudged him with my shoulder. "So what are you up to today?"

"Mostly looking into bakers that will be free to fly to Pennsylvania for the week of our wedding, all expenses paid."

"Any takers yet?" I sipped my coffee.

"Not just yet. They're all booked. But I think I can sweet talk this one lady. I called and asked if the week was open and she said it was. So we shall see. I have an appointment with her this afternoon to discuss the logistics. We can do actual design talk when we go to the tasting."

"Which will happen next month because that's when Jill will be here, right?"

"Yes." He kissed my neck and then my check and finally sat back. He wrapped an arm around my waist. "So, little grease monkey, when do we want to go look for the rings?"

"Can we go this weekend? I'm kind of itching for it." I reached up and combed my fingers through his hair. "And I want to buy them. Let me contribute something. I've made the decisions and then you pay for them. But on this, I want to do it."

"Okay. I like the sound of that. What do you have in mind?"

"I'd like the same scroll as my engagement ring, or at least the feel. For both of them."

"Can we have solid rings so we can engrave them?"

"What are you thinking?"

"I'd like mine to say something about our forever love. Or something equally as romantic. 'Sydney my heart' or something."

I grinned at the adorable, unsure smile he had on his face. I pressed a kiss to his mouth. "'Adrian my inspiration.'" I kissed him again. "I like that. Let's do it."

He moved sideways on the bench and placed his hands gently on the sides of my face. He didn't say anything, just looked into my eyes. He kissed my forehead and each of my cheeks before he brushed his lips across mine. "Perfect."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and draped my legs over his. I put my face close to his. My lips were only a breath away. I said softly, "Five months. Less than that now, actually."

His hands rested on my waist. "I can't wait. I love you so much, Sydney." He closed the space between us, his lips were so soft against mine. "Sydney Sage Ivashkov." He mumbled and then kissed me again.

"It's okay that I kept Sage, isn't it?" We shared another kiss.

"It's perfectly fine. And it will be even better when you sign it on the marriage license."

I moved a little closer and rested my head on his shoulder. "We're getting married. It's still so weird sometimes. I look at you and I just remember the first time I saw you and how incredibly frightened I was."

"I remember that too. But I was scared for different reasons. I was scared of being attracted to you because I had just had my heart broken by Rose. There was something about your aura that told me you would save me. And you did." He kissed my neck. "A thousand times over."

"I kind of like it when we get like this." I said softly. I started combing my fingers through his hair.

"Me too." He kissed my neck again and then sat back. He pressed his lips to mine. "I think your lunch break's almost over."

"I think you're right." I sighed and kissed him again. I moved away and stood, stretching. "I'm so glad it's Friday."

"Me too. I suggest we gather all the necessary food and drink for two full days and hide away in our house. Watch movies. Snuggle on the couch." He wrapped his arms around my waist and looked up at me. "What do you say?"

I brushed his hair back. "I say it's the best idea you've had in a while. And we need to get all the lovey-dovey out before Jill and the others get here." I kissed his forehead. "Now let me go."

He unwrapped his arms. "I'll see you at home."

I kissed him again and then went inside to complete my work day.

"We have a cake designer!" Adrian proclaimed when I walked through the door.

I laughed and hung my keys on the hook. "And the designer is coming to Pennsylvania?"

"Yes." He gave me a quick kiss as Yeats rubbed against my leg.

"A lot of love from both my guys." I cupped Adrian's cheek and rubbed my thumb across his skin for a moment. Then I reached down and picked up the cat. He started purring as soon as I had him against my chest. "Hello, handsome." I crooned as I scratched his head.

I walked into the kitchen so my fiancé could get back to making supper.

"Tell me about the designer." I prompted.

"Her name is Patty. Her shop is called Patty Cakes. Isn't that cute?"

I chuckled. "Adorable."

"She has family in Pennsylvania and has wanted to make a visit there for a long time. This will give her a bit of an excuse. I told her we'd fly her along with any supplies she needs. She said she can bake all the cake necessary and bring it along and then assemble when she gets there. I set up an appointment for a tasting and design consultation."

"I'll let Carly and Mom know. It's okay if my mom comes, isn't it?" I asked uncertainly.

"Of course, honey. I like your mom. And she's hot for me. If she were twenty years younger…" He growled.

"You should add 'and not your mother.'" I warned.

He laughed. "And not your mother, I would win her over. Just like I won you."

"She was a lot easier to convince than I was."

"Well, I'm sure it helped that you were already in love with me and she just wants the best for you." He walked over and sat a pan in the middle of the table. "Chicken Marsala!" He announced. He went back over to the counter and brought back a bowl. "And wild and brown rice pilaf with cranberries."

"This looks so good." I said, pushing the cat away.

"I hope it tastes as good as it looks. I plan on having dinner ready for you at least one day a week. That's my promise for you." He leaned down and kissed me.

"And I'll share in the cooking. And the cleaning."

"And the childrearing?"

I shook my head. "Let's eat. I'm starved."

He smiled and kissed me again. He nudged Yeats out of the way as he went back and forth to the cabinets.

"How can I help?" I asked.

"By relaxing." He sat a couple glasses of water on the table and then the plates.

As we ate, Adrian passed bits of chicken to the cat. "You know, he's not going to want to eat his own food if you keep feeding him ours. Are cats even supposed to have food cooked in wine?"

He shrugged and gave me a smirk. "Doesn't he deserve to be spoiled?"

"If he gets sick, you're taking him to the vet. And giving him all his medications."

"I will." He gave the cat another bite.

I sighed and went back to my meal. "This is delicious. Especially the rice."

"I'm glad you like it." He put his hand on my knee and pressed his face into my neck. "I want to get you up to bed."

"Can we try something new?"

He sat up and looked at me, excitement brightening his face. "What?"

"Take a bath together?" I said slowly.

"Yes. Yes, that sounds perfect." He put his plate on the floor for Yeats.

The cat was very happy to have the last few bites of Adrian's dinner.

I laughed. "I didn't mean to excite you."

"Every time you breathe it excites me. Every time you blink. When you smile at me or give me that look that says you think I'm impossible."

"You very often are. Especially right now." I kissed him softly and then started clearing the table.

He stopped me. "I've got this. You go get the bath ready."

I chuckled and handed him my plate.

He immediately put it on the floor for the cat.

"Adrian!" I warned.

"Chill, baby." He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close. He pressed his hips into mine and gave me a lingering kiss. "He'll be okay."

I groaned and put my hands on the side of his face. "You're going to drive me crazy."

"I'm already there. I'll finally have good company."

I laughed and kissed him. "Leave the dishes." I turned and dragged him out of the room.