Adriane Leigh - Light in Mourning

Lucky for her, I didn’t care. I knew she had it rough, carrying a baby while a toddler ran around the house, leaving mass chaos in his wake. If I had diaper duty for the rest of the pregnancy, I was okay with that; it was the least I could do after watching her push our son into the world. That didn’t mean I wasn’t going to give her a hard time about it, though. I couldn’t let her know she owned me so completely and could walk all over me, and I’d still have a smile on my face. Georgia did that to me. Got her way in all things and I happily gave it to her, gave her everything, because she’d given me everything.

“Come on, boys, let’s go,” I called from the beach.

“Where’s Daddy and Brady?” My beautiful little girl looked up at me, golden ringlets pulled into a ponytail, dark brown eyes dancing with excitement.

“They’re coming, baby.” I patted her head just as Tristan and our four-year-old came bounding down the deck stairs of the beach house.

“Be careful,” I called, but I knew they couldn’t hear.

“Mama.” Brooke tugged on the hem of my cover-up.

“Yeah, baby?”

“Up.” She reached her chubby little arms up for me to hold her. A smile slid across my face as I heaved her into my arms. I looked back at my boys as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Tristan heaved Brady up on his shoulders and jogged to me, a beautiful smile crossing his face. My heart stuttered to a stop because it was just as I'd imagined in my daydream so many years ago. That summer we'd first met and I'd seen beautiful little blond-haired babies in the sand, a smiling Tristan entertaining them.

“Hey, Mama.” My gorgeous husband pressed a kiss to my lips. I adjusted Brooke on my hip and weaved a hand up to hold his cheek as I kissed him.

“Hey,” I whispered.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured as he pressed his forehead to mine.

“Thanks.” I took his lips with mine again.

“Daddy, I’m ready to swim.” Brady shook the bucket of beach toys in his hand.

“He’s ready to swim, Daddy.” I smiled sweetly.

“While they’re swimming, can I get some alone time with my girl?” He quirked an eyebrow suggestively.

“Wait till nap time, Mr. Howell.” I pulled away, but not before pinching his ass.

“Ow.”

“What, Daddy?” Concern crossed our little boy’s face.

“Mommy pinched Daddy.”

“You shit,” I whispered under my breath as Tristan’s eyes gleamed with amusement.

“No pinching, Mommy,” Brady chastised from atop Tristan's shoulders.

“Sorry, baby. Let’s go swim.” I darted off down the beach with Brooke squealing with delight in my arms. I set her down in the sand and she immediately started digging as the waves lapped at her chubby little feet.

“I’ll be out in a minute.” Tristan lifted Brady from his shoulders. Brady headed for his sister and plopped down, showing her how to make a sandcastle with the toys.

Tristan wrapped his arms around my waist and swayed me back and forth as he tucked his nose into my neck. I sucked in a contented breath and lay back against his chest.

“Thank you,” I sighed.

“For what?” His lips tickled the skin beneath my ear.

“For everything. All of it. From the beginning to the end, thank you.”

“Mmm, my pleasure, ma’am,” he said in his best southern drawl.

“Seriously. Buying this house? Best decision I ever made.” I turned in his arms and caught his gaze with my own. “That first day sailing? I'm so thankful you asked me and I said yes. Every minute I’m thankful for, even the hard ones.” Tears pricked behind my eyelids, as I looked at the beautiful boy that had been stopping and restarting my heart from the moment I’d met him.

“Oh, baby.” He kissed me softly. “Thank you, for bringing me back to life. For making this beat.” He put my hand on his heart. “It beats for you and them.” He gestured toward our babies playing in the sand.

I nodded and tucked my head into the crook of his neck. I inhaled deeply and took in his ocean fresh scent that had made my knees weak from the start. His lips whispered along my jaw line as he placed soft kisses across my skin.

“I love you,” I murmured.

“I love you so much more,” he replied before his lips took mine in a reverent kiss.

There he went again, stealing my breath, except he wasn’t stealing it; I gave it to him freely because he owned me. We owned each other.

From the beginning, our lives had been set on a course to find each other. There'd been no deviating. Despite the bumps in the road, it’d gotten us here, and here was so good.

Here was the best.

Here was right where we were meant to be.

If you enjoyed Light in Mourning please consider leaving a review. Reviews are like gold and I'll gladly send each and every one of you a cupcake in thanks, or a picture of a boy without a shirt, whichever you prefer ;)

Stay tuned for a excerpt from Love in Between by Sandi Lynn.

Madness ~ Muse

Animal ~ Neon Trees

Everything I Ask For ~ The Maine

Locked Out of Heaven ~ Boyce Avenue

Kiss Me Slowly ~ Parachute

She is Love ~ Parachute

Wherever You Will Go ~ Boyce Avenue

Falling ~ The Civil Wars

Stupid Boy ~ Keith Urban

If I Knew ~ Bruno Mars

It Will Rain ~ Bruno Mars

Love Remains the Same ~ Gavin Rossdale

I Won't Give Up ~ Jason Mraz

Safe & Sound ~ Taylor Swift, The Civil Wars

Between the Raindrops ~ Lifehouse

This Years Love ~ Boyce Avenue

Who You Are ~ Jessie J

I Choose You ~ Sara Bareilles

Find this playlist on Spotify along with more songs that inspired Light in Mourning.

Thank you to my loving and supportive hubs. Frozen food and dirty laundry have become a common occurrence in our house so I can write books. Our family has sacrificed, but hopefully the rewards are that much sweeter.

To the best sisters a girl could ask for—my SmutSisters. For all the support, love, boys without shirts (and sometimes without pants), laughs, and TMI conversations. My day isn't complete until I've chatted with you girls. Bring on Scotland!

To Nelle, you’ve become such a close and supportive friend. We growl about how tough it is to write books and dish about family and life; you're a blessing.

To Sandi, I have a blast chatting and bitching and beta-reading with you. I can't wait for all the signings in 2014!

And eternal thanks to my awesome, hilarious, and always supportive readers who love Tristan just as much as I do! You guys rock! I appreciate each and every message and review you so happily share!

Adriane Leigh was born and raised in a snowbank in Northern Michigan and now lives among the sand dunes of the Lake Michigan lakeshore.

She graduated with a Literature degree but never particularly enjoyed reading Shakespeare and Chaucer.