Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 214

*Michael*

“Ugh,” my g***n echoed around the room as I stirred, the loud thumping of my heart in my ears a reminder of the fight and the consequences awaiting me. The headache was karma for raising my voice at Shelby. She didn’t deserve that.

I took a deep breath and decided to get a jump start on the groveling process. I headed into the bathroom, stripped, and turned on the water as hot as I could stand it. The heat singed my skin and loosened my muscles, making me feel clean and new. It also made me think about how lucky I was that Shelby still wanted me after everything, that she had picked me out of all the other fish in the sea.

When I got out, I brushed my teeth and popped two asprins, then headed to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

While the coffee brewed, I started an apology breakfast. I started by grabbing a pan and melting butter in it. Then, I sliced a baguette into thick slices, set it aside, and mixed together eggs, cream, sugar, and vanilla for french toast.

I melted a pad of butter in the pan and watched with satisfaction as each slice of bread sizzled, filling the room with the sweet aroma of toasting grains. When both sides had turned a rich golden brown, I transferred them onto a plate with a stack of sausage links still steaming from their wrap in foil and a selection of freshly cut fruit.

I grabbed two mugs from the cupboard and poured us each a cup of coffee, then made two plates and set them on the dining room table. I grabbed the babies’ bouncers from the living room so we could eat without having to hold them, then made my way to the nursery to check on Shelby.

She was still fast asleep, her long red hair laid across the pillow beneath her looking peaceful and beautiful as ever. I stood there for a moment, watching her, feeling guilty for being stubborn the night before.

It had been a maddeningly stressful, hard year for both of us. I allowed myself to take some of that stress out on Shelby, and it was unacceptable.

I knew I had to make it right, and fast. I gently placed a k**s on her forehead and whispered, “Good morning, beautiful,” as I rubbed her arm.

She stirred and slowly opened her eyes, a small smile forming on her lips when she saw me. “Even when I’m annoyed with you, you’re still the most gorgeous man on the planet, you know that?” she grumbled in a gravelly morning voice.

“I’m sorry for yesterday,” I said, my voice soft and sincere. “I didn’t mean to make you feel like your dreams weren’t important to me. I understand now that this is something you want for yourself, and I support you one hundred percent.”

Shelby sat up, looking at me with surprise and relief. “Thank you, Michael,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “I was so worried that you didn’t understand. I swear I don’t want to jump into working full-time. I want to have days off throughout the week where I can be present and with our children.”

“I do understand,” I said, taking her hand and squeezing it gently. “And I promise to be there for you every step of the way. Whatever you need, I’ll be there for you. I think taking a step back from work has made me edgy. I trust Reggie to handle everything but damn it, sometimes I don’t know what to do with myself.”

As Shelby stood and grabbed her robe she said, “Sometimes I get so lost in this new phase of motherhood, I forget that you’re also dealing with the stress we’ve been through and the addition of the twins. I’m sorry, I don’t give you enough credit some days.” Shelby leaned in and kissed me, her eyes glossy with tears. “I love you so much,” she whispered.

“I love you too,” I said, finally feeling like some of the tension between us had dissipated. I pulled away and smiled at her. “Now, come on. Let’s get these babies changed and cuddled–I have a surprise for you in the dining room.”

Shelby and I moved in tandem, each scooping up one of the twins from their cribs. I carried Thomas while Shelby took care of Amelia. We laid them on the changing table, unfastening the onesies and diapers that were quickly becoming too small. They gurgled as we worked, occasionally reaching out a chubby hand to grasp at our shirts.

When we were finished, I said, “We really are getting the hang of this whole thing, aren’t we? A few weeks ago, it would’ve taken us an hour to get through the morning routine.”

“You aren’t kidding. They should both be content for a while, I nursed them about an hour before you came in and woke us up,” Shelby answered as we walked toward the door.

Shelby followed me out of the nursery, holding each of our babies, and we made our way to the dining room. When we got there, she gasped in surprise when she saw the spread laid out before us.

“We need to fight more often if this is how you apologize,” she laughed.

“Or, we can communicate healthily, no fighting, and I’ll make you breakfast whenever you want? I’m not kidding, I slept like s**t because I hate when you’re upset with me, ” I really tried to convey with my eyes how sorry I was while I placed Thomas in his bouncer and pulled Shelby’s seat out for her.

“I didn’t sleep well, either,” Shelby admitted as she settled into her seat. “But breakfast with my favorite person makes it all better.”

I smiled and took my seat across from her, reaching for the coffee pot to pour us each a cup.

“This is amazing,” she breathed. “Thank you so much.”

I grinned, feeling pleased with myself for making her smile. “Anything for you, my love.”

We settled into the warm silence of the morning, eating and chatting about how the babies slept, what we had planned for the day, and all sorts of other mundane topics. It felt like a sweet respite from all of our worries and insecurities.

With each passing moment, I felt more and more content. The sun was beginning to rise outside of our windows, casting a golden hue around us. It felt like a sign that everything was going to be okay. Eventually, Shelby looked up at me with a smile on her face, her eyes still glossy with tears but also joyous with love.

“You know I’m here for you too,” she said quietly. “Whatever you need.”

I nodded slowly, my throat feeling tight with emotion as I reached across the table to take her hand in mine. “Thank you,” I whispered back before pressing my lips against hers in a tender k**s.

The k**s deepened and began to take on a different tone. Our tongues met, sliding across each other. I fervently pulled Shelby against me and she gasped and pulled away.

“I’m sorry, Michael. I just don’t think I’m ready yet,” she apologized.

I gave her a gentle smile and replied, “There’s nothing to apologize for. Your body is still healing from the trauma of your surgery. We have the rest of our lives to have s*x when you’re ready. I will never rush you.”

“I feel like it can’t be easy for you to have a wife that seems repulsed to be touched. I just want to feel normal because I miss having s*x with you,” Shelby’s voice wavered with unshed emotions.

“Hey, don’t be upset. Of course, I miss having s*x with you, too. But Shelby, I’m perfectly content navigating our lives and moving at your speed, okay? Don’t feel guilty,” I reassured her while rubbing my hands up and down her arms.

Fighting back tears, Shelby said, “What did I ever do to deserve you?

“We were meant to be, that’s all that makes sense,” I answered as I cleaned up the table.

Once breakfast was cleaned up, we headed to the living room and took turns snuggling with the twins on the couch, content to just be together as a family. As the morning wore on, Shelby’s eyes began to droop, and I could see the exhaustion written all over her face.

“Let me take care of the babies,” I said, standing up and carefully lifting Amelia from her arms, “You go get some rest.”

Shelby looked grateful as she handed over Thomas next, giving me a quick k**s before making her way to the bedroom.

With Shelby resting, I made a few phone calls to have a sitter come stay with the babies in the nursery. Shelby and I deserved to have a couple of hours to ourselves, even if we’d still be in the same house. Once the sitter was confirmed, I moved around the house setting up the dining room for a romantic dinner for two. The space was transformed with flowers and twinkling candles.

I ordered food from our favorite Italian restaurant then grabbed Shelby’s favorite wine from the wine cellar. I set out two wine glasses, lit a few more candles, and turned on some soft music to play in the background.

I placed a single rose on the plate at Shelby’s seat and smiled as I stepped back to admire my work. When I heard a soft sigh coming from the direction of our bedroom, I tiptoed away and shut the door to surprise Shelby.

I entered our bedroom and found Shelby lying on the bed, still wearing her pajamas, so I tickled her and sang, “Wake up, sleepy pants.”

“What’s going on, Michael?” she asked, confused.

“I’ve arranged for us to have a romantic dinner tonight,” I said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “We deserve a night to ourselves.”

“Michael! That’s amazing! But I feel guilty leaving the babies. Are you sure we should be going out?” she asked, trepidation lacing her voice.

I smiled at her, reassuringly. “Don’t worry. The babies will be in the nursery with the sitter, and we can check on them whenever you want. We’re having a romantic dinner at home for two uninterrupted hours.”

Shelby’s eyes lit up with excitement as she sat up on the bed. “Thank you, Michael. You always know how to make me feel special,” she said as she leaned over and kissed me on the lips.

Without wasting any more time, we both got ready for our dinner. I helped Shelby put on her favorite dress, and she tied my tie.

As we made our way into the dining room, the aroma of the Italian food made our mouths water. We sat down and started devouring the delicious food, exchanging stories and jokes. The soft music and the dimly lit candles set the perfect mood for a special night.