The Proposal (The Proposition #2)(81)

Turning the corner, he saw Emma standing beside a stroller, flushed with all the attention Noah was receiving from a gaggle of female admirers. Even though they had almost been married a year, she still took his breath away each and every time he saw her. Most days he didn’t get to see her all dressed up like she was now. Outfitted in black stilettos, a short black skirt, and a slinky green top that showed off her fabulous cle**age, she made heat stir below Aidan’s waist.

Lately since becoming a stay-at-home mom, Emma spent her time in yoga pants or jeans. But to him, she could look amazingly beautiful and sexy in a ragged t-shirt and his boxers. While she lamented the alleged ten pounds of baby weight she still needed to lose, he loved the fact it seemed to reside in her br**sts and ass just as he had teased her about.

In the end, quitting work had been a tough decision for Emma. At first, she had tried working part-time, but most days she still ended up in tears at the prospect of leaving Noah. Because Aidan wanted her to be happy, he suggested she quit. So when Noah was three months old, Emma left the company.

That’s why this particular evening she had wanted to meet him at the office so the women she used to work with could see how much Noah had grown. He noticed that not only were several of the women those she worked with, but some of them were from his floor as well, including his secretary Marilyn. They all stood around, smiling and cooing at Noah. He perched in his stroller like a King with his court. Peeking up at them through his long eyelashes, he flashed his two new bottom teeth when he grinned.

Aidan shook his head at his son. He was already a terrible flirt and knew exactly how to work the ladies or anyone for that matter. He was truly a chip off the old shoulder when it came to attracting the attention of females. Of course, anytime Aidan made that comment, Emma liked to smack his arm and roll her eyes.

He strode over to the group of women. “Well hello there.”

Noah’s gaze jerked from his admirers and over to Aidan’s. “Dada!” he cried holding his arms up.

Aidan’s heart melted at the sight. No matter how many times he heard Noah call for him, he always had the same reaction. Pure love tingled from the top of his head down to his toes. “Hey Little Man,” he said, picking Noah up out of the stroller.

“Give Daddy a kiss,” Emma prompted.

Noah immediately leaned over to bestow a wet, slobbery smooch on Aidan’s cheek. A chorus of “aw’s” rang around him.

“I can’t believe how much he looks like you, Aidan,” Marilyn said.

“He does, doesn’t he?” he replied with a grin directed at Emma.

She rolled her eyes while another woman shook her head. “I see some of Emma in him too—especially that sweet smile of his.”

Emma laughed. “That’s only when he’s not giving the cocky Fitzgerald grin that he does most of the time.”

Noah began to squirm in Aidan’s arms. “You getting hungry, Little Man?”

Reaching in her bag, Emma took out a pacifier and popped it in Noah’s open and ready to scream mouth.

Marilyn smiled. “Well, we better let you two get going.”

It took a couple of minutes for them to say their good-byes and for each one to give Noah a kiss on the cheek. While he may have been fussy before, he reveled in their attention and waved happily good-bye before taking out his pacifier to blow kisses.

Aidan set Noah back into the stroller. “I’ll get him, babe. You take a breather.”

As Emma held open the door for Aidan, she shook her head and grinned. “What?” he asked.

“I’m sure that most people in this building would do a double take at the sight of Mr. Manwhore Fitzgerald pushing a stroller.”

He scowled at her. “That’s former Mr. Manwhore, thank you.”

She giggled. “That’s right. You’re my Mr. Manwhore now.” She gave him a playful smack on the behind as they started down the sidewalk.

“Mrs. Fitzgerald, I will kindly ask that you not maul my ass in public.”

“Oh really?”

A sexy smirk curved on his lips. “Save it for when we get home.”

Emma giggled. “Okay, then I will.”

When the crosswalk sign flashed for them to go, Aidan pushed the stroller onto the street. “Are you sure we should be taking Noah to O’Malley’s?”

Emma shot him an exasperated look. “We’ve brought him here at least five times. Jenny has been blowing up my phone with texts about when we’re coming back.”

“Yeah, but he was smaller then. And there’s all that smoke.”

“We sit in the non-smoking section, Aidan.” Once they made it to the other side of the street, she gazed up at him. “Besides, he’s part Irish. Shouldn’t he be growing up around booze?”

He rolled his eyes. “Har f**king har.”

She grinned and then linked her arm through his. “I love you, babe.”

“Right back atcha,” he replied, before leaning over to kiss her.

When Emma reached to open the door, Jenny burst through it. “Oh my God! I thought you guys had decided not to come!” She barely gave a fleeting glance at Aidan and Emma before she reached out to Noah. “There’s my big, beautiful boy!” After spitting out his pacifier, he grinned and waved his arms to let Jenny pick him up.

“I see we rank pretty low these days, huh?” Aidan said with a smile.