I’m trembling, ecstasy rolling through me in growing, pulsing waves until my body seizes up, every muscle giving over to the pleasure. Mateo’s mouth drops to my neck, his groan vibrating through both of us as he pulls me down hard, shaking as he empties himself deep inside me.
I sag back against him, limp and trying to catch my breath. Lifting my belted hands over his head, I pull the material out of my mouth, inspecting it as he pulls the hem of my dress down, wrapping an arm around my waist and holding me tight.
“Are these my panties?”
Mateo chuckles, kissing my neck. “Well, they sure aren’t mine.”
“You’re terrible,” I say, bouncing them off his forehead and letting them fall to the floorboard.
He laughs, shaking me in his lap. “Like you have complaints?” His fingers slide down my arms, freeing my wrists from his belt before he tosses it aside.
My whole body is thrumming, content and complete. Complaints are the one thing I definitely do not have.
“No… no complaints. We arewaytoo good at this,” I sigh, letting my head fall back on his shoulder.
He slips out of me with a groan, his hips lifting us so he can pull his pants back up.
“Hang on!” I laugh, slipping sideways off his lap so he can arrange himself. Mateo zips up his pants and drags me back into his lap, wrapping his arms around me. I stroke his collarbone, my fingers stealing under the edge of his unbuttoned shirt.
“Did you want to go back inside?” Mateo ducks his head, peering out at the lights of the bar.
“God, no,” I reply, running my hand along his scruff-covered jaw. “Do you?”
Mateo shakes his head, his dark eyes memorizing my face as he smiles down at me. “Me? No. I want to take you home. I want to throw our phones out in the yard, lock all the doors and windows, and forget that the rest of the world exists.”
“I could be on board with that.” I grin back at him. “For how long?”
He shrugs. “I dunno. Let’s start with the next fifty years and see where things go?”
28
Epilogue - Julia
Six Months Later…
Gran is soaking up the limelight something fierce. She’s sitting on her throne, yes,throne, under a giant cheetah print banner that reads “Happy 75th, ya crazy bitch!” In hot pink glitter, no less. I’d like to shake the hand of the person at the banner store who not only took that order, but designed, printed, and lovingly packaged it up so Sally could stretch it across the yard in all its foul-mouthed glory.
And it really is just the icing on the cake. The entirety of Gran’s backyard has been decked out in what can only be described as a George of the Jungle sex fantasy.
Note to self, when Sally says, “I’ll just plan something small and intimate,” that’s code for “I’ll only bring in four male strippers.” The “dancers” are currently flanking Gran’s throne in animal print loin cloths like an oiled-up, Tarzan-themed reverse harem.
Subtle, Sally is not, but Gran has never looked happier.
The men folk are less amused. None of them have lost it outright, at least not yet, but Brooks won’t stop glaring and I have to wonder if he’s wishing he had his hammer. Or maybe a nail gun.
Ben is bouncing one of the twins on his hip and keeping his body between Lilah and the entertainment. Lukas is more or less ok… as long as Parker doesn’t turn her very pregnant body to look in the jungle boy’s general direction.
And then there’s Mateo. He’s scowling, even though I know he’s trying to be stoic. His sexy eyebrows are all bunched up. I can’t decide if I want him to catch me ogling the dancers just so he’ll go all alpha, letting him drag me off and lay claim to my body (for the third time today) or if I should behave so we can stay and enjoy the party.
Asher is the only one who doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, I’d go as far as to say he’s completely nonplussed, but then again, heisthe only single man left.
Luis joins Asher, Mateo, and I at the edge of the party, sipping a beer. “So this is some party. For the record, please skip the male strippers for my 75th.”
“Done.” I grin at him. “We’ll save those for your 80th.”
“Or maybe my funeral, because the only way that happens is over my dead body.”
Luis asks Mateo about work. I think he loves that he can ask and get a straight answer these days.