EPILOGUE
EMMA
5 years later
“Rise and shine, sweet thing.”I moan, not only because I don’t want to get up, but his mouth is the best alarm clock that was ever created. “Swear you’re even sweeter when you’re pregnant.”
“Enjoy it because this is the last time.” I’m pretty sure I said that the time before this, but here I am knocked up again. I grip his hair in my fingers, lifting my hips to press my sex into his mouth.
“Greedy,” he manages to get out before he gives me what I want. I am greedy when it comes to my husband. In no time he has me coming. Then he flips me over onto all fours, mindful of my stomach. My body aches for him to be inside of me.
“Vincent,” I whimper as he thrusts all the way to the hilt. His thumb presses against my puckered hole as he drills in and out of me. It feels as though he’s everywhere at once.
“Clit, now,” he orders me. I do as I’m told, moving my fingers to my clit. I always do what he tells me when we’re in the bedroom.
Who am I kidding? I do it outside of the bedroom, too, but those orders are few and far between. I know when something has pushed Vincent too far, and there is a reason he’d be dishing out an order. I trust that if he’s telling me to do something, it’s for my own good.
“You’re everywhere,” I moan into the pillow. He has my body in overdrive. After all these years, nothing has changed. The man still drives my body crazy. It was like that from the moment I laid eyes on him.
“Good, I should be everywhere when it comes to my wife's body.” He presses his thumb deeper inside of me. It’s all too much. I cry out into the pillow as another orgasm washes over me. Vincent groans and comes along with me, his release spilling inside of me.
My knees start to give, but Vincent shifts me so I fall to my side. He comes down next to me, his hand resting on my stomach as he nuzzles my neck. I open one eye to see it’s already eleven in the morning.
“How the hell did I sleep so late?”
“I wore my woman out.” I snort a laugh.
“You and those cinnamon rolls Mom made.” I’m the world's worst cook. To be honest, I don’t even try much anymore.
Vincent is pretty damn good at cooking except when it comes to baking. That’s his one downfall when it comes to him being a stay-at-home dad. I lift and roll over to face him. His face is clean shaven, and I know he’s probably been up for hours.
This never gets old, waking up with him each morning. I hadn’t been wrong about the whole shotgun wedding thing. Vincent and I were both sloppy when it came to protection. I got pregnant quickly the first time. It could have been the first night or very soon after. Not that Vincent needed a shotgun held to him. The man was suited up and ready to go before I’d even taken a pregnancy test. Hell, he’s already bought land and is building us a house. I had no clue when Vincent said he came from money what that truly meant.
Hell ended up raining down on the Finley family. Vincent seems to have more power and pull than anyone. The former Mayor Finley was a nobody compared to the people Vincent’s family had connections to, not to mention lawyers. The whole Finley family had fled town, but thankfully that hadn’t been enough for Vincent. He made sure Blake got hit with some charges. His criminal record shows what he is, and now people will know no matter where he goes.
Vincent and my brother retired from the Navy. My brother is the new police chief, and I couldn’t be prouder. Vincent insisted that he wanted me to do whatever my heart desired as far as a career. He’s really taken to the stay-at-home dad thing. I’m pretty sure it might have something to do with how he grew up.
I know his parents love him in their own way, but it’s different than how I was raised. I’m used to my family and half the town being all up in everyone's business, but only because we love each other and want to be close. He wants to raise our children here. A home that is always filled with laughter and people coming and going whether they're invited over or not.
“I’m scared to see what you’ve done.”
“Scared? This is going to be the best field day in history.” I don’t know how, but Vincent somehow managed to become the ring leader of field day, and today is his first time being in charge. My husband doesn't do anything half-assed, so I know this will be no different.
Both Vincent and I sit up quickly when we hear the sound of little feet running down the hallway. I grab my robe, putting it on while he pulls his sweatpants on. Our bedroom door bursts open two seconds later.
Our daughter stands there in her favorite shirt that readsThe sky’s not the limit. Oh, she wants to fly like her daddy, but of course she wants to go higher. She’s reaching for the stars. I have no doubt she can do it. The girl is a mix of her father and me.
“Let’s do this.” She scrunches her face in a growl. Vincent has painted black lines under her eyes. He has been tossing the football in the backyard with her for weeks, getting ready for this flag football game for the tots. You’d think this was a real game. They don’t even keep score, but she and Vincent will in their heads and brag about it on the ride home.
Vincent walks over and lifts her into his arms, tossing her into the air. I watch them together. For so long I thought I’d never find what my parents had. I’d resigned and told myself I didn’t want those things in life when really I ached for them.
Then Vincent came along and made me feel safe to open myself up. I never saw that man coming, but he always knew what his target was. I’m his, and he’ll always be mine too.
If I’ve learned anything, it’s that the best things in life come when you’re least expecting them.
* * *
Dear Lovelies: