“Just don’t ever nail me in my balls like you did him.” He lets out a small laugh. I can still see some of the tension in his body. Maybe I should be scared at how intense this man is for me. He used physical force against Barton. But I feel safe. I actually think I’m more turned on than anything. He stood up for me like no one ever has before. “You can be a little spitfire, you know that?”
“You like it,” I toss back at him.
“I do. Still don’t like you nailing men in the balls. Only balls you ever touch in any way are mine.” A sparkle of jealousy flares in his eyes.
“That so?”
“I’m finding I’m possessive when it comes to you. I won’t share.”
“Me either.”
“Trust me, love, I only want you taking my balls. They are all yours.”
I push his chest gently, and he steps back. I slide off the table and drop to my knees in front of him. I hear him suck in a breath. Warren puts both his hands on the table, bracing himself.
I lick my lips. “You have no idea what the sight of you like this does to me,” Warren breathes out in a gruff voice. He’s gripping the table so hard the veins in his arms are standing up.
I give him a sassy smile, relishing the fact that his control is about to snap over me. I have no idea how I got so lucky, but I know I’m where I belong.
Epilogue
Warren
One Year later…
I hold my daughter close as I watch my wife laughing at something one of the little kids surrounding her said. It’s St. Patrick’s Day and we are once again at the Shade building. Only this time the front doors of the building are open for people to come in and out as they please. On the main floor we have different things for children to do, one of those things being face painting.
I turn with my daughter in my arms to look at the painting of the Shade building my wife created before we ever even met. I’d immediately had it sealed in a clear case and framed. I might have sold off the company, but I kept ownership over the building. I could never part with something that brought Charlie and me together.
I kiss the top of my daughter’s head before I head toward my wife. I recognize a lot of the kids here today. A big portion of them regularly go to the community center. I still can’t forget the look on my wife’s face the day I told her she owned it.
She’s done so much with it in the short year she’s had it. Barton is long gone and will never harm another woman. I made sure of that. I like that I can now use some of the political pull I have for the community center. I’d do anything to keep the smile on my wife’s face. When she’s happy, I’m happy.
We both spend a big chunk of our time there. It’s why I sold the company. I couldn’t be in two places at once and I wanted to be with my growing family. Charlie is at the center. I’m at the center. I stroll over to my wife when I see a man start to head her way. I know the look. He’s almost to her. She looks up at him, but his eyes catch me heading toward them. I shoot him a look I’ve perfected over the last year. Stay the fuck away from my wife. It’s one I have to use more often than I like.
She turns, knowing I’m here. She shakes her head, sending her blonde curls bouncing. They’re the same little curls she gave our daughter. I pray our next child is a boy. I’m going to need all the help I can get.
“You about ready? We have dinner plans tonight,” I remind her. The reservation isn’t for a few hours, but I have plans that include my wife on her back while our daughter takes a nap. I need to get another baby inside her. She said she wants a big family and I always give my wife what she wants.
“Fredrik is bringing John again.” she beams up at me. Frederik’s grandma took a turn for the better and so has his dating life, it seems. He’s been with the same man for over six months now. I’m pretty sure that’s a record. I hope it sticks because my wife loves date night with them. I also like John. He enjoys good whiskey and can go on about baseball as much as I can.
She leans up on her tiptoes. I bend a little so our mouths meet. I try to deepen the kiss, and my wife laughs.