Epilogue Two: Ronan
“I’m home.” I holler, grinning when happy screams echo through the huge great room. Thudding feet follow and my happy brood comes streaming in the sliding glass door to the back deck.
“Daddy, daddy!” My oldest son, seven, screams and runs, grabbing on to my knees. I reach down and haul him up, laughing. “Hello, Josh! How’s my boy today?” I glance around and grunt. “Where’s your mom?”
“Right behind you. I was getting Troy up from his nap.” I smile and turn to face her.
“There’s my girl.”
“Hey, daddy! What about me? Aren’t I your girl too?” Little Hallie grabs my legs and growls at me, her eyes sparkling with tears.
“Of course you are, baby. I would never say you weren’t my girl. Daddy wouldn’t know what to do if he didn’t have you to keep him on a straight line.”
She nods seriously and I hear Kat snort behind me. I shoot her a wink and grin.
“Can we go outside and play, daddy? I want to play that game you made up!” she demands.
“Of course. We’ll go play.”
Hallie and Josh head outside, pushing and shoving at each other. I should tell them to stop but they’re both competitive and I don’t want to kill that drive. That’s what gets you what you want in life.
I stalk up to Kat. My lips caress hers and I lean back just enough to smile into her eyes. So close that I can still feel her hot breath. “Hello, baby girl.”
“Hi,” she breathes, her emerald eyes sparkling with happiness.
“I missed you,” I say.
“I missed you too.”
“How much?” I ask, my heart pounding.
“So damn much.”
I lean over and bite her lower lip, pulling at it with my teeth, enjoying her quick indrawn breath. “Enough to wear that outfit I bought you last week? And let me tie you up?”
“Shhh.” She holds her hands over Troy’s little ears as he gums a numbing toy. Teething sucks. “Don’t say that in front of him. Little pitchers have big ears.”
“He doesn’t understand what we’re saying.”
She leans over and her mouth clings to mine briefly. “Meet me later and you can do whatever you want to me.”
“Anything?” I smile down at her.
“Absolutely anything. You know I trust you, Ronan.”
“And I love you so much it hurts to be away from you, baby girl.”
“Ditto.”
“Daddy!” Hallie screams in the door. “Come on.” I sigh and set my hat and coat down on the couch.
“Keep the bed warm for me. And maybe get out some muscle rub. I have a feeling I’m gonna need it.”
“You can handle it, my big, strong man.”
“I can and I will,” I growl and slap her ass. “Alright, you heathens. You better be ready because here I come!”
Later, I drive myself into my wife’s sweet body, feeling the tight little flutters dancing over my aching length. “God you feel so good, baby.”