Dirty Play (Empire State Hockey Series)

Epilogue

If you’d have told me ten years ago, hell even five years ago, I’d be sitting here holding a baby, I’d have called you a damn liar. Especially since we’re talking about mine and Gwen’s baby.

But here I am, and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.

Also, the most tired.

But I guess that’s just what comes with having a newborn… especially when she’s a night owl like her daddy. That little fact has quickly become one of my favorite things because I get to do the late nights with Scarlett, spent in her rocking chair. It means I get to spend the middle of the night sharing secrets with my little bestie while she enjoys her bottle, soft music playing in the background until she falls asleep. I usually stay up a bit longer, just holding her. As I watch hockey highlights on my phone, I catch glimpses of her soft little smiles in her sleep, my favorite.

Knowing I’m holding half of my world in my arms gives me a type of peace I want to embrace for as long as I can—at least until my tiny baby isn’t so tiny anymore. It’s crazy to be living this life, one I always dreamed of but never felt worthy of before Gwen. Now I’m living my dreams, all because this one’s mama and I fell in love.

I’ll never forget the day we got married. It’s a core memory, and damn, it’s my favorite.

Everything after the wedding definitely helped solidify it in my mind for life.

Gwen looked like an actual angel as she made her way down the aisle toward me. I felt like everything was finally coming together—the love of my life was marrying me as my family watched on, looking happier than I’d seen them since before Veronica passed. I felt peace like I hadn’t known in years.

I will always wish Veronica could’ve been there with us, but I felt her. I saw her in the rainbow that appeared after a June rainstorm hit mid-reception. I felt her in our vows as we pinky promised to always fight for each other and to love each other forever.

I’ll never forget that feeling. It was like seeing the sun for the first time in ten years. I felt happy. I was living in this crazy world where somehow my ‘real’ family meshed with my ‘found’ family, and they all just became… my family.

That night was even more special because I was surrounded by my best friends, each of them celebrating with the person I knew deep in my bones they were destined to find. It”s a crazy thing to watch your friends get picked off by Cupid, one by one. Once you find it yourself, you understand immediately.

The heartbreak. The fear. The unknown.

It all made sense the second I met Gwen.

“Are you ever going to come back to bed, or are you going to sit and ogle our daughter all night again?” Gwen’s voice quietly floats through the room as she stands in the doorway, a smirk on her face as she watches us. She loves watching us together, her eyes somehow bright while still sleepy since it’s not even five in the morning.

“Eventually,” I whisper, smiling up at Gwen. “She’s just so cute. I didn’t want to put her back in her crib. She might get lonely.”

“I know, but at some point, you need to sleep,” she says, walking into the nursery and sitting on the ottoman next to us, her hand resting on my thigh. “She’s sound asleep and she should be for at least another two hours. Especially since she’ll be all warm and cozy after you swaddle her up. But me? I’m wide awake, all alone in that big cold bed of ours.”

“Is that so?” I whisper, her robe falling open as she leans over toward me. “Mrs. Williams, are you wearing anything under that tiny robe? From my angle, it doesn’t look like it.”

She just smirks as she looks down at me, her big doe eyes feigning innocence. “Oops, I must’ve forgotten.”

“Tink, if you’re not careful, I’m going to put another baby inside of you before your maternity leave is even over.”

Her eyes widen at my words, quickly glossing over with desire.

“Put her to bed Cade, and I’ll let you do whatever you want,” Gwen says before standing, adjusting her robe, and walking to our room.

The second she steps out, I stand up as calmly as possible, swaddle Scarlett and place her in her crib before quickly and quietly making my way to our bedroom. When I walk in, I see her naked on our bed, resting on her elbows, with a look that tells me she knew I wouldn’t be long.

Fuck no, not when I know I’m about to spend the rest of tonight buried deep inside of her.

It’s been a while since we’ve been together, and I haven’t once pressured her or even insinuated anything more happening between us, so she knew the ball was in her court, when she was ready. This was her way of telling me she’s ready, and I’d be a fool not to follow her lead.

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve been inside of her, and I miss that connection. I miss the intimacy that being together brings, knowing that each time we’re together, our bond grows stronger. Every single time we’re together, I feel another piece of the puzzle fall into place, my heart slowly healing.

“Fucking hell, Tink,” I say as I drop my shorts and pull my t-shirt off over my head, leaving me naked in front of her. Her greedy eyes take in every inch of my body, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t stroke my ego a bit. “Keep looking at me like that, and I’ll definitely be putting a baby in you tonight. Irish twins sound good to you?”

“Shut up and kiss me, Mr. Williams,” she says as I crawl over her body, leaving soft kisses up her leg, across her stomach, and over her breasts until finally I find her lips.

“I’ll do more than just kiss you, Mrs. Williams. I’ll own every inch of your body, reminding you how much I love having you as my wife.”

And I do just that, spending every second we have showing her just how much I love her.

The End