Epilogue - Liam
Six months later…
“W elcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Culver,” the water taxi pilot says, greeting us warmly. A flash of surprise crosses Juliana’s face before she smiles.
“Good to see you again,” I greet him in return, carrying Archie aboard while the pilot’s mate loads our luggage. There’s far more luggage needed this time, and I doubt we’ll get to spend half as much time naked, but I don’t care.
Our daughter is happily babbling about the colorful kites she sees flying above the shore. At least, I think that’s what has her attention. Either way, she’s loquacious at eight months even if she’s not said any distinguishable words just yet.
“You have brought your little captain with you,” the pilot comments, chuckling.
“Yes, we couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her for an entire week,” Juliana explains, plucking Archie from my arms and pointing toward the mountains.
“A beautiful family. You’re a lucky man, Mr. Culver,” the old man says from beside me.
“Thank you, and, yes, I am.”
Our siblings tried to talk us out of bringing her, saying we’d enjoy this belated honeymoon more if it was just the two of us and reminding us how long the journey from California to Bora Bora would be.
I suspect they just wanted Archie all to themselves, and a private jet helped ensure the journey was tolerable.
It’s not that Juliana and I haven’t enjoyed some time as a couple since two became three, but it only felt right to bring the baby with us here since the babymoon was a turning point for us.
Plus, Thomas and Maura are eager to finally meet their little American goddaughter in person.
Archie’s just reached the age of fearing strangers but, considering we’ve done plenty of video chats with them since her birth, we hope she’ll take to them readily enough.
Taking a moment to savor the beautiful image of my wife and daughter standing by the boat’s railing in their coordinating sundresses, a sense of contentment fills me as the tropical sun starts to set.
Archie’s brown curls and bright eyes give her an almost doll-like appearance as she leans into her mother for a cuddle while the brisk sea breeze whips their hair around until their locks intermingle.
Dragging my phone out of my pocket, I take a picture and send it off to our family and friends’ group chat, letting them know we’ve arrived safely.
Santi and Hudson are the first to respond, saying they’ve already arranged a plane to advertise Sable while we’re here. I roll my eyes, shoving my phone back in my pocket and step over to the railing as we get underway.
“I couldn’t believe he remembered us,” Juliana whispers with a glance toward the pilot.
“Yes, well… he must have an excellent memory,” I say, remembering the enormous tip I gave him for calling her Mrs. Culver the first time we came here. I’ll double it today.
Wrapping my arm around Juliana’s waist, I place my palm on Archie’s back, peering down at them and feeling happier than I could ever imagine.
∞∞∞
The next day at lunchtime, we head up to the resort’s beachside tavern where we meet Thomas and Maura.
The way their eyes light up when they see Archie makes me grin from ear to ear.
For her own part, Archie is content to be seated between Mom and Dad…
until she sees someone diving into the nearby pool.
Her little legs start kicking and she starts bouncing in her high chair.
“Would you like to swim later, little lady?” Thomas asks.
She ducks her chin, but gives him a shy smile.
“After we eat, we’ll get in,” I promise her, kissing her brow. She loves the water. Of course, her nursery being themed around boats and sea life might help.
She grins, squeezing my fingers and babbling as I brush my lips over her wayward curls. “Well, Juliana, I can see fatherhood suits Liam just fine,” Maura says, smirking. “How have you been doing? Getting enough rest at last?”
“Yes. Now that we’ve passed the latest round of teething we’ve developed a good routine again which has helped immensely.” The women soon have their heads together, discussing motherhood and making plans for the next few days.
“Peas in a pod, those two,” Thomas says, pulling out a piece of paper from his breast pocket and two crayons. “Do you like drawing, Archie?”
“She’s just as likely to eat those.” Sure enough, that’s the first place Archie wants to stick the crayons, but I manage to grasp her hands first.
Thomas takes the crayons back and draws a rough sketch of the resort with palm trees on either side.
Archie watches intently for a minute or so before becoming fixated on the bread basket.
Realizing he’s lost his audience, Thomas chuckles and puts the crayons away, saying maybe next year they’ll draw together. Maybe so.
“In time, she’ll get the hang of it. Someday, she might design buildings like her mum and I do. Or, maybe she’ll want to build them like her dad.”
Like her dad. My heart does a somersault at the thought of all the things my daughter might do.
I’m still at Culver and still love it there, but I’m content with the position I have for now.
The thought of someday having this little girl all grown up and working beside me is both impossible and something I’d enjoy if she would.
“What do you say, Archie? Would you like to take over the family business someday?” I ask her.
Her nose crinkles up as she runs her fingers over my stubble where I’ve not shaved today. I suppose that’s a ‘maybe,’ so I pinch off a piece of bread for her to gnaw on.
“Which family business are you referring to, Liam?” Juliana whispers in my ear while Thomas and Maura are ordering.
“Not Sable,” I say, adamantly. “There is no way my daughter is ever coming near the club, not until she’s thirty. Or, forty. Or, I’m dead.”
Laughing, Juliana shakes her head at me. “Well, another twenty years is a given, but, just remember, Culver may be her last name, but Sable is her middle one.”
I narrow my eyes at her, a warning to behave. “She is to never, ever participates in any auctions like her mother once did.”
“But, the bidder was so impressive, I was sold from the moment I laid eyes on him,” she murmurs, that sultry tone doing things to me she has no right doing when we’re with company.
“What sort of auction are you participating in?” Maura asks, only catching a few words of our discussion once she’s laid her menu down.
“Oh… One for charity,” Juliana answers, fighting a fit of giggles.
“Yes. It was by far the best million dollars I ever spent,” I add, causing her to lose it completely. Archie happily giggles along with her.
∞∞∞
We’ve spent time with Thomas and Maura for a couple of hours the past three days and they’re officially two of Archie’s preferred people now.
Juliana took her to have breakfast and go souvenir shopping with Maura earlier while I went fishing with Thomas.
I like spending time with him even if it makes me realize all the ways my own father was never like a real dad to us.
I’m coming to peace with it and hope my siblings may, too.
I set my phone down, a ripple of excitement racing through me when I see Juliana heading down the plank walkway.
She’s returned from the resort alone. Excellent.
It’s not that we haven’t managed to have sex here yet, but this is the first time there won’t be a baby sleeping under the same roof with us. Or, under the blue sky in this case.
“How was it?” Juliana asks when she carefully stretches out on top of me in the hammock.
“Enjoyable despite the fact I came back empty-handed.”
“Thomas was pleased with his catch. He said you seemed distracted.” She gives me a knowing grin. I was looking forward to this part of the day more than being interested in catching fish.
“I was very distracted thinking about being alone with you,” I admit, giving her bottom a firm pat. I lean forward, capturing her mouth for a leisurely kiss, taking the time to discover her all over again.
“Can we visit our banyan tree tomorrow?” she asks when we part for breath, throwing me temporarily off course.
“If you wish. I can carry Archie in the pack we brought for sightseeing and you’ve got decent boots this time. Are you wanting to wish for something in particular at the waters?”
She nuzzles my ear, rocking her enticing body over mine. “What could I possibly wish for that I don’t already have?”
“A sibling for Archie?”
She laughs. “Maybe so. Maybe not just yet but… maybe,” she says, wistfully.
Warmth fills my chest imagining it, but Juliana's right. We have time. Speaking of time…
“How long do we have before we have to reclaim our daughter?” I ask, running my hands along her smooth thighs, pushing her flowing skirt up higher and higher.
“Until bedtime,” she says, a slow, sexy grin spreading across her face. Until bedtime. Hours and hours for just us. She starts rubbing my chest, her fingernails teasing my nipples. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”
“God, me, too, honey.” After taking a quick scan of our surroundings, I toy with the strings of her halter top. “How bold are you feeling, Mrs. Culver?”
She grins.“Pretty bold.”
I give the ties a tug and her top falls away.
Fucking gorgeous. I toss it to the deck before cupping her breasts, relishing the way her nipples pucker in the breeze and under my heated gaze.
Pushing her skirt higher and sliding her panties to one side, I help her straddle my waist. There’s nothing more intoxicating than the sight of her nearly naked under the tropical sun with her flowing hair and sparkling eyes.
She’s so beautiful and free and all mine.
Freeing me from my shorts, however, proves to be a bit trickier. I’m already impossibly hard when she finally manages to push them down enough so my cock can spring up to meet her warm skin. The hammock gives a slight lurch as she adjusts, drawing a startled screech from her.
Chuckling, I guide her hips downward, impaling her slowly.
Her screech is forgotten with that first hesitant moan of pleasure.
Fucking hell, she feels amazing. Her hips begin to rise and fall, a hypnotic rhythm to match the sea’s.
I could make love to her here all day and all night…
except she’s too damn sexy for me to hold out that long.
With her arms wrapped around my shoulders and our eyes locked, we move together, intertwined and hearts beating as one.
Afterwards, she laughs softly, toying with my chest hair as I lazily caress her back. “I’m not sure I can gracefully move from this position without squishing you or causing the hammock to tip us into the water.”
“Don’t worry,” I tell her, my breath catching in my throat when I see the love shining in her eyes. “If we can’t get off this hammock without toppling in, I’ll happily rescue you again.”
“I know you always will,” she murmurs before we share another lingering kiss.
This woman holds my heart. Knowing I hold hers, too, is the sweetest wish that ever came true.
THE END