EPILOGUE
DREW
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Gemma dives into the water and swims over to me. I pull her into my arms and take her mouth.
Six months and I’m still as infatuated with her as I have been since the moment I laid eyes on her.
Except now, I’m madly in love with her.
We’re in the Maldives, the holiday I bid on at the auction. We’ve had three days of champagne, seafood, the freshest fruits known to man, and sex.
Lots of sex.
“I feel so lazy and happy,” she purrs.
I smirk, sliding my hand under her bikini bottoms. “I told you to walk around naked.”
“I can’t. Maybe it’s a mom thing.”
“Maybe I want to get you in the mom thing again. Pregnant. That didn’t come out right.”
She giggles.
“One minute you are man about town, next you are almost living with us and want to put a baby in my belly.”
“For clarity,” I slide my fingers inside her pussy. “I want to put a baby in here. It can then go where it wants to do its growing.”
“Weird.”
I chuckle and tug her legs around me, sliding my hard cock inside her. “Does that feel weird?”
She moans and leans into my shoulder, biting my neck.
I slide in and out of her a few times. This is what it’s been like for days. Fucking hard. Fucking slow. Fucking half-heartedly because we can do whatever we want.
Both of us have had more orgasms in the past few days than a year, I’m sure of it.
Best time of my life.
Rubbing her clit, I feel Gemma shudder and come as I speed up and then tug out of her.
My eyes lift, and I spot our dinner being discreetly set up in the villa next to us. I rented both for the week.
Tonight we are having crayfish.
“Let’s go change.” I kiss her mouth, and we swim back to our villa.
After a quick shower, we throw on tropical clothes. Me in light long shorts, Gemma in a light blue, sheer dress where I can see her dark hard nipples and trimmed pussy.
She’s teasing me and loves it.
A month ago, Gemma asked me about Anthony’s history and what I knew.
I told her everything.
Knowing he had another child out in the world seemed to impact her more so than learning he cheated. I can’t begin to understand how she feels. I held her while she cried and gave her space for a few days as she processed it.
When we told Zoe I was Mommy’s boyfriend, she was very excited. At first, she didn’t know what it meant and asked about plumbing a few times. Then, as we began to spend more time together, there was an adjustment period.
Carrying her to bed when she falls asleep in my arms is something I never take for granted.
I never will.
I want these two girls in my life forever.
Zander has already told us all we are a pack of assholes, jokingly—I think—for falling in love.
Well, he’s going to hate me when we get home.
Licking her fingers after digging into the Pacific Crayfish, Gemma lifts her champagne and grins at me.
I smile back.
“What?” she asks with mischief in her eyes. “Don’t you like this dress?”
I let out a laugh. “It’s a favorite. I just don’t think you should tell the truth when your dad asks what you were wearing when I asked you to marry me.”
Her smile vanishes.
“What?”
I nod at her champagne.
Gemma’s eyes drop like lead to her glass, and she gasps.
Corny, I know, but fuck it. You only do this once, right?
Flustered, she climbs to her knees and holds the glass out as if it’s about to explode.
I laugh, take it from her, down the golden liquid and suck on the ring.
Then I take her hand.
“Gemma, you’ve upended my life and caused me great harm by stealing my heart. I was supposed to be single forever and never fall in love. If you don’t say yes to being my wife, I will be alone and miserable forever.”
“Wow. I guess the romance ends now.” Gemma grimaces but then laughs.
“Seriously, sweetheart. I never knew I was capable of loving anyone like this. You are my everything. You and Zoe.”
Her eyes water.
“Let’s be a family. Let’s be husband and wife and make babies. You are it for me.”
“You are it for me. This time I want it to be forever, God. Don’t take this man from me.” She sniffs. “This one is good.”
“I try to be. You make me want to be the best man I can be.” I feel emotion stirring and swore I wouldn’t cry.
Sebastian said I would—he was the only one I told that I was proposing.
Fuck you, Sebastian. I will not cry.
“Hurry up and say yes, woman.” I squeeze her hand. “Forever starts now.”
“Yes.” Gemma sniffs. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Drew Carrington.”
The ring slides on effortlessly, the square diamond glittering from her hand, but I don’t get to see it for long. Gemma leaps onto my lap and wraps her arms around me.
We kiss deeply, my heart connecting with hers in a way that feels different now that my ring is on her finger.
“You know I’m naked under this, right?” Gemma rasps against my lips.
“Oh, I know.” I smile. “And I have plans for this body tonight.”
Our mouths crash together once more.
I am the luckiest man alive. Nearly the stupidest, but thankfully, I got a second chance.
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