Epilogue
“Our friends will be here any minute, Tanner,” Daisy pants, the side of her face pressed against our granite countertop. My hands grip curvy hips as I thrust deeper into her tight heat, teeth gritted together at the tingling in the base of my spine.
I don’t think I’ll ever get over not only fucking Daisy in the way she likes but fucking her the way she likes in our new home.
“Then they can watch,” I ground out, snapping my hips forward. “Not like they haven’t walked in on us before.”
She laughs breathlessly, a sigh and moan falling from her lips as her eyes flutter. “You’re absolutely ruthless,” she says, and I slow my pace to lean over her, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.
“For you,” I say. “I’ll be anything you want.”
She lifts her head and crashes her lips to mine, teeth grazing my lower lip before our tongues collide, her moan catching in her mouth as she sighs into mine. I can tell she’s close by the sound of her whimpers, the scrunched indent in her forehead, and this is one of the most beautiful ways I get to see her—vulnerable and open for me.
“Need you to come for me, sweetheart,” I say as my own release builds, my balls tightening as I pick my pace back up. We’re having our friends and some of my family over for brunch and landscaping day—not sure whose idea that was honestly, but once everybody knew there was stuff they could do to help us out, they instantly jumped on board. I think it was Naomi or Sam who made the group chat with the seven of us, including my parents because at this point, everybody knew if they didn’t get invited, they’d show up anyway. Spending extra time with them now that we only live ten minutes away isn’t a big gig, either.
“Tan,” Daisy whines, her breaths staggering. “So close.”
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway causes me to lift my head and glance towards the window. She clenches around me and I grit my teeth, pounding into her harder, not telling her our time is up and she needs to come now, otherwise she’ll have to wait until tonight, and I know how much my girl hates that. She’s become a sex fiend now that we’re living together, and I fucking love it.
Her loud moans echo throughout our kitchen, the only sound following is skin slapping and my own grunts and groans until she’s crying out my name and I’m roaring hers, working her through her own release before my hips jerk forward once more.
She’s panting, legs shaking as I quickly pull out of her and step back, pulling my boxers and pants back up before adjusting myself. She mirror my actions, albeit slower as she comes back down from another orgasm, because when I fuck my girl, it’s never just once. It’s always two or three times in different places—this morning’s rendezvous after I slipped into the shower with her.
Some of my favorite moments with Daisy over the years have been making her come. Obviously there’s so much more to our relationship than that, but our sex is both fun and vulnerable, and seeing her open up in a way that nobody else gets to see makes it all the more better. Plus, I like learning the new ways her body calls for mine.
“I’m going to clean up,” she pants, her eyes hooded. The dazed smile on her face makes my heart pump in my chest, and I reach for her wrist and tug her to me, wrapping an arm around her back because I can never not be touching her, and because we’ll be entertaining guests the rest of the day.
I push some of her hair from her face with my free hand, pressing my palm against the bottom of her jaw and side of her neck before leaning down and fusing our lips together. She’s so beautiful it physically makes my bones ache whenever I look at her, like it’s unreal that I’ve been granted a lifetime of chances to make this girl happy.
She melts into me, wrapping her arms around my shoulder as she smiles against my mouth.
“Love you, Daisy,” I say, because I can never not tell her how much I love her. Her face softens, eyes bright as she runs her hands over the planes of my back.
“Love you more, Tan,” she says, running her fingers through the back of my hair. “Now clean this counter before everybody figures out we just fucked on the place all the food will be. I need to freshen up.”
I chuckle against her neck, my hands roaming until my palms rest against her ass, squeezing. “Maybe then they’d leave, and I’d have the rest of the day to show you just how much I love you.”
“Much as I’d love that,” she says, her voice sounding huskier as her hands roam over my stomach, “this is free labor, and I’m seizing that opportunity.”
I laugh, lightly patting her ass. “Fine. But later, you’re all mine.”
She pulls away, a knowing glint in her eye as her teeth sink into her bottom lip, slowly walking backwards. “Whatever you say, Mr. Moore.”
I dip my chin towards the direction of our hallway, tempted to follow after her but forcing myself to grip the edge of the counter instead. “Go do what you need to do before I cancel this whole thing.”
She giggles again, disappearing down the hall moments later, the front door opening at the same time.
“I gave y’all an extra fifteen minutes this time!” Declan yells out, Daisy’s laughter echoing from down the hall. My smile splits my face, my heart enlarging by three sizes. I have everything I could possibly need, and have so much to look forward to. For once I’m not looking for the next big thing. I’m enjoying every small moment between Daisy and I, every major one, and am looking forward to what’s to come.
***
“Are you happy?” Daisy asks later that afternoon, her arm draped around my sweat-coated shirt.
Everybody has been on their hands and knees for the past two hours, ripping up old weeds and bushes from the previous owners. Dad ran to the store with Jase to grab more rocks, Naomi and Gia are prepping the flowers, Sam is laying in the shade “managing” everybody until Mom comes back out with our snacks so they can gossip about the latest celebrity news (who knew those two would hit it off so well). Declan is kicking a soccer ball around, claiming it’s his “thirty minute break” while he waits for dad and Jase to return. Believe it or not, happy isn’t the word I’d use to describe how I’m feeling. It’s more than that, it’s contentedness. Satisfied. I’m happy, but this is more than I could’ve ever asked for.
I hum as I pull her fully into my arms, angling myself so I can press my lips against the crook of her neck, my hands roaming up her back.
“Let’s see,” I say against her skin. “I have some of the greatest friends a man could ask for, a family who loves you as much as I do, and I get to build a life with the girl of my dreams. I’m beyond happy, baby. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”
“And now,” I continue, my mouth hovering over hers as I press her closer to me. “It’s time to make you my wife.”
She smirks against my mouth. “Thought we said one big thing at a time, and a house is a pretty big thing.”
I hum, kissing her again without response. Little does she know, I’ve been carrying her ring around for the past six months, waiting for the perfect opportunity to make her mine forever. A few ideas have popped in my head over the past year, but I’m keeping them to myself until I know for sure which will be the most impactful to her.
“Guess we’ll have to see,” I muse, stepping away from her before she figures out the plans. Our sliding porch door pulls us both from the conversation, glancing at Mom as she carries a meat and cheese try out, a bottle of wine draped under her arm. Daisy walks over to mom, taking the trey and carrying it through the yard as they chat. My heart soars seeing them interact, laughing like they’re best friends, and in some senses, they kind of are.
After Daisy and I got together a few years back, we had a long conversation about what went down between her and my mom, and what we needed from both her and my dad going forward if they wanted to be in her life. Daisy is used to setting boundaries with family, whereas I am not. Mom cried when she learned how badly she’d hurt Daisy and our relationship, wanting to only express her concern from a maternal standpoint, which we knew and understood. Healing was meant to be done, and it took some time but we all managed to get through it, but I never wanted my girl to feel like she couldn’t stand up for herself with my family and like I wouldn’t back her up. I’ve loved her from nearly the first day I’ve met her, and I’m going to stick beside her until the day I die. Mom sits at the table with Sam, Daisy joining them over a bottle of wine, followed by Gia and Naomi, and then Declan. Everybody laughs together as we wait for Dad and Jase, frowning when I realize Brooke isn’t here yet. She’s normally late, but she’s late, late today, which isn’t like her.
I’m about to reach into my pocket when something tugs on my leg, causing me to glance down. “Excuse me, mister handsome?”
My eyes widen, glancing at the party, who seemingly have the same shared expression of concern, Daisy and my Mom rise at the same time before my gaze is focused again on the little girl. She looks like she’s only five or six with bright blue eyes and chestnut hair in pigtails, wearing pink shorts and a white t-shirt.
“Have you seen my daddy?”
I frown, crouching down to her level. “Who is your dad?”
Her face scrunches and she glances around, slowly becoming nervous as her face scrunches, eyes brimming with tears. “I can’t find my daddy, and he and Brookie said to stay put but I got scared and ran off.”
“Brookie?” I ask confused, glancing over my shoulder when Daisy puts her hand on my back, bending down. The girl starts stepping back, the tears nearly taking up her eyes. I pull my phone from my pocket and open up my text thread, finding Brooke’s name and typing a message.
Tanner: Brookie?
“Hi,” Daisy smiles calmly at the little girl. “My name is Daisy, what’s your name?”
The little girl latches her focus onto my girl. “Sage,” she says softly. “I can’t find my daddy or Brookie.”
“Well that’s kind of scary,” Daisy says, sympathy filling her eyes. “Where did you last see them?”
“At the car. Then I left cause I saw a bunny even though daddy told me to stay put and now I’m going to get in trouble and get sent back to my mom and—“
Daisy glances at me sidelong, about to open her mouth when a booming voice yells, “Sage?!” followed by my sister’s voice calling the same name. The little girl perks up, glancing around frantically until the tallest motherfucker I’ve probably ever seen, completely tattooed on both arms, up one side of his neck, with short brunette hair walks through our backyard, my sister hot on his tail. His eyes, like his daughter’s, are a vibrant blue. He looks like he’s about to pass out from fear as he nearly runs across the yard with my sister following. Sage runs to him, nearly flinging herself into his arms as he crouches to her level.
“I told you to stay put, baby girl,” he says, pulling away and cupping her small face in his hands. “Do you understand me? I told you to stay put.”
“I’m sorry, daddy,” she says, and his entire being softens at her demeanor, and he pulls her into his arms before standing.
“Don’t scare me like that ever again, Sage Eloise.”
Brooklyn rubs this tatted man’s back before making eye contact with me, murmuring something to him before nodding. He looks up and finds my gaze too before they take a step forward, reminding me of a family unit. My jaw clenches, the protectiveness for my sister already bubbling through my bloodstream.
“Hi, guys,” Brooklyn says carefully, quietly, as if she’s still trying to calm herself down. “Sorry we’re late,” she looks to this man sheepishly, who still is intently focused on his daughter but glances up to meet Brooke’s gaze, his free arm wrapping around her waist and pulling him into her.
“I, uh,” she clears her throat. “I want you to meet my…boyfriend, Lincoln. And his daughter, Sage.”
I’m going to pass out.