Epilogue - Reese
Epilogue
Reese
A Few Months Later
I turn the hot water on, letting it fill my bathtub.
It may only be the middle of the day, but life has been nonstop for months, and our season just ended two days ago, so I’m stealing every extra minute I have to relax.
The media was not very kind to me after Emmett’s and my relationship became public knowledge, but it was nowhere near as bad as it would’ve been if I hadn’t had the opportunity to get our side out first.
The headlines were predictable, and I felt bad for all the noise it caused around the team.
The boys though, they were great. They didn’t care at all about the circus it created.
They truly are so supportive of their field manager and me, that every time one of them was asked about us in the press, instead of getting defensive, they liked to gush over our relationship. Sometimes to a comical level.
Eventually, it seemed that reporters got bored of only receiving positivity in response to their intrusive questioning, so they stopped asking.
It wasn’t easy, seeing certain things said about me, but it was expected. Something I learned this year is how important it is to pick a partner that you don’t feel like a burden to. Emmett never shied away from listening when I needed to vent, or defending me at every opportunity.
And it was different this time than it was the last time when I made an unexpected trade that had the entire league up in arms.
When Milo first joined the team, I was questioning my own decision.
But with Emmett, there was no doubt in my mind. I didn’t question a thing. It made it a whole lot easier to block out the nonsense knowing there was no other choice. There’s not a world in which I wouldn’t choose him.
And eventually, the noise quieted as it always does. It especially helped when we made a strong playoff run. We eventually lost in game six of the Division Series, but for my first season, I’d call it a win overall.
On the bathroom counter, as the bathtub fills, I grab a hair clip that’s sitting next to Emmett’s toothbrush.
His spare toothbrush has been here for months, but as of yesterday, everything else he owns made its way over to my condo too.
The day after our season ended, he moved in with me, and it only took us that long because of how busy our game schedule has been. We were practically living together anyway, either at his place or mine, but now it’s official.
It feels good. It feels right to share this space where I’m able to find peace and calm with the person who brings that same peace.
I turn the water off once the tub is full.
Clipping some of my hair up, whatever is long enough to actually stay up, I step into the warm bath. I let the water envelop my body as I sink in, feeling the weight of the day drift away.
The heaviness has been slipping off my shoulders, slowly, day by day, for a while now.
I no longer feel the need to prove anything to anyone.
I no longer have the desire to do twice as much, simply to get recognized as the right person for my job.
Going forward, the only person I’m going to prove anything to is myself.
I already have been.
Emmett often likes to reiterate how proud he is of me, so even though I don’t need to prove anything to him, his recognition means the most of anyone’s.
Closing my eyes, I drop my head to the edge of the porcelain tub. But when I hear the elevator open in the main living space, I can’t stop the grin that stretches my lips.
Emmett was added to my elevator’s access months ago, and I’m not sure I’ll ever get over the idea of him coming home to me.
I hear him move around a bit, hear the undeniable pop of a cork, before his footsteps grow closer, coming my way.
Emmett comes into frame, leaning on the bathroom doorway, glass of red wine in his hand and eyes freely roaming down my body that he can see perfectly clearly through the water.
“Hi, baby.” He pushes off the door before bending over the tub to kiss me. Then he hands me the glass of wine.
“You’re too good to me.” I take a sip from the glass.
“I’m dating a younger woman. I got to keep her happy. Can’t have you going anywhere.”
I chuckle. “You do a good job at that.”
Eyes locked on me, he begins to unbutton his shirt.
“Did everything go okay at the field?” I ask.
“Yeah, just tying up some loose ends for the season. A few of the guys were there, cleaning out their locker stalls, so that was nice to see them.”
His shirt gives way to his bare torso and inked arms before he slips it off his shoulders and tosses it to the floor. Unclasping his belt, Emmett moves to unzip his jeans, pushing them down his wide thighs to join the rest on the ground.
The boxer briefs are next, leaving him standing proudly naked in our bathroom.
Drinking my wine, I let my eyes trail over him, the same way he’s looking at me.
He’s so hot. But also so kind. So protective. So mine.
“Let me slide in with you.”
I arch a brow. “You can slide in somewhere else, looking like that.”
His dick twitches at my insinuation, and a grin hitches on one side of his mouth. “I will be soon enough. We both know that.”
As I move forward in the tub, Emmett wedges his big body behind mine. A bit of the water sloshes over the side because neither one of us are small people, but I couldn’t care less.
Legs open wide on either side of me, bent at the knees so he can fit, Emmett pulls me back to lie against him.
“I like coming home to you,” he says, dropping a kiss to my damp shoulder.
“I like hearing you call this place home.”
He smiles against my skin before he dots another kiss on my neck.
Emmett reaches for my wine, taking a sip before putting it back in my hand.
“So,” he begins, hands smoothing over my hips under the water. “You’ve officially finished your first season. How are you feeling?”
I drop my head back to rest on him. “Good. Sad that it’s over, but proud of how this first year turned out.”
“You should be proud.”
“So should you.”
His hands move up my stomach. “I am. It was a good year. Shit, it was a great year.”
“I want to go all the way next season. Now that we have the staff and the players we want. I don’t know. It feels like we’re all in it together. We have such a good group, and I want to win a championship with them.”
“Then let’s do it.”
I huff a silent laugh. So much easier said than done, but I’ll take his vote of confidence that we can.
His inked hands roam, moving over my breasts, squeezing them in his palms on his path over my body.
“Are you going to hire a receptionist next season?”
A soft moan escapes me when his thumb circles my nipple.
“I don’t know. I should.”
His lips trail over my ear. “Just don’t keep me out.”
I shake my head against him. “Never.”
Emmett’s hands run over my thighs, but I squeeze them together, needing a bit of friction.
“Don’t keep me out of here either. Spread your legs, baby.”
He can’t always get me to do what he wants. We tend to challenge each other before giving in. But when we’re naked together, sometimes it shocks even me how compliant I am. How easy it is for me to give up control.
And that’s exactly what I do, opening my legs wider, pushing them flush against his. One of his arms wraps around my middle, his other hand running teasing circles just above where I need him most.
“Em,” I whine.
“I know.”
Finally, he puts me out of my misery when he glides his hands between my legs, middle finger running over my clit.
I drop my head back on his shoulder with a moan. “Yes.”
“Hold on to your wine, Reese.”
Tightening my grip on the stem, I can’t help but smile up at the ceiling, eyes closed, his fingers slowly playing with me exactly how he knows I need it.
“I could get used to this.”
His mouth finds my ear, his other hand toying with my nipple as I writhe against him. “So could I. Coming home to you. Feeding you wine. Playing with your pussy until you come. We can do this every night, Reese.”
I grip onto his thigh with my free hand as he continues toying with me. His dick is pressed against my ass. It’s hard, but I’m not surprised. Getting me off usually gets him off. And it’s sinfully hot that my enjoyment is what does it for him.
“Fuck, Reese. You’re soaked right now. I could slide right in.”
Then he does, with a finger, his palm keeping pressure on my clit.
He adds a second and I’m about crawling onto his lap with how close I am already.
With the hand that’s not inside of me, Emmett takes my wine from me and places it on the floor next to the tub. I wasn’t paying attention to it, but with how uncontrollably I’m rocking against him, I’d imagine I’ve probably already spilled a good amount.
“Watch the way I touch you, baby. Look down.”
And so I do. Looking down, through the water, I watch as his fingers move in and out of me.
It’s mesmerizing, seeing the way his inked hand flexes as he brings me closer.
Over the months we’ve been together, he’s learned my body, and I’ve learned his.
It doesn’t take long when he knows exactly what to do and when to do it.
His arm around my middle is holding me firm as I writhe against him, squirming as my orgasm builds.
“You’re going to come.” He exhales the statement, groaning as he continues to play with me. “I can feel you tightening around my fingers. Please. Fuck, you’re so good. Please come for me.”
Pushing back against him, I shift onto his lap, the bath water sloshing all around us. His dick glides against my pussy as we move together, and soon enough, I can’t take it anymore. I want more.
Reaching between my legs, I circle his width and line myself up. Emmett removes his fingers, bringing them back to my clit as I drop myself onto his cock.
It’s quick and the stretch would be uncomfortable if I wasn’t already so turned on.
“Goddamn.” He rests his head on the back of mine. “You feel incredible. Fuck, I love you so much.”
I lift and drop.
“Oh my God,” Emmett moans, holding me steady as his head falls back against the porcelain tub. “Do that again.”
So I do, riding him in the bathtub and making an absolute mess.
Heat stirs low and I’m close. He is too. I can tell by his sounds. By his frantic hips chasing my rhythm.
With one arm around me, Emmett pushes out of the tub, taking me with him as he sits on the ledge.
He gains more leverage, being out of the water, and takes full advantage of the new position. He moves me how he needs me, bouncing my hips on him. Wet, slapping skin fills the bathroom, mixing with the echoing of our moans off the tile walls.
It’s a desperate chase to the finish and when we get there, we get there together.
He hugs me tightly to him, his face buried in the crook of my neck as he comes inside of me. My body winds tightly around his, doing the same.
It’s all hot, panting breaths and sticky, soaked skin. Soft caresses and lazy kisses. Emmett toys with my sensitive clit as we ride it out together.
We touch and writhe. He runs his hands all over my body, the way he does so often. He whispers praise in my ear, always telling me how well I did for him.
Eventually, we come down, slumped together and satisfied.
Chuckling, I drop my head back onto him again. “I love you, Em.”
He smiles against my hair. “I love you.”
Slowly, I find a bit of strength to stand in the tub. He helps me, and as I lift up, he slides out of me.
So much bath water covers the tile floor. My wine is all over the place. The clothes he took off earlier are soaked.
“We made a mess.”
Emmett doesn’t look at the ground, only stares between my legs where his cum is dripping out of me. Reaching between them, he gathers it on his fingers and pushes it back inside. “Yeah, we did. My favorite kind of mess.”
I shake my head at him in disbelief, but he’s smiling proudly. “You have no shame, Montgomery.”
“Not an ounce.”
“Your family is coming over for dinner for the first time tonight. We should probably clean this up before they get here. And you should probably not have your dick out either.”
He gives my ass a slap before he stands. “Fine.” Dropping another kiss to the top of my head, he climbs out of the tub. He grabs a towel, wraps it around my body, and picks me up, not putting me on my feet until he’s carried me away from the wet floor.
He tucks another towel around his waist before he gets to cleaning up the mess we made.
“How are you feeling about that?” he asks. “Everyone coming over here?”
He pours the rest of the wine down the sink since half of the glass was filled with water from the tub. I grab his wet clothes and add them to our hamper.
Things are easy between us. We move together like a well-practiced partnership, regardless that we’ve only been doing this for a handful of months.
“Good. This is your home now too. They should feel welcome here.”
“I know, but it’s kind of been your hiding place until you let me in.”
I remember only a short time ago, how scared I was to let someone in again. Not only into my condo but also my life. But plot twist: letting Emmett in has not only gone well, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done, and life has only continued to get better from there.
And at this point, with how much time we all spend together, Emmett’s family has started to feel like my own. Of course they should be here.
“I don’t feel the need to hide anymore,” I tell him honestly. “I want them to be here.”
Emmett stops what he’s doing and looks at me with an edge of disbelief. “I love that you want them here.”
I slowly make my way to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Well, I love you.”
He holds me against him. “You keep surprising me every day, Reese. How lucky for me that I’ll never finish falling in love with you.”