Epilogue Two
EPILOGUE TWO
Larissa threw herself down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, too exhausted to remove her shoes. Thank goodness her mother and sisters were going to take care of Jace for the next two days.
Lifting one foot in the air, she wiggled it as Moon came near. “Please … I’m too tired to move. Every bone in my body hurts.”
Her new husband removed her shoe then took off the other before she had to ask.
“Do you mind if we have our wedding night tomorrow? The only thing that is going to excite me tonight is a shower and going to sleep.”
“Really?” Moon massaged the foot he was still holding. “Nothing could excite you? Damn, I guess my wedding present can wait until tomorrow night.”
Moon’s tender smile turned mocking when she bolted up in bed.
Patting her fluffy wedding dress down, she raised her hands, wiggling her fingers. “Give me.”
He didn’t argue. He went to the closet and returned with a flat box.
Ripping the wrapping paper away, she opened the box and burst into laughter. She pulled out the Warlord from Hell costume, shoved the box off her lap, then went to Moon, throwing her arms around him and giving him a passionate kiss. “Thank you.”
His arms circled her waist. “You can thank me better than that …” he said throatily.
She always knew she was done for when he made that throaty sound that came from his chest. A woman could only take so much temptation, and when Moon used that sexy tone with her, it was like a laser hitting each of her girlie parts.
Jerking out of his arms before she went past the point of no return, she moved to her side of the bed, crouched down, and pulled a large box out from under the bed. “This is for you,” she told him excitedly.
With a curious expression, Moon accepted the present.
She felt bad when he took his time, as if he wasn’t used to opening a lot presents. Promising herself he would get so many from now on that he’d get sick of them, she waited expectantly for him to open the box.
“I see we were on the same track.” He laughed, taking out the women’s costume from Warlord from Hell .
Holding the outfit to her, Moon unashamedly nodded his head toward the bathroom and wiggled his eyebrows. “I will if you will.”
Barely able to hide her excitement, she shook her head. “Since it is our wedding night, can I choose who we are tonight, and you can tomorrow night?”
Leering, Moon shrugged. “Baby, we can be whoever you want to be, as long as I get laid.”
She moved to his dresser and took out her favorite pair of jeans of his, then went to the closet to take out the ball cap she wanted him to wear. When she returned to his side, she handed them to him with a grin.
Moon’s face cracked into laugh lines. “Seriously? This turns you on more than the warlord?”
She looked at him like he was crazy. “The warlord is sexy, but I like to see what I’m getting.”
“You forgot the hula hoop,” he reminded her.
She went to her nightstand and returned with a jump rope. “Wanna see if you can do it as good as him?”
“You’re joking, right? Baby, there’s no comparison as to who’s better.”
Larissa went to get her cell phone from where she had dropped it on the bed, pulling up the hula hoop video from the guy’s account. Finding which one she had saved, she pressed play . “Can you do that?”
Moon’s jaw clenched, looking at her more than what she was showing him. “How many times have you watched this?”
“Just a couple,” she lied, not wanting to hurt his confidence. “So, can you?” she asked excitably. “Did I get the right jump rope?”
His eyes narrowed on her as he unwound the jump rope. “It’ll do.”
She excitedly ran to the bathroom. “I’ll take a quick shower, then you can have the bathroom. I won’t be five minutes.”
Shutting herself in the bathroom, she took the fastest shower she had ever taken, then wrapped the towel around her and padded out of the bathroom. “It’s all yours.”
Moon’s eyes slipped over her damp body. “You could have taken the time to dry off.”
“I was afraid you’d get hungry, and you’d make yourself popcorn. You didn’t eat much tonight.”
When Moon moved around her, she could have sworn he gave an irritated growl. Sure she was imaging it, she started drying herself off as soon as the door was closed behind him.
She went to the sound system and started the music she wanted before moving to the dresser to take out the white satin chemise. When she slid it on, she couldn’t resist running a hand down the front, loving the erotic feel of the material on one side of the baby doll gown. The other side was a clear mesh, leaving that part of her body bare.
She had just finished brushing her hair when Moon came out of the bathroom, wearing the outfit she had given him.
Licking her bottom lip, she sat down on the side of the bed. Oh, my goodness … with the hat pulled down, he looked as good as the guy she followed.
“Is this what …?”
Larissa raised her hand to stop him from talking. “Don’t ruin it. The best part is he never talks,” she advised.
The sultry music playing in the background was “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims as Moon started jumping over the rope, making her heart beat faster. The way he twirled and twisted his body in different ways was magical.
“I’m curious … how good are you at push-ups?”
The jump rope went limp.
“Nevermind.” She sensed that she was pushing her luck, “ I think I prefer you jumping rope anyways.”
She bit down on her lip as Moon rose and started jumping rope again, without missing a beat. This time Moon went faster, his tricks becoming more intricate as he jumped on one foot then switched to the other. Then he would double the rope to jump it sideways.
“You know, I’m wondering, I haven’t seen you working out here. Do you work out at The Last Riders’?”
Moon gave her a nod.
“That’s what I thought. Killyama showed me the equipment The Last Riders have at the clubhouse. It makes sense that you would work out there.” Larissa noticed Moon’s jaw getting tighter each time she talked. She must be messing with his concentration. “Do any of the other Last Riders work out with you?”
Noticing Moon was tilting his head back so he could look at her under the brim of his hat, she started playing with the pretty, pink bow between her breasts. She was saving the surprise for later that when the bow was untied, the chemise opened like a robe.
Seeing his slight nod, she ran her hand over her baby pouch which, in all likelihood, she would never get rid of.
“You know, I was thinking … maybe we could work out together? If you tell me when you and the other Last Riders work out, I could schedule my appointments around that time, and we can all work out together. I could get some tips from them …”
One end of the jump rope came swinging for her. With a frightened squeal, she jumped up from the bed and ran for the bedroom door.
Her hand was on the doorknob when the jump rope curled around her waist and she was tugged backward.
Gasping at what he had done without hurting her, she found, to her dismay, she wasn’t able to dislodge the rope and was being pulled inexplicably within his grasp.
Feeling his heat behind her, she turned around to throw herself into his arms. “I was just joking.” She batted her eyes at him as she wound her arms around his neck.
“I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true.” She gawked up at him as if he was the neatest thing since sliced bread. “None of The Last Riders could compare to you.”
Doubt filled her at the wisdom of her playing into Moon’s jealousies. She hadn’t needed Winter’s advice at the bridal shower about Moon being competitive. She had learned early in life the more intelligent a man was, the more competitive he’d be. When she became bored, she found other educational outlets to keep her busy. Moon, on the other hand, she surmised had used women to fill that competitive void. He was no dummy. The way he had drawn up those contracts was a masterpiece of cunning.
No, she hadn’t needed Winter’s subtle warning about Moon. He would constantly be looking over a fence to see if the grass was greener on the other side, but she figured, if she kept him so busy making sure his own grass was green and trimmed, his own roots would become too deep to be blown away.
Cupping her butt, Moon lifted her up to him and plastered her body against him. “None of them can do as many push-ups as I can,” he bragged, carrying her toward the bed.
“Have you guys had a competition to see?” Biting back a giggle, she stuck an awed expression on her face.
“I win every time.”
“Was Jesus there?” Larissa dared to ask.
“Yes.” Moon ground out, remembering he told her it was her night to choose what she wanted, but it was obvious already that he had plans to pay her back tomorrow night for that comment.
The man was lying through his teeth, but she pretended to believe him.
As he set her down on the bed, her hands went to the opening of his jeans as he started unwinding the rope.
“The next time you guys compete against each other, can I come?”
Frowning, she wondered why the rope was suddenly becoming tighter around her.
“No.”
“I promise to be completely unbiased,” she not so innocently offered.
“I bet you will.”
She wondered if he was aware how menacing his face now looked? Was he meaning to scare her? Somehow, she thought he was.
“Moon … uh … the rope is getting a little tight.”
“Is it hurting you?”
“No …”
“Then you’re good.”
She knew she was in peril when she realized too late that Moon had removed the rope from around her waist to wind it around her ankle then extend it to her thigh, winding it around before looping it just over her elbow before using the end of the rope to tie her hands together.
Running her tongue under her lip, she thoughtfully stared at his handiwork. The jerk had managed to tie her in an extremely suggestive pose.
“I see your skills with the rope extend to more than using it for jumping.”
“I’ve had some practice.”
“More than some from my position.”
Jealousy was about to get the best of her until she saw him removing his jeans. Seeing his erect penis would have had her fanning herself but, thankfully, her hands were tied. She would be damned if she was going to let Moon win this round.
Using her tied-up hands, she patted the mattress next to her. “Come here.”
Suspiciously, Moon climbed onto the bed to lie next to her. He ran his hand over the curve of her hip to slide it down to her groin. “Your sexy as fuck tied up like this,” he murmured appreciatively.
“I’m glad you like it.” Unable to do much of anything, tied as she was, it only left one option.
She relaxed and went with it.
“This isn’t so bad,” she commented. “This turns you on?”
“Fuck yes.”
“Then we can do this from time to time, as long as it doesn’t get too exotic.”
“You still want the same safe word?”
“I’m fond of the word stop . I don’t want to change it. Is there a purpose to me being tied in this position?”
Moon looked at her with half-mast eyes. “Don’t take the fun out of it.”
“I was just asking.”
Climbing over her, Moon spooned her from behind, his hand coming around her waist to play with her clit.
“Wow. I learned something today. I like it.” Laying her head on the bed, boneless, she let Moon stroke her passion. “I really like this …” she moaned out. “This is much better than what I had planned for the rest of the night.”
Moon’s fingers stopped moving. “What did you have planned?”
“Hmm?” She had difficulty grasping any thought with Moon about to send her into orbit with his magical fingers. “Ah … yeah, I remember. You remember when you told me you were going to do something to me which had never been done before? I was going to do the same for you.”
Moon’s head reared up over her shoulder to stare down into her face, as if searching to see if she was telling the truth. “For real?”
“Oh yes. I was … except, I was going to make it romantic for you.”
“I didn’t make it romantic for you?”
“You made it hot for me. There’s a difference. You’re a man, so it’s hard for you to understand the difference.”
“Just because I’m a man doesn’t mean I don’t understand,” he argued back. “I’m the most romantic man in the club.”
Larissa stared at him in disbelief. “I’m sorry to disillusion you, but you’re not.”
“How am I not romantic? I bought you earrings when you had Jace. I bought you two houses. I bought you an engagement ring that needs an armed guard when you go out.”
“I don’t like necklaces; I feel like they’re choking me. You bought me two houses after you were caught nearly bankrupting me with ballon payments. And the engagement ring is beautiful, but I would have been just as happy with something more modest. And last but not least, I have to almost die before you tell me you love me. Moon, I love you with my whole heart, but romance isn’t in your wheelhouse.”
Larissa felt the rope release with a twist of his hand.
“Woman, are you trying to piss me off tonight?” he complained.
She felt bad at seeing his sullen expression. “I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry. Is there something I can do to make it up to you?” she said contritely.
“No, you might as well go to sleep. I’m not in the mood anymore.”
Feeling terrible, she rubbed his calf, inching her hand higher, hoping to put him in a better mood.
Moon swatted it away.
“I’m hungry. If I’m not getting sex tonight,” he complained, “the least you could do is feed me.”
“What do you want?” She started scooting off the bed.
“Popcorn.”
Ugh . She hated it when he ate popcorn. But after critiquing how romantic he wasn’t, she wasn’t about to complain about what he wanted to eat.
Yawning, she went into the kitchen and opened the cabinet where they kept their snacks. Open-mouthed, she stared at the contents before returning to the bedroom.
Moon was sitting up in bed, leaning his back on the headboard with his arms crossed over his chest.
“You love me.”
“I told you I did,” he said huffily.
“You bought me a whole cabinet of girl scout cookies.”
“I did, and I even dared Kendra to touch them. I told her I’d find another babysitter if she touched one single box.”
“That’s so sweet.” Walking back to the bed, she picked the rope back off the floor. “Here, you can tie me up again.” She climbed back onto the bed and handed him the rope.
“Nope,” he said curtly. “You haven’t earned me tying you up again. You hurt my feelings.”
“I’ll make it up to you,” she promised.
Moon’s eyebrows rose, interest sparkling in his eyes. “How?”
Larissa straddled his hips, tunneling her fingers through his hair. Even with his ring on her finger, she still couldn’t quite believe this beautiful man was hers.
Pressing a sweet kiss to his mouth, she disentangled her hands from his hair to lean slightly back, untying the bow between her breasts. Shrugging the gown back, she allowed Moon to see her body.
His eyes slipped downward, stopping over her heart. “That’s where you snuck off to this morning,” he said in a husky voice.
“It’s a little sore,” she confessed. “Killyama told me it’s kinda tradition with The Last Riders.”
“You didn’t have to do it because—”
Larissa pressed her fingers over his lips. “I would have done it regardless. I did it to show you I belong to you. Only to you. I love you, Moon.”
“I love you, too.”
Her finger hovered over the tattoo of the moon. “The moon, of course, is you,” she explained. “And the two stars represent me and Jace, so you know that, regardless of if you’re full of light or swallowed up in darkness, you will always feel us by your side.”
His hand curled around the nape of her neck. “You got it so wrong.”
“You don’t like it?” Hurt, she tried to look away so he couldn’t see.
Moon’s hand turned her face back to his. “It’s not that I don’t like it; you just got it wrong.”
Confused, she frowned at him.
“You’re not a little star. You’re the Earth. We’re a team. I give you gravity, so you aren’t always stuck in your head.” His hand hovered over the tattoo of the moon. “The Moon and Earth are constant with each other, neither straying from the other’s orbit. I provide a shield when any motherfucker tries to take what’s mine. I’m no Shakespeare, so know I’m not great at coming up with something on the fly, but one thing for sure is you’re no fucking little star.”
She blinked back tears, a tremulous smile playing around her lips. “I’ll make another tattoo appointment,” she told him. “But what about the other star? It won’t have any meaning.”
“Yeah.” Giving her a sultry look, Moon arched his hips under her, showing he was still hard. “In nine months, it will, give or take.”
Her husband might be the most romantic Last Rider after all. His words removed her fears of him not wanting more children. He was giving her everything she wanted.
“Hey, what’s wrong? If you don’t want another kid so quickly, we can wait—”
She shook her head. “I do. It’s not that.”
“Then why are you crying?”
“I don’t know why you love me. I drive you crazy.” She gave him a shaky laugh to hide she was about to burst into tears. “There isn’t one thing you can’t get from another woman who won’t make you feel as if the apocalypse is imminent. One whose mother you might even like. Heck, I bet they would beg you to tie them up. Name one thing I do another woman wouldn’t do better.”
“I can.” Moon tenderly tilted her face back so she could see how serious he was. “None of them can kiss me like you do.” Lifting her mouth to his, he held their mouths a breath away. “As if your soul is telling me you love me.”
“Does your soul say anything back?” she whispered.
“You want me to tell you a secret no one else knows?”
“Yes.” What did this secret have to do with her question?
“You know I told you I kept hearing a voice telling me to watch out for Jace?” He waited for her to nod before continuing. “It wasn’t the first time I heard that voice. When I was young and my makuahine told me we would be leaving Hawaii to move to Nevada, I was so angry that I ran away.” Moon gave her a wry glance. “I didn’t get very far. I heard the voice and ran back.”
She listened to him raptly, her interest piqued. Moon credited the mental voice for saving Jace’s and her life.
“What did the voice say?”
“She’ll come to you in the dead of the night.” Moon spoke as if he were quoting it verbatim, as if it had played in his head a million times. “You will spend many years alone before she comes. Many heavenly bodies will tempt you away from waiting, but hold fast. One cold winter night, across the sea, you will walk not on sand but frozen grass to find a true love as bright as the sun and everlasting as the heavens above.
“After that, I quit giving my makuahine grief about moving because I knew you would find me someday. So, when you kiss me, my soul tells me you’re the one I was waiting for.”
“That’s so sweet, but you didn’t have to make that up.”
“I’m not lying.”
Disbelieving, she shook her head. “Then why did it take you so long to convince yourself you loved me?”
Moon gave her an irked grimace. “I thought I imagined the whole thing happened as I grew older. I mean, it does sound hokey as fuck. Hell, you thought I made it up just now. But when I started hearing the voice warning me about Jace, it finally clicked through my hard head that I didn’t imagine the first time I heard the voice when I was younger.”
Her brow furrowed in thought.
“That’s strange,” she admitted. “And odd. It’s so similar to the night we met. Could it have been your subconscious?”
“I don’t think so.”
“What do you think it was?”
“No clue, and I don’t want to know.”
“Why not?”
“Because …” Moon gave her a sheepish look. “The room you snuck into at the club where I was sleeping wasn’t normally mine. I made a bet the night before and lost the bigger room, which had a bathroom, to one of my brothers. We switched that morning.” Moon seemed pained as he made the admission.
Larissa gaped at him. Through a twist a fate, she had ended up in Moon’s bed the night Jace had been conceived? She could have ended up with a different Last Rider?
“Whose bedroom did you switch with?”
Reluctantly, Moon finally answered.
“Jesus’.”