Epilogue
4 Months Later
SCARLETT
Shower sex is one of my favorite things in the world.
I’ve heard some people say it’s too awkward. Too cramped. Too cold. Too hot. Overrated.
Not with Grant.
Not with the dual rainfall shower heads and the custom benches and the soaker tub right inside the shower.
And definitely not with Grant’s impressively strong arms holding me, making any position seem effortless.
This time we’re in my favorite position—Grant standing while he cups my ass and lifts me up and down on top of him. My legs are wrapped around his waist and I’m clutching his shoulders, my nails digging lightly into his skin.
The feel of him moving inside me, bottoming out with each stroke, his thick, velvety heat dragging against my inner walls…
My eyes keep falling shut as the pleasure sweeps over me; my body a riot of sensations.
“Baby, you look so damn gorgeous like this.” My eyes pop open to see Grant gazing at me with eyes almost black with desire. The muscles in his neck are tight from the strain of holding back, waiting for me to finish.
But he would never rush. No matter how aroused he is, he always takes his time with me.
For a moment, all I can do is look at him.
He’s so handsome—his hair darkened by the water, glinting copper and bronze, his features all strong lines and angles, but his expression achingly soft. And his muscles… sleekly golden, dusted with light brown hair, a perfect combination of satin and steel.
My Grant .
I don’t love him because of how he looks. Our love is so much deeper than that. But I can definitely appreciate how attractive he is.
Leaning forward, I capture his mouth with mine. “You’re gorgeous, too, Mr. Collins.”
“Ah, Mrs. Collins.” His lips curve up. “My beautiful wife.”
Wife. It’s still hard to believe I’m married to the most amazing man in the world.
“My husband.” I kiss him again. “I love being married to you.”
“Scarlett,” he groans, “I love hearing you say that.”
Then he lifts me up so he’s barely inside me, and my core clenches in protest, desperate to have him back again. A moment later, he brings me back down and fills me completely.
Even after this long, it’s still a tight fit. But it’s the most perfect, too .
I’m on fire for him—my sensitized nipples drawing into taut peaks as they brush against his chest, the muscles in my thighs trembling, core aching, inner walls quivering, my body poised on the edge of ecstasy.
Grant throbs thicker and harder inside me; I can feel him close to the brink.
He moves again, lifting me up and down, faster this time, plunging impossibly deeper.
I’m moaning, whimpering, gasping, “Oh, please, Grant. Please. I’m so close.”
“Anything you want, baby.” And he somehow changes our angle without missing a beat, tilting my hips so he hits me in that spot—the one I thought was a myth—and that’s all it takes.
I explode. Fireworks. An entire Fourth of July worth of them, bursts of brilliant color in my vision, shocks of intense pleasure sizzling through my body, all my muscles locking up as I let out a cry of absolute satisfaction.
“Scarlett,” he groans, and surges into me one more time. Pulsing, his heat jetting inside me, stiffening as he finishes right along with me.
Then he clasps me to him and presses his lips against the top of my head. We stay this way for at least a minute, maybe more, before he lowers me to the ground with a disappointed sigh.
“I wish we could stay in here,” he says with a little smirk. “But I suppose we should probably finish showering and get dressed if we’re going to make it before the party is over.”
Oh !
“Grant!” I playfully slap his chest. “You made me forget! We need to hurry!”
His smirk turns to a satisfied smile. “Are you saying I made you forget about everything other than making love with your very lucky husband?”
“Yes.” I grin at him. “And get that smug look off your face.” Grabbing the shampoo bottle off the shelf, I squeeze a large blob into my hand. “I can’t be late to Clara’s first birthday party. I’m her godmother. I’m supposed to be there early to help set up, and here you are distracting me with all your sexiness.”
“ My sexiness?” Grant raises his eyebrows. “I think you’re the one distracting me. You’re the one who insisted on taking a shower together. How could I resist once I saw you all naked?”
“Fine,” I concede with a little laugh. “I distracted you, too. But we really have to hurry now, so we’re not late.”
“We won’t be late.” He frames my face and brushes a tender kiss across my lips. “I promise.”
We weren’t late.
In fact, we ended up being twenty minutes early. We arrived with plenty of time to help set out all the food—pink cupcakes and at least a dozen kinds of appetizers, from tiny quiches to miniature pizzas to stuffed breadsticks formed into the shape of little Cs .
I went over yesterday to help prepare everything. It was a ton of fun—me, Maya, Elle, Charlie, Hanna, Nora, and Georgia giving us moral support while she sat on the couch and nursed her newborn, Lily, who’s just a month old. We played music and compared our crazy stories—Elle’s run-in with organ traffickers was pretty unbelievable, but I think I’m up there with an obsessed hitman—and all agreed we’d go through it again if it meant we ended up with our partners.
A few months ago, I couldn’t have dreamt I’d be laughing about my experience. But I have the benefit of therapy, my friends, my family, the dogs who always make me laugh, and of course, Grant.
It’s really incredible what so much support can do.
Especially the support of my husband.
My husband. I keep rolling the word around in my head, still not tired of thinking or saying it.
My husband.
“You’re making that sappy love face again,” teases Maya as she lightly jabs me with her elbow. She pops the rest of her quiche in her mouth and swallows before continuing, “Are you thinking about your husband ?”
Ari plops down on the chair opposite us and asks with a grin, “Is Scarlett getting all sappy about being married again?”
I make a face at both of them. “I’m not making a sappy face. And I’ve only been married a little over a month. Aren’t I supposed to be deliriously happy, still?” After a beat, I ask, “And what does a sappy face look like, anyway? ”
“It’s the look I get whenever I see Cole holding Clara.” Maya’s gaze moves across the room to where Cole is feeding Clara a piece of cupcake, an adoring look in his eyes as he watches her.
It’s so adorable—strong, tough Cole holding his little girl like she’s the most precious thing in the world.
“Aha!” Ari points a breadstick at Maya. “You’re right. You do have a sappy look.”
“And you don’t when you see Cash with Winnie?” Maya narrows her eyes at Ari, but her lips are twitching.
“Maybe,” Ari huffs, but she’s snickering as she says it.
Maya looks at me for a moment before her expression sobers. “I’m just kidding, Scar. I’m so glad you’re happy. And you should be thrilled. Being married is wonderful.”
Ari nods. “Your wedding really was beautiful, Scarlett. It kind of makes me wish I’d had an outdoor wedding in the winter. With the giant tent, and the snow all around, and the firepits and heaters and personalized blankets… it was so unique. And perfect for you and Grant.”
I smile back at her. “It really was.”
Grant and I really wanted to get married sooner than later, but the cabin wasn’t big enough to hold all the people we wanted to come to the wedding. At first, we thought we’d have to come up with something else, but one night I was scrolling through Pinterest and saw some photos of outdoor winter weddings and thought… maybe.
It took a lot of planning and lots of heaters, but it worked. We had the ceremony outside at the cabin, and then we all headed over to Ari and Cash’s place for the reception. We got the best of both worlds that way—our wedding at the cabin, but a large and comfortable place to celebrate afterwards.
“Hey.” Grant comes over to our little huddle, but he hesitates by the side of the couch instead of sitting down right away. “Am I interrupting girl time?”
“Of course not,” I tell him quickly, and pat the cushion beside me. “We were just talking about the wedding. And how cute Cole looks with Clara.”
Grant settles down next to me and wraps his arm around my waist. With a smile, he says, “Well. The wedding was amazing, of course, because I got to marry you.” While Maya and Ari aww quietly, he continues, “And I can’t speak for Cole, but Clara is definitely adorable.”
“She is, isn’t she?” Maya beams as she looks over at her husband and daughter again. “I love them both so much.” She glances at me. “Have you thought about—” She cuts herself off. “Nevermind! You just got married. Of course, you want to spend some time as a couple first.”
My cheeks go hot. Grant gives me a little squeeze and kisses my cheek, his lips cool against my heated skin.
“Scarlett.” Maya eyeballs me. “Why are you blushing?”
Ari leans forward in interest. “You are blushing, Scarlett. Are you feeling okay?”
“Um.” Somehow, my face goes even hotter. “Well.”
Maya’s voice rises. “Scarlett? Are you keeping something from me? ”
I cast a desperate look at Grant. I know we agreed not to say anything yet, but now that Maya’s giving me her tell me or else face, my willpower is crumbling.
Grant cups my cheek, his hand blissfully cool on my flaming face. Quietly, he says, “Scarlett, baby. If you want to tell them, I’m okay with it.”
In an equally soft tone, I ask, “Are you sure? I know we agreed…”
His features soften as he looks at me. “I’m alright with whatever you want to do.”
“Scarlett?” Maya’s voice jumps an octave. “Do you have something you want to tell me?”
Turning back to face her, I take a deep breath before blurting out, “Yes.” Decision made, a giant grin spreads across my face. “We’re pregnant. Ten weeks. We were going to wait a couple more weeks, but…”
Grant hugs me close and kisses my head. With a grin as big as my own, he adds, “But now that we’re here, with our friends, we couldn’t wait.”
Maya squeals, “Scarlett! Grant! Oh! You’re pregnant! I’m just… This is so… I’m so thrilled—”
Ari claps as she beams at us. “You guys! That’s so exciting!”
“I know.” Joy blooms in my chest; the same feeling I get every time I think about having kids with Grant. “We’re really excited about it. ”
“Oh, Scarlett. This is so amazing,” Maya gushes. “Our kids will grow up together, and if you have a girl, I can give you Clara’s old clothes, and—”
“And Winnie’s,” Ari adds. “Or if it’s a boy, I know Thea would love to share the stuff Elias has grown out of.”
My heart jumps. Glancing at Grant again, he gives a tiny nod of encouragement.
“Well…” My face hurts from grinning so big. “We’re actually having twins. We don’t know what they are yet, but…”
Maya’s shriek actually rattles the glass lamp on the table beside us. “Scarlett! Oh! I’m so happy for you!”
I grin back at her. “I am too.”
Then I look back at Grant, and it’s just us again. Just like on that magical morning four weeks ago, when I showed him the positive pregnancy test, everything narrows so it’s only me and the man I’m madly in love with. “I’m so happy.”
“Ah, baby.” Emotion thickens his voice, and his eyes are only for me. “You have no idea how happy I am.”
I don’t think I knew I could ever be this happy.
Grant.
Our little cabin, that’s become our home.
Jasper and Wilson.
All my friends. My dad. My brothers. Grant’s family. Saul. Even Mrs. Plimpton.
And our babies.
My eyes go wet as I hold Grant’s gaze, letting him see everything I’m feeling. “I do. Because it’s as happy as I am with you. ”
Grant frames my face and kisses me. “I love you, Scarlett Collins.”
Oh.
This is the most incredible feeling.
“I love you, Grant Collins. And thank you for coming for me. Every time.”
“Ah, Scarlett.” His eyes go damp. “I will always be there for you. Always .”