Epilogue One
Gannett is, of all things, getting pedicures with the girls in downtown Ridge Falls, so I’m left exploring the rest of the area while I wait for them.
They shouldn’t be much longer anyway, so I figure why not find a place where we can all grab something to eat once they’re done.
There’s a bakery called Stuffin’s Muffins that I’ve heard a lot about, and, craving something sweet, I decide to pop in and see what the fuss is about.
Inside, I spot a familiar looking man up at the counter, a little boy—who appears to be about the same age as Tati and Terra—by his side, pointing at a rack of muffins.
The man does a double-take when he sees me too. Odd, considering I don’t know anyone from around here. This guy is obviously a Maine Game Warden, given the uniform he has on, so I spare a glance at his nametag. Harnden.
Shit, that’s the same last name as the Harnden twins—the twins that were there at the pub that night. The night one of them kissed Gannett to get a rise out of me. This guy was there with them. That’s where I recognize him from.
“Do I know you?” the man asks me.
“Yeah, uh, sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. I was just trying to figure out why you looked so familiar. You were in Ternbay, at Portside Pub, back in April, weren’t you?”
He nods, looking confused and slightly creeped out.
Can’t say as I blame him, I guess, that did come off sounding a little fuckin’ stalker-esque.
“I own—er, well, used to own the place. I was there the night you and some others were there.” I point to his name badge.
“One of the Harnden twins kissed my partner.”
“Oh, yeah. We were there. And that would have been Elliot, my brother-in-law. He does dumb stuff like that, but he means well,” he says matter-of-factly. “I’m Levi.”
“An’ I’m his son, Riley!” the boy chirps proudly.
“Me an’ my daddy are workin’ together today, savin’ animals.
Our doggy, Mayla? She’s in Daddy’s truck right now.
She is the goodest girl, dat’s why we’re gettin’ her a muffin!
Funcle Elliot likes to think he knows what muffin flavor is everyone’s favorite, but he doesn’t know Mayla better dan I do.
Besides, Mr. Stuffins makes special doggie muffins here, just for her! ”
“Wow.” I stagger backwards, because—holy shit, this kid can talk. “That’s, uh, a lot of information…”
Levi’s lips twitch. “He gets that from my husband, I think. They both like to speak in run-on sentences.”
I chuckle, and then my mind circles back to that part about them saving animals. “Hey, weird question for you, but since you’re a warden, do you know anything about why there was someone from the avian rehab center at the pub that night?”
“Yeah. I called them to pick up an injured juvenile seagull.”
“This is probably a long shot, but do you remember if that seagull had any distinguishing markings on it? Say, maybe a bullseye around one of his eyes?”
“Yes. The gull had those markings,” he notes, his brows knit. “He had an injured wing. Likely from a fight with another bird. He has been healed of his injuries, but he still cannot be released into the wild. He likely never will be. The gull has become too reliant on humans.”
“Where is he now, do you know?”
“The last update I have from the sanctuary is that he is with a private wildlife rehabilitator, they are still trying to work with him. He would not be a good fit for the animal park down in Gray. It’s not at all like his normal habitat there.”
“Would it be possible to adopt him? Someone like me, I mean…”
“You would need to apply for a special permit through the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and meet a large number of certain requirements. Maine has some of the strictest laws in the nation regarding the possession of wildlife.”
I nod. “But permits are granted though, right? Like, if someone could prove that they could care for that specific animal?”
Levi’s lips thin, and he narrows his eyes at me. “I don’t suppose you have a reason you are requesting ownership of this particular habituated bird, do you?”
My eyes flick around the room, nervously trying to concoct an explanation that doesn’t involve the fact that I willingly allowed Gulligan into my apartment time and time again—because, after Gannett moved out of my apartment, Gulligan was all I had left of him. Fuck, I bonded with that bird.
As if summoned by the topic of conversation at hand, Gannett chooses now to come strolling into the bakery, hand-in-hand with both of the girls. He beams when he spies me, and I know, in an instant, I’m going to be contacting the IF&W as soon as we get back home so I can surprise him with Gulligan.
I turn my attention back to Levi. “Have you ever done anything crazy for the love of your life?” I ask him.
He takes a moment to think about that, glancing over to his boy—who is currently charming the hell out of both Gannett’s girls—and then he grins. “As a matter of fact, I have…”
I’m fucking stressed. Two major pieces of gym equipment have broken tonight, and I’m struggling to get the hang of this new payroll software.
The one I used to use at the bar was umpteen times easier than whatever the fuck this shit is that Micah used to use.
No wonder he wanted out of here so goddamn bad.
Add to that, I’m already overwhelmed with emotions brought on by visiting my mother’s hometown last weekend, and I haven’t really been able to process them privately since returning.
I hadn’t wanted to spoil the girls’ first camping trip, but it’s been a lot to keep bottled up.
I know Gannett and Dr. Goucher would both be there for me to unload on, but I just—fuck, it’s just hard to put into words sometimes.
Finally, like a cherry on this shit sundae I’m currently being served, someone brushed their teeth in the locker room, and I happened to walk straight in after. They used mint toothpaste.
Fuck.
I’m practically vibrating with anxiety, that pins and needles sensation creeping in. The band of constriction is starting to gain a chokehold around my ribs. My hands start balling into fists as I stalk over to my locker, yanking out my hand wraps, and making my way out to the fighting mats.
The heavy bag will have to do for tonight, I guess.
“Hey,” Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy as hell says, as he plops his gym bag down on the floor.
Okay, so maybe I won’t have to settle for the bag after all.
“I like that you made the code to the new keypad my birthday,” he muses, smirking. “The VIP, after-hours access doesn’t hurt either.”
I grunt by means of a response.
His eyes rake over me. “What’s got you all wound up tighter than a top?”
“Whole buncha shit,” I grumble. He steps closer to me, his hand reaching out for mine, but I back up, shaking my head. “Don’t.”
Instead of getting offended and backing off like I warned him to—because he’s Gannett, stubborn as fuck—he takes another step towards me, his chest puffing up.
“Gannett, I said fucking don’t,” I caution him again.
He reaches out, tugging the wraps out of my hands and discarding them on the floor.
“You don’t think I know you by now, Gordy?
” he asks, his voice low and steady, sending a shiver of arousal down my spine.
“You don’t think I haven’t seen you going all dark and broody on me this week?
I’ve let you sit on it for a few days, hoping you would snap out of your funk on your own, but enough is enough. ”
He leans in even further, running the tip of his nose up my neck, a strip of goosebumps rising in its wake. His hot breaths fanning on my sensitive skin. “You either fuck me, fight me, or both—but you get it out of your system, right here, tonight,” he whispers in my ear.
When he starts to back away, my finger catches on one of the strands of his choker. I tug him back to me, pressing a bruising kiss to his lips. “How many marks do you want on you then?” I hum, breaking our connection.
His pupils are blown wide when he peers up at me through his long, dark lashes. Drunk on lust, he presses his erection into my hip. “As many as it takes until your body is painted in just as much of my cum, baby.”
I groan, pressing my forehead to his. Rolling my hips, feeling my hard cock rub up against his through the thin fabric of our athletic shorts, I place the choker between my teeth and hold it taut.
My hands now free, I reach behind him, my palms resting on the firm globes of his ass before I start roughly massaging them, forcing his pelvis closer to mine.
I grunt, rutting myself against him harder. “Mmmph, so good,” he rasps, his eyes rolling back in his head. “Use me.”
The clawing feeling of panic I’d felt before starts to lessen the more it becomes encased in need. Need for Gannett’s strong presence. Need for his unwavering commitment to do whatever it takes to see me through my storms. Need for him period.
Full stop—this man is my everything, and I never could have imagined him being mine.
That infuriating feeling his presence used to inspire was just the result of me thinking I could never have him—not like this.
Now, not only do I have him, but I have so much more.
I have family when I thought I was destined to live a life alone.
I have steadfast love and a partner who is so much more than he gives himself credit for.
I have way more than I’ll ever deserve, but I will do whatever it takes to keep this from ever slipping through my hands.
I release the choker and curl one of my legs around him, sweeping both of his out from underneath him and sending him down to the mat—landing on his ass with a grunt. “I fucking need you,” I huff, rushing to tear his shorts off of him.
Once those and his underwear are off, he lunges at me, rolling us over on the mat so he’s the one undressing my lower half next.
Both our shirts come off right after, getting tossed away in a tangle of arms. I roll us back over, pinning him back to the mat, before I start nipping and sucking my way down his body—leaving a path of greedy marks as I go.
He’ll end up looking more spotted than a cheetah by the time I get him right where I want him: writhing and whimpering on this mat. His face ruddy with heat and lust. His dick so engorged that when he comes, he comes on a shout, painting my face until I’m fully claimed.
I suck two of my fingers into my mouth, uncaring that I’m practically drooling, trying to get them as soaked as possible.
In one quick movement, I’m parting my lips, sucking his shiny head into my mouth.
I swirl my tongue around, teasing the slit at the tip and then move on to his sensitive glans.
I slide my spit-slickened fingers between his asscheeks, circling his rim a couple of times before introducing the tip of my middle finger.
Slowly, I pump my finger in and out of his asshole as he whimpers above me, his hands flying to my hair to grip it. I lean forward on my knees, my other hand splaying on his stomach, creeping upwards until I find his nipple.
“Unngh!” he cries out, his back bowing in the lumbar region, when I roughly pinch and roll his nipple between my thumb and finger.
His fists tighten in my hair, and I press into his hole with a second digit.
“So good. Oh, fuck yeah. Fuck, you suck me so good,” he pants while I bob up and down, nearly taking his entire length to the back of my throat.
“G-god, I forget how fuuuuu-uuucking well you multitask…”
A laugh rumbles up my throat, and his cock throbs hard, gagging me. Reveling in the way using my voice stimulates him, I hum some more, grunting with every downward bob of my head. Finally, I take him as far back as I can, and swallow when I feel his tip graze my tonsils.
“Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck. Gordy, p-pop off,” he pleads, his tone clipped and choppy.
“I wanna f-fuckin’—oh, shit—I wanna come on your face.
Baby, please!” He tugs at my hair, pulling me off his dick.
I continue scissoring one set of fingers inside his ass, the other pinching his nipple hard.
One of his hands shoots to his cock, and he furiously strokes it until his stomach dips and all his muscles tense.
His mouth falls open, his neck arched back, eyes scrunched shut. His dick erupts, and he cries out writhing beneath me. He gives me everything. His cum jets out of him, covering my face, my beard, even some on my chest and up my neck.
When the last droplets dribble out, I crawl up his body until my face is hovering above his. An offering being made. A token of my appreciation for him instinctually knowing when I needed him the most, because now those anxious feelings have dissipated.
“Lick me clean, Gannett,” I tell him. “Then, cover my cock in it.”
He arcs a brow up at me. “And then what?”
“Sit on my lap and ride me.”
He smirks, the most salacious, devilishly handsome smirk I’ve ever seen.
I can’t believe I ever tried to shove this man out of my life. I’ll forever be grateful that he’s the most stubborn shit to ever walk the earth. With him by my side, I feel like I could conquer anything. I’d never want to be in troubled waters without him.