Epilogue
Daniel
M y eyes slowly blinked a few times as they adjusted to the stream of morning light cascading through the window, its warmth only making me more comfortable in the cloud that was my bed.
It was Saturday. No need to wake up yet.
I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but I felt a hand trail down my chest and move slowly down my torso.
I opened my eyes and found Heart looking at me with a sleepy but mischievous grin on her face.
I let her hand wander as my eyes explored her naked body that peeked out from underneath the silky white sheets.
I held my breath as her fingertips met my length, stroking gently up and down, waking me up.
Her eyes locked with mine as I grew hard against her touch.
I reached under the sheets and gripped her hips, pulling her quickly toward me.
She let out a little squeal and reached one hand up, wrapping it around the back of my neck, while the other continued moving with more intent now.
She leaned her forehead against mine, our breaths growing heavy as we stared at each other.
My mouth met hers. My tongue ran across her lips, coaxing its way inside.
She accepted and let me taste her, her tongue meeting mine.
As we kissed, my hand moved down her breasts, grazed her stomach, and found what it was looking for between her legs.
I felt her suck in a breath while we kissed, as my fingers trailed against her.
As my tongue moved inside her mouth, I dipped a finger into her and it was met with a slickness that made me hungry for more. I moved to the rhythm of our kiss, which was growing more desperate. Her hand gripped my erection harder and began moving faster, matching my desire.
Her hand on my neck moved to my lower back, her fingers digging into me as she pulled me closer.
I rolled onto her, one hand still moving against her while the other supported me against the mattress.
Her eyes trailed down to my erection she gripped in her hand.
She bit her lip as she spread her legs, an open invitation.
I slowly eased my finger from her wet walls and placed my hand on the mattress so I now hovered over her.
She positioned herself underneath me, so that my tip was against her wet opening.
She massaged it against her, continuously moving up and down the length, her eyes watching as she pleasured herself, never letting me fully inside.
I groaned with pleasure and the desperate desire for more, but she just gave me that teasing smirk that I would never get used to. The one that sent me over the edge. I watched as she moved her hips under me, her legs spreading further.
“Heart,” I whispered somewhere deep in my throat.
Her eyes found mine and I needed her right then.
She knew it. She put her hands up by her head and my hand wrapped around them, pressing them into the bed.
My other hand positioned myself against her.
I could already feel myself throbbing with lust. I eased myself into her, inch by inch, feeling her walls surround me.
She let out a cry of pleasure as she writhed underneath me, but I didn’t free her hands.
I eased out and smiled down at her. Her eyes were desperate; hungry. Two could play this game.
I brought my mouth down to her beautiful breasts that were mine for the taking. I flicked my tongue against her nipple lightly before taking it into my mouth completely. I massaged my tongue against her, swirling it around her erect nipple. I felt her breath quicken.
“Daniel,” she said, her voice breathy. “Please.”
I looked up at her as my mouth moved to her other plump breast.
“Please,” she said more desperately.
She pressed her hips up to meet mine.
I smiled, knowing I had this power over her.
I pushed her hips back down on the bed and held them there.
Her legs opened wide and I plunged inside of her swiftly.
She cried out and broke her hands free, meeting my back and digging her fingers into me as I pounded into her again.
And again. Until we both were at our peak and crashed into each other, releasing everything we had.
“Fuck,” she said as I fell on top of her.
“Ditto,” I said.
She nipped my shoulder playfully with her teeth as we tried to catch our breath. A moment later, we heard a cry on the baby monitor. Bridgette was awake.
Heart groaned.
“I’ve got her,” I said, kissing her softly on the forehead.
I peeled myself off her and grabbed my sweatpants from the floor, sliding them on. Heart propped herself up on her elbows to watch. I shook my head at her and laughed.
“What? I can’t help it.” She shrugged.
I strode over to the bed and pressed my lips against hers before walking out of the room.
Most of our mornings started like this. Mind-blowing sex and then tending to the baby.
We were practically hormonal teenagers with how much we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.
Thank God she lived with me or it would be torture.
Heart had moved in shortly after Bridgette was born.
It just made more sense that way. We didn’t want to be apart, and we wanted to raise our baby together as a family.
Plus, she had gotten a job in Manhattan at my friend’s firm.
She was able to work from home and in the office.
I started working remotely some days too.
We traded off on who took care of Bridgette.
We made one of the spare bedrooms a nursery, and we had done it all just us two. I didn’t hire anyone. I wanted it to be our thing.
I quietly opened the door to the nursery and walked inside to see Bridgette sitting up and looking at me expectantly.
“Good morning, beautiful girl,” I said as I scooped her up.
She let out a little giggle as I led her to the glider in the corner of the room. I sat down and rocked her gently.
“Did you know what today is?” I asked.
She tilted her head curiously.
“It’s your first birthday.”
“B-b-deh.”
“That’s right!” I exclaimed as I kissed her cheeks.
“Mama,” she said, looking toward the door.
I looked up and saw Heart standing in a pink floral robe. She looked just as beautiful as the day I had met her. If not more.
“Hey, birthday girl,” she said, walking over and sitting on the armrest of the glider.
She leaned in and gave Bridgette a kiss. We sat like that for a few minutes, exchanging cuddles and kisses and coos. My whole world was in this room.
“We should probably get ready for the party,” said Heart.
“Coffee first?” I asked.
“Obviously. After last night and this morning, I might need a pot all to myself.” Heart winked as she strode out of the room.
I laughed softly as I stood up and walked Bridgette to the changing table to get her cleaned up. I loved being a dad. Even the diaper changes or the middle of the night feedings that I often did to let Heart sleep. It was all more than I ever thought it would be.
I met Heart in the kitchen where she was waiting with a steaming mug of coffee for me. I leaned in and kissed her before taking it from her. She took Bridgette from my arms and snuggled her. I smiled at the sight of them. Heart was such a good mom. I loved her even more now.
“You’re incredible. You know that?” I asked, after taking a sip of coffee.
She looked at me curiously.
“You are. I just thought you should know.” I shrugged.
She gave me a soft smile, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you.”
After several cups of coffee and setting up the party with Monica and the party planner Margaret had hired, the place looked party ready.
There was a large pink balloon arch that hung over the entire living room that was filled with cocktail tables and chairs covered in pink tablecloths.
There were white, glittery streamers hanging from the ceiling.
A dessert table sat in the center of the room, filled with every miniature sweet treat you could imagine.
The kitchen was bustling with the caterers preparing the food.
The face painter had just arrived, along with the princess we hired for story-time and dancing.
Bridgette sat in the small ball pit we had bought and was looking around at everything in awe.
“Is it too much?” asked Heart, leaning her head against my shoulder.
“Maybe, but she’s worth it,” I replied as I looked around.
The doorbell rang just then and the party began. A few coworkers from Heart’s new job came, along with everyone from my office. Brody and Freddy. Monica. Heart’s parents. Even my parents flew in from France for the party.
They had already met Heart and Bridgette a handful of times over the past year.
They said they had been away too long and wanted to be a part of their granddaughter’s life.
All our lives. I didn’t realize how much Bridgette had brought everyone together, and she wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for Heart coming into my life.
She had changed everything for the better.
I watched as she danced around the living room with Bridgette in her arms, the party crowd clapping in sync with the music as they watched. I reached into my pocket. My thumb brushed over the velvet box that was nestled inside. I smiled knowing what was to come by the end of the day.
“You ready for this, bro?” whispered Brody, slapping me on the back.
I removed my hand from my pocket swiftly. “Will you shut up?” I laughed.
“What? No one heard me. No one knows.”
I shook my head at my brother who looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
“I’m ready,” I said with a nod.
He had come with me to pick out the ring at Tiffany’s a few months ago. I was waiting for the right time, and today felt like the perfect occasion with all of our friends and family here to witness.
“I’m happy for you,” he said.
“Thanks, Brody.”
After Bridgette opened her gifts and dug her hands into her smash cake, it was nearing time for everyone to go home. It was almost her naptime, anyway, and she made it known by the long yawn she let out that everyone aww ed over.
It was now or never.
I pulled Heart to the center of the room, where Bridgette sat at our feet playing with wooden blocks my mom had got her from Paris. Heart looked at me curiously as everyone made a circle around us.
“I want to thank everyone for coming,” I said, holding her hand tightly in mine. “I especially want to thank this woman right here. Heart, you have turned my life upside down and made everything right. I love you for the woman you are. The mother you are.”
Heart’s eyes glazed over with tears as she looked at me.
“I can’t imagine life without you,” I said as I reached into my pocket and pulled out the velvet box.
I heard the crowd gasp and a few squeals emerge from our mothers, but I kept my eyes on Heart, who looked as shocked as anyone. Her hands flew up to her mouth as she watched me get on one knee.
“Will you marry me?”
I opened the box, revealing the solitaire oval diamond that sat on a thin gold band. Effortlessly beautiful, just like Heart.
“Yes,” she cried through her tears.
THE END