Epilogue
GIDEON
Ten years later…
“T he roses are coming in beautifully this year,” I tell Emerson as I spread out the blanket. “As always.”
“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” She places the picnic basket on the ground beside the blanket, and we sit down on it.
“Maybe, but I’ll never get tired of hearing it.”
The day Emerson chose me, she told me she didn’t want this house.
But after we got married, I drove her out here, and she immediately changed her mind.
When I picked it out, I envisioned us making this our forever home, and it has been.
The first time we saw the house, I carried her over the threshold, and we made love on the floor in the foyer.
Since then, I’d say we’ve made love on every available surface, including several walls.
We’ve brought two babies through the front door, celebrated countless birthdays and holidays, and Emerson’s created the garden of her dreams. This is where we’ve become a family and fallen deeper and deeper in love.
In the backyard she’s grown roses in a maze with the center open for us to spend time together. My mother has the kids this afternoon, and I gave the staff the day off, so that means we’ve got the place to ourselves.
When I asked Charlie about leaving Emerson’s parents' home and coming to work for her, he was excited to go. But he mentioned how the rest of the staff adored her and that they might like the opportunity to come as well. So that’s what I did.
I hired all the staff that previously looked after Emerson and now they look after our children and home too.
Only now they get paid vacation, insurance, and retirement plans.
Emerson and I were in total agreement that if we had staff, it was our responsibility to take care of them because they took care of us.
Seeing her chart a new path, one so different from her mother, has been inspiring.
She lies back on the blanket and stares up at the clouds as I roll on my side to look down at her.
“Am I doing the right thing?” she asks, not meeting my eyes.
“You are doing what’s right for you,” I say and brush the hair away from her face. “You can’t base your decisions on what other people might think or assume.”
Last week, Emerson’s mother came by wanting to talk.
Emerson has been no-contact since the day she walked out of the wedding, not that they tried to contact her either.
So it was a surprise when she rang the doorbell.
I refused to let her inside. I thought she would say something about missing her daughter, but instead she asked me for money.
She didn’t even pretend to care about Emerson or the grandchildren she’s never met.
It was a pleasure when the cops rolled up and I got to watch her scurry out of there.
Clearly it was a last-ditch effort to regain some status among her friends, because from what Emerson has seen on Page Six, they’ve lost it all and had to move.
I have zero sympathy for them or Conner’s family.
They’ve been smeared through the mud while Conner has been in and out of rehab for the past ten years.
Last I heard, he took on some gambling debts with the wrong people and he’s been missing since.
“I know.” Emerson sighs and finally glances up at me. “I have no regrets.”
“Not even the skinny-dipping incident?” I raise a brow, and she chuckles. Her mood lightens, and she rolls on her side to face me.
“It was your fault for not telling me the water was freezing. That’s why I screamed and everyone came running.”
“Maybe I like seeing your nipples hard.” My finger tugs at the string on the front of her dress. It’s tied to keep it closed, but when I pull it loose, she doesn’t stop me.
“I thought you brought me out here for a picnic.” She bites her bottom lip as I tug on the material of the dress and her breasts spill out.
“Oh, I’m going to be eating.” I lean forward, kissing her as I roll her nipple between my fingers.
She moans in my mouth as I climb over her, pinning her to the ground. Her legs spread, and then my mouth moves lower until I suck on one of her tight buds. My mouth moves from one nipple to the other until she’s rocking her hips up, desperate for friction.
“Don’t tease me,” she whines, and I grin before letting her nipple go with a pop.
“You love it.” I grab the bottom of her dress and push it up her hips as I slide lower. When I uncover her pussy, my head snaps up, and she’s looking at me with a wicked expression.
“Surprise.”
“You know it drives me crazy when you don’t wear panties. All I can think about is how easy it would be to fuck you at any moment.” My mouth waters as I spread her thighs and lean forward. “I’m going to be hard all goddamn day.”
“Why do you think I’m already so wet?” Her giggle turns into a moan as I swipe my tongue up her soft center and then suck on her clit.
Emerson digs her fingers into my hair and grips me tightly as I growl against her. She loves when I make that sound because the vibration feels so good. What she loves even more is when I rub her G-spot, so I slide two fingers inside her and massage just right.
“That’s it!” she cries out, grinding her pussy on my face. “Don’t stop.”
My rhythm doesn’t change as I thrum a steady beat against her clit with my tongue. I watch her bathed in sunlight, surrounded by roses as she comes apart. It’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen, and I’ll never get tired of it.
I make sure she cums twice more before I reach for the front of my pants. Once she’s boneless on the blanket, I sit up and slide my cock between her soft folds. She sighs contentedly when she’s stuffed full and lies there, open and drunk on orgasms as I rut.
My grunts and groans are mixed with the slapping of skin, and then I feel her pussy tighten.
“I love you,” I tell her while grinding on her clit. “You’re mine.”
“I’m yours.” In answer, she reaches up and touches my face before pulling me down for a kiss.
My cock throbs when I feel her climax, and I go off with her. My thick length pulses inside her as cum fills her pussy and she milks me with her hot grip.
We make love all afternoon, and it’s the perfect day.
Although really, it’s the perfect life. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.
The day she walked into my office, I knew she was the one, I just had to figure out how to move heaven and earth to get her.
And just as I suspected, it was worth it.
THE END!