Epilogue
Harlan
New Year’s Eve…
“ T hat’s it, kitten,” I groan. “I can feel you about to come on me.”
I’m deep inside my fiancée as warm water rains down on us. I have her backed up against a wall in her shower. We’re supposed to be getting ready for the party tonight, but we’re definitely taking our time.
As soon as Quinn came in here and got the water running, I followed her in—and it started steaming up, as I put my hands and mouth all over her.
Her soft cries now fill the shower. She has one foot propped up on the bench seat, her thighs spread open for me. Her hands grip my ass as I fuck her, deep and slow, and my thumb massages her swollen clit.
I can feel her bearing down on me as her breaths come shorter and harder, and my cock swells. “Harlan,” she gasps, clinging to me.
I suck on her earlobe and murmur, “I’m going to come in you so hard.”
She moans in anticipation and sucks on my neck, making my cock impossibly harder inside her. I feel halfway delirious as I fuck her, a little faster now.
“When you come for me,” I growl, “I’m going to plant my seed inside you.”
“It’s… already been planted,” she pants. But I hear the smile in her voice.
“Mmm.” Our eyes connect for a thrilling heartbeat before I kiss her deeply. Her fingers dig into my ass as I work her clit—and her hips buck wildly against me.
I feel her go off, her pussy convulsing, squeezing the length of my cock.
I keep fucking her, keep kissing her through her orgasm, as she shudders against me, little cries caught in her throat.
And when her movements slow, her climax mellowing and fading, I bury my face in her neck and come, hard. I groan against her throat as she clutches my ass and holds me tight, and as always, I feel pulled .
Into her. Into us .
Closer and deeper and forever .
When I finally come up for air, we’re both panting softly. We kiss and kiss as the warm water rains down. And eventually, reluctantly, we slide apart.
She’s pinned her hair up to keep it dry, so I forego the pleasure of washing it and instead lather her with body wash, slowly, watching her from hooded eyes.
She watches me just the same, like she’s drunk on me.
I feel the ridiculous smile that spreads slowly across my face.
“What?” she whispers, smiling back.
“We should name her Rain.” It occurs to me in the same instant it comes right out my mouth.
She tilts her head, considering. “Our daughter?”
“Yes.”
“That’s adorable.”
“She’s from Vancouver, and it rains here a lot. And I happen to like the rain. And besides… it’s part of ‘Lorraine.’”
Quinn’s lips part as her eyes mist over. “That’s… so beautiful, Harlan.” She slides her arms around my waist and gives me the sweetest hug, pressing herself against me. We just hold each other for a long moment.
I can feel her heart beating against mine, know our daughter’s heart is beating inside of her, too, and it’s everything. Everything I ever could’ve wanted for myself, but never really thought I’d have.
“I love you, Quinn,” I whisper against her hair, and she hugs me tighter.
“I love you more than words,” she whispers back.
We’ve only been engaged for a week, but it’s been the best week of my life. By miles. I love her more every single day.
We’ve spent the week getting her and Lorraine moved in. We celebrated Christmas together. We’ve had endless sex. And some more serious talks, that have just strengthened our bond. Which I think we owe to the little girl we’re bringing into the world; to make sure her family has the most solid foundation possible when she enters into it.
We’ve even negotiated living together in a way that will work best for all of us. She’s agreed to limit her chaotic style of “organizing” her things to her own spaces; her bathroom and the family kitchen where she’ll bake with Lorraine. And I’ve agreed to work on accepting that children are messy.
Quinn and her mom have agreed to respect my need for cleanliness, and to do their best to be considerate of our shared spaces. And if living with people who don’t put things away exactly as I want them to becomes too much, I’ve agreed to go back to therapy.
Quinn gazes up at me and says dreamily, “I guess I should get out and start getting dressed.”
“If you must.” My hands roam down to her ass and squeeze.
She kisses me, then reluctantly pulls away. She rinses off and slips out of the shower, and starts toweling off as I rinse.
“Shit!” she cries, startling me. She’s looking at my watch on the bathroom counter. “I didn’t realize what time it is!” She flies out of the bathroom, naked, as I turn off the shower. “We need to get ready!” she shouts from the direction of the walk-in closet
I step out and dry off with a sigh of contentment. We’re throwing a New Year’s Eve party at the house. Our house. We have the staff and caterers taking care of everything downstairs. There’s no reason to worry about a thing, but it’s adorable how seriously Quinn is taking it all.
She’s been excited about the party all day, and keeps fussing over her playlist, and the cake she made, and the drinks she wants to have served—even though she can’t drink.
“Don’t worry,” I tell her, as I stroll into the walk-in. “You’re going to be an incredible hostess.”
She’s digging through a drawer filled with panties, messing up the neatly folded rows. I try not to watch. “I feel like I’m going to puke, I’m so nervous,” she says.
“You just need to get used to the beauty of having staff,” I try to reassure her. “They’ll do the work. We just show up and enjoy.”
She pulls on a pair of lacy black panties. “Easy for you to say. You just put on the same black suit you always do and you’re good to go.” She looks entirely jealous of the fact that I’m totally relaxed. “I have so many directions I could take my dress choice, and I have hair and makeup to do…” I stroll toward her as she rambles. “And I made that extravagant cake that took most of the day?—”
“Of course you did.” I come up behind her and wrap my arms around her. Making her stay still, tucked in against me. I give her a kiss on the top of the head, smelling her hair. It’s like lavender shampoo and cupcakes. “Just breathe.”
She takes a deep breath.
“I just need everything to be perfect,” she says.
“Now you sound like me.” I release her and pull out some underwear to slide on as she races around, pulling out bras and jewelry and whatever.
My Christmas gift to her was a little moving-in shopping spree. She was hesitant to buy too many clothes while pregnant and not her usual size, but we managed to fill her half of the closet pretty decently, and I made sure we got plenty of lingerie.
“It’s crazy,” she says, laughing a little. “I feel like this is my debut into high society or something, and I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”
I snicker. “You give my brothers way too much credit. And the guest list is literally them, my sister, Megan, and your mom. It’s low pressure.” We decided to make our first official party as a couple in our home family-only. And I’m really looking forward to it.
To starting off a fresh new year with my family—all of them.
“I know. I just really like everyone you just mentioned,” she says, “and I’ve never had siblings before. I feel so lucky to have your family becoming mine.”
“Baby. We’re the lucky ones.”
Our eyes catch across the room, and she gives me a sweet look that tells me she fucking adores me.
The feeling is mutual.
I choose a suit—easy—as she searches through her new dresses. She pulls out a long black one and a short blue one, holding them up for me. “Decide, please? I need to get dressed, asap.”
It’s tough, but not that tough. Blue always looks fire on her.
“Blue,” I tell her.
“You’re so right,” she says, and promptly stuffs the black one back, dashing off to the bathroom with the blue one.
As soon as I’ve pulled on my pants, I go into the bedroom and grab my phone, to check for progress updates from Carlisle. I want to make sure preparations are rolling along perfectly downstairs, for Quinn. If anything’s not perfect, I want to make sure it’s taken care of, so she doesn’t need to worry about a thing tonight.
But I see I’ve missed calls from Savannah. Seven of them.
And a text message that says, Call me.
I call her back right away.
“Harlan,” she says breathlessly. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“I see that. What’s going on?”
“I just wanted to get you on the phone. To tell you, rather than just text you…”
“Tell me what?”
She groans a little. “I’m so sorry, okay? But I’m not going to be able to make it to your party tonight.”
“Are you serious?”
“I know it’ll be a great party. I’m sorry,” she repeats.
Quinn struts out of her bathroom, looking much calmer—and absolutely gorgeous—in the off-shoulder blue dress that makes her eyes glow.
I drop my jaw, and she does a little spin.
“Savi, I’m putting you on speaker,” I tell my sister. “Quinn’s here.”
“Oh, hey Savannah!” Quinn calls out as I put the call on speaker.
“Oh, hi Quinn,” Savannah says. “Is anyone else there?”
“Nope! Just me.”
“How can you miss the party?” I demand, and Quinn’s face falls. “It’s New Year’s Eve, Savi. You know, bringing in the new year with those you love? How can you not be with your family?”
“Uh…”
Quinn pouts exaggeratedly, and there’s a long pause on the other end of the line. I go over to her, wrap an arm around her shoulders, and kiss her on the forehead.
Finally, Savannah says, “Damn . I feel bad here, you guys.”
I meet Quinn’s eyes. She gives me a worried look. And mouths What’s going on?
I’m getting kind of worried myself. “Savi, are you okay?”
“Yes. I’m okay. I’m very okay.” She adds, sounding a bit nervous, “Don’t be mad, Harlan, okay?”
My sister is never this evasive.
“Savannah,” I say seriously, “what the hell is going on?”
“I got married,” she blurts.
Quinn gasps. I see the surprise on her face, but it’s not even close to the shock I feel.
I struggle to collect myself, and utter the only two words that make sense right now. “To who ?”
THE END
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