Epilogue
Cassie
Eight months later
I sit on the back porch, enjoying the spring breeze and warm sunshine. My hands rest on my belly, and our baby chooses that moment to kick my spleen.
I let out a quiet huff. “Pipe down, little bean.”
We have a wide green yard, a pretty white privacy fence, and sprouting vegetable planters protected with tidy stakes and chicken wire.
The local rabbits are getting plenty of snacks out of the mini clover we seeded to slowly replace the grass with something more environmentally friendly.
A family of songbirds twitter from a cheerily painted birdhouse, while butterflies and bees flock to the local pollinator plants lining the garden around the house.
All of that is incredibly lovely, but that’s not what makes this new home perfect.
Shade engulfs me, and I smile up at the concerned expression on Brutus’s grey snout.
“It’s been more than fifteen minutes,” he grumbles, brushing his gentle fingers across my face to apply sunscreen.
I laugh and close my eyes, happily accepting this affectionate touch. “It’s been exactly sixteen minutes. I’m not going to spontaneously combust. It’s not like the baby can catch a sunburn.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” he says, voice gentling as he rubs the last bit of sunscreen on my ears.
“I can’t tell who you fret over more: me or the baby?”
He takes my chin between his thumb and knuckle, then kisses my forehead with his velvet-soft snout. “Both is an option.”
“You’re such an overachiever.”
“Pot calling the kettle black, much?” He reaches past me and closes the laptop sitting on the end table, then sinks into the lounge chair next to me. “You should already be on maternity leave.”
“I’m fine. And besides, the longer I keep working, the more time I’ll have after the baby’s born.”
“Hm.” Brutus sounds unconvinced.
“I know you want me to quit my job—”
“I don’t want you to quit your job. I just don’t want you to feel pressure to keep your job.”
I reach over and squeeze his hand. “I don’t. I really do love my team. If I get overwhelmed, I’ll let you know.”
“Oh, I won’t let it get to that point.” He leans over and scoops me into his arms, baby bump and all, and cradles me to his chest.
I laugh and loop my arms around his warm, furry neck. “And how is that?”
“I got approval for the extra paternity leave and unlimited work from home.”
My heart warms. “Wow, you really are an overachiever.”
He chuckles, rubbing a broad hand over my belly. “Think of all our baby will do.”
“The universe will probably make them naturally lazy, just to keep things interesting.”
“You mustn’t indulge them too much,” he says with teasing warmth.
“Me? You’re the big softy. Who’s always sneaking treats to Remy after bedtime?” The chocolate lab is still a growing puppy, so she’s fine for now, but it’ll eventually be an issue.
Brutus’s expression turns piteous. “She’s so sad in her crate, though.”
“No, she whines at you because she knows you’ll give her more treats. See? Indulgent. This baby is going to have you wrapped around their little finger.”
He gently taps my nose. “Like mother, like child.”
I can’t hold back my grin. “Yeah, that’s fair.”
We bask awhile in that perfect spring sun. Our baby kicks again, and Brutus moves his hand to better feel it.
I sigh against him. “I am so ready for this.” We’re prepared in every conceivable way: the nursery is decorated in cheery yellow with pastel dinosaurs; the stroller is assembled; the car seat is installed in our SUV; the first three months of clothes and diapers are already neatly organized in the closet.
I continue, “But I’m also completely terrified. You?”
“Utterly. But I’m certain of one thing.”
“What’s that?” I tangle my fingers in the warm fur of his chest.
Brutus’s long lashes dip over those dark, soulful eyes, and he snuggles his velvet-soft snout against me.
“We’ll figure it out together.”
Tears spring to my eyes, and his hand is there a heartbeat later, brushing them away.
“Oh, baby girl…”
I shake my head. “It’s the hormones. Sorry. I’m just so grateful…”
If you’d told me a year ago where I’d be now, I wouldn’t have believed you. Being pregnant seemed impossible, let alone finding the kind of person I want to spend my life with. That was a dream I had long abandoned.
I’m dreaming bigger since meeting Brutus. He’d been keeping an eye on this neighborhood for a long time, so when this precious little house went up for sale, we jumped on it.
We had a little courthouse wedding, and Rachel was my maid of honor, of course. That’s when I met Alexander, Brutus’s minotaur friend from Honeysuckle, and thanked him for giving my husband the kick in the pants he needed.
It was all so busy and wonderful; I’d hardly even processed that I was finally pregnant until the second-trimester ultrasound. Seeing their little hand sent me sobbing with joy.
Now, every kick and movement makes it more real.
Brutus’s fingers find my chin, pulling me out of my head.
His deep voice rumbles in his chest. “I’m so grateful, too.”
Before I can comment on the tears welling in his eyes, he pulls me into a tender kiss.
His velvety lips are so warm and soft, gently brushing against mine. I sigh, at peace again. I’m the first to deepen the kiss, leaning harder against him.
Hot breath washes across my face as his tongue finds mine—that long, perfect tongue that’s learned every way to make me unravel.
Drop by drop, heat flows down my spine and pools at my core. As Brutus’s hand slides down my belly, cupping underneath, my breath tightens towards a needy moan.
I thought pregnancy might put a damper on my libido, but it’s only done the opposite. Maybe that’s a perk of carrying a minotaur’s baby, maybe I always would have been this way, or maybe it’s just Brutus.
In the first trimester, I couldn’t get enough of his cock spearing me through. Once our baby was large enough for that to no longer be wise, Brutus found no shortage of ways to make up for it.
As he hears my moan, he lets out a low chuckle that makes my spine tingle.
His hand slides lower, teasing at my mound.
I arch into him.
With ease born of familiarity, Brutus’s hand slips under my skirt and presses my panties aside.
I shudder with anticipation, then groan as his fingers slide into me, finding me already slick.
His other palm closes over my mouth, muffling my squeak as he presses deeper.
“Shhh,” he teases, “unless you want the neighbors to hear.”
I moan into his hand, already far beyond being able to control my noises. He slips a second finger in, stretching me deliciously. His hands are so huge, he’s easily able to rub that delectable spot just shy of my cervix.
I clench around him, trembling, and his thumb finds my clit, circling in that perfect way that unravels me.
My body goes warm and soft as I melt into my bull.
His sheath throbs at my back, but he’ll be a perfect gentleman until I ride his face later and send his balls emptying all over our bathroom floor—newly renovated to accommodate that inevitability.
“That’s it, baby girl,” he purrs in my ear. “Relax for me. Let me thank you for carrying our babe so well… And when you’re done, I’ll put another in you…”
The words send me shaking, breath stuttering as his fingers work every spot of pleasure.
We’ve talked about it. How many children we want, and how far apart. After our first is born, I’ll get an IUD put in. Even with a partner as virile as a minotaur, they’re effective enough.
That won’t stop him trying to breed me immediately, of course. I’m looking forward to a lot of cream pies.
Brutus rocks his hand, treating me to slow, deliberate thrusts.
I moan into his palm.
“You’re so beautiful, full of my babe… full of me…” He slides a third finger in.
My eyes roll back at the perfect stretch, almost equal to his cock.
“I can’t wait to see our babe on your chest…” His other hand grips my swollen breast, kneading, and a hot, damp circle spreads through the fabric of my dress. Brutus lets out a satisfied huff, teasing my nipple and sending hot pleasure tingling outward.
I could wear pads to collect the colostrum that’s begun leaking, but every time Brutus sees those damp spots, his eyes go dark with arousal.
I love it when he looks at me like that.
Every change my body goes through only seems to make Brutus want me more, and I’m confident that will be true forever, no matter the change.
My overflowing gratitude turns to burning need. I tremble in Brutus’s arms, tumbling towards climax.
“That’s right, baby girl. Cum for me.”
I hold my breath to keep from screaming; Brutus’s hand can only muffle so much.
Pleasure explodes between his fingers and pulses through my core, tingling up my spine and radiating out to my hands and feet.
“Good girl,” my bull purrs.
He knows exactly where to work his fingers to keep my climax going, and he pushes me to a second right on the heels of the first. His hot, hungry breath surrounds me, and the damp circles over my breasts spread as I soak Brutus’s palm.
He lets me down gently, then licks his hand clean.
As his other hand releases my mouth, I heave a contented sigh. “I’ll never get sick of you making me cum my brains out in the garden…”
Brutus massages my other breast. “Now do you see why I wanted such a tall privacy fence?”
“Yeah… Okay, you were right…”
Brutus’s sheath throbs at my back, promising a thorough tonguing for me later. I snuggle into his steady warmth, and his gentle fingers find my hair.
Birds sing overhead, and the breeze swirls around us, carrying the scent of blooming flowers.
My heart soars to frolic in the brilliant blue sky.
Our baby will be born in the season of new beginnings.
And I can’t think of any better way to start the rest of our lives.