Epilogue
ALISON
Three months later
The sexy date in his office sealed the deal for both of us. While I loved his notion of getting to know each other without the sex for a little while, we were both so hyped up that night, especially after two weeks of courting. So looking back, I’m glad I took matters into my own hands.
The trench coat and sexy underwear was all a little cloak and dagger, inspired by my friends when we’d had brunch the day I surprised him in his office. I still smile thinking about it.
“You can take matters into your own hands any time you want,” Jemma tells me, winding a blonde strand of hair around her finger in thoughtful mode.
“It’s sweet of him and all, but how much holding back can you actually do without going insane?” Peggy agrees.
“You know, you ladies are right!” I bang my fist on the table in triumph.
“I think a little trip into La Perla might be on the cards.” I’ve never, ever bought La Perla before, but always admired the lingerie in their store.
But after the Anderson commission on that last deal, I can safely say a little treat is in order as soon as I’m finished eating.
“Go get him, tiger.” Jem winks and gives me a little side elbow. “You know you want to.”
And boy oh boy did I want to. I carried out my little seductive plan and Tristan loved it.
We locked the door and banged it out right there on his desk without a care in the world.
I’d shoved the papers aside, letting them scatter, much like at my open house when he screwed me on the tabletop. It was so sexy and illicit.
When we were in his office though, I insisted I loosen his tie and unbutton his shirt so I could see his sexy, toned muscles as he moved. It always turns me on when he’s fully clothed with just his dick out.This man drives me insane. It’s intoxicating.
We’ve been re-enacting that scene a lot lately. He’s been over to my place on the weekends that Clementine is with her father. But I took full liberties the last time we had a night alone, stripping him naked and doing him on the floor on the rug in front of my fireplace.
The sex is so adventurous and amazing. I never knew it could be like this. He always, always takes care of my needs first and we find new ways to surprise each other.
Work hasn’t been a problem and the more time goes on, the more I realize Tristan was right; this town really is big enough for the two of us.
We’re both professionals and we know work is a big part of what we both do, but we still want to find time to spend together and get to know each other even more.
It’s a wonderful thing to have him in my life. Every day we text and send each other a mixture of funny and sexy messages. He leaves me little love post-its on my dresser when he’s stayed over. I find them when he’s left early for his morning jog or has to leave for work before me.
He’s even met Clementine and they are getting along so well.
Clementine is such a trooper and really has very little qualms about me seeing someone else and having a boyfriend.
I get it’s probably weird as she’s only ever known me and her dad, but it’s been really great so far and she’s taken the news so well.
Gareth also split with his fiance a couple of weeks back, so there is that.
Apparently she left him and didn’t want to get married so young after all. In a nutshell; he was dumped.
Trist and I are planning a family Thanksgiving dinner this weekend at Tristan’s place with his boys and Clementine, plus my parents are going to make the trip, and his, too.
It will be the first time I’m meeting his folks, and him meeting mine.
Lexi is tagging along with me because she will do anything to hang out with her precious Joshie any chance she gets.
Why she needs an excuse to hang out with him is beyond me; she’s a grown woman and all.
I know our business is confidential, so I don’t have any issues about her dating Josh if that’s what she wanted.
She’s over the moon about me and Tristan and has not stopped telling me I told you so from all those months back.
I smile at the thought of my bossy little assistant and how far I’ve come in the last few months in getting out of my comfort zone and now having a boyfriend.
Tristan comes over Friday night with some takeout while Clementine is at a friend's sleepover. We take a bath together in my soaker tub and soothe the day away as we lay in the warm suds, my back to his front. A glass of wine in each of our hands.
“Can you even believe we’re here like this?” I sigh. The candlelit glow surrounding my bathroom sets a romantic mood. I never in my wildest dreams anticipated that I’d be in the tub with Tristan Lucas wrapped around me. I still marvel at how strange the world is sometimes.
“Some days I have to pinch myself,” he chuckles darkly, setting his glass aside next to him on the window ledge and wrapping his arms around me.
“There’s something else I wouldn’t mind pinching.
” His hands travel over my belly and up to my two hard peaks where he brushes his flat palms over them, then squeezes each breast. One hand then skates back down to my hip and I hitch my knee up to the side so he can access my sweet spot with ease.
He finds my throbbing center in an instant.
He knows exactly what I want and what I need.
“You’re still too much, do you know that?” I stifle a groan at the sweetness of his touch and how he knows my body so well and what makes me hum.
“I still say I’m just enough,” he chuckles. “But I know you secretly love it when I’m bad.”
“Oh, when you’re bad you’re better,” I pant as he circles my sensitive spot in his own seductive lull. “There’s no denying that.”
Tristan
Saturday
Thanksgiving dinner has been a mission to plan, but I know how to put on a good spread.
It’s not only a special occasion because of the holiday, but my boys are all here and both of our parents have come to meet everyone, plus Ali’s beautiful daughter Clementine.
Even Mason and Bobby, plus Ali’s assistant, Lexi, have joined in for the ride.
The more the merrier, I say. The only ones who couldn’t be here are my brother and his son, Oliver.
Ali has been helping me all day. We did some prep yesterday afternoon before she went home and I followed her over there later with some takeout, which later led to the hot tub, many orgasms and hot sex way into the night.
She’s staying here the night in the guest house with Clementine, so I have to behave myself.
We’ve prepared a stuffed turkey, a green bean casserole, sweet potato bake, and every vegetable from mashed potatoes to brussel sprouts, roasted carrots and pumpkin.
Our moms both bring a pie for dessert. My mom loves cherry pie and it’s always been an old favorite, and Ali’s mom, Sue, has baked a pecan pie.
My boys are in charge of the drinks and wine, and Mason and Bobby brought a surprise apple crumble and a carton of homemade ice cream.
The lovely Lexi, who Ali mentioned could possibly be sweet on my son she affectionately calls Joshie , made the cornbread from scratch.
Mason, Bobby and Lexi offered to come set up the extended table and chairs and help decorate before we served everything up, which is cool because it’s a full house tonight.
“Team effort,” I say when we’re all seated. The food laying before us in different dishes, ready to be passed around with serving spoons, looks and smells delicious.
We all raise our glasses in a toast. I wink over at my sweetheart, who is still wearing her apron, and has her hair tied up in a messy bun on top of her head.
I said I’d behave, but I can’t wait to take hold of it later and give her a quickie from behind while the kids are occupied. I know the boys want to show Clementine how to play pool, so that could be my opening.This is what she does to me.
“Team effort.” Ali winks back.
“Thank you so much to everyone for being here,” I continue. “And for supporting Ali and I in our new relationship. I hope there’s many more celebrations to come. Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Here, here!” Ali’s dad, Bill, raises his glass in the air, followed by his wife, my folks, the boys and the rest of our gathering. Everyone salutes their glasses and sings out a Happy Thanksgiving.
“Tuck in!” Joshua announces. I don’t miss the wink over at Lexi. I know the two of them get along really well, maybe too well. But I smile anyway because Joshua is so much like me, and he will do what his heart desires. I love that about him.
And what a feast our Thanksgiving dinner is. My parents hit it off with Sue and Bill, and Clementine is a sweet kid, helping her mom, Sue and my mom serve up dessert.
“You’ve found a winner there,” my mom whispers to me when we’re making coffee to go with the pie just off the kitchen.
“I really think she could be the one, Mom.”
“You deserve to be happy, son.” I didn’t realize my dad was hovering until he pats me on the shoulder from behind.
“Clementine is just adorable,” Mom coos.
“She sure is.” I smile as Mom and Dad take the coffee cups out to the table. Noah takes the opportunity to nudge me in the ribs on the way by.
“Knew you had it in you, Dad,” he jibes. “She’s really great, her kid, too.”
“Seems like you hit the jackpot.” Bradley gives me a pat on the shoulder.
“Thanks boys, that means a lot.”
It makes my heart so full seeing everyone around me happy. Including my sexy sweetheart.
I get a few stolen moments with her later when everyone has retired to the den after cleaning up. A movie plays on the big screen while my sons and Clementine rack up a game of pool and keep themselves amused.
“What a night,” Ali says when we sneak off upstairs for a quiet moment while the family are distracted.
“It went so well. My parents love you.”
“My parents love you, too,” she giggles.
I smack her on the ass as we head for my bedroom. It’s only now she strips off her apron, with a little help from me untying it at the back, and drapes it over her arm.
“What about you?” I ask, wrapping my arm around her from behind and snuggling into her.
“What about me?”
I pull her to a halt at my bedroom door. My erection grew in seconds and is now digging into her ass.
She slaps my hands away with a squeal. “The kids are downstairs!”
“Babe, I can be fast when I want to be.”
She eyes me over her shoulder. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I don’t want our friends and family thinking we’re sneaking off to get busy!”
“You worry too much.”
“What were you going to say just before?” she asks.
I spin her around to face me as she presses her hands against my chest to steady herself and smiles up at me.
I can’t resist leaning down to press my lips against hers.
“I think I love you, Ali Archer.” I’ve been wanting to say it for a while, and it may only be a few months in and early days, but the time is right.
It really feels right.
She gasps at my confession and blinks up at me, and for a second my heart falters. Then her smile breaks into a wicked grin, almost as wicked as mine. I poke her in the ribs as she contemplates her answer, biting that sexy, plump lip under her teeth, exaggerating the movement.
“Take your time,” I mutter into her neck, kissing her with sensuous strokes, my faint chuckle making her soft skin shiver. I’m fairly certain she feels the same way, I just wonder if she’ll admit it.
When she finally speaks, her words are like a sweet melody, sounding even better than I ever imagined in my head. “I think I love you too, Tristan Lucas.”
I cock a brow. “You think so, or you know you love me?”
“I know I love you.”
“I know it, too.” And we seal it with a hot, passionate kiss before I grab her by the hips, kick my bedroom door shut and pull that sexy bun so it falls free.
THE END