Epilogue
Reid
Several Months Later…
“Y es,” Emma says to the person on the other line. “Saves you money and teaches her valuable babysitting skills.”
I stare at her cute ass as she walks out of the main room and into her office. Emma is surprisingly great at handling business. Some people go to college and learn that way, but other people like she and I, throw ourselves into it and learn the hard way. It’s what makes it fun.
While she chats with one of the parents she sits for, I go back to installing the television on the wall.
I’m not great at wiring, so I might have to call my buddy Travis, a certified electrician, to assist. But, since I’m enjoying alone time with my woman, I do my best to figure this shit out on my own in the meantime.
Emma returns and I nearly fall off my ladder trying to get a peek at her. She’s gorgeous as ever with her shiny brown hair and green eyes that glitter like gems, but there’s a new glow about her that lights up every room she enters.
“How did the call go?” I ask as I hop off the ladder and saunter over to her. “Is she game?”
“Pretty much, yeah. Alyssa totally is, but Candace is a harder sell. She just needed more questions answered.”
My girl is smart and came up with a clever idea.
For a discount to the parents with multiple children who will need night sitting, they can enroll their older children in Emma’s internship program.
They can help out with the other kids and learn the ins and outs of babysitting while in the safety of other capable adults.
When they turn sixteen, they can officially work for her.
The business model she and Quinn worked out together all show this place exploding with profit, even leading up to franchise opportunities.
“How are you feeling?” I pull her to me and nuzzle my nose against hers. “Any more nausea?”
“Not since this morning.”
When we started sleeping together, and so carelessly, I’d sort of expected her to get pregnant right away.
She didn’t and then that had me worrying maybe I was too old to be having babies.
I thought I didn’t want more kids, but then Emma came along.
Now I want that so fucking much. It wasn’t until she brought me a positive pregnancy test a few weeks ago that I actually believed it were possible.
We’re going to have a baby.
It’s surreal.
I caress her stomach that’s slightly swollen, but otherwise not obvious that she’s pregnant. We haven’t told anyone yet, not even Amara or Brayden. For now, the little one growing inside her is our little secret, at least until her first appointment next week.
“Oh,” she says, pulling back to grin at me. “I have detention tomorrow.”
It’s times like these I sometimes forget she’s still in high school until she reminds me. Never fails to make me feel like I’m robbing the cradle. But I’m never going to walk away from her, so it’s something I just have to get over.
“What for this time?” I grumble. “And why didn’t he make you do it today?”
“How do you know it was Coach Long who gave it to me?”
“It’s his favorite hobby. Giving you detention.”
She smirks. “No lies detected.”
“But he usually keeps you after. Why wait until tomorrow?”
“I told him I had a business meeting for a potential recruit for my internship. He allowed me to postpone it.”
“Sounds reasonable,” I say with a lifted brow. “ Now why the hell did he give you detention in the first place?”
“Don’t worry,” she assures me, eyes twinkling. “I didn’t throat punch anyone this time.”
For someone so fucking sweet, she can be a little monster at times.
“Don’t drip feed this to me, Em. Out with it, or I’ll bend you over your desk in there and give you my own form of punishment.”
Her green eyes flash with desire. “Hmmm.”
My dick twitches in my jeans. “Emma.”
“Okay,” she huffs out in faux exasperation. “It was that stupid kid again. He kept talking about disgusting stuff like…” Her lip curls up. “Actually, I don’t want to repeat the redneck crap he talked about eating that made me so nauseous I had to race to the bathroom to puke.”
“What did you do when you got back from puking?”
We both know she laid into him after that.
“I told him his scent of Axe body spray mixed with his desperation and need to be an attention whore made me puke up my breakfast.” She rolls her eyes.
“He called me a bitch. I called him a little bitch, which oddly royally pissed him off. He’s a big oaf, but I made sure to flit my gaze down to his dick to drive home my words.
” A cackle bursts from her. “Of course, Coach only heard me cursing. He gave me detention for bullying. ”
“I mean, he’s not wrong.”
“Wyatt is awful,” she complains. “He says crap to everyone. I’m the only one who ever says anything back.”
“I’ll be so glad when you graduate.”
“Because people will stop looking at you like you’re a dirty old man?” she taunts, eyes gleaming wickedly.
“Now you’re bullying me,” I grunt out, “Difference is, I’m not a little bitch, and I’ll whip your pretty little ass.”
“I don’t believe you.”
She does.
We both know she does.
I also know she likes to push me over the edge, so I’ll lose control. This girl loves the monster I keep under lock and key. She frees him regularly and taunts him until he subdues her.
“Emma…”
My warning only makes her laugh.
Bad girl.
Without warning, I snatch her up and carry her petite body to her office. Once the office door is slammed shut, I rip off her jeans and panties so I can make good on punishing her. She screams and curses with each hard swat, but they quickly turn to needy moans when I switch to fucking her instead.
I’ll never get enough of this girl.
Neither will my pussy-whipped inner beast.
A week later…
“Knock, knock,” a deep voice says, startling me from inputting my recent expenses into QuickBooks.
I glance up from my laptop in the townhouse management office, expecting to see Cole with a case of beer to officially celebrate the news.
The cat’s out of the bag. Once we told Amara she was going to be a grandma, and she boohooed with happiness, we were free to tell everyone else.
Brayden grinned, thrilled to have another stepsibling.
He’s not close with Joni’s kids like I know he wants to be, but there’s no doubt he’ll be close with this one.
“Derek?” I rise to my feet and offer my hand for my old tenant to shake. “How’s life been, man?”
He’s still wearing his brown, delivery truck uniform. The guy is stacked with muscles and covered in tattoos. I’m pretty sure he could make a fortune doing videos in his uniform, or maybe I’ve been watching too much trending shit on social media.
“Life has been, uh, okay,” he admits with a shrug. “Actually, that’s why I’m here.”
“Sure. Have a seat. Want a beer?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, I quit that and the smokes.”
Interesting .
“Okay, well, what’s up?”
As he fiddles with his watch, I glance down at my phone to see if Emma’s texted me, but since she hasn’t, I give him my full attention. Finally, he sighs and speaks again.
“I can’t keep living with my parents.”
“I’m sure that sucks after having your own place for so long,” I agree with a nod. “Why haven’t you gotten a place to buy or rent?”
“Nothing’s out there right now,” he mutters. “Nothing I can afford, anyway. There are some condos for rent near downtown, but it’ll cost me what I make in a month. Fuck that.”
I’m pretty sure I know where he’s going with this.
“I thought,” Derek continues, “that since you were having issues renting out Gordon’s old unit to someone reputable, you might let me have it.”
Derek was a great tenant. Paid on time unlike the beer bros and never gave me an ounce of trouble. He’s also good friends with Cole. I like the guy. A lot. Just one small problem.
“And before you discount me because I’m Casey’s ex, know that I’m not looking to fuck things up with her and Brayden. I know she’s happy and I’m thrilled for her.” He gives me a sad, remorseful smile. “Heard she’s pregnant too. She deserves all that and more.”
I relax and nod. “Casey’s a good one. Brayden worships the ground she walks on. They’re a good match.”
“Please,” Derek grumbles. “I swear I’m not going to mess with them. I just need a place to live that’s not under my parents’ roof. I’m almost forty. Too old for that shit.”
Moving back in with your parents at his age has to suck.
“There’s another guy living there right now, but he’s already been evicted.
He’s supposed to leave at the end of the month.
” I thrum my fingers on the desk. “There’s no telling what he’s done to that place.
I’ll need a couple of weeks to paint or rip up the carpet if need be. Can you hang on a few more weeks?”
Derek grimaces and nods. “I don’t have a choice.”
“Okay, I’ll get the lease agreement worked up. I’d rather have you living there than anyone else to be honest. You’re quiet and pay on time. Won’t fuck shit up either.”
“Rent the same as it was before?”
“Not on that unit,” I say with a shake of my head. “Casey’s price is the same as it’s been because she’s been renting forever. But everyone else around here pays nearly double. Inflation, man. Nothing I can do about it.”
He grunts and shifts in his seat. “I figured. Means I’ll need a roommate.”
“Delivering packages isn’t paying you like it used to?”
“Nah, about the same. My truck crapped out, though, and I had to get something new. That payment is eating me alive. Not much left over after that.”
“If you can’t do it, let me know,” I tell him firmly. “That unit has been nothing but a money suck for me. I need reliable income from it. If that’s not you, do me a favor as your friend, and let me know up front.”
“Nope,” he says, shaking his head. “I’ll find someone to room with me. I will vet them and make sure they’re not a fucking loser either. It’s all good. Just tell me where to sign.”
I draft up an agreement and send it via a DocuSign digital format. Once he’s signed up for a year lease, and I sign my portion, the plan is set in motion. It’s actually a relief knowing I’ll have someone solid in there. With a baby on the way, I need steady income and good renters.
Derek eventually leaves and I close up for the day. Since Emma’s off with her mother, I make my way over to Casey and Brayden’s. She answers the door, belly huge and about to burst, with her orange cat cuddled to her.
“Oh, hey, Reid. Brayden’s next door. Maggie thinks she has a mouse.” She rolls her eyes. “That woman has like twenty-seven cats. If there’s a mouse in there, it’s certifiably stupid.”
I snort out a laugh, thankful Maggie bugged my son instead of me.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell Casey about Derek, but I decide that’s not really my place.
I’ll save that for another day. Besides, listening to her prattle on about what a good husband my son is delights me to no end. I’d much rather listen to that.
“Tell Brayden to come visit me,” I tell her after our chat. “Miss that boy.”
She hugs me and promises she will. I leave her unit and head toward mine. Amara is just driving away. I wave to her and prowl after my girl as she lets herself into our house.
“Oh,” she squeaks out when I hug her from behind. “Sneaky bastard.”
I rub her stomach reverently. I’m aching for the day her belly is big like Casey’s.
“Have fun with your mom?” I ask, kissing her neck.
“Mmhmm.” She turns in my arms and wraps her arms around my neck. “Know what would be even more fun?”
“What’s that?”
“You. Licking me.”
I arch a brow. “You’re an animal.”
“I can’t help it you got me addicted to it.”
I’ve never known a woman to want her pussy eaten as much as Emma. It’s hot as fuck. I’m always starved for it anyway. The fact she not only wants it, but requests it daily is icing on the cake.
“Take your clothes off and go sit in your chair,” I rumble, pointing at the kitchen table. “Put your legs on the table. Go on, do as you’re told. ”
She flashes me the filthiest, most wicked grin I’ve ever seen. “Yes, Daddy .”
Little shit knows how to get the beast all riled up inside me.
“Good girl,” I growl. “Good fucking girl.”
This is true love, and I finally have it.
Only took four decades to get here.
Better late than never.
The End