Epilogue
EMBER
Three Months Later
I unlock the door of the shop, pulling the door open, and kicking the stopper down. Harley backs my new SUV right in front of the door. He quickly hops out and opens the trunk. We’re setting up bookshelves and the customer counter today.
It took a few months to get all the details ironed out for the shop, but we open Books & Brews in just under two weeks.
Much to my dismay, we ended up using part of the money Dean left me to open the shop.
It’s the only good thing he ever did in my life, and I took the advice of the lawyer that visited all those months ago to deliver the news.
I have a solid chunk set up in an account to collect interest for Rawley.
Charlee and Theo wanted me to hold on to it, until he was older and we knew what it would be invested in.
Our first book shipment is arriving tomorrow, which is why we decided to start putting bookshelves together today.
Round wooden tables take up one side of the open shop.
The shipment of chairs haven’t arrived yet, but they’ll be here within the week.
We got the commercial espresso machine delivered earlier this week, and Harley has been in the shop every day to play with it and make sure he’s set for opening day. He’s got magic hands with that thing.
“Over here, babe?” Harley asks me, cutting through my thoughts.
“Yep, we will line some of them up on this wall.” I gesture to the back wall.
“And the rest will go here and here.” I point to both sides of the fireplace.
We hired a mason to put it in after we signed the paperwork for the building to be ours officially.
“After they’re up, we can move them around if we need to, but I think that’s what I want.
” I smile hard, holding my hands together in excitement, a smile permanently residing on my face.
This is everything I ever dreamed it would be, and we’re not even done setting things up yet.
“Whatever you want, princess,” he tells me as he wheels the dolly full of boxes over. With that, he gets to work ripping boxes open.
I head over to crank on the music while we work. We get lost in the music, getting all the bookshelves set up and in their place. Standing back and admiring our handy work, Harley wraps his arm around my shoulders.
“It’s going to be amazing, Harley,” I squeal.
Harley bends over, lifting me by my ass, and I wrap my legs around his waist. My arms wrap around his head, hands running through his hair, pulling it.
He carries me over to the customer counter and sets me down.
He grabs the back of my head, bringing me closer to his body, his other arm wrapping around my body.
We push and pull and bite and kiss, and suddenly Harley pulls away.
“Hey!” I yell, lost in him.
I watch as he walks over to the door, pulls the shade, and locks it. “No need to give anyone a show while we break in the shop.”
I throw my head back and laugh before he resumes his position in front of me, bending to kiss up and down my neck.
He kisses me feverishly from my neck to my lips, running his hands up and down my shoulders, barely touching me, but driving me crazy.
His lips land on my weak spot on my neck and I let out a breathy moan, “Harley.”
“Fuck,” he says before pulling me flush with his body, his cock already hard and ready. I kiss his neck and run my hands down his chest. I bite his neck, just a little, and he lets out a growl. Holy fuck that was hot.
Harley pushes me back, flat on my back across the counter, and begins peeling my leggings down my legs, keeping his eyes on mine.
When he realizes I’m not wearing any panties, his eyebrows shoot up. “Were you planning to get fucked in the shop, baby?” He leans in, kissing my thighs, throwing my legs over his shoulders.
“Maybe,” I tell him, arching my back, feeling every kiss he trails down my thighs. Everywhere except my pussy. I can feel myself losing it, needing him to touch me where I need it most.
“Filthy girl,” he says, and licks up my wet center. I swear he’s writing cursive poems with his tongue, and suddenly he slaps my clit. The contact sends my head back, eyes rolling and back arching. I let out a loud moan.
“Baby, please,” I beg him to fuck me.
“I love when you get whiny for me.” He smiles and I look down and meet his eyes as he inserts a finger over and over, curling it into the spot I need him to.
“Harley, please, fuck me,” I practically moan, panting on the counter.
“How do you want me, princess?” he asks, adding another finger, pumping faster.
“Bend me over, daddy,” I tell him.
“Oh, fuck, Ember,” he says, and with that, he pulls his fingers out, flipping me over and dragging me so my ass is hanging off the side of the counter. I hear his pants unzip and look back to see him positioning himself at my entrance.
“Hard,” I tell him without any further instruction.
He shoves his hard cock into me, effortlessly might I add, since he was a god with the foreplay. He pumps into me, my hips shoving against the wooden counter top.
I’m gonna bruise like a bitch. It’s worth every single one, though.
He grabs my hair, pulling me from my thoughts, wrapping it around his fist, and pulls.
My head yanks back and I yelp. His other hand is gripping my hip, bruising me.
He fucks me ruthlessly into the counter.
Our skin slapping is the only thing heard above the Sleep Token track playing in the shop.
He pulls me back further, kissing my neck.
His other hand travels from my hip to my breast, and he reaches under my shirt, pinching my nipple. I flinch, loving the pain.
“Are you going to come for me?” he asks in my ear before he nips my neck.
“Yes.” I let out a raspy answer. “I’m about to come.”
Harley pushes me back over. “Hang on to the counter,” he commands. “Now, Ember.”
I hold on, and Harley pounds into me relentlessly until I come. Harley is only a second behind me. We lay there, spent after our rough fuck. I lay flat, face against the cool counter, catching my breath.
“So, turns out, Daddy is a major turn on for me.” He laughs, sending kisses down the center of my back.
“I fucking love you.” I laugh and he bends to kiss my mouth.
“I fucking love you too, baby.” He kisses me back.