39. Chapter 39
Three Years Later
“ C an you believe our girl is three?” Grant’s voice is low and full of wonder, lips brushing the shell of my ear as he snakes his arms around my waist. His chest presses against my back as he pulls me into him, the weight of his chin dropping onto my shoulder.
I lean back into his warmth, my eyes sweeping the backyard, taking in the folding tables dressed in pastel tablecloths, an arched balloon bouquet with a unicorn horn sticker out, a giant number three marquee light, and watch tiny feet carry wild children throughout our backyard, darting from the inflatable unicorn bouncer to the inflatable ball pit. Their energy never ceases to amaze me.
“No,” I breathe out, my voice soft with disbelief. “Weren’t we bringing her home from the hospital yesterday?”
Grant chuckles, the vibration rumbling my back before he kisses the side of my neck, causing a shiver to run through me. “Yesterday, I was rocking her in her nursery while spilling secrets of her mother’s wild days.”
“Oh my gosh.” I huff a laugh. “I completely forgot you did that.”
He kisses my neck again; the man still can’t keep his hands off of me. And now that we aren’t living in off-campus housing, he’s even bolder with his public displays of affection. “Now look at our Lemon. She’s bossing kids around.”
I lean deeper into his touch and soak in the sounds of our daughter’s laughter mixed with the laughter of our friends’ children.
There’s a slew of them. It appears none of the men in our little found family could keep their hands off of their wives either.
Quinton chases his daughter, Cleo, with a bubble gun while his son hangs off his hip. My heart squeezes at the sight.
Three years of sleepless nights and first steps.
Packing up our first apartment together and moving into a four-bedroom craftsman with a large, fenced backyard.
Watching Grant excel at coaching and be promoted to head wide receiver coach.
Three years since I walked across the graduation stage and began building my career as a social worker, I’ve finally stepped into a role where I help families navigate challenges that I once thought would break me.
I turn in my husband’s arms, wrapping my arms around his neck and staring into mesmerizing eyes. “We did well, Sunshine.”
“Yeah, we did, Peach.” He pulls me tighter, dropping a kiss on my lips before stepping away.
Our backyard hums with life. Our people are all here—our family by blood and the family we chose in our years at Central Texas University.
Somehow, with their busy lives and schedules, they were all able to make a quick trip to celebrate our daughter.
Our time together has stretched to visits few and far between.
But I’m forever grateful for modern technology and social media.
Whenever we are together, it’s like old times. We pick up right where we left off.
Quinton and Brynn sit at a table near the bounce house.
Cleo, their oldest, jumps with Lennon. Those two have been inseparable since birth, and it warms my heart to see my best friend’s daughter and mine form such a tight bond.
Bryce, their one-year-old son, sits on Q’s lap, eating a fruit pouch.
Miles, the baby of their bunch, sleeps in his mother’s arms. Quinton still plays football in Denver and is one of the best running backs in the league.
Brynn looks radiant, as always, and has fully stepped into her football wife's role.
She throws her head back in laughter at something Cody says while Q glares daggers at him.
See, nothing has changed.
Well, except Cody and Chloe. The two finally tied the knot, and life surprised them with twin boys.
Both boys are in matching outfits and resting in each of their parents' arms. Cody is stoked to have future baseball players.
I smile at the sight. Cody, who was terrified of parenthood, is now the dad who carries spare pacifiers in his pocket.
Crew and Bret hover nearby, both with beers in their hands as they watch the circus of kids.
They don’t have little ones yet, but I know they’re trying.
I catch the way Bret leans into Crew, his arm curved protectively around her shoulders as he whispers in her ear.
The tenderness makes my chest ache in the best way.
I’m so ready to have nieces and nephews to spoil rotten.
And I know Grant’s ready to be the “best uncle ever.”
“Hey, Peach,” Grant interrupts my observations. A sly smirk spreads across her lips. “Ready for cake? Looks like Mom has Lennon covered.”
I glance over his shoulder and watch Emily climb inside the bounce house. She wobbles and nearly falls, but being a grandma has only slowed down her aging.
“You mean actually grab the cake, or…?”
His grin is pure mischief. “Both?”
I snap my eyes around our backyard and realize no one’s paying attention to us.
We slip inside unnoticed, and Grant pulls me toward our bedroom.
The second the bedroom door clicks shut, his mouth is on mine, urgent and laced with heat and hunger.
As his tongue slides against mine, I swear every nerve in my body lights up twice as strong as it should.
I’m so sensitive. Everything feels amplified—the scrape of his stubble, the pressure of his hand on my waist, the way my nipples tighten just from the brush of his chest against mine.
“Grant,” I gasp, but the rest of my words dissolve into a moan when his fingers slip under the hem of my dress.
He growls against my lips as he walks me backwards. My knees hit the back of the bed as his hand grips my hips. “Hands on the bed, wife.”
The command shoots straight through me. I do as I’m told and plant my palms on the mattress. My heart races as his hand trails down my spine before grabbing the fabric of my sundress. Cool air hits my damp center, and I flinch at the contact.
“You’re going to come for me twice before we leave this room,” he says, voice rough and wrecking me already.
I whimper my agreement as I hear the zipper of his shorts.
Grant tugs my thong to the side as his fingers tease me, stroking with maddening precision until my knees nearly buckle.
Hot breath caresses my neck as he peppers kisses that have me shivering, dragging his lips over my shoulder before he sinks his teeth into my skin.
I’m already moaning as his fingers tease my entrance.
“So wet and ready for me, Peach.” Grant’s words are husky as he glides his fingers over my slit, swirling my arousal around the spot begging for his touch.
“Fuck,” I whimper.
“This is going to be quick, baby.”
I glance over my shoulder and stare at his beautiful face. Eyes darkened with desire gaze down at me as he drives long strokes over my clit. His pace quickens and turns into tight circles as the orgasm coils deep in my stomach.
“Oh god, Grant,” I say louder. “Oh…fuck. I’m going to come.”
I grind against his fingers until I’m practically riding him. “Right there.” His fingers work me over harder, faster. “Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.”
He groans. “So polite. Telling me how you want it.”
The pressure builds, and my breaths change to pants. Bright flashes burst behind my eyes as my orgasm erupts. He pulls his fingers away, and before I can complain about the loss of him, his thick cock slams inside me.
It’s tight as my release still barrels through me, nearly suffocating his length.
Grant drives his hips forward until he bottoms out, making me cry in pleasure.
It’s always so good with him. Each time we have sex is better than the last. He finds new ways to torture me with bliss and explores new ways to reach pleasure.
Exploring with Grant Campbell is by far my favorite pastime.
“Fuck, baby. You’re so tight,” he groans. “You take my cock so well. It’s like this pussy was made for me.”
“It was,” I agree, panting.
Strong hands grip my hips as he continues to drive inside me.
His movements are fast, hurried, as we know we’re on borrowed time.
With each thrust, he reaches deeper, hitting the soft button inside me.
One hand circles around to my front as his fingers play with my swollen clit.
With each flick, circle, and pinch, I’m closer to falling over the edge.
“Come on my cock, baby. Drench me.”
His words. God, Grant’s mouth is dirty. It’s intoxicating, listening to his filthy demands.
Heat pools in my stomach, and I’m right there. I can feel the orgasm threatening to rip through my body.
“Don’t stop. Oh, god, right there.”
He pounds into me a few more times, and it’s all too much. I’m calling out his name and free-falling into the abyss. I never want to come down from this high.
“Good girl,” Grant praises. “I’m going to come. Fuck, baby. The thought of you going back to the party with my cum dripping down your thighs. Goddamn, it makes me feral.”
I can feel his thrusts getting sloppier the closer to his release. As tempting as it is to go back to the party with him inside of me, I know a better way to drive him wild.
Bucking my hips back into him, he stumbles slightly, but it’s enough space for me to slip from his grip.
“Fuck, Sav…” His words trail off as I spin, dropping to my knees in front of him.
Grant’s eyes go wide, darkening to an almost black shade, as his chest heaves.
I grip his hard cock and swallow around his engorged head as I take him to the back of my throat.
His dick is hot and slick from being inside me, and I moan at the taste of myself on his length.
“Jesus, fuck,” he chokes out, one hand flying to grip the back of my head. His hips jerk, and within seconds, his hot cum coats my tongue. Cock twitching, he pumps inside my mouth as he releases every drop.
I swallow everything he’s given me as he pulls back, dick freeing with a pop . With a finger, I wipe at the corner of my lips as I clean up the little bit of cum that’s slipped free before sucking my finger into my mouth. Not one to waste a drop.
“Goddamnit, woman,” Grant praises huskily, bending down and pressing his lips to mine. “You’re so fucking perfect.”
With a quick cleanup, the two of us walk down the hallway, hand-in-hand. Flushed and breathless, I grab the candles and lighter while Grant carries the unicorn cake outside for our birthday girl.
Sliding the glass door open, we step out onto the patio and heads whip in our direction. Busted. Smirks line our friends’ faces as Derek shakes his head at his son, a small smile on his lips. Emily appears to be completely unaware as she plays with the kids.
Heat floods my cheeks, and I refuse to cast a glance in my husband’s direction. “Mommy!” Lennon shouts. “Is it time for happy birthday?”
“It sure is, sweetie!” I place the cake on the table and watch as tiny legs start running in my direction.
“Looks like someone already got her cake,” Brynn sasses.
“And ate it too,” Cody adds.
Grant helps Lennon into her chair, kissing the top of her head as I place three candles in her pastel unicorn cake.
“I guess it’s time to give Lennon a sibling,” Bret jokes.
Grant slides an arm around me, pulling me into his side. “We already got started on that.”
“Wh-what?” Bret stutters as everyone stares at us.
I reach down and pat the tiniest bump. It turns out, the second baby is harder to hide, with my stomach showing way sooner than it did with Lennon. Thankfully, I’ve been living in sundresses that flare at the hips.
“Baby boy will be here in March!” I announce as Lennon shouts, “I’m going to be a sister!”
The backyard erupts in cheers, followed by the toddlers clapping along and laughing with everyone else. We sing “Happy Birthday” to our daughter, and I soak in the sight of our family gathered around our home.
As our daughter opens a gift nearly the size of her, her eyes widen.
Grant stares up at me with a smirk, and I know instantly who the gift is from.
My gaze slices over to my cousin, who stands behind the tables, arms folded over his black tee with the ‘Black Dahlia Serpents’ logo across the front, mouth spread in a shit-eating grin.
“You didn’t…” I shake my head, mouth parted.
The whir of the accelerator hits my ears as I watch my daughter drive her lifted hot pink motorized truck. She tilts her head back and laughs, pressing the pedal and zooming in chaotic circles.
“Of course I did. She’s a Holycross–”
“Campbell,” Grant cuts in.
Ridge flicks his hand. “Semantics.”
I’m half laughing, half exasperated.
“Look at her.” Ridge walks closer to Lennon, cheering her on. “She’s a natural just like her favorite uncle .”
“She really is,” Cody agrees.
There’s a chorus of laughter as we watch her swerve around the yard. I can’t lie; it’s pretty adorable. As long as we stick to this kind of motorized car and not the crotch rocket her Uncle Ridge likes to race.
My heart soars as I watch everyone gathered here today.
Lennon Katherine and Brooks Derek will be blessed with an incredible family that loves them with all of their hearts.
And that’s all I could’ve ever asked for.
A family to call my own. One made up of people who want to be in my life, not obligated to be.
The little girl version of Savannah is finally getting her happily ever after.
We might not know what the future looks like, but as long as we do it together, I know it’ll be the best life I could’ve dreamt.