Epilogue
EPILOGUE
EVE
“M ore wine?”
Sybil holds up the bottle and I scoot my glass forward for a refill. “Thanks. It’s fantastic.”
Kora smiles. “We brought it back from our trip to Spain.” She’s holding her wife’s hand on the opposite side of the table.
It’s vacation for us and an everyday evening for those two. Kit finished his study three months ago, and we’ve come back to tie up loose ends. While couples don’t normally get to vacation here, they’ve gifted us a few nights in a private suite to thank Kit for his work. Our flight got in late, so we haven’t officially checked in yet.
Sybil tops off her wife’s glass, then tips some more into Kit’s. “Ashton Holyfield sent us to Spain on a reconnaissance mission. There’s a resort near Nerja that he’s thinking of adding to the Jilted Brides Honeymoon Club collection.”
“That’s exciting.” Kit squeezes my knee under the table. “Glad the business model’s working out.”
“It really is.” Kora passes around a plate of passionfruit lime cookies. “Reading your study put him at ease. He seems to like knowing the consorts are happy and healthy.”
Pride fills my chest as I watch Kit’s reaction over the rim of my glass. It’s been an amazing three months for us both. He completed his research and everyone’s thrilled with the report. Holyfield even hired me for a gentle rebrand of the Crystal Bliss menu. We’re keeping enchantments and consorts, though.
At the end of the day, it turned out everyone kinda liked those expressions.
But we’ve changed up a few things and killed some of the cheesier lingo. No more Cannelloni Canoodle Cunnilingus Surprise, and the Sexy Seesaw got renamed as the Double Dip Delight.
It’s been great on the personal front, too. Kit moved to Portland, though we’re keeping separate apartments for now. We spend enough nights together that we may as well share one place, but we’re committed to taking things slowly. Not rushing into anything or pushing milestones just because that’s what people expect.
We grocery shop together on Tuesdays and spend evenings on the couch watching trashy TV with Bratwurst cuddled between us. On weekends we go hiking or kayaking if the weather cooperates.
When we’re not doing that, we’ll occasionally invite a third party to join us in the bedroom. It feels right and so natural that I wonder now why I ever thought normal could be enough.
“Is Holyfield doing okay?” Kit looks from Sybil to Kora.
“I think he’s fine.” Kora’s brow furrows. “Did he say something?”
“Not really.” He glances at me with a shrug. “Just wondering if he ever gets lonely.”
“Hard to say.” Kora nibbles her lip. “He’s always been a very private person.”
“And a bit of a dickhead.” Sybil laughs as Kora shushes her. “What? He’d be the first to admit he’s an asshole sometimes.”
“He’s our boss.”
“He’s your boss,” Sybil fires back. “He’s technically my boss’s boss, and since my boss is my wife, I get a pass.”
The two women devolve into good-natured bickering that I’ve come to recognize as foreplay. They’re so much in love it’s a wonder to watch them. The example they set for outside-the-box marriage is one Kit and I watch closely. We’re forging our own path now, eschewing normal and traditional for whatever feels right to us both.
Speaking of which?—
“Thank you again for dinner.” Kit stands and starts gathering plates. “We’ll get the dishes.”
“Don’t be silly.” Sybil gets up and snatches the plates from his hands. “Get out of here. Don’t waste a single second of your vacation fussing with chores. Go enjoy.”
I start to argue but Kit gives me a look.
“Thank you,” I say. “We appreciate that.” I catch hold of his arm and head for the door, with Kora and Sybil behind us. “Our turn to host when you come to Portland?”
“Deal!” Sybil gives me a hug, then moves to Kit as Kora embraces me by the door.
“Don’t tell Kit I said this,” she whispers. “But I had my doubts about him at the start.”
“Really?” That’s news to me.
“He had some things to figure out.” She smiles with her arms still around me. “I’m so glad he let himself fall for you.”
“Same.” I glance at the man I adore as he says his goodbyes to Sybil. Our eyes meet over her head and he gives me a smoldering look.
A shiver of excitement rolls through me as I squeeze Kora’s hand. “Thanks again.”
“Have a great night, you two.” Sybil waves from the doorway as we make our way out into the tropical night air.
Geckos chirp and laughter rings out from the pool. There’s a small group of consorts playing Marco Polo with a handful of giggling guests. Several women swim topless and there’s a whole lot more grabbing than I recall when I played the same game as a kid.
“That looks fun.”
Smiling, Kit slings an arm around my shoulder. “Want to join them?”
“Maybe later.” I snuggle close as he guides us away from the water. “I’m looking forward to seeing our room.”
“Same.” It’s quieter here on the path leading up to The Villa. Crickets chirp softly in the bushes and someone moans with pleasure from a balcony two stories up. On a branch overhead, a bright green parrot squawks something that sounds like “sex.” I look up as the bird flaps noisily into the night, leaving me wondering if I imagined it.
“That was weird.”
Kit kisses my forehead. “What’s that?”
The soft sear of his lips distracts me, and I find myself leaning into him. “Is it weird being back?”
“It’s nice,” he says. “Especially now that neither of us is feeling particularly…jilted.”
“Right?” That does make a difference. “Speaking of rocky relationships, I talked with my mom.”
“How’s she doing since she moved out?”
“Better.” It was a long time coming, and I’m so proud of her. “She served Hank with divorce papers last week. I guess it’s really happening.”
“How do you feel?”
“Relieved. Sad. Happy for my mom. Disappointed about all the lost years. Elated that I won’t have to see him again at family events.” It’s a mishmash of emotion that Kit totally gets.
“I hear you.” His strong, muscled arm tightens around me. “Think you’ll lose touch with Perfect Presley?”
“Dunno. I’m still representing Carmichael Holdings for now.” Who knows what’ll happen once our parents’ divorce is final. It’s not like my stepsister and I speak much.
“How’s Sara doing?” he asks. “Still going nuts with the wedding plans?”
“Pretty much.” I can’t help noticing my friend has seemed tense. “Trent’s being kinda distant. She’s trying not to worry.”
Kit’s brow furrows. “You think he’s cheating?”
“God, no!” At least I feel sure about that. “He would never.”
But something’s definitely bothering Sara’s fiancé.
“At least Camille and Hayden are doing okay.”
“Mmhm.” I don’t want to betray my friend’s confidence, but the truth? Camille’s been a bit disconnected from her longtime partner.
“What?” Kit asks, reading into my silence. “Is he still working way too much?”
“I mean, Camille’s a workaholic, too.” Maybe not as much, but it’s something the two have in common. “If it makes them happy, who are we to judge?”
“I suppose.” Kit doesn’t sound convinced. “I’ve tried gently telling Camille that there’s more to life than working all the time, but?—”
“Oh, I bet that went over great.” I laugh and squeeze his arm. “You know you can’t tell your sister anything.”
“Right, I forgot.” Kit grins and slides a key card from his pocket. “Camille gets to tell me how to run my life, but I need to stay out of hers.”
“Now you’re catching on.” I laugh and move back as he steps to the door of room 14. “Is this us?”
“That’s what the key card says.”
“This is one of the remodeled units, right?”
“Maybe they hooked us up.” He slides the card into the slot. “If our suitcases are here, we know it’s the right place.”
The first thing I notice as we slip through the door is our big pile of bags near the king-sized bed. There’s a mirror above with a sliding panel to cover it for guests who aren’t into watching themselves. Lush bedding in bright hues of teal and turquoise sprawls like an ocean with bright-yellow pillows as buoys.
The second thing I notice— “Um, wow.” I step to the center of the room and stare. “Is this really a sex swing?”
“Yep.” Kit gives a sly little smile. “Fancy that.”
I look at his face and I know in an instant he planned this. “How did you?—”
“I might’ve put in a good word.” He leans back on the wall, tucking his hands in his pockets. “I always felt bad that the one I bought you got taken by airport security.”
I laugh. “To be fair, I shouldn’t have packed it in my carry-on. Who knew they’d decide the metal ceiling bar counted as a deadly weapon?”
We haven’t gotten around to buying a new one. With all our discussion of moving into a new place together, it seemed unwise to drill bolts into the ceiling. This swing, though?—
“It looks really sturdy.”
“Commercial grade.” Kit chuckles and shoves off the wall, giving one of the straps a tug. “Shall we?”
I turn to face him, prepared to say I’m exhausted from flying and might want a raincheck for later. Then my eyes lock with his and a burst of desire bounces through me. It pings off my ribs, coming to rest at the apex of my thighs.
“Yes, please.”
Chuckling again, Kit pulls me into his arms. He kisses me slowly at first, deepening the kiss as he unties the knot at my neck.
“I love when you wear this dress.” He kisses my throat as my red halter sundress falls to my feet in a puddle.
I’m braless beneath it, so I’m left wearing nothing but a red lace thong. “No fair,” I breathe as Kit kisses his way down my ribcage. “You’ve got pants and a shirt and?—”
“Better get busy, woman.” He backs me up toward the swing, boosting me onto a wide padded seat. “I have plans for you and this sexy playground equipment.”
Shrieking with laughter, I tear at his belt while shoving his shirt up his torso. God, I love this man’s body. My palm skims a ripple of abs, tracing a path to his belt. He helps me tug the shirt over his head as his pants hit the floor with his boxers still tucked inside.
“God, I want you.” He drops to his knees, pushing two padded handles into my fists. “Hold on tight, Eve.”
I gasp as he tears off my thong, nudging apart my thighs with his shoulders. My feet find the stirrups, which are padded and already set to the length of my legs. The man thinks of everything, doesn’t he?
I feel weightless and boneless as Kit spreads my legs. I’m already slippery and swollen, and he wastes no time teasing me open with his tongue.
“Jesus Christ.” Is it possible he’s gotten even better at this? “Right there.”
He’s sucking my clit as I grip the handles to keep from tipping backward. The swing sways a little, a gentle, rocking rhythm that adds to the sensation of floating on an ocean of bliss.
“God, baby.” Kit slides two fingers inside me. “I’ve missed this.”
I don’t point out that it’s been less than twenty-four hours since Kit went down on me. The man can’t get enough, and far be it from me to complain. My knees start to quiver, and I’m startled to realize I’m already close.
“That’s it.” I squeeze my eyes shut as his finger curls up to make me explode. “I’m almost— oh, God !”
The orgasm hits like a hurricane, slamming me back as I cling to the handles. The swing rocks beneath me, set into motion by the thrust of Kit’s hand and the skillful ministrations of his tongue. He carries me through it, pumping his fingers as he coaxes me through a few final spasms of climax.
“Holy shit.” I gasp as I open my eyes, watching Kit rise to his feet. He’s naked and glorious and not reaching for a condom this time.
Eyes searching mine, he smiles. “You sure about this?”
“Positive.”
He means going bare, and I can’t fucking wait. Our test results came back two weeks ago and we haven’t played with anyone else since then. It’s taken my body a while to adjust to my new IUD, so we haven’t had sex without condoms yet.
We wanted to wait until now.
Kit’s eyes hold mine as he grabs one of the straps over my head. Notching himself at my entrance, he groans. “You’re so fucking wet.” He’s gritting his teeth as he eases inside me. “Fuck, Eve—I could never get tired of this feeling.”
“Guh.” That’s the only sound I can manage as Kit thrusts inside me. He’s so damn big that I swear sometimes he won’t fit.
But he does, and my God —“Kit,” I pant as the swing starts to sway. “This feels amazing.”
“I know, baby. I know.” We’re rocking now, swaying with the rhythm of his thrusts. Each time I swing back, I come down on his cock with an audible slap.
The sensation of weightlessness rolls through me, swirling with pulses of pleasure. Kit pounds me hard, taking advantage of the shift in gravity. He’s not even touching my clit, but the smack of our flesh feels like suction-y kisses right on that tight little bud. I could come in a heartbeat.
“Fuck, Eve—I don’t know how long I can last.” Kit’s wild-eyed and sweaty as he holds onto my thighs. “I need to slow down or I’ll?—”
“Don’t you dare.” I’m so fucking close I can taste it. “Come with me, Kit. Come inside me.”
He lets out a roar that rolls through my body as the second orgasm hits. Kit drives in hard, sending me swaying away and then back again. I’m clutching the handles, babbling words that don’t even make sense. He’s throbbing inside me, filling me up as my toes grip the pads of the stirrups.
“Oh my God.” I let go of the handles and grab Kit’s broad shoulders. “Was that insanely good for you?”
“Better.” He chuckles and scoops me out of the seat. Planting my feet on the ground, he cradles me tight to his chest. “I love you so much, Eve.”
“I love you, too.” I bury my face in his chest, still breathing hard as Kit holds me up. My knees start to wobble, but his arm at my waist keeps me steady. “Shower or bed?”
“Shower,” he says, drawing back with a grin. “I have it on good authority these remodeled rooms have two-headed steam showers with massagers.”
“Of course they do.” I laugh as Kit scoops me into his arms, carrying me like I weigh nothing. I look up at his face and a warm wave of love pulls me under again. “I’m so damn glad I found you.”
“Ditto.” He gives me his familiar, cocky grin. “Guess we’re swingers now, huh?”
“Guess so.” Not that we need any labels. “I love you.”
“I love you so much, Eve.” His lips meet mine as he cradles me tight to his chest. “I’m so fucking glad we’re on this journey together.”
“Same.” As Kit plants my feet on the warm bathroom tiles, I feel steady and strong and sure of my place in the world. In my life with Kit. “And I’m glad we’re not normal.”
He laughs, turning the taps to set the showerhead spurting. “Me, too, Eve. Me, too.”
***
Whew, what a ride! Are you as happy as I am that Eve and Kit found their way to each other and a happily-ever-after made just for them (and maybe a few sexy friends…)
Up next, Camille’s about to embark on her own journey to the Jilted Brides Honeymoon Club. Keep reading for a sneak peek at The VIP Package .