EPILOGUE
“Do we really have to? All I want is to be a fat slob on the couch and watch reruns of Friends.” I pout, running a hand over my swelling belly as we step out of the elevator into the penthouse lobby.
After our appointment, he took me to dinner where I ate far too many arancini balls and now I feel like I’m going to pop.
Zeke’s eyes catch on the movement and heat floods his sparkling gaze. Closing the distance between us, he places a hand over mine. “I promised Diego, he’s up there with Maria, but maybe we could be a little late.” He growls as he backs me up against the wall.
I giggle, sucking in a sharp gasp as his lips dust over my neck, stubble scraping my skin and sending tingles radiating in all different directions.
One thing I’ve learned about Zeke? He fucking loves me pregnant.
I’m only eighteen weeks today, but the moment my little bump started to show?
He was on me like white on rice. Even more than usual.
Today is the day we found out that, just like Zeke had worried, we are expecting a little girl.
My hands curl into the back of his hair as he traces hot kisses down my collarbone, smiling as I remember his stunned look of joy in silver-lined eyes as we watched the little flicker of a heartbeat on the monitor.
Swiftly followed by a slight pallid shade slipping over his chiseled features when the nurse announced the sex.
The last few weeks have been blissful—just Zeke, Diego, and I in our little bubble as we prepare for an addition to our newly formed family.
X-tech crumbled after a series of unfortunate events, leaving Anthony Sweeney in the mud where he belongs.
And Miguel Guerra currently sits in an American jail waiting to be extradited for murder.
To summarize, life is simple and easy and entirely fucking awesome.
Zeke’s teeth graze over the sensitive flesh just above my collarbone as his large hands curl around my ass and rock me into him as much as he can around my belly. I moan, heat pooling between my legs.
“Papi?” Diego’s voice yells down the stairs, followed by muffled little plunking footsteps.
Zeke mumbles out a grumpy curse against my skin and reluctantly peels himself off me as I laugh.
Chubby cheeks appear around the corner, split into a wide smile that proudly shows off the very tip of one front tooth that’s burrowing its way through his gums. He runs over and Zeke catches him up in his arms, swinging him around to a chorus of giggles before he settles him against his chest. A large hand reaches back for me, and I take it without hesitating, my fingertips sliding over rough calluses.
He leads us up to the third floor, pausing every now and then to allow me to take a beat.
I’m not heavily pregnant yet, but my body just feels sore from stretching to accommodate the little nugget.
When we reach the hallway that leads to the French doors for the sun terrace, Zeke crouches down and places Diego back on his feet.
He whispers something into his ear and the little boy nods before tearing off up the hallway ahead of us.
“What are you two up to?” I ask suspiciously as Zeke gives me an easy smile.
“Lo descubrirás muy pronto, mi amor.” He tugs me along by my free hand.
Dancing light reflects off the ajar doors, giving me a peek through the decking that’s rapidly falling into dusk behind.
Air catches in my throat as he pulls it back and I see a sea of rose petals littering the bleached timber.
Fairy lights wrap around every surface, woven over our heads as he gently pushes me through the door.
“Zeke, what…” I cast my eyes around for Diego, but he’s nowhere to be seen.
My sandals slap softly as I walk across the deck, the surface of the back-lit pool water glistening from the clusters of pillar candles in glass lanterns scattered all around.
It’s breathtaking. I turn, mouth parted, ready to ask what is going on again, and every muscle in my body locks.
Zeke crouches on one knee, his eyes dancing with humor as he watches my eyes tumble to the navy-blue velvet ring box propped open in his hand. My fingers fly to my mouth, tears springing to my eyes as I stare at the small ruby encased in a sparkling ring of white diamonds.
“I didn’t get to do this properly the first time, so allow me to correct that mistake,” he grumbles deep from his chest, his decadent lips tugged up in that soul-snatching half smirk of his.
“From the moment I met you, it was only you. It might have taken me a while to realize it, but you had me that very first time you called me a sex addict in that waiting room.”
I let out a strangled laugh as a fat tear rolls down my face.
“I love you, Chloe. And if you’ll let me, I’ll love you every day until the end of time. I’ll love you when you’re mad, I’ll love you when you’re freaking out about wet socks, and I’ll love you when you’re throwing chairs at strangers in bars.”
A shaky laugh tumbles from my lips and I sink down to my knees in front of him, reaching for his face.
“The rough with the smooth, baby. I want it all with you.” His voice becomes thick with emotion and a deep glow of happiness seeps through me.
His stubble scrapes beneath my palm as he glances down and pulls the ring from the box.
When he meets my gaze again, all of his teasing fire is absent, leaving nothing but a burning sincerity behind. “Will you marry me, Chloe Devlin?”
“Yes!” I sob, throwing myself into his arms.
He chuckles and before I know it, we’re standing. He whirls me around once as his lips find mine, claiming them in a passionate kiss that’s dampened by my tears. “Damn pregnancy hormones,” I whisper when he pulls back and places me on my feet, using one hand to brush my hair away from my face.
I’ve never seen him as happy as he is now.
The light beaming from his eyes could shoot planes from the sky.
And I put it there. Me. Who will soon be a Guerra, just like him and Diego and our daughter to come.
He pulls my hand gently away from his face and slides the ring onto my finger.
Where it will stay forever. It twinkles at us for a moment as we both grin like idiots.
“CONGRATULATIONS!” The uproar of a joint chorus makes me jump out of my skin.
I spin in Zeke’s arms to see a crowd of everyone I love rushing over from behind the cabanas.
Tilly, Cade, my mom and my dad, even my grandma shuffles over on her walker.
Mason, Chase, Mia, and Logan stand to one side, the latter with his hand on a beaming Diego’s shoulder.
“You guys…” I sniff weakly as I’m pulled into my mom's arms.
“Congratulations, sweetheart. I’m so happy for you.
” I grin into her neck, my shoulders sagging as I surrender to her embrace.
My family had been shocked when we explained what had really happened between Zeke and I, and then angry, and then disappointed.
The fact they are all here with happy smiles to support us now means the world to me.
She lets me go, patting my cheek merrily as tears pool in her eyes.
“Chloe, Chloe!” The small, excited squeak draws my attention and I crouch down to pull Diego into a hug.
His fists ball into my hair as I rub his back, beaming at Tilly where she stands between Logan and Chase without an ounce of discomfort.
“So, did you find out?” Mason asks Zeke after clapping him on the back.
“Yep. It’s a girl, I’m screwed.” Zeke grins, and the crowd erupts again into congratulations and laughter.
“A girl!” Diego yells, pulling back to look at me with his mouth stretched into a shocked O.
“Yeah buddy, is that okay? You’re going to have a sister.” I smile, watching his little brain process. His face melts into the sweetest, most excited smile I’ve ever seen, his little limbs vibrating in my arms.
“I'm so…” The breath catches in his chest as his eyes bounce between mine and Zeke’s. “I'm so…so…HORNY!” he yells, punching his hands into the air.