EPILOGUE
BRIDGETTE SLITHERED INTO her dress and gathered her hair over one shoulder. “Bodhi, can you please zip me up?” It was Thanksgiving, and they were late for dinner at her parents’ house, where Louie had spent the afternoon helping his grandparents prepare for their first holiday in their new home. Bodhi’s mother had moved in next door, and she, too, was at Bridgette’s parents’ house helping them prepare.
Bodhi slid his hands inside her dress and groped her breasts, feeling her up from behind.
“Hey, Handsy Jack. You just had me.” She turned her face, and he captured her mouth in a sweet, loving kiss.
“Your point?” He brushed his thumbs over her nipples, reigniting the inferno he’d just finished smoldering. His hips pressed against her ass.
“My point”—Lord, that feels good—“is that we’re already late. And your mother and Shira are both waiting for you to arrive.” She’d met Shira shortly after Bodhi had returned, when she’d come to spend the weekend, and they’d hit it off like sisters.
“For us to arrive,” he corrected her.
It had been more than nine weeks since Bodhi had returned, and six weeks since he’d officially accepted his new position strategizing and training rescuers one week per month, with no chance of being sent away. He wasn’t starting that position until after the new year. Apparently Darkbird paid incredible amounts of money for former Marines and Special Forces soldiers to risk their lives and rescue others. Bodhi had been channeling much of his income into his charity and still had enough saved that he didn’t need to work full-time. But Bridgette knew that Bodhi had never been motivated by the money. He worked for the things he believed in, and now he would be helping in a different way.
Dahlia lifted her head from her dog bed beneath the windows.
“Relax, Dahl,” Bridgette said. “We don’t have time to mattress hop right now. You can go back to sleep.” They’d been so loud earlier when they were making love—enjoying the freedom of a child-free house—that Dahlia had bolted from the room.
Bodhi reluctantly zipped her dress, kissing her neck until she was panting again. Her phone rang, and she snagged it from the dresser. Mom flashed on the screen. She wiggled out of his hands and answered the phone as she pushed her feet into her heels.
“Hi, Mom. We’re on our way.”
Bodhi went for her neck again, and she closed her eyes.
“Honey, are you okay? You sound out of breath.”
“What?” She pushed from his arms, and his eyes darkened. He hauled her against him, kissing her neck again and making her laugh. “Yes, Mom. I’m fine.”
She ran her hand over his handsome face with its new battle scars. He’d undergone surgery on his eye before coming home, and another since. His vision had returned, and his other injuries had healed, though his scars were a daily reminder of how close she’d come to losing him. Not a day went by that she didn’t thank the powers that be for bringing him back to her and Louie.
“Bridgette?” her mother said, jolting her back to their conversation.
“We’re on our way, Mom. Sorry we’re late.” She took Bodhi’s hand and dragged him toward the stairs. Dahlia trotted after them. “We got a little hung up.”
She promised they’d be there in a few minutes and ended the call as they descended the stairs. They stopped to love up Dahlia for a few seconds before hurrying out the door. “Bodhi, you can’t kiss me like that when I’m talking to her. It’s like announcing to my mother that we’re late because we were fooling around.”
He grabbed her in the middle of the driveway and brushed his lips over hers. Even after all this time, it still caused a shiver of heat to tickle down her spine.
“Like she doesn’t know?” he said, and kissed her again.
He helped her into the car and leaned in for another kiss, taking her hand in his. He lifted it to his lips and pressed a kiss to her fingers. The stunning ruby-and-diamond engagement ring he’d had made for her sparkled between them. The band was engraved with roses and bellflowers, signifying eternal and unchanging love.
“Are you sure we need to go have turkey?” Bodhi asked with the wolfish grin she loved. “I’m hungry for something much sweeter.”
“Oh, shoot! I forgot the pie.”
Bodhi ran inside and grabbed the pie, and they hurried over to her parents’ house. Her father was carrying the platter of turkey to the table when they arrived.
“There’s my girl and future son-in-law.” He set down the platter and hugged her. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Dad. I’m sorry we’re late.” Bridgette caught a smirk from Piper.
“Finally,” Louie exclaimed as he climbed into his chair. “I’m starving, and Grandma said we had to wait. What took you so long?”
Bodhi ruffled Louie’s hair. “We forgot the pie and had to go back for it.”
Louie went into a long explanation about how they’d made the pie together as everyone came into the dining room.
“You have hand marks on your butt,” Willow whispered to Bridgette.
Bridgette turned to check out her ass, and Willow laughed.
“Really?” Willow whispered. “You did it in the kitchen?”
“No,” Bridgette snapped. “Yes. At first. Shh.” They’d christened the kitchen table and worked their way upstairs. Christening the stairs along the way, and the bed, the shower . . .
“Funny, Bodhi never used to be late for anything,” Shira said with a conspiratorial glimmer in her eyes. “You are the absolute best thing that has ever happened to him. Thank you for getting my bestie to stop risking his life.”
Bridgette glanced at Bodhi, who was talking with Zane, and a rush of heat flowed through her. “Thank you for not sleeping with him,” she teased.
“That’s an easy ‘you’re welcome.’ No offense, but ew. He’s like my brother.” Shira laughed. Bridgette had told her how she’d thought they’d slept together when Shira had visited, and—after she laughed hysterically—Shira had assured her that sleeping with Bodhi had never been on her to-do list.
“Your brother, however . . .” Shira eyed Ben, who was talking with Aurelia. “What’s his deal? Are he and Aurelia a couple?”
Bridgette caught Ben stealing a glance at Bodhi’s tall, blonde, and beyond gorgeous friend. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Roxie and Alisha were discussing Roxie’s new fragrances. They had gotten along fabulously from the moment they’d met. Roxie had been showing Alisha around town, and in the process, Alisha had begun helping Roxie with her business, and getting close to Louie in the afternoons when they babysat. They both looked at Bridgette, and she had a feeling they were talking about her and Bodhi. Their warm smiles told her more than words ever could. She and Louie were truly blessed to have Bodhi and his mother in their lives.
They took their seats. Shira and Alisha sat across the table from Bodhi and Bridgette.
Talia sat beside Bridgette. “You look really happy, Bridge.”
“I am.” Bridgette took in her sister’s perfectly done makeup and thick, shiny hair hanging loose over her shoulders. “And you look gorgeous. Do you have a date later?”
Talia smiled, but she shook her head and shifted her eyes away, making Bridgette curious about her plans for the evening.
“I want to sit with Uncle Benny,” Louie announced, and climbed onto a seat beside Ben, who was sitting next to Aurelia.
“Benny?” Ben said.
“That’s what your girlfriend calls you,” Louie said, looking at Aurelia, who looked as shocked as the rest of them.
Aurelia had been joining them for holiday dinners since her grandfather had suffered a stroke and moved into a rehab facility on Long Island. Willow and Zane were also seated across from Bridgette and Bodhi, and as Bodhi leaned in for a kiss, she remembered how hard it had been to hold back her affections the first time Bodhi had joined her family for dinner.
“Buddy, Aurelia’s not my girlfriend,” Ben said. “We’re just friends.”
“But she’s a girl, and she’s your friend. My teacher said you can have girlfriends or boyfriends,” Louie explained.
“He’s got us all figured out.” Aurelia tapped Ben’s chest and winked at Louie. “You call him Benny all you want, buddy.” Her hand flattened on Ben’s chest, and Bridgette glanced at Piper and Willow, who were exchanging curious looks.
“Oh yeah,” Piper said under her breath. “That boy has got a nose for hookups, all right.”
“Piper.” Roxie glared at her with the don’t-tease-your-sibling look she’d honed when they were growing up. She sat at one end of the table and reached for Talia’s and Louie’s hands. “Our first Thanksgiving in our new home. This feels so good, and we have a lot to be thankful for. Two new almost sons-in-law, everyone’s healthy and happy, and Aurelia’s moving back to Sweetwater in a few weeks.”
“Speaking of,” Piper said, “we need to schedule a time to discuss the renovations so I can get started.”
“How about after I get settled in?” Aurelia asked. “I still have some financial things to work out.”
Ben’s brows knitted. “You do? I didn’t know that.”
“What are you? Her keeper?” Piper teased. “Let’s do our thankful rounds so we can eat. I’m starved. Talia, why don’t you start and we’ll go around the table.”
“Okay.” Talia looked around the table, her eyes settling on Willow and Zane, and then on Bridgette and Bodhi. “I’m thankful that two of my sisters have found such wonderful men, and I’m hoping one of them has a friend they might wrangle into coming to Sweetwater.”
Soft laughter filled the dining room.
“Can I go next?” Louie asked.
Bridgette opened her mouth to say he should wait, but then she realized that some things—like gratitude and I love yous—shouldn’t ever have to wait.
BODHI LEANED CLOSER to Bridgette and kissed her cheek, whispering, “That’s your boy.”
Bridgette smiled and said, “That’s our boy.”
Would he ever get used to how that made him feel? He looked across the table at the little boy who stole his heart more times each day than he could count, and he knew he never would. Alisha smiled at him with the grateful look she’d had in her eyes ever since he’d decided to step down from handling covert missions. He’d thought he’d miss it. But everything he needed to be happy was right here in this room—almost. Dahlia was at home waiting for them.
“I’m thankful for Bodhi,” Louie practically shouted. “Because now I’m going to be a big brother.”
There was a collective gasp, and all eyes turned to Bodhi and Bridgette. Excitement rose in Bodhi, surprising him. They hadn’t talked about having children, and he knew she was on the pill, but there was that one percent . . .
He turned to his beautiful fiancée with an arched brow.
Bridgette looked like she’d swallowed a frog. “What? No!” She shot a look at Louie. “Louie, Mommy is not having a baby.”
“Yes, you are,” he insisted. “Molly Graynor’s mommy is getting married, and she told Molly that’s what you do when you’re going to have a baby.”
“Molly Graynor’s mommy has had three babies out of wedlock,” Piper said. “I don’t think you should take advice on the birds and the bees from her.”
“What’s wedlock?” Louie asked.
Bodhi couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Piper.” Bridgette sighed and nibbled nervously on her lower lip. “Louie, babies aren’t born because men and women get married.”
“Then how are they made?” he asked.
Oh shit.
“Oh my,” Roxie said with a laugh. “He’s definitely your child after all, Bridgette.”
Bodhi knew nothing about how to handle this, but Bridgette was turning white, and he couldn’t let her flounder.
“I’ve got this,” Bodhi said. “Louie, when two people love each other very much, they make babies out of their love.”
“Really?” Louie pointed at Willow. “Then Auntie Willow and Uncle Zane will have babies, and Uncle Benny and Aurelia. And maybe even Uncle Benny and Shira, because he keeps looking at her the way Bodhi looks at Mommy all the time. And Grandma and Grandpa will have babies. I’m going to be a big brother lots of times!”
Aurelia glared at Ben, Shira blushed, and there was collective laughter and a round of comments about making babies.
Bridgette excused herself to go to the bathroom, and the pit of Bodhi’s stomach told him something was up. He hoped he hadn’t totally screwed up his answer and went after her.
He caught up to her by the bathroom and drew her close. “Hey, beautiful. Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” She smiled, and as always, it cut straight to his heart. Then she trapped her lower lip between her teeth and touched his chest. “Louie just freaked me out for a minute. We haven’t really talked about having kids.”
“I just assumed you’d want more. Do you not?”
She ran her finger along the stretch of tanned skin between his open collar. “With you?”
He scowled. “No, with some other neighbor-turned-fiancé.”
“Let me think about my other neighbors.” She tapped her chin.
He grabbed her ribs and stifled her shriek with a passionate kiss.
She dragged him into the bathroom and locked the door behind them. He swept his arm around her again and said, “Babies?”
The idea of having babies with Bridgette made him near giddy.
“Babies mean stinky diapers and sleepless nights.”
“I’ll change them.” He nibbled on her neck.
She scrunched her nose and looked up at the ceiling, feigning deep concentration. “They get up a lot at night.”
He pressed his lips to hers and felt her smile. “I’ll get up with them. I’m a great night owl.”
“Gee, I don’t know,” she teased, and put her arms around his neck. “Maybe you should try harder to convince me.”
He lifted her into his arms, and her pretty dress gathered around the tops of her thighs. “Baby, I plan on doing just that.”
“It’s going to take a lot of convincing.”
He gazed into her beautiful green eyes, and as he lowered his lips to hers, he said, “Then it’s a good thing we have forever.”