Epilogue
One month later
“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” Wyatt tells me, before I disconnect his call.
I was just getting out of a nice, hot bath when he called, insisting I get dressed and go with him somewhere. All he would say is he wants to show me something.
With a sigh, I drag myself to my room and throw on some jeans and a sweatshirt. The last thing I want to do is go outside in the cold now that I’m warmed up, and with wet hair to boot. My hatred of the cold isn’t the only reason I’m grouchy.
I’m anxious because I’m pretty sure what he wants to show me is a house. It’s not that I have an aversion to living together, he’s been staying with me for the last few months and we get along great, but the thought of moving terrifies me.
I’ve always had to depend on myself and plan ahead to be able to survive. I’ve always saved money when I could, and I chose these apartments to live in because the rent is cheap enough that I can afford it alone.
There’s a waiting list for Violent Circle, because despite its reputation as the slums, it is affordable, especially for students, single parents, and the elderly. If I move out, I can’t just move back in.
I know it’s what Wyatt wants, and why shouldn’t he? He’s loaded and he shouldn’t have to live like a pauper because of me, but I have to look out for my own future. Wyatt is my boss, my job is already dependent upon him. It’s not that I think we’re going to split up or anything, but shit happens. If he meets someone else he’d rather be with, I can’t have my income and housing be controlled by him or I could be out of a job and homeless overnight.
I don’t think he’d ever do something like that to me, but I can’t risk it. I’ve been thinking about it, and I’ve decided I just need six months or so. Six months to pay off the new car I just bought, and put enough in savings where I’ll feel safe leaving the circle.
I trust him, but relationships fall apart all the time. I just hope he understands.
I hear his horn honk and quickly throw my wet hair into a bun, shove a stocking hat over it, and throw on my winter coat. All the time I’m rehearsing in my head how to explain my worries to him without making him think I don’t trust him.
He grins up at me when I open the passenger door, and I swear, no matter how long we’re together, that little smile, the one that shows his slightly crooked tooth, never fails to send a mass of butterflies through my stomach. I look forward to seeing it every time we’re apart.
“It’s not that cold,” he laughs as I settle into the seat and point the heating vents my direction.
“Are you kidding? I think I keyed your door with my nipples. Besides, my hair is wet.”
“This won’t take long. I promise.”
We’re just a few minutes outside of town when he turns into a long driveway. About halfway down it, a beautiful house comes into view. It’s everything I dream of having someday, a simple farmhouse with a wraparound porch and plenty of land surrounding it. It’s set back from the road, with plenty of privacy, but close enough to town not to feel isolated.
My stomach knots, not just because I’m going to have to turn down his offer to move here with him, but because I’ll have to deprive myself of something I want so badly. The little devil and angel on my shoulder are screaming in my ears.
Screw safety and stability! Look at this place!
Don’t do it! Your apartment is better than a cardboard box if this backfires!
Wyatt is buzzing with suppressed excitement as he parks and we get out. He grabs my hand and walks me around the side of the house. “Whose house is this?” I ask.
“Ours,” he replies, smiling ear to ear.
“Wyatt, I know we haven’t really talked about officially moving in together, but—”
He stops in place, just in front of the attached garage. Hmm. The garage door is open, showing the empty space inside.
“I’m not asking you to move in with me,” he says.
What? He just said the house was ours.
The garage door slowly descends and it takes me a second to process what I’m seeing. It looks like he has raided the stock room at Scarlet Toys because I recognize all those sex toys.
The sex toys attached to the front of the garage door that spell out four words.
Dildos, anal beads, vibrating eggs, and every other toy you can imagine display the words Will you marry me? in three feet tall letters.
All the breath escapes my lungs and my head snaps around to look at him. “Wyatt,” I whisper. It’s all I can manage. There is not one tiny part of me that expected this.
He’s down on one knee, a ring in his hand, gazing up at me with that little crooked smile I’ve never been able to resist.
“You opened my eyes to what was missing in my life and showed me how much more there is to living than being number one. I thought I was happy, but I didn’t even understand what true happiness was until I found you. I love you, Cassidy. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you be my wife?”
Tears fill my eyes and I choke out the word, “Yes.” I don’t even hesitate. All the time I was worrying about the future, he was planning one with me.
My mind races as he puts the ring on my finger, then lifts me up and kisses me senseless. It takes a second for the hoots and cheers to reach my ears through the chaos of joy and shock raiding my brain.
When I’m back on my feet, I look up to see Jani, Noble, Clarence, and Martha ducking out of the garage and coming toward us.
I’m swept up in hugs and congratulations from all of them.
“You hooker!” I exclaim, hugging Jani. “You knew about this, didn’t you?”
“Of course! And I expect to be your maid of honor. I don’t help glue vibrators to a door for just anyone, you know.”
I study their artwork again. “Did you dot the I with a buttplug?”
“That was Wyatt. He really seems to be into the butt toys. You should probably get a strap on.”
My grin is devious when I turn to Wyatt and he shakes his head as I announce, “Oh, we already have one.”
“That she has never used!” he insists. “My ass is padlocked, remember?”
Wrapping my arms around his waist, I lay my cheek on his chest. “You have the key to my heart. I have the key to your ass. It’s fate.”
“Not exactly a Hallmark card poem,” Martha quips.
“He proposed with sex toys. You’re in the wrong place if you’re looking for classy,” Noble snorts.
Clarence shakes his head. “The wedding should be interesting.”
Wyatt wraps his arm around my waist. “Come on, let me show you the house.” When we get to the door, he adds, “The furniture was included, but we can sort through what we like and what we want to get rid of.”
Warm air rushes over us as we walk into the foyer, the others right behind us. Wyatt shows me around, and the place is beautiful. I can’t wait to decorate it more to our taste and fill it with comfortable furniture.
I’m surprised to find a fireplace in the master bedroom as well as the living room. “We can lie in bed by the fire,” I remark.
Wyatt’s gaze settles on mine. “Do you like it?”
Is he kidding? “I love it, every inch of it, but not nearly as much as I love you.”
Jani’s laughter filters through from the living room where they’re gathered.
An evil idea forms in my brain as I realize the timing is perfect. Grinning at Wyatt, I reach over and swing the bedroom door shut. I turn the lock and face Wyatt.
“Before we leave, there’s one thing I have to do.”
“Cass.” He chuckles when I unfasten his jeans, but he doesn’t object when I shove them and his underwear to his feet. I mean, what guy ever objects to a blow job?
He throws his head back when I wrap my lips around him and the way he stiffens tells me this won’t take long. I give him all I’ve got, right up until I know he’s on the edge of losing it. “My kinky girl,” he gasps. “I think you like the idea of being caught.”
“Or maybe.” I stand up and take a step back away from him. “Payback is a bitch.”
His mouth drops open and he takes a step toward me. “What?”
“When you least expect it, remember?” I unlock the door and grin back at him. “It’s voice activated. Just tell it to come.” With a wink, I step out the door and close it behind me.
Jani and Noble are snooping around the kitchen when I enter. “Where’s Wyatt?” Noble asks.
“Pulling himself together,” I reply with a grin.
Jani looks at me and her lips tilt up. She knows me. “What did you do?”
“I told you about the time he made me think he drowned?”
“Uh-huh.”
“And when he made me talk to his toaster?”
“Oh my god. You finally got him back? What did you do?”
Hopping up to sit on the counter, I shrug. “Nothing bad. I just gave him the penguin.”
Jani bursts out laughing, especially when Noble asks, “What the hell is the penguin?”
“When you blow a guy, but stop before he comes. He’ll try to chase you with his pants around his ankles.” Jani wipes her eyes. “Looks like a penguin.”
I look up just in time to realize Wyatt is standing in the doorway, his arms crossed, fighting back a smile.
“Truce?” I offer, sliding off the counter.
He stalks over, making me walk backwards until I’m against the wall. His hot breath is in my ear. “You don’t want to tell them what else you were getting revenge for?” he murmurs, and my eyes nearly pop out of my head.
The paddle. He’d better never tell them. “Don’t you dare.”
Chuckling, he steps back. “You can get reacquainted when we get home.”
I throw my arms around his neck. “You still love me?”
“Always, baby.” His lips find mine in a long, intense kiss, eventually broken by Noble’s voice.
“Why the hell were you talking to a toaster?”
THE END
Thanks for reading! If you’d like to check out more of my work, I have two books that are always free!
Everly, Book one of The Striking Back Series.
And
Landon, Book one of The In Safe Hands Series.
Links
Everly:
Amazon Link
iBooks
B&N
Kobo
Landon:
Amazon Link
iBooks
B&N
Kobo