Epilogue
~ Ivy ~
Six Years Later
“Cyan!” I bellowed, staring in horror at the mess in my kitchen.
My mate barreled around the corner with our youngest son in his arms, stopping in his tracks as he took in the chaos. Noah bounced against his father’s arm, reaching for me. It was hard to believe we’d just celebrated his first birthday a few months ago.
“I thought you were watching them,” I said.
“I, uh, went to change Noah.” He passed Noah to me and waded into the kitchen, trying unsuccessfully to look serious. I saw his lips twitching with amusement. I’m sure our sons did, too. “So…who wants to explain what’s going on here?”
“I make pancake!” Parker clapped his hands, and a cloud of white rose from him. He was coated in flour from head to toe. In fact, I didn’t see a single spot in the kitchen that wasn’t covered. I didn’t think it was possible for us to have that much flour in the house.
“We helped!” Our five-year-old twins, Liam and Lucas, hurried to stand next to their brother.
I shook my head as Cyan fought hard not to laugh. “Pancakes?”
“For your birthday,” Liam said.
“It’s not her birthday,” Cyan corrected. “It’s our anniversary.”
Just like that, my heart melted. Six years later and the man still remembered the day we’d met…and celebrated it. Six years and four boys later. Which reminded me, I had something to tell my husband.
“What in the world?” Jasmine said, finally joining us. At fourteen, she was turning into a beautiful young woman, inside and out. We’d snuck out for some girl time earlier, which was rare with the boys and might be even rarer if what I suspected was true.
“Hey, kiddo,” Cyan replied. “Want to help your sister clean up the boys while I tackle this mess?”
Jasmine laughed. “Why don’t you help clean up the little rascals while I start on this?”
Cyan shrugged and swooped in, scooping up all three giggling boys in his arms. Noah, feeding off his brothers’ laughter, joined in.
“Where did all this flour come from?” I heard Jasmine mutter as I trooped down the hall behind my boys.
We ended up putting all four of them in the garden tub and letting them play. I washed off my youngest two while Cyan helped the twins. Looking at them made my heart swell with love. To think, once upon a time, I’d been scared I’d be incapable of mating. Now, my worries seemed silly. I couldn’t imagine my life without Cyan in it. My boys were my whole world. All five of them.
“Want to go out tonight, get a little drunk on tequila and let me cart you out over my shoulder?” Cyan leaned over to whisper.
I laughed. “How about dinner out then back home early to put the boys to bed?”
He winked at me. “Sounds perfect.”
He brushed his lips over mine, and I sank into him. That was all it ever took. One touch and I was his for the taking, which explained our four sons.
“Mama! Kiss!”
Cyan and I parted, both glancing back at the boys. Parker held up his arms, demanding a kiss, so I leaned in to give him one. That led to all the boys wanting kisses. That led to blowing raspberries. That led to giggles and sloshing water. And that led to the bathroom getting drenched.
I sent Cyan to help the kids get dressed while I worked on cleaning up. I was just finishing when I looked up to see him leaning in the doorway.
“Have I told you lately how lucky I am to have you as my mate?”
“I think it’s been at least a few hours,” I informed him.
“Very remiss of me,” Cyan stated, moving toward me. He scooped me up into his arms and carried me down the hall.
“What are we doing?” I whispered, glancing around for the boys.
“I took the boys to get dressed. Now, I’m taking you to get undressed.”
I laughed. “Undressed? Feeling a little frisky, are you?”
“Am I breathing?” he quipped.
“As much as I’m tempted, we can’t leave the boys alone. There’s no telling what they’ll get up to? Or in to?”
“Noah fell asleep as soon as I put him in his crib. Parker is out, too, but you know it won’t last long. Liam and Lucas are watching a movie in the front room. Jasmine has them.”
“Well, then,” I purred. “What do you plan to do with me once you have me undressed?”
He grinned. “Everything.”
He tossed me on the bed then turned to lock our door. We both tugged off our clothes. We’d learned to take advantage of every moment we had. And my mate, much to his chagrin, had become a master of the quickie.
Ten minutes later, we were still recovering from our orgasms when we heard the pitter-patter of feet going past our door.
“Sounds like Parker’s up,” Cyan said, tensing to push himself out of bed. Our three-year-old had always been a power napper. He’d drop off for ten minutes then be up and full of energy. I’d learned to make the most of those ten-minute naps.
I rolled so I draped over Cyan’s chest.
“Stay a little longer,” I pleaded. We both knew Parker would head toward the television and his brothers. He’d curl up on the couch with his Aunt Jassy and be happy as a lark. At least, for a little bit. There was a slim chance he might fall back asleep, as well.
“Have something to tell me?” Cyan asked, and I glanced up at him.
“How do you always know?”
He cupped my belly with one palm, something he did every time I shared I was pregnant.
“You get this look in your eyes,” he said. “I call it your mommy look. It’s very sexy.”
I laughed. “Must be why you see it so often.”
“Think you’re ready for five boys?”
“This one’s a girl,” I vowed, placing my hand over his. “I can feel it.”
“You said that with Parker,” he reminded me. “And Noah.”
I smacked him, but Cyan only laughed, rolling us over until he loomed over me.
“Would having another boy be so bad?”
“Of course not. I love our sons.”
“What about their dad?” he asked, leaning down to trail kisses up my throat.
“Mmm,” I moaned. “I’m pretty fond of him, too.”
“Fond? Let’s see if I can do better than that.”
I’m not sure how many times he had me moaning how much I loved him, but I meant it every time.