SECOND EPILOGUE
Jackson – three years later
“Vroooom!” My son’s hands clutched at the steering wheel of the Mustang. I tickled Blaze’s sides as he sat perched in my lap. The way he busted up into a fit of giggles only a three-year-old could muster made me drunk on happiness.
And as if my life couldn't get any better, the woman who made it all possible walked down the steps of our cabin. It was perched on the lake, way up in the Rockies. I’d built our dream home, and then we’d started filling it with babies.
“Hey, mama, I think this guy’s gonna be a racecar driver.”
She grinned, bouncing Hawk, our ten-month-old on her hip.
“This one better be a chef. He likes to eat. That’s his second banana.” She hugged my boy a little closer.
Damn, I loved this woman.
My life had grown more full in the last few years than I ever dreamed it could have. I didn’t even know I wanted these things, didn’t give two shits about a family until Sadie came along. Now I wanted the kids, the dog, and the white picket fence. And I planned on trying for more kids. I’d have ten babies with her if she’d let me.
“Dawie!” Hawk gargled through a bite of banana.
A black lab came trotting down the porch, a litter of three pups following her in a reckless line. I shook my head. We’d adopted that dog a few months ago and had no idea she was pregnant at the time. “Here comes trouble.”
Blaze giggled as two of the puppies took a tumble down the last step, legs and ears every which way. “Can we keep them all, Daddy?!”
Sadie’s eyes widened as she looked from my son to me, eyes pleading. “That’s a houseful, I don’t know if—”
“But I’ll feed and water them all! Just like real chores!” Blaze clapped his hands, excitement growing by the second.
I sighed, patting Ginger on the head when she reached me, tail wagging at the open car door. “We’ve got a few more weeks before they’re old enough to leave their mom anyway, Blaze. You’ve got plenty of time to play with them.”
I looked up at Sadie, pleading for some help.
“You know I’m not going to be able to let them go.” She hugged Hawk a little closer, smiling back at me.
“Dammit, woman,” I growled. “If these kids weren’t here, I’d bend you over—”
“Be nice to Mama!” Blaze defended his mother adorably.
“Oh, I’m very nice to Mama.” I shot my wife a cocky grin. “She likes to beg—”
“Jackson!” Sadie cut me off with a palm over my lips. “Behave yourself.”
“So can we keep them, Daddy?!” Blaze bounced behind the steering wheel.
I groaned, feeling like I’d lost this battle. I could take on the kids, but there wasn’t a chance in hell I could ever say no to Sadie. “Fine. We can keep them.”
“Yay!” Blaze bounded out of my lap and dropped to his knees, surrounding himself with tiny black lab puppies, tiny barks and tails going wild.
“We’re going to have a talk later.” I arched an eyebrow at Sadie.
“Oh yeah?” she cooed. “Did I earn a punishment?”
I cupped her face in my palm and planted a fevered kiss on her lips. “You better believe you did.”