Epilogue

 

Bronte sat at a table in the corner at Finn’s, watching her husband hold court with a small, secret smile. He’d been charming half the bar with his stories for a while now, but she didn’t mind sharing his attention now and then. Not when the last few months had been better than she ever could have dreamed.

William had been hard at work readying Finn’s Ring—their boxing club—for its grand opening, while reading every business book he could get his hands on and seeking out her brother Thoreau’s advice on an almost daily basis. His focus on making his dream a success was irresistibly sexy.

Most things about him were.

The only thing he was more focused on was Bronte. From the second she’d proposed again, he’d never given her a moment to doubt his devotion.

Especially once she’d told him the last secret she’d been keeping from him.

Informing William that he’d managed to beat the odds—and a birth control pill that was supposed to be ninety-nine percent effective—made him cockier than usual, which was saying a lot. But oddly, she couldn’t find it in her to care.

She was going to have a baby.

They’d moved into the loft apartment above the gym and he’d immediately started nesting and working on baby names her father would approve of. That meant they already needed another bookshelf for their now overflowing library.

No wonder Foster Wayne loved his new son-in-law. When he’d first come to the house to apologize and ask permission to marry her again, her two favorite men had ended up discussing books for hours.

He’d managed to win over every Wayne in turn with his special brand of charm. He’d volunteered to be a guinea pig for Austen’s facial creams, a taster for Thoreau’s new beer recipes and an available babysitter for Emerson’s sons since he said he needed the practice. He’d also included Robert in his plans for the boxing club so often that her brother decided to officially quit his sales job and join the team.

Cassandra Wayne had been a little more standoffish, but Bronte knew that was her fault for lying and putting herself in danger. William never wavered in his campaign, however, and ever since he’d placed the wedding and the upcoming baby shower in her capable hands, things between them had warmed considerably.

Most of the Finns seemed surprised at his turn around, but Bronte had learned enough about him to know that he hadn’t really changed at all. In his heart, William was a family man and he always had been. She couldn’t have dreamed up a better husband, a better father for her child.

She couldn’t imagine ever wanting more.

The scrape of the stool beside her made her jump. “Tell me you’re not crocheting. In a bar. How are we even related?”

Bronte smirked, wiggling her fingers to show off the new wedding ring she was still getting used to. “By marriage. We’re related by marriage. What are you doing here? I thought this was your BFF night with Jen and Jeremy. Aren’t the kids with their grandmother?”

Tasha sighed dramatically, leaning her elbows on the table. “Owen’s feeling possessive again, so Jeremy is probably tied up at the moment. And I mean that literally.”

“And Jen?”

“Finnegan has a stomach bug.” She sighed again. “We’re getting so old. Everyone’s married and popping out new Little Finn’s left and right. Being adults. We used to go to kink clubs and close down bars, you know. Any day now I’ll have to live vicariously through young Jake while I sit in my rocking chair and watch you crochet.”

“Don’t let Seamus hear you talk like that. Jake still has a few years before he’ll be getting into trouble.” Bronte took a sip of her water. “I should mention that whine would go down smoother if you didn’t look so blissfully happy all the time.”

Tasha chuckled. “You look blissful, too. In fact, if it weren’t for James disappearing for parts unknown, I’d say the family has never been so problem free.”

Bronte glanced over at her brother-in-law and her smile dimmed. Younger hadn’t been happy after William delivered his message.

All he’d told her was that James was going after a friend in need. From the clues he’d given, Bronte had a feeling the relationship went much deeper than friendship, but she couldn’t be sure.

William was adamant about everyone respecting the request James made to let him do what he needed to do without interference, but she knew the Finns better now. She also knew Ken Tanaka. They weren’t easily distracted when one of their own was in trouble.

You’re a Finn now, too.

She must be, or maybe all their Kumbaya ways were getting to her. She wanted to help a few of them out herself.

“Since we’re so problem free, maybe now would be a good time to tell me more about Ken and Brady. I know you introduced them.” She loved the intrigued gleam that instantly twinkled to life in her friend’s eyes. “What’s stopping those handsome, interfering matchmakers from tying the knot themselves? And what can we do to fix it and give them a taste of their own medicine at the same time?”

“Oh princess,” Tasha crooned, leaning closer. “I knew I’d love being your sister-cousin.”

 

***

 

It was late by the time she and William got back home, and though she wanted to fill him in on everything she’d learned, he seemed intent on getting her upstairs and into bed, even if he had to carry her.

She loved it when he did that.

“I’m not far enough along for this to be necessary,” she grumbled, nibbling on his ear because that always drove him crazy.

“This has nothing to do with the baby, Mrs. Finn. It’s about that sundress you wore tonight. And you, a married woman in the family way,” he said, aiming for a scandalized tone.

She rolled her eyes. No one else would ever see her the way he did. As if she were a walking, talking temptation instead of a forty-something mother-to-be with cankles from water retention. But she wasn’t about to complain. “I saw Uncle Shawn talking on your phone again. Pat?”

William’s smile was warm. “Ever since Shelley put Skype on the thing, those two are thick as thieves. And they’ve both agreed not to discuss football again unless they want the consequences.”

“We should go for a visit next weekend. We haven’t seen them since the wedding.”

She couldn’t believe how many members of the Collins family had shown up for her second wedding on such short notice. They’d all been there for William. The man had a way about him.

Her warm, tender feelings vanished when he dropped her without warning, her ass bouncing on their big bed.

“Hey, punk ass!”

The buttons on William’s shirt popped off as he ripped it open, kicking off his shoes distractedly. “Yes, my love?”

She licked her lips at the sight of his chest. He’d been working out every day, even running with Younger in the mornings to be in top form for the opening.

She’d thought she had a hard time resisting him before.

“Why aren’t you naked yet?”

William winked at her as he dropped his pants, solving that problem before climbing onto the bed and dragging her beneath him. “Why aren’t you?”

She moaned into his mouth and flung her sandals off her feet before wrapping her legs around him.

The things he could do with his fingers were criminal. He trapped her clit between his knuckles, touching her in the way he knew would take her quickly over the edge.

“I’ve wanted to rip this off you for hours,” he muttered against her dress, his teeth tugging at the low neckline. “But you like to keep me waiting, don’t you, darlin’?”

She rocked against his hand, moaning when he bit down on one sensitive nipple and sucked hard. “If I say yes, will you spank me again?”

She heard the sound of fabric tearing and her dress disappeared, leaving her bare to his gaze. “Is that a yes?”

“Later,” he growled, lifting her legs over his shoulders and lowering his head. “Much, much later.”

He drove her wild with his tongue until she was begging, willing to do anything to get him inside her.

“William, please.”

He came over her and thrust deep, both of them moaning at the tight, perfect fit. “You know I love it when you beg,” he rasped. “I’ll never get enough of you.”

Bronte pushed him onto his back and straddled him, bringing his hands up to cup her breasts as she rocked against him. “I dare you to try.”

“God, I love my wife.” He groaned, caressing her as he watched her ride him slowly, drawing it out until his brilliant blue eyes were blazing with need. “Wherever you are is my home. My only home.”

“Holy shit.” She leaned forward to kiss him, hips grinding faster and harder against him until they were both gasping on the edge. “That’s cheating, leprechaun. You know I can’t resist you when quote that book to me.”

“It’s only fair, love. I can’t resist you at all.”

 

 

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