He crept up next to me, pulled me in tight, and pushed my hair behind my ears. His expression relaxed and he kissed my cheek all the way to my ear. When he pulled on the lobe with his teeth, I felt it—everywhere.

“I can accept you’re not ready for it all,” he said, “but you’re not going anywhere. This isn’t freeloading. This is two people making a commitment, Aly-cat. I’ve never done that with anyone, never wanted to with anyone but you. So you’re stuck.”

I leaned my head into the crook of his neck, and when I ran my hand over his chest, he asked, “Feel that beating? Steady and even? That’s how I feel about you. We’re steady and even. I know it’s been all quick and shit, but I’m in my thirties now. It’s about time I had some good in my life, and that goodness is you.”

We kissed, my heart not beating one bit steadily. It thumped with pride at Jake’s last words. I was his goodness.

He gave my lower lip a gentle bite, then his tongue swiped along my lips and found its way inside my mouth where it brushed along mine. I felt myself scooted back into his lap as he continued to explore my lips and mouth.

As his erection dug into my butt and the fireworks still burned overhead, I came up with a plan.

The next morning, we had the gang over for brunch. Bess joined me by the sink and whispered in my ear, “Happy to see you up and around, Al.” With her arm wrapped around me, she gave me a squeeze and asked what she could do to help in the kitchen. I told her to sit down with a virgin Bloody Mary and cuddle her baby girl, who was toddling all around the place.

I was scared to death Maddy was going to fall down the steps or get hurt on a few pieces of PT equipment we’d moved upstairs to be more convenient for me. I made a mental note to let Jake know I loved the place for now, but if we stayed the course, we needed a more family-friendly place.

Then I mentally slapped myself for even thinking that way. What the heck was with me and all this kid stuff?

“Oh, I’ll cuddle my baby girl,” Bess sang as she scooped up Maddy and kissed her all over her wild hair.

Immediately, I stopped what I was doing and watched, more and more fascinated with the idea of having a baby. Would I be able to do that with my leg? Snatch my babies up and swing them around, covering them with kisses? Would Jake want that with me? Would he help?

A tear slid down my face as I was slicing berries for a trifle. I didn’t know why I was so emotional all of a sudden. Then the phone rang, and it was the nursing home where my mom was, notifying me that she’d passed in the early morning hours.

I cried a little after I hung up and explained to Bess what had happened, but Mom was better off. Living without memories was no way to live. I knew that now that I was making them—even if it was only Jake and me.

“What was your momma’s full name?” Bess asked.

“Winona West Road,” I told her as Jake made his way to my side, running his hand down my arm and kissing my hair. “West was her maiden name. Winona was a family name.”

“That’s the circle of life, you know. One life out, and another one in,” Bess said. “And I think we’ll name this one after your momma.” She patted her flat belly and smiled like a fool at Lane.

“Really?” I asked.

“Really. We’re family.” Bess came over with Maddy and held me tight. “Group hug,” she told her little girl, and all of a sudden I was crying happy tears while being strangled by a toddler.

And this time, no wimpy little sad tears for me. This time I cried big, full, ecstatic teardrops.

Jake

One year later

Aly ran her hand along my back, her fingers gently tracing every inch of the way to my tattoo before heading back down toward my ass. Her touch ghosted over the crack, setting small blazes along the way, burning me up with need from just her soft fingertips. I was flat on my stomach, Aly spread out next to me, her chin on my shoulder, her right leg thrown over mine.

Oh, those legs, they had me salivating that night when we met in jail so long ago. I never wanted a pair of legs to be wrapped around me as badly as I had back then. Or now—even if it wasn’t possible. My dick was hard as fuck against the mattress, but I didn’t move. No way I was missing out on this moment of Aly touching me.

Keeping my head buried face-first in the pillow, I felt small kisses being placed on my shoulder, up and down the pair of legs permanently marked there. Aly’s long hair tickled my cheek as she leaned in and continued to run laps along my spine, taking the time to do wide circle eights around my traps.

“Love you, Jake,” she said, her voice hoarse and sultry.

“Love you, Aly-cat,” I grumbled, the desire evident in my words.

The patio doors were open, allowing the salty ocean breeze to waft through our bungalow. It was still dark out, early morning before the sun breached the sky, the time I would normally get up to pound some iron at home or the gym. But this was my honeymoon, and I wasn’t moving.

“You good, babe?”

“Mm-hmm,” she mumbled as she slid completely on top of me, her front flush to my back. Her kisses traced the nape of my neck while both her hands wrapped around the front of me. I lifted my pelvis, granting her access between the mattress and my cock, but she didn’t take advantage of it right away. Her fingers tickled my groin area, teasing the seam between my thigh and the promised land.

“Al . . . you’re killing me.”

“Shh,” she whispered in my ear before sucking on my earlobe. “I’m taking my time.”

“I got all the time in the world with you now. I got you back safe and sound, and I made an honest woman of you. But if I want to get in you quick, why can’t a man get what he wants?” I begged.

Yes, I beg now. Beg for my wife.

All. The. Time.

Her hand wrapped around the target and gave a small squeeze.

“Harder,” I couldn’t stop myself from commanding, and she obeyed.

I ground into her hand, the tip of my cock hitting the satiny sheets, her warm hand rubbing me tight and rough without stopping.

“I’m gonna come from a handy, babe.”

“S’okay.” Her words and the sound of the ocean lapping the shore drifted over my ear, tumbling deep into my soul. All she said was s’okay, and I wanted to marry her all over again.

Everything with Aly was beautiful, especially after we got over all the hurdles. It was worth it. All of it. I never thought I’d love a woman this way, more than myself. But I did.

When we’d stood together in front of our family at our wedding, and she told me she loved me and whispered, “Jason, I mean all of you, including all your past transgressions,” I was done in. She took everything as it came—my moods, my proclivities and wants, and all my fuckups. She was the first woman to call me Jason since my mom, and it sounded right coming off her lips.

My brother and his family, a priest, Hilary, and James, those were the only people we invited. It was a small affair in Lane’s backyard. Bess had planned the whole event in five seconds flat with James over the phone. It was simple and sweet, understated and beautiful, just like my wife.

Now, there was nothing sweet about the vixen as she fisted me hard the way I needed. I grunted as I shoved my morning wood within her grip.

Pretty sure I liked her from the first minute in jail. Honest to fucking God, I was that kind of sap now. I didn’t know it would be like this when I walked out of the jail cell a free man on Christmas morning. When we kept running into each other, I’d thought maybe she would rescue me from a life of selfishness by letting me do something noble, protect her or save her, or some shit like that.