Mischief dances in her eyes when she tells me, “I thought you were working against me at first.”
“That too,” I murmur and pull her close. “It doesn’t matter, we’re moving forward together.”
“That’s the lousiest proposal I’ve ever heard,” she grumbles and it makes me chuckle.
“Doesn’t matter,” I repeat and give her a hard and swift kiss on her lips. “There’s no going back. You’re mine.”
“We’ll see,” she says in utter defiance. “But if you start to boss me around, I’ll quit and cut off your balls.”
A bark of laughter escapes me and I shake my head. “I didn’t think anyone could boss you around. Well, besides me in the bedroom that is.”
“Not just the bedroom, just as long as you’re naked,” she mutters underneath her breath.
“I like you naked,” I whisper beside her ear and place a kiss on her neck, feeling her heartbeat pick up. “I like you a lot.” Another kiss. “More than a lot,” I tell her as I feather my lips over her jaw. “You made me fall and I went down willingly.”
I place my forehead against hers and stare into her eyes where honesty and vulnerability flare, but underneath there’s another emotion simmering. One my eyes mirror and it needs to be said.
“All those weeks ago when you suddenly went missing? It felt as if my heart was being ripped from my chest. It made me aware of how you managed to slam your way into my life and claim a spot that was always waiting for you to slide in and take place. This might be fast but the feelings inside me are new and yet strong. If I had to describe them, I’d say it classifies as my love for you.”
“It classifies?” She snorts. “Cute, but you need to up your game if we’re doing the whole love thing, Cullen.”
A low growl rumbles through my chest. “It’s a good thing we have the rest of our lives to do that then.”
“Big plans,” she murmurs against my lips.
“Why don’t we start with today? Mainly naked and in the bedroom, and we’ll go from there.”
Her husky laugh heats my body as she says, “I’d say it sounds like a plan.”
“The best plan,” I shoot back.
“Shut up and kiss me already,” she grumbles.
“Planning on it,” I reply and watch her roll her eyes.
I know deep in my heart our relationship will always be a challenge where we keep each other on our toes, keeping our fire flaming hot and never giving it a chance to fade.
Epilogue
ESMEE
Three years later
“This is going to be bad,” I grumble and place my hand on my belly to take a deep breath in an effort to calm down and hope the nausea will fade along with it.
“Oh, you mean telling my brother you’re pregnant is bad?” Makenna’s green eyes hit me and her long blonde hair is pulled back in a tight ponytail that swings from left to right as she shakes her head. “That’s nothing. You’re in the clear because they’re all gonna be ecstatic. Besides, I’m going to out trump you.”
I lift my eyebrow in surprise and question, “How so?”
Her gaze slides away and my eyes go in that direction too while we both watch five guys grabbing their gear. Cullen is one of them, looking amazing with his blond hair standing on end, a tight military tan t-shirt along with his camouflage pattern pants. My eyes mainly focus on his bulging biceps where his tattoos highlight his muscles. I know how good those arms feel around me.
Even after years my body heats at the sight of him. He’s been away on a mission for the past few weeks. The contact we had was limited and though I know some of the mission was not eventful and merely jotting down details obtained by glancing through binoculars, I’m still relieved to see him back safely and within reach.
Makenna’s voice is strong when she says, “I’m also pregnant. Though the father to be knows, and we have been seeing each other for almost a year now. We decided to keep our relationship quiet because when we met we kinda had sex in the bathroom without knowing who we were. Then I stumbled into Cullen’s office two days later while he was welcoming Kace to the team. The only one who knew about us from the start is my mother. And I really didn’t have a choice because she has this thing where she can look at me and knows exactly what’s going on.”
“Shit,” I gasp. “I know all about your mother’s x-ray vision. She guessed I was pregnant the day I peed on a stick.”
And I know very well Kace is a good guy, but he’s also a hardass who goes head to head with Cullen on a regular basis. Like now while he’s gripping Kace’s shirt and roughly pushes him away while Mark jumps in between them. We can’t hear what is being said but their body language indicates it’s anything but friendly.
“We might need to move to another country if we’d ever want to be together,” Makenna grumbles.
I slightly wince though she can’t see my face. “Yeah, I’d say you out trump me.”
Kace’s head swings our way and it’s then I notice how his eyes light up and to be honest? I’m on team Makenna and Kace. It’s clear she means the world to him and even if they’ve kept it quiet, they still manage to make it work. We’re both surprised when her father storms past both Kace and Cullen and heads straight for us.
“Uh oh, I think the secret is out,” I mutter as I hear Makenna swallow hard beside me.
I reach over and grab her hand to make sure I’m standing strong beside her. Over the years she’s become a good friend, even if she managed to hide her relationship well. But I’m a firm believer one doesn’t have to share all elements in life with those you love. You are allowed to make your own choices and know you have the solid promise of family to fall back on, even if they aren’t connected by blood.
Growing up in an MC who always had my back and supported my choices still made me feel as if there was a fine line I needed to follow or stay behind. But I’ve come to realize it’s a boundary I set in place myself. One others didn’t even see or know about.
We build our own walls of limitations and sometimes there’s a life altering incident that makes you aware and see beyond said limitations. And that right there is the beauty life gives us. The ability to change, adapt, face new challenges and relish in those you call friends but most of all? Acknowledging your heart can open for the right person who you can share life lessons with and face them together.
“You,” Mark snaps at Makenna.
“I’m pregnant,” I blurt, successfully drawing attention to myself as all eyes—including Cullen’s—land on me.
Cullen rushes toward me and picks me up to spin me around then slowly lets me slide down his body as he cups my face and whispers, “We did it?”
Yes. We’ve been trying for a couple of months so this wasn’t a complete surprise, but I’ve peed on a stick three weeks ago and have been keeping it quiet until I could tell him face to face.
“Yes, we did it,” I whisper against his lips.
He gives me a swift scorching kiss but pulls back when Mark grumbles, “Please tell me you did ask to marry her before you knocked her up? Deeds is going to kick your ass, and mine for that matter.”
Cullen smiles down at me and surprises me when he says, “I’ve had his permission for months. I’ve been waiting to ask her to marry me when I knew she was knocked up and had no other choice but to accept.”
I roll my eyes and give a hard shove against his chest. “Real romantic, asshole.”
“Charlie is going to freak out,” Mark sighs and shakes his head. “Her daughter pregnant and having something with Kace for almost a damn year. Right under our damn noses. And the asshole casually tells us when we’re in the helo on our way back so I can’t punch him in the face like a normal person would.” His gaze swings to Cullen. “I hope I raised you better and didn’t say to Deeds the words Kace told me, because ‘I knocked your daughter up and we’re getting married, so deal with it,’ isn’t going over well when you talk to a father. And I hope to fuck you get a daughter who pulls the same shit,”
he tells Kace who seems to be unfazed by everything and takes Makenna in his arms to give her a hot kiss in front of everyone.
I cringe over Mark’s words and tell him, “Charlie knows the two of us are pregnant.”
Mark’s eyes go wide and he throws his hands in the air. “One should think the lot of us would be better at this whole communication thing.”
All of us chuckle.
“Come on,” Cullen tells me. “I’m ready to go home, and you should be off your feet.”
I stop dead in my tracks. “Are you going to keep me on my ass and not doing anything? Just because I have a baby growing inside me?” I gasp.
In all the time we’ve been together, he’s never treated me differently, but it seems being knocked up changes things.
Cullen leans in and says in a husky tone, “What I meant with ‘off your feet’ is the fact that your legs should be up in the air because I need to be deep inside you, and every second we’re standing here talking makes it longer for me to take you hard the way I want to.”
Tingles spread like wildfire through my veins and I swallow hard before I almost run toward the SUV while I drag him with me as I grumble, “You could have just said that instead of giving me the wrong idea.”
“Saturday!” Mark yells behind us. “All of you need to be at my house and we will talk.”
“We’re not letting you marry us, Dad,” Cullen groans and I have to smile knowing very well Mark got himself ordained over the internet many years ago.
“What he said,” Kace agrees as he ushers Makenna to his truck.
We quickly get inside the SUV and head home. Though I miss living next door to Sona, moving in with Cullen was the best decision I ever made. And besides, Sona moved out a few months after I gave up my apartment to move in with ‘the love of her life’ or so she calls the man who sent her a box of sex toys to experiment with. In the end, it did bring them together, so who am I to judge?
Cullen cuts the engine and I swear the man has the speed of light when he ushers me into the cabin and has me naked before I can so much as blink. But yet the feel of his hands caressing my body makes me feel less than naked. He has the ability to make me feel treasured, loved, worshiped as if I’m the sole woman made to melt underneath his touch.
The way his face flushes with desire and adoration as he sinks deep inside me, it’s a visual reminder of all the love I get in return. I couldn’t imagine my life without him and that’s the exact reason we live each day to the fullest.
He looms over me and places his forearms next to my head on the mattress. Eyes locked he starts to lazily slide in and out as if we have all the time in the world. And we do, except the desire and lust tainting my body is starting to build and with the weeks we’ve been apart I’ve been craving him way too long.
“So good,” he murmurs and buries his face into the crook of my neck.
My breasts rub against his chest with each thrust, teasing my sensitive nipples. I raise my hips and the friction between us gives the pressure I need as my piercing presses down on my clit, making me explode into a sea of pleasure.
“Fuck,” Cullen grunts and his hips slightly falter. “You’re gonna make me—” uncoherent grunting follows as he pushes up, grabs my hips in a punishing grip and empties himself inside me while I still relish in the pleasure we both give each other.
Our breathing flows out in rough pants when Cullen says, “That was way too damn short.”
I’m still running on my orgasm high when I tell him, “Warmup round, do better the second time around.”
His laughter makes his dick slide out and the both of us groan at the loss. He stands and stalks out of the bedroom. I perch myself on my elbows and stare after him, wondering where his naked ass is going. I don’t have to ask what he was doing when he returns with a bottle of caramel syrup in his hands.
I quickly discovered other benefits of caramel than consuming it the normal way. Cullen likes to play with it from time to time, resulting in the both of us sticky and overusing our tongues. A moan slips passed my lips and his eyes flare.
“I’m going to take my time devouring you,” he promises and throws the bottle of caramel syrup beside me on the bed.
He stalks to the bathroom and I hear the tap running before he comes back with a warm washcloth. He gently cleans my pussy and stalks back into the bathroom where he takes his time to freshen up. When he returns, he places his hands on my knees and spreads me wide open for him to enjoy. I glance at him with hooded eyes as he slowly inches closer and lazily slides his tongue over my clit.
He groans and tells me, “So. Damn. Sweet.”
My fingers slide into his hair but he catches my wrist and climbs up my body, pinning my hands above my head.
“Keep them there,” he growls. “I’m taking my time to enjoy you and when you put your hands on me, I forget all about going slow.”
My breath catches and I do exactly as he says and watch how he grabs the syrup and slowly lets a few drops fall out and onto my nipple. He takes his time watching my nipple harden some more underneath his gaze until he finally leans in and swipes it up, swirling his tongue around and quickly giving the other breast the same treatment.
It doesn’t take long for me to beg him for more, less, anything, everything. And yet there’s no need to beg because this man undoubtedly knows what I need. Even when I don’t really know what it is, he simply does and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Wait. I do. My hands leave the spot where he told me to keep them and in one smooth move I have him on his back. There’s a husky chuckle coming from him and I know he’s aware of what I’m about to do because he grabs my hips and drags me over so I have no other option but to straddle his head.
I take the caramel syrup and drizzle it over my favorite body part of his well-toned body. His curses vibrate against my pussy while I watch his dick twitch. My mouth waters and I greedily lean forward to let my tongue slide over his length, taking the angry head into my mouth as I lazily start to suck.
More muttered curses and I feel his fingers dive into my hair to push me down while his hips shoot off the bed simultaneously. His movements, groans, the way his dick twitches underneath my touch, it’s exactly what he does to me too; driving me crazy with need while giving it back equally as fierce.
His tongue is flicking my piercing, teasing my bundle of nerves and taunting my underlying orgasm to burst free and fill my veins with ultimate pleasure. His dick hardens and starts to pulse, the salty taste hits my tongue and all I can do is swallow, taking in the pleasure he drowns me with.
Cullen easily lifts me and turns my body to drape me over him. Sticky. Hot. Utterly spent and well-loved, he takes me in his arms and holds me tight. Minutes pass until I’m finally able to regain some strength and yet Cullen doesn’t allow me to move.
“You make me so damn happy,” he murmurs. “I can’t believe we’re graced with the life we made together and is growing inside you.”
I nuzzle my face against his chest. “All the pleasure my life is graced with revolves around you giving it to me. So, I guess you’re the one who is connected with bringing the happiness into both our lives.”
“You’re talking about the orgasms, right?” Cullen chuckles. “Because I sure as hell will take credit for those.”
I roll my eyes but internally smile as I say, “Always the romantic.”
“You wouldn’t have me any other way,” he murmurs and places a sweet kiss on the top of my head.
I glance up. “I can think of a few other ways I would like to have you.”
He groans loud and mutters something incoherently, but it sounds as if he’s complaining about me trying to break his dick.
“What was that?” I question.
“I love you, woman,” he says. “Let me grab you a piece of paper and a pen, then I’ll grab a quick shower.”
I feel my forehead crinkle while confusion hits me. “A piece of paper and a pen?”
“Yeah, you’re g
oing to make a list of all the ways you want me, so you don’t forget anything. We need to get those in before your belly starts to grow and I can only take you from behind.”
Do I need to say the man jumps off the bed and dashes into the bathroom while the pillow I throw hits the door as his laughter flows through the air?
“Oh. My. God,” I yell, but I’m also laughing because he’s right about my belly.
His head quickly peeks around the door. “I’ll make sure you’ll be yelling that soon enough on a moan when we work off that list you’re making.”
I throw another pillow but it bounces off the door too. My cheeks hurt from smiling and it’s exactly what he does to me; make me happy. If it’s through weirdness, thoughtfulness, caring, or protecting…he makes me feel as if we have it all and yet there’s so much more for us simmering in our future and well within reach. The only thing we have to do is reach and grab hold, and that’s exactly what we do each day after the next.
Every single moment we treasure, and we’re bound to face a new challenge together. One where we’re becoming a family and each step forward will be new while we keep each other on our toes. Always a challenge, always loved, always…together.
THE END
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