I grinned when I heard her laughter. Following her into the walk-in closet, I took in the scene of her eying her green, ugly, puffy jacket hanging with her sparkly lavender boots lined up on the shoe rack below. She may have relegated those items to a storage box, but I’d made sure to give them proper placement in our closet.
Her brows went high. “I knew you had a thing for this coat and boots.”
“From the moment I saw you swallowed up in that ugly coat in the Walmart parking lot, trying to get up into the truck, I was gone for you.”
She quirked a brow. “You hid it rather well.”
“Fought it, more like. Check inside the pocket. I think there’s something in it.”
She scrunched up her brow in confusion before wiggling her hand inside the outer pocket. She sucked in a deep breath when her fingers found what I’d hidden inside. After pulling out the platinum-set diamond ring, she looked toward me and pressed her hand against her chest.
“I know you said you want to wait until after the baby, and if it’s truly what you want, we can. But I know what I want. And it’s you, Kendall. I love you. And I want to share my whole life with you. If you want to quit the firm tomorrow and start your culinary classes or begin working at Walsh’s restaurant, I’m supportive.” I’d already told Phil Kinkaid about my relationship with Kendall. He’d been shocked. But I was done hiding it. And if living with Kendall meant I wouldn’t get the named partnership, then so be it. For once I wasn’t the one hoping to feel good enough. I was flipping the tables, recognizing I didn’t want my name on a firm that didn’t value family.
“I wouldn’t have insurance if I quit my job. Or maternity leave.”
“You would have my insurance if you marry me.”
“You want me to marry you for your health insurance?”
“I want you to marry me so we can fly both our families to Hawaii next month, and they can watch me stand in front of the very best thing that’s ever happened to me and pledge my eternal love. I want to marry you because I dream of spending our weekends binge watching Little House on the Prairie with your nan—with the exception of that blind school fire episode which made Game of Thrones look tame—and learning how to make pasta, or maybe just eating it because, I’ll admit, it’s much sexier watching you do it than helping you. I want to have dinner with your family every Sunday. And finally, I want to marry you because the rest of our lives still doesn’t seem like enough time to love you.”
She stood there, a hand over her mouth as she watched me drop to one knee.
“So with all of that, will you marry me?”
“But, it’s early and….”
“The pregnancy changes nothing. I want you to be my wife. Period. And I should tell you now, I’m not accustomed to not getting my way.”
She smirked. “You do realize you’re not doing yourself any favors by challenging me to say no.”
I swallowed hard, my stomach flipping. “It’s a joke. My way of masking the fear you’re going to reject me.” All this bravado and confidence had been a façade over the years. But in this moment, I was putting it all out there.
Unexpectedly, she got down on her knees, too, cupping my face. “The answer is yes, Liam. A hundred times yes.”
I kissed her with relief, joy, and love. My heart was fuller than I’d ever experienced. Sealing the deal, I put the ring on her left ring finger. “Let’s take this back to the bed to celebrate.”
“Or we should christen the closet instead. You up for the adventure?”
“No. You’re relegated to the bed while pregnant. This hardwood floor does not look comfortable.”
She yanked down the puffy coat, spreading it down on the floor and making me laugh. “Spoilsport.”
“Foreplay on the floor, sex on the bed,” I compromised.
She laughed. “Such a negotiator. We’ll see.”
We did see. Which is why she ended up riding me on the floor. I was sure my back would pay for it tomorrow. Yet it was worth it for her smile. It was worth knowing this was only the first of many adventures to come.
Epilogue
Kendall
The funny thing about dreams was sometimes they came true in ways you couldn’t have imagined. Watching my husband from our kitchen was pure bliss. He had our precious almost-three-month-old baby boy asleep on his chest while he perused his email on his phone. Although he still worked a good number of hours, he prioritized Charlie and me in the evenings and on the weekends.
I piped the eclairs, setting them on the baking sheet, excited to put my latest pastry class to good practical use. I was enrolled two days a week in culinary school while working at Stephen Walsh’s restaurant another two days a week. The plan was to open a catering business someday, but first I needed to learn more about both cooking and the business side of things.
I hadn’t returned to work at the law firm after having the baby. And I couldn’t have been happier following my passion. Liam had not only been supportive, but he’d also adjusted his hours because he loved being a hands-on dad.
His new boss was more than supportive since he believed fully in a work-life balance. Yep, after not getting the coveted named partner slot, Liam had quit the firm and gone to work for Stephen Walsh directly.
It had been quite the scandal. Lowry and Anderson had lost a great deal of money with Liam’s departure, especially since Stephen Walsh no longer needed the firm. But my husband hadn’t looked back. Hadn’t so much as considered it when the board had next offered him named partner if he would stay. Nope. It had been too late. He was now proudly serving Stephen’s many companies with his talent. Considering our new boss was constantly in some sort of litigious situation, Liam was plenty busy.
I’d felt a bit of guilt at first about Liam giving up his longtime goal because the board hadn’t wanted someone with a family taking over, but Liam assured me he didn’t want to put his name on a firm that didn’t value family. As if to prove it, before he’d left, he’d put a large, framed photo on his desk of us together. Tabitha couldn’t have missed seeing that.
After washing my hands, I slipped upstairs and changed quickly. Between a baby who didn’t quite sleep through the night and our busy schedules, adventures in intimacy hadn’t been the priority. Hell, we were happy simply to have those precious hours together before we both passed out at night. So on this Saturday afternoon, I decided to spice things up. And I had just the thing to help me do it.
When I went back down into the kitchen, I watched while Liam put Charlie down in his bassinet. Perfect timing, I thought, turning around in the hopes of giving him quite the view. It wasn’t long before I heard him suck in a breath and then his footsteps on the hardwood floor.
My heart was already beating in overdrive as it always did when I anticipated his touch.
“This is quite the surprise,” he said coming up from behind me and kissing me on the neck.
I swear I could melt right there from the contact. “Mm, you like?”
“I more than like. You in nothing but a red frilly apron is the fantasy.” His hand gripped my bare ass, making the point.
“Charlie is out, I’m assuming?” If so, it should give us about two hours.
“Like a rock. Best sleeping baby ever.”
He really was. Although I still had to wake up to nurse him in the middle of the night, we often enjoyed four- to five-hour stretches of sleep. I wasn’t complaining. “My mom said I was the same.” I turned around to give Liam my full attention. “You know it’s been a while since any of our countertops got some action other than cooking.”
He lifted me up effortlessly, spreading me out on the granite surface. Then, ripping off the apron, he let his gaze roam down my body. “You’re so fucking beautiful. It literally takes my breath away.”
His hands followed his gaze, caressing my legs and up my sides, until gently cupping my breasts. Dipping his head, he kissed between them, before trailing his tongue down my stomach. “You comfortable?”
&n
bsp; Nope. The granite was hard and cold. But I wouldn’t be denied his touch, not even for a second. “I’m good.”
“Excellent, because I’ll be down here awhile.” His breath fluttered over my clit, making my entire body shiver in anticipation. But nothing could’ve prepared me for the way he buried his entire face in my pussy. He wasn’t gentle. He wasn’t careful. It was bliss. Because after I’d had the baby, he’d been cautious. Now, after a few months, he was no longer holding back. Thank God.
It wasn’t long before my first orgasm crashed over me, then my second. By the time my third came along, I was ready to scream. It was only the thought of the baby sleeping which kept me quiet, making the climax that much more intense. I had to grab something from beside me and shove it into my mouth.
Liam peppered my inner thighs with kisses before glancing up and chuckling. “There are many visions of you burned inside of my brain, but this one, with you naked, glistening from me making you come, with an oven mitt in your mouth, will be by far my favorite.”
I took it out with a wry smile. “It was either that or wake the baby.”
He helped me up to a sitting position before stepping out of his jeans. “In that case, I’m putting oven mitts everywhere throughout the house.”
The image made me grin. “I’m a fan. I’m also a fan of you inside of me.” I gripped him, sliding my hand up and down on his hardened length and enjoying the way he shut his eyes with the sensation.
He scooted me forward, aligning himself and pushing inside of me. God, I’d never get tired of this feeling.
Liam
My hips moved quickly. I knew I wouldn’t last long. Not given the way she didn’t mind tasting herself. Not given the way she was clawing the hell out of my back. But I wouldn’t let go before she went over the edge one more time. I swallowed her groan with my own, taking her mouth while we both climaxed.
We both stayed there a minute, my cock still deeply seated inside of her. My wife felt incredible. But not as incredible as it was to call her wife. Or to have witnessed the birth of our baby son. Two of the very best days of my life. Taking her face between my hands, I kissed her gently, laying my forehead against hers. “I love you. In ways I never knew possible. In depths I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to fully express.”
Her thoughtful brown eyes were on mine. “I love you, too. In ways you make possible and with the depths I see you express every day. You’re an amazing husband. And an incredible father.”
A few months ago, I wouldn’t have believed her. Not truly. But thanks to my twice-a-month therapy appointments, I was becoming much more accepting of Kendall’s generous love. Of hearing the good things and recognizing I deserved them. “You make it easy. So does Charlie. Speaking of which, I think we’ll get another hour. What do you think about taking act two up to the shower?”
Her smile still got me square in the chest. Every time. “If you set up the monitor, I’ll get the water warmed up for us.”
I helped her down and swatted her ass for good measure before watching her walk up the stairs. Then I pulled up my pants and went over to set up the video monitor for Charlie. Taking a moment, I marveled at his chubby cheeks, button nose, and soft downy hair.
“Someday, when you find someone you love, ensure they are as understanding, patient, and kind as your mother. You will never want for anything else. And know that today, a year from now, ten years from now, there has never been a father prouder of his son than I am. You don’t have to do a thing to earn it. It’s just there. No matter what you decide to do with your life. No matter what you decide to become, it’s always enough, sweet boy.”
Climbing the stairs, I was greeted by Kendall on the last step with tears in her eyes.
“I take it you heard me?”
She reached out, entwining her fingers with mine. “I turned on the monitor just in time. Have I told you lately how much I love you, Mr. Davenport?”
I gave her a small smile, no longer hiding from my vulnerability but trusting her with it completely. Lifting her up with ease, I snuggled her against my chest and walked her in through the bedroom to our shower. “You have, but I’ll never get tired of hearing it, Mrs. Davenport. Now what do you say we get to some non-pot holder-be-as-loud-as-you-want shower sex?”
Her giggle was the sweetest sound to my ears.
Coming Soon
Thank you so much for reading Miss Understanding! Chloe’s story is up next in Miss Typed.
Coming April 3rd! Pre-order today:
US Amazon
UK Amazon
AU Amazon
CA Amazon
About the Author
Aubrey Bondurant is a working mom who loves to write, read, and travel.
She describes her writing style as: "Adult Contemporary Erotic Romantic Comedy," which is just another way of saying she likes her characters funny, her bedroom scenes hot, and her romances with a happy ending.
When Aubrey isn't working her day job or spending time with her family, she's on her laptop typing away on her next story. She only wishes there were more hours of the day!
She's a former member of the US Marine Corps and passionate about veteran charities and giving back to the community. She loves a big drooly dog, a fantastic margarita, and football.
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Acknowledgments
My favorite thing to write about is office romance. And I just love starting this new series with Kendall and Liam. I have so many more books planned to include Chloe’s story next, so stay tuned for more to come!!
I want to take a moment to give a shout out to some of the people who made this book possible.
Alyssa Kress! You’ve been with me since the beginning and I can’t tell you how much I enjoy working with you. You make my words better!
Thank you to Kelly Green, the best PA a girl could have! I’m so lucky to have you in my life!
Thank you to Marisa with Cover Me Darling for your gorgeous cover.
To Judy of Judy’s Proofreading, Thank you for your eagle eyes!!
To Give Me Books: Thank you for your awesome team. You are so great to work with!
To all of the amazing bloggers who shared Miss Understanding, I thank you so much for your efforts! I’ve been so lucky to have met some of you in person over this last year and hope to meet many more of you!!
And last, but not least to my readers! I adore you all! I couldn’t do this without you! Every share, every like, every note, and every review means the world!
Also by Aubrey Bondurant
Something Series:
Tell Me Something (Haylee & Josh)
Ask Me Something (Sasha & Brian)
Bet Me Something (Kenzie & Colby)
Teach Me Something (Catherine & ???)
Show Me Something (Juliette & Mark)
Without Series:
Without Apology (Peyton & Simon)
Without Regret (Emma & Trevor)
Without Judgment (Avery & Mason)
The Miss Series:
Miss Understanding
Miss Typed
Stand Alone Novels:
Unraveled
Dirty Intentions
Miss Understanding (The Miss Series Book 1) Page 27