by Kacey Shea
“I know.” I anticipated she would need something to lift her spirits, but now I’m second guessing my plan. “I, um, thought maybe we’d need some cheering up. Do you feel like making a stop before we head home?”
“Ice cream?” Her eyes light up.
“No.” I chuckle, reaching for her hand on the center console and giving it a squeeze. “But maybe after we can hit that up.”
“Oh? I’m intrigued.”
“I had a realtor pull a few listings for us.” I glance from the traffic to her face, praying her reaction is positive. “Thought maybe we could check them out. At least to get an idea of what you like or what neighborhoods we might want to buy in.”
“Are you serious?” I can’t tell if she’s mad.
“We don’t have to go if you’re not up for it.”
“Chase!” Restrained by her seat belt, she still manages to throw herself at me. Her smile and kisses fill me with contentment. “Who needs chocolate and flowers when you can shop real estate? Thank you.”
“Really?” At the stop light I turn to meet her stare. “It doesn’t scare you? Because I’m not trying to pressure you. We don’t have to do anything more than look.”
“I’m excited to find a place together. We’ve waited too long to start our lives, and I’m okay with fast tracking it. I know what I want. I know it includes you.”
I don’t know how I got so damn lucky. The road we’ve traveled hasn’t been without pain and suffering, but we’re here now—together—an imperfect family who is willing to stay and face the hard stuff.
She’s my lover. The mother of my child. My home. She carries a piece of my heart and I’m ready to face the next chapter of our lives—together.
Epilogue
Alicia
Two months later
Hindsight is funny. There have been so many times in the last three years when the weeks dragged on, painfully slowly and lacking joy. Now I think the universe is making up for all those missed moments. Not only do I have Chase back in my life, but our relationship continues to grow every day. I’ve realized leaning on him doesn’t make me weak. It makes me human, and I’m ready to return the favor whenever he has a rough shift at the station or gets bad news regarding one of the teens at the center.
I found a new job, a part-time teaching position at my alma mater. I got lucky after reaching out to a few of my old professors. It’s close. It allows me to spend more time with Matty. It’s something just for me. If I want to work on my doctorate in a few years that’s always an option, but for now I’d rather spend that time with my family. With the money in my trust, I have the privilege of making that choice. It’s a gift my father has afforded me and I’ll always be grateful for that.
Oh, and we bought a house.
I was a little nervous about buying something so soon after getting back together with Chase. What if this didn’t work? What if he changed his mind? In so many ways we were still in the honeymoon phase of our relationship. But Chase put those fears to rest, and we decided to take a chance bidding on a starter home outside the city limits.
It's older. A little rough around the edges. But it’s ours and just what we need. There’s also a massive yard with a playset from the previous owners which was akin to heaven in Matty’s world.
We closed last week and today we’re finally moving in with the help of our friends. My brother Eddie volunteered to keep Matty for the day so we could get settled in without a two-year-old running around, and I’m wildly thankful for that.
The guys have been making trips from my mom’s and Chase’s place all morning, hauling boxes to our new home. They bustle in and out of the house with a new load while Jill and Callie help me unpack.
I kinda forgot how controlling and obsessive Callie is in these situations, but honestly, it works. We’re making great headway. She stands next to the counter checking a few things off her clipboard with color-coded pens before stopping to break down a few empty boxes. Jill’s in charge of dishes since she’s tall enough to reach the top shelves of the upper cabinets without requiring a step stool.
I’m on the floor unpacking pots and pans into the lower cabinet when I realize I’m missing a few. “Hey, Callie. Is that extra box around, the one with the rest of the pans?”
She turns, walking over to search the most recent delivery of boxes marked kitchen. “Yep! Here.” She bends down and wraps her hands under the bottom, ready to lift it.
“No! Don’t!” Ash shouts from the doorway. He hauls ass, running across the living room, practically jumping onto the kitchen island and sliding across it before reaching Callie’s side. She stands there stunned silent while he takes it from her. “You promised.” His eyes are wide with worry. “I thought we agreed, no boxes.”
“I’m sorry. I forgot!” Her distress is clear.
The entire conversation is so weird it’s almost comical, but by their concerned frowns, they aren’t ready to laugh about it.
Jill shifts to stare at them, placing her hand on her hip. “What’s going on here, guys?” There’s humor in her question.
The answer is obvious, at least to Jill and me. But Cam and Chase are clueless as they gather around, curiosity etched in their brows.
“We weren’t going to say anything until next week but I guess the cat’s out of the bag.” Callie cradles her stomach. “We’re pregnant!”
“Oh, my God!” I scream, running over to embrace my friend.
“Fuck,” Jill grumbles. “This means more diapers and screaming.” She saunters over, joining our group hug. Her snarkiness fades with a genuine smile. “I’m happy for you, mama.”
“Congratulations, man.” Cam holds out his hand to Ash.
“That’s right.” He shakes it then flashes a proud grin at Callie. “I knocked my woman up.”
“Please.” Chase rolls his eyes. “It’s not rocket science.”
“Don’t you get any ideas.” Jill glares, pointing at Cam.
He holds his hands up in the air. “Not me. I’ve got everything I want. I don’t need a baby to make our family complete.”
“Awww.” Jill walks over to him, sliding her arms around his waist. “You really are the perfect husband.”
“Oh, my God.” I shake my head, running over to retrieve a chair. “What are you doing? You’ve been on your feet all day.” I drag it next to Callie and force her to sit. “How do you feel? Do your feet hurt? Are you thirsty? When was the last time you ate?” We’ve been working for hours. If I’d known she was pregnant, I never would have let her help.
Callie laughs, shaking her head and calming my nerves with her smile. “I’m fine. I promise.”
“I tried to get her to stay home,” Ash says. “But she wouldn’t listen.”
“She is sitting right here,” Callie says.
“You all have helped enough.” Chase comes to my side, resting his hand on my back. “We’ll unpack the rest. We moved all the big stuff. We’re good.”
“Does that mean we’re free to go too?” Cam asks hopefully.
“We can stay.” Jill pins him with a glare.
“No.” I shake my head. “We’re good. We’ve got this. Besides, my brother texted a little while ago and said he’ll keep Matty overnight.”
Chase’s eyes pop wide open, meeting my stare with understanding before turning to our friends and ushering them out. “You heard the woman. Out. Thank you for your help, but leave. Good-bye. See you later. Come back real soon.”
“Been awhile, huh?” his brother teases.
Chase pins him with a glare. “Been too long since we didn’t have to worry about waking up a toddler.”
“Congrats on the house,” Cam says, waving as he and Jill leave the room.
“Call me tomorrow!” Jill shouts.
“Thank you again.” I wave, then hug Callie before she leaves with Ash. “I’m so happy for you.”
“We’ll talk soon. You can share all your baby knowledge.”
“Sounds good.”
When they finally all leave, Chase shuts the front door and turns the lock. His gaze is heated as it meets mine. “Have I told you how fucking sexy you are?”
“All the time.” I grin, loving how much he loves me, even in a worn sweatshirt and leggings. I step into his embrace.
“Did you know about Callie?” he asks.
I shake my head. “I have no idea how she kept it a secret. I can’t believe she’s pregnant.” I run my fingers up his chest. “You know, we should probably discuss when and if we want to give Matthew a little brother or sister.”
“You want more children?” His stare is full of so much hope.
“Mmm hmm.” I press my lips together and nod. “I want to go through it all together.”
His lips spread with a slow smile and sends butterflies to my stomach. He caresses my hips, walking us backward. “I’m no expert, but I think we should get in some practice.”
“It’s only right.” I nod seriously. “This is our first night alone in our house, after all.”
He grins, capturing my lips in a searing kiss. His mouth brushes against mine, our tongues tangling in a sensual dance. My body thrills, buzzing with anticipation for what comes next. We strip down, peeling each piece of clothing off the other between kisses until we’re panting, needy, and filled with desire.
“I want you to ride my face,” Chase says, backing us into the kitchen and dropping down on his knees to worship between my legs. Using the kitchen counter for support, I rock my hips over his greedy mouth. The brush of his lips and trim beard against my clit pushes me to the edge. When he adds his fingers, it doesn’t take long before I’m moaning, writhing, and crying out with my release.
Chase doesn’t miss a beat, climbing out from beneath my legs while I’m still coming down. His body rubs against my back and he bends me over. “Hold on, baby. This is gonna be hard and fast.”
Even with his warning, a groan of pleasure pushes past my lips as he thrusts into me from behind. His fingers dig into the flesh of my hips and he pounds into me, fucking me with a ferocious pace I’ve come to crave. I arch my back, my hands holding tight to the counter as I rock back, meeting each of his thrusts with power of my own. Sweat beads on my skin and the sounds of our bodies slapping together create the most erotic noise.
“Fuck, baby. I’m gonna . . .” A guttural groan leaves his mouth and his body shudders against me as he comes. His thrusts slow and his arms wrap around my chest, pulling me up.
I spin around to kiss him, needing to taste his lips. “I love you,” I whisper against his mouth.
“And I love you.” He hugs me close as I bury my face into his chest. We stand there, a sticky, sweaty mess and simply hold each other, memorizing this perfect moment. “Oh, shit.” Chase’s body shakes with laughter. “Alicia?” He pulls back to meet my gaze.
“What?”
“You named our child Matthew,” he says plainly.
I cock my head, confused. Why is he bringing this up? “I wanted him to have a piece of you, even if he never met you.”
“I want him to have my last name too, even if we don’t get married?”
“Oh. Um.” I like that he wants Matthew to carry his name. And marriage? The idea doesn’t scare me, even if I’d like to wait a little longer. “Are we already there?”
Chase grins, stroking my cheek. “I want him to take my last name.” He pauses, waiting for me to catch on. “But, Matthew Matthews? That’s a serial killer name.”
A giggle leaves my mouth. “Shit.”
“We could hyphenate?” Chase winces as if picturing it.
“Matthew Martin-Matthews.” I shake my head, a real laugh bubbling from my belly. “He’s never going to survive middle school.”
Chase bursts into laughter, his body shaking with the sound. We’re naked. In our kitchen. Laughing over something ridiculous, yet it’s the best thing in the world. In this moment, I know we’re going to make it—senseless last names and all.
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I hope you enjoyed the conclusion to this duet and the final book in the Caught series.
Please consider leaving an honest review on the retailer you purchased from, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. Reviews are one of the bests gifts you can provide an author!
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Also by Kacey Shea
Standalones
One Good Thing
The Perfect Comeback
Dirty Dealer
Firefighters
Caught in the Flames
One Hot Night
Caught in the Lies
Caught in the Chase
Caught in Us
Rock Stars
Detour
Derail
Hinder
Replay
Uncovering Love Series
Uncovering Love
Uncovering Desire
Uncovering Hope
Uncovering Forever
Acknowledgments
I think this may have been one of the most difficult books to write, not only because it’s a duet that tackles heavy subject matter, but because I got COVID when I was writing.
Luckily, I had a mild case, but even with that I wasn’t able to write or work for almost a month. Jumping back into this manuscript felt daunting and I hated having to push back the release, however the end result is a story I am so proud of. I hope you enjoy it too!
This book is dedicated to Kerry and Vivian, two of the best humans I know. I’m honored to call them friends and I couldn’t have written this story without their constant support.
To all my writer friends… you inspire and motivate me daily.
Joe, Abby, JD, and G, I love you. Thank you for supporting and loving me through all the highs and lows of this year.
Brenda, you are such a support. Not only do you make my words shine, but you went over and beyond to help me hit this publication deadline. I am so thankful for you.
Laura, thank you for proofing this one and being supportive even when I leave you on big cliffhangers! Melissa, thank you for being that last set of eyes on all my books. I love you both!
Sommer thank you for another amazing cover and for a series brand that readers can’t resist!
Wander, thank you for sharing your talent to bring me another gorgeous cover. You and Andrey are amazing to work with and I love that you were able to get this couple image for me!
To every reader, blogger, and friend who reads this: thank you. I wouldn’t get to write stories without your support. Thank you for buying my work, for the reviews and recommendations. You are why I work to bring you the best story I can.
About the Author
Kacey Shea is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy contemporary romance. She enjoys writing strong and smart heroines, heroes with hearts of gold, and stories that deliver a satisfying, well-earned happily ever after.
When she's not writing you will find her playing Uber to one of her three children, drinking iced tea by the gallon, or planning her next escape from the Arizona heat.
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For more information
www.kaceysheabooks.com
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