Game Day Baby

by Seabrook, C. M.

  “Now it’s time to go marry your knight-in-shining-armor,” Cleo says.

  And Tatum is that and more. He’s my hero. A man I never believed existed. A man who saved me from a life that had only been filled with loneliness and self-doubt. There are still days when I can’t believe this is all real.

  Soon enough, I am walking down the aisle, both my engagement ring and the ring from Grandma Ryan glittering under the candlelight. Cleo and Charlie stand on one side of the hall; on the other is Ellis and Knox, and Tatum.

  My Tatum.

  The moment I fix my eyes on him, he is the only thing I see. My now and my forever. The love of my life, my protector, and my baby-daddy. I place a hand on my newly pregnant belly, my heart pounding and my smile so wide I think I might burst.

  How did I get all this? A life so insanely beautiful. I was a mess of a girl, a shell, and now I am whole.

  And not just because of Tatum -- but because the saying isn’t wrong. What doesn’t kill us does make us stronger. My past may be a hard pill for some people to swallow, but in the end, it isn’t bitter. It’s beautiful.

  Tatum and I exchange our vows, the hall hushed and our words soft, our hands held. He slips the wedding band on my finger and my hand shakes. Not because I’m nervous but because I am so damn happy. When the officiant tells Tatum to kiss his bride, he draws me to him, kissing me tenderly. My eyelashes flutter and my belly flip-flops and I kiss him again, more than ready for our wedding night.

  After the reception, where we dance and eat cake and celebrate, Tatum lifts me into his arms and carries me over the threshold of our room in this ancient castle.

  “Hello, wife,” he says setting me on the floor.

  “Hello, husband.” I close my eyes as he runs his hands over the buttons on the back of my gown, undoing them one by one. My skin prickles as he runs his hands over my bare back, the gown falling to the floor as I step out of it wearing white lace and nothing else. He runs his hands over my breasts, dropping to his knees as he kisses my belly. My heart surges with pride at what our future holds.

  He kisses my belly button and I thread my fingers through Tatum’s hair, drawing him closer. “God, I love you,” I say, sitting on the bed. Tatum between my thighs with his mouth on my skin. I moan, wanting this, needing more. Needing everything.

  He kisses and licks me until I come and then I pull him to me, drawing him closer still. His cock hard and all mine, and he fills me, taking my breath away.

  “I love you, Aria Madden,” he tells me.

  “I love the sound of that,” I say, smiling.

  He fills me up more deeply, making me moan loudly in pleasure. “And I love the sound of that.”

  Epilogue II

  Tatum

  Five years later...

  In true Aria fashion, she didn’t want a spectacle to be made over her release, but I know much hard work she put into writing her memoir. It deserves at least a little fanfare.

  “What’s all this?” Aria asks, coming into the kitchen, the morning sunlight filtering through the window. She’s in a bathrobe, her hair in a messy bun, and she looks as sexy as ever. Bouquets of red roses fill the kitchen island and her face brightens as she plucks the cream-colored card from one of the bouquets. “To the bravest woman I know. Yours forever, Tatum.” She walks over to me wrapping her arms around my chest and giving me a kiss. “Tatum this is so sweet.”

  “You said no to a release party, but you still needed flowers. And this,” I say, handing her a black velvet box. “Is just a little icing on the cake.”

  She opens the box and gasps, taking in the necklace I had specially designed for her. “These are the birthstones of the kids?”

  “Yep, a ruby for Rose, a sapphire for Sawyer, and a topaz for Asher.”

  She pulls out the necklace and I clasp it to her neck. “I know writing your memoir reminded you of the family you lost, but I wanted to give you this necklace as a reminder for the family you still have.

  “It’s perfect,” she says, pressing her hands against my chest, tears filling her eyes. “Thank you.”

  “Why are there so many flowers?” Rose asks, bouncing into the kitchen. At five, this blue-eyed, blond hair beauty is a ball of energy. Her three-year-old brother, Sawyer, trails her and her two-year-old brother, Asher, follows close behind.

  “They’re for Mommy,” I say, as Aria pours herself a cup of coffee. Rose and Sawyer climb on the stools at the island. I pick Asher up, sitting him in a highchair and ask if everyone wants pancakes, the batter is already mixed, and the griddle is hot.

  That’s me -- doing the Dad thing with no regrets. I wanted the fairy tale ending and I got it.

  “Yes, please!” Rose exclaims.

  “With chocolate chips,” Sawyer adds.

  I pull Aria close to me, kissing her softly. “And do you want chocolate chips too?”

  She smirks, smacking my butt. “You know I have a sweet tooth when I’m pregnant.”

  My hand runs over her growing belly. She’s five months pregnant with twins -- a boy and a girl. “Oh, I know what you like when you’re pregnant.”

  She laughs, but I know we’re both imagining the same thing. Her back on the bed, thighs parted, my mouth pressed against her until she is whimpering for more. God, I love my wife.

  “And look,” I say lifting the gold chain that holds the birthstones. “After the twins are born, we can add two more stones for them.”

  “Well, you should have bought diamonds for April. I’m demanding these two come early.”

  “You aren’t due until May eighth,” I say grabbing a bag of chocolate chips and dropping the bits of chocolate in the open mouths of our kids. They shriek with laughter, trying to catch the chips.

  We make breakfast as a family, Aria catching my eye. As always, she glows with pride. Each smile causing my heart to swell. When her phone rings she answers it, walking out of the kitchen and onto the back patio to our garden. I spread butter and pour syrup for the kids, hoping everything is okay.

  When she comes back in a few minutes later her eyes are wide as if in shock.

  “Good news?” I ask.

  “It was my agent, Gina. The book is already on the best seller list. It’s not even nine am.”

  “And how does that make you feel?”

  She blinks back tears, taking my hand and leading me outside. We still live in the bungalow we bought all those years ago and standing in the backyard with the woman I love feels like home.“I know telling the story, putting it out in the world could seem like I’m reopening a can of worms, but it feels like I am finally getting closure.”

  After Aria came out about Ward, other women came forward as well. The case was long, drawn out, but in the end, he was convicted, and although his sentence wasn’t steep enough in my opinion, he served time in jail. Plus, he’s been blacklisted in Hollywood, his career finished.

  “Why are you crying?” I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear then wipe away her tears.

  “I just wish Ash was alive for it, so she could have found closure too.”

  I pull my wife to my chest and hold her for a few long moments, knowing from the chatter of the children inside that they are perfectly fine. “You know, I have another release day surprise for you today.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep. After I give the talk at East End High, I’m picking you up. So, pack a bag we won’t be home until morning.”

  After creating my scholarship foundation, I realized I wanted to do more. So, I started doing public speaking, going to high school campuses around the country and telling my story, how I went from a small-town kid to a starting player for Princeton and then the Chargers. And then, how instead of squandering my status as a world-class athlete, I decided to give back.

  The foundation awards scholarships to students who give back too. Charlie Beckett has tons of experience with her own foundation and was instrumental in helping me get mine off the ground. Now it is changing lives.

 
; “Where are you taking me?” Aria asks.

  “I got us a room at the Beverly Hills Hotel.” I kiss her again, thinking of the kisses that will come later tonight.

  “That’s romantic,” she says, and I know she is remembering our first night alone together, without Rose, when the two of us had the best sex, and best sleep, of our lives.

  “Is Knox coming with you today?” Aria asks.

  “Yeah, the kids at East End are gonna freak out when they see him.”

  Aria laughs. “Being the MVP of the league kinda does that to a guy. You should know.”

  I smile, taking her hand and pulling her back inside. “I still can’t believe they gave me that honor after ending my career the way I did.”

  In the house, I tell the kids to be good today, because Grandma Shelly is coming over to babysit. She and my dad are in town this week and offered to help out like they always do. That keeps everyone in a good mood.

  “And Rose, we have to leave for ballet class in an hour, Cleo’s teaching today,” Aria tells our little girl. “Your favorite pink tutu is clean and in your closet.”

  I turn to my wife. “I need to shower and get ready.”

  She wipes Asher’s face and lifts him from the highchair before setting him on the floor. “You need any help with that?” she asks with a wink.

  I look around the kitchen, where our three kids running in circles. They are giggling over Sawyer’s booty shake that we’ve all dubbed the best dance move we’ve ever seen. And with a mother who is a dance instructor, that’s saying something.

  “You think we can manage that with this wild tribe at our heels?” I ask, laughing.

  She pushes out her bottom lip in a pout. “True.” Then she licks her lips. “Rain check for tonight?” She wiggles her eyebrows, already knowing the answer.

  I wrap my arms around my wife again, hating the idea of leaving her for even an hour. This woman who made me more than a man. She made me a father, time and time again.

  “I love you, Aria,” I tell her for the millionth time.

  “Because I keep giving you babies?” she teases, knowing it’s not true.

  “No. Because you gave me the life I always wanted. The one I never thought I’d be lucky enough to find. Because you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.” I kiss her softly and whisper against her lips, “Not to mention the sexiest.”

  “Even five months pregnant?”

  I chuckle. “Especially five months pregnant. Because you’re even hornier than you usually are.”

  She laughs, but we both know it’s true.

  The kids have settled down on the couch, pleading with us for an episode of their latest cartoon obsession. I tell them sure and in a moment their eyes are fixed on the screen as I planned this all out.

  I take my wife’s hand, leading her down the hall. “Guess we won’t need a rain check after all.” I kiss her again, as I pull her to our bed.

  “You’ll be late,” she whispers as I close our bedroom door.

  Shaking my head, looking at the woman I love more than life itself. “No, Aria, you and I, we have all the time in the world.”

  Also by C.M. & Frankie

  Six Men of Alaska

  The Wife Lottery (FREE!)

  The Wife Protectors

  The Wife Gamble

  The Wife Code

  The Wife Pact

  The Wife Legacy

  Mountain Men of Bear Valley

  Untamed Virgins

  Untamed Lovers

  Untamed Daddy

  Untamed Fiance

  The Princeton Charming Series

  Kissing Princeton Charming

  Dating Princeton Charming

  Losing Princeton Charming

  Forever Princeton Charming

  Hammers and Veils

  Stripped Bare

  Nailed Down

  Scr*wed Tight

  Drilled Deep

  Love Without Limits

  Naughty Scot

  Dirty Brit

  Unruly Norse

  Filthy Irish

  Booty Call Series

  Bootyogomy

  Bootyversary

  Humpany

  Booty Camp

  Get Some Series

  A.D..I.D.A.S. (All Day I Dream About Sex)

  G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time)

  T.Y.P.O. (Take Your Pants Off)

  Standalones

  Heart of the Mountain

  Game Day Baby

  About Frankie

  Frankie Love writes filthy-sweet stories about bad boys and mountain men.

  As a thirty-something mom to six who is ridiculously in love with her own bearded hottie, she believes in love-at-first-sight and happily-ever-afters.

  She also believes in the power of a quickie.

  Find Frankie here:

  www.frankielove.net

  About C.M.

  C.M. Seabrook writes hot, steamy romances with possessive bad boys, and the passionate, fiery women who love them. Swoonworthy romances from the heart!

  Find C.M. here:

  www.cmseabrook.com

  For something a little different, read Chantel Seabrook's Shifter, Reverse Harem, and Fantasy books here https://amzn.to/2MTiItI