by Alicia Rae
Our connection was palpable. Our love was the kind that would last forever. Our hearts were fused together, beating as one.
As the reception began to wind down, Damien and I strolled, hand in hand, down the beach. The temperature was perfect, and the evening breeze was refreshing.
“Did you enjoy your day, Mrs. Heathman?” Damien asked with a light squeeze of my hand.
I turned to face my stunningly handsome husband, noting the look of pure happiness on his face. His strong cheekbones that led to a square jaw were relaxed, content, and utterly at peace, mirroring the way I felt inside.
“I did, very much so. Thank you.” I looped my arm around his left one and leaned my head on his shoulder, twining our fingers together, as we continued our stroll along the shore back toward the house.
“So, where would my wife like to go on our honeymoon?” Damien queried. “Heathman Enterprises’ jet is on standby to take you anywhere you’d like to go in the morning.”
“Hmm…” I deliberated with a smile, feeling like I was living a dream.
I was about to get Damien all to myself for a whole seven days. When I was a kid, I’d always wanted to go to Ireland, France, and the Caribbean islands. A nice warm tropical beach with clear blue water was definitely the winner. I had no idea if that was a practical destination for us or not.
“Are the Caribbean islands a possibility?” I asked with a hopeful tone.
“Yes.”
I widened my eyes while glancing up at him. “Really?”
“Yes.” He peered down at me with an affectionate smile. “Anything for you.” He kissed my forehead. “I do have one condition though.”
For the most part, Damien and I had very different understandings of compromise, so my heart skipped a beat, as I wondered what terms he was going to add to our honeymoon.
“What’s that?”
“I don’t want to return next Sunday. Seven days alone with my gorgeous girl simply isn’t enough. I want to stay until the following Friday, so I can have twelve days to binge on you and then come home on a weekend to recover where I plan to binge on you for two more days.”
I laughed at my unreasonable husband. Unfortunately, I hadn’t cleared my schedule for that many days, and I was kicking myself in the butt for it right about now.
“I wish I could get away for that long, but I have clients that will need me back,” I responded, firm with my decision. With my health, I’d missed so much work this past year. It was unfair to make my clients go even longer without the presence of a dedicated accountant.
“Take it or leave it, baby. That’s the only compromise I’m offering.” His deep tone was resolute as he added, “Besides, I already spoke with Cale and Ashton yesterday. The two of them said I could take you away for another week, and they’d have no trouble covering for you.”
Inside, I was thrilled by this news. But my inner sass couldn’t go down so easily.
My stubborn man was being challenging…just to be challenging. So, I bit back my glee and hit him with my sass. I had to keep him on his toes.
“You’re stubborn,” I scoffed, stifling my amusement. Twelve days in the Caribbean was going to be heavenly.
In the blink of an eye, Damien had me in his arms. I let out a delightful, loud squeal as my arms automatically clung to his nape.
“You knew that before you married me.” He grinned that sexy, boyish grin of his, making me swoon with its intensity.
I brought my index finger to my lips and thoughtfully tapped on them. “I might need to reconsider then,” I retorted, clearly goading him. It was becoming increasingly hard to keep my face in check.
His grin broadened. Lucky for me, I wasn’t standing, or I would have been knocked off my feet. He was too handsome for his own good.
“Gorgeous girl,” he drawled, alluring me in with the low and deep huskiness of his voice, “I can read you like an open book, so you can’t hide your true thoughts from me. Those beautiful, stunning greens are telling me everything I need to know, so admit it. You’re just as excited about the extended honeymoon as I am.”
“Never.” My lips betrayed me with a detectable twitch.
“Okay.” He veered left.
I instantly went on alert. The sound of the waves rolling onto the shore was becoming louder and louder.
“Damien!” I warned, tightening my arms around him in a death grip. If I was getting wet, so was he.
“Hmm, baby, I can’t quite recall if I’ve ever asked if you can swim…” He trailed off with a devilish glint in his eye.
“You wouldn’t,” I gasped. The bastard knew damn well I could swim.
“Baby, we both know I will. Plus, a midnight swim means I get to see more white lace beneath this dress,” he breathed with his mouth less than an inch from mine before lightly tugging my lower lip between his teeth. “So, what’s it going to be? Are we extending our honeymoon, so I can binge on that gorgeous body of yours longer, or are we taking a late-night dip into the big blue sea?”
He wouldn’t dare. I was in my wedding dress, for heaven’s sake. But then I realized whom I was talking about here.
Damien.
My Damien.
And he absolutely would toss me in the ocean, wedding dress and all.
I instantly switched my strategy, caving to his demands, for I wasn’t stupid. I knew who held the power—my unreasonable, ridiculously hot CEO.
My gaze locked on his, and I brought my hands to his face, feeling a faint stubble tickle my palms. “I surrender,” I breathed. “For two whole weeks, I’m yours.”
“Baby, I have you forever…and I plan to spend every single day worshipping you, adoring you, devouring you, and loving you.” His grays sparkled under the moonlight as he kissed the left corner of my mouth and then the right, slowly and seductively, lingering on my lips. “But I accept your surrender. Now, kiss me, wife,” he added gruffly.
So, I did.
I poured my heart and soul into our embrace, ravenously kissing him, tenderly sweeping my tongue back and forth along his.
It was a long while before we finally parted, and we rejoined our hands to begin our walk up toward the house. But something made us stop in our tracks.
It was Tryston and Iris. They were at the end of the dock. Tryston’s tall frame was towering over Iris, and he was kissing her, hard, ravishing every square inch of her. His hands went to her backside to pull her even closer into his body, and Iris was clinging to him for dear life.
My mouth dropped open.
Suddenly, Iris pulled back on a loud gasp, and she threw her hand over her mouth while shaking her head. “I’m sorry. I can’t,” she blurted. Then, she ran all the way down the dock and back up to the patio, toward the party.
Tryston stared after her, watching her every move. There was something about the look in his eyes…and I quickly identified it as determination—pure determination.
He wanted her. Bad.
His head slowly swung in our direction. His good-looking face was completely unapologetic. Then, his tall, broad body began to saunter up the beach, toward the house.
What the…
“Well, it looks like Tryston has his eyes set on someone,” Damien stated, clearly amused.
I instantly felt protective of my friend. “Maybe Iris doesn’t want him.”
She totally did. It had been written in her swoony eyes. Still, girls had to stick together.
“Right.” Damien chuckled deeply at my side. “Tryston is a man who goes after what he wants, and by the looks of it, he definitely wants Iris,” he told me. “And Tryston is not one to back down from a challenge. Not ever.”
“Iris can be one tough cookie, too.”
“We’ll see,” he huffed out on a masculine growl, definitely cheering on his friend.
My heart rate sped up. I’d heard that phrase from him many times, and I’d not once ever come out on top.
If Tryston was anything like Damien, my dear best friend was doomed. She was bou
nd to fall, hard, just like I had for my challenging man.
Damien swooped me up into his arms and said, “Now, enough of your sass, Mrs. Heathman.” He brought his face to mine. “Let’s go say good night to our guests, so I can take you to bed. I want you all to myself, so I can start stripping you out of that lace to worship and love you all night long.”
I beamed ever so brightly. I loved it when he got all bossy with me and then won me over with his words.
I lightly grabbed the back of his hair and yanked him closer. “I fucking love you,” I said, saying what he often said to me.
His boyish grin was immediate. “Not as much as I fucking love you.”
The storms were gone.
The dust had settled.
It was only me and him, forever, just as it was always meant to be.
epilogue
Five Years Later
Damien
“Just a little more sand, Daddy.” My sweet Chloe giggled to me, dumping another bucket of sand over my chest before patting it down, good and proper, with her tiny hands. Her curly blonde hair blew in the breeze, and her bright blue eyes sparkled as she focused on her task.
“We need more sand over here, too, Chloe, to cover Daddy’s toes,” Devin, my handsome little boy, chimed in, pouring another bucketful over my right foot.
Keeping the rest of my body perfectly still, I tipped my head toward them and admired their handiwork. Piles and piles of sand covered every inch of me from the shoulders down, completely coating me in the warm Florida sand. My little twin peanuts had buried me in the sand, so we could stay on the beach forever. It was their plan to avoid bedtime. My peanuts were smart.
“Very nice job.” I beamed from ear to ear between the two of them. “Do you think it can hold your strong daddy down?”
“Hmm…” Devin chewed on his lip. Those chocolate-brown eyes of his were definitely lost in thought. My boy was a deep thinker, just like his dad. “Chloe, quick, we need more sand.”
“Lots more,” Chloe agreed with a nod.
Their little arms and legs got busy, grabbing more buckets of sand and pouring them on me. Chloe continued to work on my upper half while Devin tackled the lower.
Their mommy was going to be proud of me, for these two were going to sleep good tonight. I’d bet they wouldn’t even make it through their bedtime snuggles and story time. That was fine by me. There was nothing sweeter than their tiny bodies nuzzling into my chest and dozing off into a restful slumber.
I looked to my left and to my right, seeing that my peanuts had even packed a lot of sand on my sides.
“Wait, Daddy!” Chloe gasped when a small crack formed over my collarbone from my slight movement. “You need more sand!” She grabbed her bucket, filled it to the brim, and dumped it over the crevice.
Sand went all over my face. Luckily, my reflexes were excellent, and I’d closed my eyes and mouth in time.
Chloe fell to her knees, leaned over me, and grabbed my cheeks. “Daddy! Daddy! Are you okay?” she cried. Her tiny fingers frantically brushed the sand off my face.
Sand was nothing. Precious moments with my peanuts were everything.
“I’m perfect, baby girl.” I affectionately smiled at her.
Devin continued to dump another bucket of sand. He was taking this challenge very seriously. He definitely had his father’s determination, too.
“There.” Devin gave me a good pat. “Now, I bet you can’t move, Daddy.”
“Are you sure?” I drawled, teasing my boy. “I’m pretty strong.”
“Positive,” Devin said, sounding confident.
“Want to bet me your nice warm brownie that Mommy’s making?” I asked, my tone full of mischief.
Of course, I wouldn’t eat my boy’s brownie.
But we were talking about a homemade treat made by my gorgeous wife, who could make a killer brownie. So, maybe I could make an exception, just this once.
No, no, no, I wouldn’t eat it.
“Yep, you have a deal. This sand must weigh a ton!” Devin exclaimed.
“But Daddy’s strong,” Chloe chimed in, pinching those blonde eyebrows of hers together in concentration.
“Give it a try, Daddy!” Devin laughed.
I closed my eyes and sat utterly still for a few seconds, drawing out their excitement. Then, I pushed my arms and legs out of the sand at the same time. “Argh!” I bellowed out, pretending to struggle. “I’m coming for you, little peanuts! You’d better run!”
Chloe screamed, laughing, as she took off running. Her blonde curls bounced and flapped in the wind around her.
Devin sprinted in the opposite direction. “You can’t catch me, Daddy!” His laughter filled the air and my heart with its sweet sound.
I caught my beautiful blue-eyed peanut and tossed her over my shoulder. Then, I scooped up my handsome brown-eyed peanut and threw him over my other shoulder. “Looks like I’ve got you both! Now, what shall I do with you?” I chuckled, feeling my heart swell with love. “Hmm, decisions, decisions.”
“Mommy! Mommy! Save us!” Chloe thrashed around in my grasp.
I spun around, and my eyes landed on my gorgeous wife. Her white sundress bustled around her beautiful curves as she carried a plate of brownies with our newest little peanut, Addison, in a pink infant carrier tucked against her chest. She lowered herself to the blanket, set down the brownies, and lovingly stroked her hand up and down on Addison’s back.
With my gaze fixated on hers, I smirked. “Mommy can’t save you.”
“Mommy will,” Raelyn argued with those stunning greens, looking as sassy as ever.
I instantly made a mental note to remind her exactly who held the power in this relationship once our little peanuts were asleep. She was supposed to be on my side, the traitor.
“How so?” I challenged with a devious glint.
“Mommy doesn’t have to give Daddy a brownie.”
“We’ll see.” I pinned her with my eyes, making my challenge and heat and desire for my gorgeous wife well known. Then, I told my little peanuts, “Oh, I’ve got just the thing. How about we see if my little peanuts can swim?” I stalked toward the ocean with my babies in tow.
“Don’t give him any brownies, Mommy!” Devin cried out. “And save us, please!”
I tickled his side when I reached the water, making Devin giggle incessantly. “What did you say?”
“I—” Devin broke off on a chuckle when I tickled my little monster again.
“No brownies for Daddy, Mommy! Not one!” Chloe, my other little traitor, snickered persistently.
I swung them both around and dipped their legs into the water while spinning. “What did you say?” I teased, continuing to twirl them about.
“Not one!” Devin chortled.
“Again, Daddy!” Chloe giggled.
She loved the water, so I plunged her legs beneath the sea while rotating again.
A huge smile covered my face. Nothing compared to spending time with my family. I treasured every single second of it.
“The brownies are getting cold,” my wife said, causing all three of us to whip our heads over to her.
I stalked back toward the edge of the water, and when it was just above my ankles, I lowered Chloe and Devin to the ground.
“Me first!” I called out, pretending to sprint after the treats.
“My brownies!” Devin took off running.
“No, mine!” Chloe’s little legs snapped into action, and she chased after her brother.
I let my little peanuts beat me to Raelyn. Chloe and Devin lowered themselves to the blanket and snuggled into their mother’s side, both waiting patiently for Raelyn to hand them a napkin and brownie.
All the while, I hung back, feeling my heart beat too fast.
A Voice for Kids had blessed me with becoming a father to three beautiful babies to unconditionally love and nurture forever. From the moment Raelyn and I’d first laid eyes on them, they were ours, and my gorgeous wife was an unbelievable mot
her.
Raelyn tenderly rubbed our baby girl’s back, soothing her, before taking off the infant carrier. Then, she gently set Addison into a pink-and-purple bouncy thing to shade her from the sun.
My gorgeous wife turned those greens on me. “Come here, Daddy.” She curled her finger at me. “You get a brownie, too.”
I didn’t even want the brownie now. It could wait. First, I wanted to kiss my wife senseless.
So, I went to the blanket, lowered to my knees, and crawled up over my wife. My little peanuts scooted to the side and snickered, for they knew exactly what I was about to do. It wasn’t anything new to them. Chloe and Devin were used to me loving on their mommy, and soon, Addison would be, too.
“I love you,” I told Raelyn, leaving out my usual curse word in the center of my spoken heartfelt conviction. I’d add that part in later when I had my wife all to myself.
“I love you, too.” Raelyn’s eyes shimmered.
I captured her mouth and kissed her, deeply and reverently, hoping to convey just how much I adored her and how grateful I truly was for her and my beautiful family.
My heart was full. So fucking full. With so much love.
I was living my forever with my gorgeous girl and my beautiful little peanuts with a happy, thankful heart.
acknowledgments
I have so many wonderful people to thank. Each person has truly been a blessing throughout this new chapter in my life.
First and foremost, I cannot express enough thanks to my remarkably talented editor, Jovana Shirley, at Unforeseen Editing. She was the first person I met when I started this journey of writing, and I’m forever grateful for her friendship, advice, and the endless late nights she shares with me while perfecting every single word of each of my novels. She takes my original manuscripts and makes them shine. Thank you for your continued dedication and hard work! Much love, lady!
To my family, who has always supported me with unconditional love, even during the times when I practically live in my writing cave—Thank you, and I love you all dearly. *Hugs & Kisses*
To Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations—Thank you for taking all the photographs and creating a work of art with all my covers. I am in awe of your extraordinary talent, and I absolutely love each and every cover.