by Jordan Marie
“I’m Jessie and this is my husband, Allen.”
I look up at Allen when I say those words and I get lost in the look in his eyes. It still feels strange to call him my husband. Strange…but definitely good.
“Oh, I know that look. How long have you been married?” November asks.
“We’re on our honeymoon,” I confess. “We got married yesterday on the beach in front of the resort.”
I get lost in my memories. It was a quiet wedding with just me and Allen, Roman, Ana and their little boy. I didn’t really have family or anyone I wanted there. Roman and Ana came along to be our witnesses. I said “I do,” in a beautiful white gauzy dress and barefoot and Allen wore a white dress shirt and relaxed slacks and was barefoot too. It was simple, beautiful and exactly what both of us wanted.
“Oh, wow. Do you remember those days, Asher?”
“Babe, every damn day with you is like our first,” Asher says and from the look in his eyes you can’t doubt it. He’s completely in love with his wife. It’s a look I know, because that’s the exact same look that Allen has given me from day one. Asher pulls his wife close, so that her back rests on his stomach and he tucks her into his body. He kisses the top of her head and keeps his arms locked around her. November tilts her head back to kiss under her husband’s chin and it’s so obvious that they’re completely in love, I can’t help but pray that Allen and I will be like that after we raise kids and have grandchildren.
“How long have you two been together?” I ask, unable to stop myself from finding out more about this couple.
“Not nearly long enough, though Asher does move fast, so we’ve packed a lot in over the years.”
“I know that feeling,” I laugh. “Allen and I have only known each other for maybe two months,” I tell her and I don’t want to take the time to count and tell her it’s probably less.
November laughs and breaks away from her husband, claiming my hand. We walk together toward the resort, our husbands following us.
“Girl, Asher had me moved in with him within days.”
“Days?” I gasp, feeling better.
“Days,” she confirms. “I did manage to go a little longer before he made an honest woman out of me.”
“She only married me for my pool,” Asher laments from behind us.
“A pool?” Allen asks.
“Some women want jewelry. My girl just wanted a pool, so I gave it to her. When a man finds his woman he does whatever he can to make her happy.”
“You’re right about that,” Allen says. “Do you want a pool, Jessie?” he asks as we make it inside the resort. Instantly cool air hits me and it feels terrific.
I look back at my husband and grin.
“Nah, but I wouldn’t mind some children with unique names and someday maybe some grandchildren,” I tell him honestly.
Allen’s eyes seem to heat as he stares at me.
“You better keep that one, son,” Asher tells him.
“I plan on it,” Allen responds, and he picks me up again, and carries me to the elevator.
“Where are we going?” I ask, already knowing, but I’m enjoying the way he’s looking at me and the need he can’t disguise that’s in his voice.
“To get started on those kids you want.”
In the background I can hear November laugh. I look over Allen’s shoulder to see Asher carrying her. They’re headed in the opposite direction, but I have no doubt what’s on Asher’s mind either.
November and I are very lucky women.
Epilogue
Allen
Ten Years Later
The house is quiet. I’m getting home late tonight. There was a little excitement at the club and I needed to see to things while the cops came and arrested the men who were fighting outside. It doesn’t happen a lot, but anywhere there’s drinking involved there’s usually an asshole with a mouth that annoys the wrong person.
I lock the door, securing the small bar at the top so it can’t be opened. Our youngest daughter, Arabella, has just recently learned how to unlock doors. I had these installed so we didn’t wake up and find her outside playing on the swing set some morning… or worse, at the neighbor’s house playing with their little boy Tyler. I have a feeling that Arabella is going to make me gray headed way before my time.
In the ten years that Jessie and I have been married life has become a beautiful dream that I never want to wake up from.
Jessie’s shop has become the “it” store in Miami and I’m proud of the success she’s made. We bought a nice quiet house in a good neighborhood that’s close to work, but still out of the city itself, so our kids have room to play. We have three children: Roan, Graham, and Arabella, and each one is as different as the day is long. Roan is the quiet, thoughtful one. I see a lot of myself in him; it’s hard for me to believe that he turns nine tomorrow. Graham is a jokester, constantly in trouble at school, and he’s just seven. I have a feeling he’s going to keep me on my toes. Then there’s Arabella, our precious daughter that looks so much like her mother it takes my breath away. She’s going to keep me running as much as Graham. The only difference is she’s way too pretty and I’ll have to worry about the boys that are chasing her too.
I take my time to check on each of my children before I finally make my way to the master bedroom. The bedside lamp is burning on my side of the bed, just like always. Jessie makes sure she keeps that on for me and it never fails to make me smile. I get undressed quickly and climb into bed and I barely have time to pull the cover up before Jessie turns to me. Her warm body wraps around me and the heat seeps into me. I hold her close, breathing her in as my heart pounds in my chest.
There was a time in my life when I prayed for death. I did everything I could to make it happen, because I couldn’t end it myself. I thought I was too weak, but now I know.
It’s not weak to live, to survive. That’s the hardest thing to do, the biggest challenge. But I owe Roman everything. He helped me find myself again and in doing that, I was able to find Jessie.
The other half of my soul.
I fought a war and somehow I survived. I did that to get to the other side, and life here… Life here is sweet. The sweetest there ever was.
“I love you, Allen,” Jessie whispers, kissing my shoulder. Her voice is thick with sleepiness.
I reach down and kiss her on the head and squeeze her.
“I love you too, Mouse,” I murmur.
I let my hand drift down to hold my wife’s stomach and I can feel my little girl kick against my palm. This will be our last child. I want time to enjoy our lives together and our grandchildren when we get older, but I also want time with Jessie. I want us to be like that couple we met on our honeymoon. A house full of children and grandchildren, but still so in love with each other that we spend each day together as if it were a precious gift.
“Quit worrying. Our little miracle will be here before you know it,” she whispers, putting her hand on top of mine.
She’s right. She reminds me of that every day. She takes time to count every miracle we’ve been given, and we have a lot of them.
“When did you know miracles existed, Mouse?”
“I didn’t, Allen,” she answers, leaning up to look at me, her eyes wide open now and staring at me with so much emotion they glow. “I had no idea,” she says. “Not until I saw you.”
My eyes close as I take my wife’s mouth and kiss her with all the love I have in my heart.
Also by Jordan Marie
Doing Bad Things Series
Going Down Hard
In Too Deep
Taking It Slow
Savage Brothers MC
Breaking Dragon
Saving Dancer
Loving Nicole
Claiming Crusher
Trusting Bull
Needing Carrie
Savage Brothers MC—Tennessee Chapter
Devil
Devil’s Blaze MC
Captured
Cra
ved
Burned
Released
Shafted
Beast
Beauty
Lucas Brothers Series
Perfect Stroke
Raging Heart On
Happy Trail
Filthy Florida Alphas Series
Unlawful Seizure
Unjustified Demands
Unwritten Rules
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