Matchmaker Backfire: An Instalove Possessive Age Gap Romance (A Man Who Knows Who He Wants Book 226)
Page 13
I never really wanted a big house, but I think we both just knew deep down we’d have a big family. And the extra room seems extra now, but I know as our kids grow, and all the brothers and sisters to come that we will use the whole house from the basement to the attic.
I pick up Reese first, the youngest she’s hungry more than anything. Cradling her in my arms I move over to Kyle’s crib, hushing and soothing him with my hand before I bend over to kiss him back to sleep.
“It’s alright babies, Mommy’s here,” I coo. I never tire of hearing them happy or sad, always grateful for the chance to remind them.
To always be here for them, any time of the day or night.
Making my way down to the kitchen with Reese, I can hear Carter already coming back up with a couple of bottles.
He’s fully robed and looks like what I wanted has gone back to sleep.
But time with our babies is as important as the time we have with each other, it’s the same level of intimacy but in a totally different way.
He smiles, stroking back Reese’s hair before he does the same with mine and testing the bottle on his arm he hands it to me.
“I’ll get Kyle,” he whispers, noting Reese already starting to drift back off as she starts to suck her bottle.
I go back to our bedroom and in moments, Carlton comes in with Kyle in his arms, half-asleep but always grateful for the same attention his younger sister gets.
We sit up in the huge four poster bed, big puffy pillows behind us as we sit in the semi-darkness, only lit up every now and then by the lightning and the sounds of contented babies scored with a retreating rumble of thunder.
“Did we do good, Mommy Everett?” Carter asks something he always asks.
“Oh, we did okay, Daddy Everett,” I remind him, smiling as he leans close enough to peck my lips.
“I love you baby, more every minute,” he whispers.
His next kiss takes away the single tear on my cheek as I try to tell him the same.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
FIVE YEARS LATER
Carter
She wouldn’t let her dad talk us into buying his house, said it was part of his retirement. But she insisted we get a house by the lake.
Like the one in her photograph of me and her dad after water skiing all those years ago.
She has the same photo in a couple of places in the house, blown up and where she can see it several times a day, so she says.
So here we are.
It took some doing but I actually managed to find the exact stretch of water and the owners who were willing to sell.
One lake house for my Queen coming right up.
I haven’t skied on the water for years, probably more than I’d care to admit, but the thought of a lake house without a speedboat and skis the kids could start to get a taste for was irresistible.
Greg was even keener than I was, and made sure he got the same holiday as we’d planned so he could spend time with his grand babies while Serena and me…
Well.
Let me just say, I finally got it out of her. Or rather, I finally got it into her as well.
Her lake side fantasy of me taking her from behind in the mud turned out to be something that was probably better in the realms of fantasy than reality.
But I’ll do anything to make her happy.
The kids love the lake though.
And it’s not all speed boating and waterskiing.
I spent a summer learning how to make boats, so there’s a little pier with an even smaller boat we all just manage to fit into safely so we can have the kids out on the lake to do some fishing when they’re not catching fireflies in the late afternoon before we all turn in for the night.
Greg and Serena seem closer as Father and daughter now, the grand babies make up for any deficit of having me as a son in law, I try to joke with him.
But he’s still my best friend, next to my wife of course.
We’ve added two more to the litter, so both mommy and daddy, as well as grandpa, have their hands full when we spend a week at the lake house before any of us can call it a day.
It’s a warm June night as Greg and I shoot the breeze out front of the house on the porch.
Serena’s reading the kids a story while nursing our youngest.
Something I’ve been banned from lately because of becoming excited to the point of distraction when she’s feeding our little one naturally.
I can’t help it.
Greg has a couple of beers on the go but I always prefer the iced tea Serena makes up.
“Sounds like you’ll be president of the company before long,” I congratulate him, noting how much it matters to him still what I think of his career. His success.
“Yeah, most likely. Then I can get some proper time off, real holidays. Not just a week here or there,” he adds, looking around and cocking an ear as he hears the kids laughing with their mom.
“You’ve done me proud, Carter. I mean it,” he says suddenly, a little emotion in his voice.
“I was so against you and Serena at first. The very thought… It drove me insane for a while. But now, seeing you two together, and this wonderful family you’ve given all of us to share…”
I hold my hand up, leaning over to take his beer from him which he protests against, hugging it like a child.
“Alright, pops. You’re getting a little nostalgic there,” I caution him, reminding him it’s his last drink for today.
“I mean it though,” he says again, and I know he does because I feel the same way about everything we have, all of us.
“I know, Greg. I know,” I assure him, resting my hand on his shoulder, grateful I have two best friends from the same mold in my midst.
I hear Serena coming out, looking up and moving to get up to take my turn with the kids, but she shakes her head, smiling.
“Kyle and Co. won’t even think about closing their eyes until they’ve had a story from Grandpa and he’s tucked them in. That’s what I’ve been told to report,” she says, winking at me.
Greg rubs his hands along his knees with the air of a master magician about to perform his most renowned and adored magic tricks.
“Well, I guess I’m up, Carter,” he sighs triumphantly, making Serena and I both smile.
It’s so great he loves the kids as much as they love him, he’s so good with them.
I take his beer bottle and tipping it out over the side of the porch, I ask Serena how our littlest ones are.
“All asleep, fed and very, very tired,” she says with a smile forming at the corner of her mouth.
I stand up, hooking my arms around her waist, and pull her towards me.
“Meaning?” I ask, hoping her dad knows enough code to give us at least half an hour together, alone.
“Meaning, I want you to show me the mud down by the lake again,” she says, fluttering her eyes innocently, grabbing my front and rubbing her flat palm up and down, signaling she means business this time.
“I have my fantasy, and I want my man… down by the lake doing exactly what I tell him. Got it?” she orders, making my breathe catch for once as I check the hallway, making sure Greg’s settled with the kids.
He gives me a thumbs up from around the doorway, and the same wink his daughter just gave me.
“You’re both in on this?” I ask her innocently.
“Not entirely, but dad’s here to make sure we get some time for us as well as with the kids,” she adds cryptically, dragging me toward the edge of the porch by my belt buckle, biting her lip.
“Did I mention I have a wife?” I pretend to protest, “Being dragged off by a strange woman in the night towards the lake.”
“I’ll deal with her,” she says seductively. “I’ll let you help me deal with her…” she whispers hoarsely as we pause to kiss on the gravel path leading down to the lake.
“I love you, Serena,” I tell her, swallowing hard.
“I know,” she gasps. “Now come show me just how
much.”
NEWSLETTER
Get a free, new, original story NOW by joining my mailing list and staying subscribed.
CLICK HERE >> Get a FREE book now
A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS
Book 1: Baby Lust
Book 2: Veteran
Book 3: Built
Book 4: Bambino
Book 5: Rescued
Book 6: Leader
Book 7: Professor
Book 8: Burned
Book 9: Worldly
Book 10: Pistol
Book 11: Policed
Book 12: Driven
Book 13: Lucky 13
Book 14: Lumberjacked
Book 15: Protector
Book 16: Carpenter
Book 17: Italian Stallion
Book 18: Gardener
Book 19: Budapest Billionaire’s Virgin
Book 20: Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 21: Cocky CFO
Book 22: Fireman’s Filthy 4th
Book 23: Mechanic
Book 24: SEAL’s Secret
Book 25: Police, Pooch, and Smooch
Book 26: Fireman’s Fake Fiancée
Book 27: Billionaire’s Virgin Ballerina
Book 28: Bitcoin Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 29: Veterans Day Daddy
Book 30: Cowboy’s Christmas Carol
Book 31: Police Officer’s Princess
Book 32: Statham
Book 33: Bodyguard
Book 34: Greek God
Book 35: Billionaire Single Dad's Babysitter
Book 36: Mountain Man
Book 37: SEAL’s Justice
Book 38: Royal Romance
Book 39: Doctor Mountain Man’s Special Delivery
Book 40: Crocodile Dan D
Book 41: Mountain Man’s Secret Baby
Book 42: Doctor Bad Boy’s Secret Baby
Book 43: Cop’s Babysitter
Book 44: Nanny for the Cop Next Door
Book 45: Small Town SEAL’s Saving Grace
Book 46: Cop’s Fake Fiancée
Book 47: Billionaire’s Nanny
Book 48: Cowboy’s Babysitter
Book 49: Steamy
Book 50: Brother’s Best Friend
Book 51: Possessive Professor
Book 52: Firefighter’s Babysitter
Book 53: Soldier’s Secret Baby
Book 54: Ward’s Independence Day
Book 55: Doctor Next Door
Book 56: Possessive Policeman
Book 57: Coached by the MMA Fighter
Book 58: Boss’s Babysitter
Book 59: Virgin in New York
Book 60: Rock Star’s Baby
Book 61: Possessive Protector
Book 62: Possessive Australian
Book 63: Best Friend’s Brother
Book 64: Possessive Cowboy
Book 65: Summer Romanced
Book 66: Possessive Prince
Book 67: Lovers’s Enemy
Book 68: Cop’s Best Friend
Book 69: Possessive Firefighter
Book 70: Football Next Door
Book 71: Doctor December
Book 72: Possessive Canadian
Book 73: Blue Collar Billionaire
Book 74: Possessive K-9 Cop
Book 75: Possessive Brazilian
Book 76: Hockey Obsession
Book 77: Possessive Boston Irish American MMA Fighter
Book 78: Halloween Next Door
Book 79: Possessive Russian
Book 80: Baseball Mine
Book 81: Cop’s Caribbean Captive
Book 82: Instalove Island
Book 83: Dad’s Best Friend
Book 84: Thanksgiving with Dad’s Boss
Book 85: Possessive Italian Neighbor
Book 86: Possessive Portuguese
Book 87: Possessive Christmas Cop
Book 88: Russian’s Obsession
Book 89: Possessive Doctor’s Christmas
Book 90: Possessive Parisian Pilot
Book 91: U.K. Boxing Day
Book 92: Jealous Russian Stalker
Book 93: Italian Mountain Man
Book 94: Aggressive Russian
Book 95: Possessive Valentine
Book 96: Possessive Hunter
Book 97: Dad’s Russian Mafia Friend
Book 98: Russian Teacher
Book 99: Australian Obsession
Book 100: Russian Next Door
Book 101: Dad’s Irish Friend
Book 102: Nanny for the Russian Mafia
Book 103: Best Friend’s Dad
Book 104: Basketball Babymaker
Book 105: Possessive Veterinarian
Book 106: Brother’s Fireman Friend
Book 107: Brother’s Canadian Cowboy Friend
Book 108: Summer Vacation with Dad’s Best Friend
Book 109: Dad’s Italian Mafia Friend
Book 110: Dad’s Irish Mafia Friend
Book 111: Dad’s Football Friend
Book 112: Possessing His Dancing Queen
Book 113: Brother’s Cop Friend
Book 114: Halloween With Dad’s Best Friend
Book 115: Claimed By Her Boss
Book 116: Possessive Rider
Book 117: Dad’s Ex-Biker Buddy
Book 118: Possessive Undercover Cop
Book 119: Falling For Her Boss
Book 120: Claiming His Fashionista
Book 121: More Than Dad’s Best Friend
Book 122: Thanksgiving With Dad’s Best Friend
Book 123: Bossy Italian
Book 124: Christmas With Dad’s Mafia Friend
Book 125: Maid For The Italian Mafia
Book 126: Nutcracker
Book 127: Cowboy Cerrone
Book 128: Chef’s Kiss
Book 129: Claimed By The Russian
Book 130: Bought By The Italian Mafia
Book 131: Hot Nerd
Book 132: Dad’s Italian Mafia Boss
Book 133: Mine
Book 134: Taken By The Thief
Book 135: Curves Ahead
Book 136: Her Mafia Valentine
Book 137: Doctor Valentine
Book 138: Maid For The Irish Mafia
Book 139: Winning Her Curves
Book 140: Dad’s Cartel Best Friend
Book 141: Dad’s Greek Mafia Friend
Book 142: Lawyer’s Obsession
Book 143: Attending Her Curves
Book 144: Maid for the Russian Mafia
Book 145: Priest
Book 146: Claimed By Dad’s Best Friend
Book 147: His Curvy Office Obsession
Book 148: Easter with Dad's Best Friend
Book 149: Veterinarian's Obsession
Book 150: Curves For Her Older Boss
Book 151: Mob Lawyer's Curves
Book 152: Maid For The Doctor Next Door
Book 153: Possessive Forest Ranger
Book 154: Nurse For The Russian Mafia
Book 155: Dad’s Fireman Friend
Book 156: Russian Mountain Man
Book 157: Possessive Italian Doctor
Book 158: Dad's EMT Best Friend
Book 159: Claimed By The Publisher
Book 160: Mr. CEO
Book 161: His Curvy Castaway Obsession
Book 162: Claiming His Reunion Obsession
Book 163: Claimed By Dad’s College Friend
Book 164: Dad’s Detective Best Friend
Book 165: Attending The Russian Mafia
Book 166: Dad's Biker Best Friend
Book 167: My Dad's Russian Mafia Friend
Book 168: Possessive Landlord
Book 169: Gardener For The Mafia
Book 170: Possessive Fighter
Book 171: Claiming Her Sweet Curves
Bool 172: Possessive Camp Counselor
Book 173: Claimed By Dad's Italian Best Friend
Book 174: Possessive Neighbor
Book 175: 4th of July With Dad's Best Friend
> Book 176: Claimed By Her Enemy
Book 177: Bodyguard’s Obsession
Book 178: Falling For The Player
Book 179: Possessive Alpha Cop
Book 180: Her CEO
Book 181: Falling For Her Dad’s Boss
Book 182: MMA Fighter’s Obsession
Book 183: Possessive Lawyer
Book 184: Claimed by the British Rockstar
Book 185: Summer Obsession
Book 186: Paris with Dad’s Best Friend
Book 187: Claimed by the Possessive Fireman
Book 188: Possessive Trucker
Book 189: Falling for Dad's Enemy
Book 190: His Undercover Maid
Book 191: Her Innocent CEO
Book 192: Bratva Boss’s Babysitter
Book 193: Sold to the Bratva Boss
Book 194: My Dad's Best Friend
Book 195: His Cabin Obsession
Book 196: Driver's Obsession
Book 197: His Unexpected Love
Book 198: London with Dad’s Best Friend
Book 199: Hot Neighbor
Book 200: Maid for the Hollywood Heartthrob
Book 201: The CEO and the Wedding Planner
Book 202: Claimed by the Italian
Book 203: Dad’s CEO Boss
Book 204: The Mob and His Messenger
Book 205: Rome with Dad’s Best Friend
Book 206: Haunted by Her Curves
Book 207: Her Vampire
Book 208: Bidding for Her Curves
Book 208: Claiming His Student
Book 210: CEO's Dog Trainer Obsession
Book 211: Pool Girl
Book 212: Possessive Writer
Book 213: Maid for the Mafia Informant
Book 214: Thankful for Him
Book 215: Madrid with Dad’s Best Friend
Book 216: My Best Friend’s Dad
Book 217: Taming Her Beast
Book 218: All I Want For Christmas is You
Book 219: Falling for His Captive
Book 220: My Christmas Carol
Book 221: Preacher’s Daughter
Book 222: Her Hitman
Book 223: Claimed by Her Best Friend’s Dad
Book 224: My Roommate’s Dad
Book 225: His To Claim
Book 226: Matchmaker Backfire
BRATVA BEAR SHIFTERS
Book 1: Dad’s Russian Mafia Bear Best Friend
Book 2: Babysitter For Dad’d Russian Mafia Bear Friend
Book 3: Dad’s Bratva Bear Friend