Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24910 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24910 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
I nod, swallowing back the emotion that rises in my throat, brushing my lips against her temple, feeling the steady beat of her heart against mine. “Yeah. Yeah, it is,” I agree, letting the truth of her words settle into my bones. Then I pull back, giving her a lopsided grin, letting a bit of the old mischief slip back into my tone. “But I still think I deserve some credit for convincing you to stick around. You know, after all those years of you thinking I was just a stubborn mountain man.”
She rolls her eyes, but her smile turns sly, her eyes twinkling with that spark that first drew me to her all those years ago. “You’re still a stubborn mountain man, Slate. But you’re my stubborn mountain man. And you know what? I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
I laugh, the sound rumbling through my chest, and I lean down to kiss her, slow and deep, letting her feel everything I can’t quite say. Her mouth is soft and warm beneath mine, her hands curling into my shirt like she’s holding on for dear life, and I lose myself in the taste of her, in the feel of her body pressed against mine, in the promise that pulses between us.
When we finally pull back, breathless, the sun has dipped behind the mountains, casting the valley in shadow, but the warmth between us holds steady, a quiet, steady burn that’s only grown stronger over the years. I look back at the lodge, at our boys racing up the porch steps, the sound of my brothers’ laughter rolling across the clearing, and for the first time in my life, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Emma tugs me toward the house, her smile bright, her hand warm in mine. “Come on, Slate. We’ve got a life to build, and I’m not letting you slack off.”
I follow her, my chest swelling with a fierce, quiet joy, knowing that whatever comes next, we’ll face it together—one wild, beautiful, impossible day at a time.
“Lord help us, boys,” my oldest son breathes at my side, his identical brother shaking his head.
“Well, no stopping them now.” I suck in a fortifying breath as the pack of women in my life huddle close together with excited grins on their faces.
Ten years of marriage with Emma, and every damn day I am still surprised.
Emma and I are on the ride of our lives, not a single day the same.
“This doesn’t seem like a very good idea.” One of my boys tips his head to one side, stripping out of his shorts and down to his swimming trunks anyway.
“Woohoo!” He runs shrieking off by his brothers, covering them in a splash when he cannonballs into the chilly pool.
“You’ve got a wild one there.” My mom pats my back, happy smile on her face.
“I’ve got a whole baseball team’s worth of wild ones, Mom.”
She shakes her head. “So were you, my son. So were you.”
She leans into my body, and I wrap her in my arm, thankful I can give my mom the kind of joy I see on her face on the daily when she spends time with my kids.
“There they go,” my oldest boy utters at my side.
The remaining kids launch off the stone and into the crisp water. The group of them splash and laugh, my wife at the center of all of that fun, just like she always is.
She brings so much love and life to my world. I am the luckiest guy on this earth to call her my wife.
“You’re not gonna let them show you up, are you?” My mom arches an eyebrow in question.
My eyes lock with Emma’s across the pool, my love and need to feel her against mine, drown myself in her in every way, stronger than even a cool pool can deter.
“Fuck it,” I whisper, launching myself into the pool and swimming underwater directly for my wife. When I finally reach her, I latch my arms around her waist, punishing her with deft strokes against the tiled wall and caging her against me.
“I want to slip inside that swimsuit and fuck you right here, right now,” I whisper before nipping at her ear.
“But your mom—”
“Mom encouraged me to get in here,” I huff, grinding my cock against her soaked little pussy that calls to me every day of my life.
“I doubt that.” She giggles, and the movement against my dick makes me hornier than ever. “If you’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves with another little one.”
“Good.” I kiss at her neck, making sure I am blocking the booing kids behind me with my broad back.
“Come on, babies. Grammy’s got towels and some lunch. Give your mom and dad some alone time.”
The kids boo even louder, splashing water at my back as I persist.