Epilogue
Three Years Later
Cole’s hands captured her hips, pulling her in snuggly so her back rested against his chest. “Enjoying the party?” his breath whispered across her ear, sending fine tingles skittering down her spine.
Things had been a little awkward for them both at the first work function Savannah attended, but now their relationship wasn’t really much of a thing anymore. Only a few people knew how they first met, and even though Cole’s boss Norm was one of them, he’d turned a blind eye, taking on a don’t ask, don’t tell philosophy. Cole had tried to explain things to him once, but Norm had waved him off, saying what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. Savannah had been to countless work functions with him since then, and she was pleased to be accepted into the fold with the other wives. She was younger than most, sure, but she’d always been mature for her age, so it really wasn’t an issue.
“Baby?” Cole was still waiting for her response.
She leaned against him. Her high heels were pinching her feet, and her panty hose cutting were into her sides, but she smiled and patted his hand resting on her belly. “I’m fine, love.”
“And my little daughter… how’s she? Still turning somersaults in there?” His hand smoothed over the satin of her dress to caress her swollen belly.
“She had the hiccups after I ate that spicy crab dip, but she seems fine now.”
He chuckled against her skin and pressed a damp kiss against the back of her neck. That was one benefit of having her hair twisted up in a knot. With his hand still on her belly, he spoke softly in her ear. “I’ll give you a massage when we get home if you like.”
While other men celebrated nine months of having a designated driver on hand, Cole hadn’t had so much as a single drink during her pregnancy. He was a saint—attending every doctor’s appointment, reading all the baby books and pretty much waiting on her hand and foot. She’d had a stern talking to him after he made her breakfast in bed for a month straight and tried to carry her from room to room. If he’d been protective and attentive before her pregnancy, he was psychotic mother hen during it.
He’d calmed down a little since then, but still insisted on massaging her shoulders, or her feet at the end of a long day. Savannah didn’t complain. Especially since the massages usually led to more. Cole had been hesitant at first about making love to her, limiting their activities to oral sex or extended make out sessions like they were teenagers, until she’d gotten the doctor to tell Cole it was safe. Now they were making up for lost time, for which Savannah was grateful. She found pregnancy made her highly orgasmic.
The music changed and softened and Cole swayed with her in his arms. The pregnancy made him deliriously happy — her too, but she’d always wanted children —he hadn’t been so sure when they first met. But with Cole’s thirtieth birthday drawing closer, he became more and more persistent about the idea of becoming a father. They’d been tempting fate without condoms or birth control for the last couple of years anyway, but suddenly Savannah noticed he was asking about her cycles, talking about timing sex, coming home from the drug store with boxes of pregnancy tests. She still smiled at the memory. She’d never pictured FBI agent, alpha-male Cole to be modeling baby carriers in the store, or checking the thread-count on baby blankets. All the many sides of this man surprised her. She loved the way he still made her feel like the most gorgeous woman in the room, instead of the beached whale she felt like a in the wine-colored evening gown stretching across her growing belly.
“How are your feet holding up?” he asked, speaking low near her ear once again.
Cole knew her feet often swelled to the size of balloons by the end of the night — and that was when they weren’t stuffed into stiletto heels.
“I’m looking forward to that massage later.” She didn’t want to complain, knowing he’d insist on whisking her away.
He lifted the hem of her floor-length gown. Yep, swollen like sausages. “Why didn’t you say something?”
She shrugged. She hadn’t wanted him to miss the part of the reception where he was receiving special honors for his work on a critical case he’d helped solve.
Without another word Cole ushered her through the crowd, nodding once to Norm on their way toward the exit. He handed the valet their ticket and soon they were seated in the darkened cab of his SUV, Cole’s hand resting on her knee. The infant seat was already installed in the backseat, a full two months before her due date.
Once inside, Cuddles greeted them in her customary manner — providing wet kisses to Savannah, and nipping at Cole’s ankles. They both chuckled and Cole bent and scooped Cuddles into his arms. “I’ll take her out. Go get comfortable.” He pressed a kiss to her mouth before heading out the door.
Savannah shed her dress and the offensive undergarments cutting off her circulation before stretching out on the bed. Cole returned a few minutes later, and she felt his presence before she saw him. He stood in the doorway just watching her. He still held the power to heat her skin with a single look and she was pretty sure if she was wearing panties, they’d be damp. “Are you going to join me, or are you going to stand there staring all night?”
His expression changed, breaking into an easy smile. “I want to remember you like this.” He crossed the room toward her. “You are so beautiful, Savannah.”
He sat beside her stretched out form, gently taking her feet into his lap, kneading one foot, working his thumbs up the arch.
“Did you ever think we’d be married and have a baby on the way?”
He switched his treatment to her other foot, his knuckles pressing into her instep. “You mean when we first met?”
She nodded, fighting off the chill bumps his talented hands were sending up her body.
“No, but only because I wouldn’t let myself picture it. I was trying my damnedest to resist you. Of course you were beautiful, but then you were so unexpected too, caring, giving and sweet.”
“And eventually you stopped resisting me,” she commented.
“Yes, I did. Thank f*cking God,” he returned, leaning over her to drop a tender kiss to her mouth.
Her fingers found the top button of his dress shirt, and began working to unbutton them. “Skin,” she mumbled against his mouth. “I need to feel your skin.”
He obliged, quickly losing his shirt, dress pants, socks, and pushing his boxers down his thighs to lie next to her fully nude.
As Cole’s body wrapped around hers, Savannah gave a contented sigh and allowed him to hold her. Their heartbeats thumped together as if acknowledging the courage it took to pursue what was in their hearts. Life had unfolded in unexpected ways, the events of the last few years irrevocably drawing them together. His large hands smoothed over her hips, down to her backside to draw her closer. His touch no longer set off sparks against her skin, but always made her feel safe, loved and cherished.
“I love you, Cole Fletcher,” Savannah murmured into his warm chest.
“I love you more, baby.”
She rested her head against his firm chest and closed her eyes, feeling safe and secure in his arms. She was home.
~The End~