She starts to step toward the bathroom, but I grab her wrist and pull her back on top of me. “Don’t you dare go clean up.”
“Ethan.” There’s a hint of reprimand to her voice.
“I’ll let you wash up tomorrow. But tonight? Let me know you’re leaking me, covered inme. Just for tonight.”
“You don’t…think it’s gross?”
“Fuck no.”
“But the sheets…”
“Can be changed.”
That seems to be enough to convince her because she leans against me, turning so her ear is against my chest and her knees are curled between my legs.
Everything about this feels right.
She shakes with a giggle and I run my hand down her curls. “What’s funny?”
“I’m just imagining Ruby’s reaction when she finds out about us. She’s known that I’m into you for ages. Hell I think she opened my own eyes to it, having caught me staring at you one too many times.” With a slight adjustment she snuggles further into my chest.
“So, she’ll be happy?”
“Ecstatic.”
“Are you ready for that? For everyone to know?”
Her palm flattens over my heart and she pushes back to look at me. “Is this just sex for you?”
“Hell no. I want you to be mine. In any way you’re willing to be.”
She snuggles back against me and I feel her eyelids flutter shut. “Good then. Because I want to be yours. In every way.”
Fuck. I’m a lucky man.
Epilogue
Biannca
18 months later
Life has a funny way of working out. There are times when you work with someone and can’t bring yourself to talk to them, until the boss you can’t stand requires you to bring a plus one to a work event and you match on an app.
I bought Jemma a bottle of wine as a thank you.
Everyone took the news well and not a single person we work with was surprised. Apparently they all saw the writing on the wall way before we did.
I don’t know that I would have believed that a year and a half later I’d be sitting at a table next to Ethan at one of his mother’sluncheons. She welcomed me into the fold with very open arms, and now her events aren’t set ups, but networking events.
A smile spans my face as I take in my surroundings. The gala we did helped immensely, and Ethan’s mom took it upon herself to host something this year. Which is where we are now.
Just like last year, Ethan can’t keep his hands off me. Though it’s a bit different. His hand rests on the slight swell of my stomach while he leans across the table, animatedly talking with a friend of the library.
He’s had his hand in this exact spot as frequently as possible lately. Ever since I felt the baby kick a few days ago, his hand has been on my stomach. Even though I told him it might still be a few days or weeks until he can feel from the outside, he refuses to not touch me.
“I don’t want to miss it,” is what he tells me every time I mention it.
Life moved fast after the gala. We spent that weekend tangled in each other and sheets. Even though we were together, going to work on Monday was awful, mostly because we had to pop our privacy bubble and face other people.
