Gage softly muttered cattle statistics as Rowan wrapped her fist around his cock.
She investigated every inch of him, running her nails through the light patch of hair around the base and cupping his balls in her palm, squeezing gently as if testing the weight.
Taking him in her mouth made his entire body lock. She ignored his groans as she savored what they tasted like together. His heels dug into the bed, his fists clenched in the linens, and his jaw locked.
“Rowan, I can’t hold back. Oh, fuck...I’m comin’, honey.”
A long time later, Rowan felt when his body relaxed into the bed and she licked the head, planting a kiss there before curling up at his side. His arm came around her tugging her tight to his side.
Curling around her, he said, “I love you, Rowan.”
With Gage’s body wrapped around hers, Rowan thought about Bennett. She’d always love him. No part of her would ever forget him.
She also knew – for her sanity – that she had to let him go. It hurt but not as bad as the day before...or the day before that, or the day before that.
Pain that once sliced through her like a knife was a steady dull throb that flared up at the strangest moments or memories.
Eventually, it would get better still.
Gage and Benji would help.
* * *
Blinking in confusion, Rowan knew hours had passed as she slept. Gage was curled against the back of her body.
It was the first time in almost two months that she hadn’t had a nightmare when she closed her eyes. The realization made her smile.
Then she realized she was covered in breast milk.
“Will there ever be a situation where sex is involved that doesn’t end with something bizarre?” she asked the room softly.
In her hair, Gage grumbled, “Sex is weird and wonderful. I think my forearm is stuck to the underside of your boobs.”
“I will wither away from mortification…”
He chuckled. “A shower will fix you up.”
“Clearly, it’s about feeding time.”
“Then let’s get cleaned up.” He got up and pulled her to her feet. “How beautiful you are, Rowan.” He tilted his head with a frown. “But somethin’ is missin’...” Picking up the jeweler’s box, he removed the ring and slipped it on her finger. “There. That’s better.”
They showered and dressed, peppered with lots of kissing and groping. Stepping out on the porch, she could see Miss Jeffries’ house in the distance since there were no trees on that side of the road.
“I didn’t know you could see the home from here.”
“We use the other side of the road for hay.” He pointed behind him at the second-floor window on the other end of the house from the master bedroom. “That one was mine until I finished college. I had a lot of sleepless nights with this view.”
“Stalker…”
“Admittedly.”
He lifted her into Teddy’s saddle and settled behind her. She leaned back and his arms went tight around her.
“You feel good, Gage.”
One kiss and he nudged his horse into a walk. When they were on the road, he whispered, “Do you trust me, Rowan?”
She nodded and gasped as Teddy started to run. Terrified at first, by the time they entered the yard of her house, she was laughing with her hair wild around her face.
James and Mary-Margaret stood on the porch with big smiles. The bodyguard held Benji.
Gage swung down and pulled Rowan from the saddle. He carried her to the porch and put her on her feet, pulling her to him for a quick kiss.
He moved past her and held his arms out to James who placed Benji in them without hesitation. “Hello there, little man. You and I are gonna get along great.”
Rowan watched as Gage walked to his horse with Benji and set his tiny palm on Teddy’s neck.
“You’re gonna be around a lot of horses and cows in your life. This is Roosevelt. I call him Teddy. He’s the best horse I’ve ever had and the first one your mama ever rode.”
He added in a mock whisper, “He’ll be the first one you ride as soon as we get one of those little baby backpacks and some sedatives for your poor mother.”
Kissing his soft head, Gage whispered something in Benji’s ear and her son gurgled.
“Yeah, we understand one another, don’t we, Benji? We’ll talk more later but I bet you’re starvin’.” With that, he carried Benji to Rowan and placed him in her arms.
She looked between them and asked, “What did you say?”
He winked. “I told him not to be too hard on me. I’ve never been a dad before.”
“Rowan, darling.” Mary-Margaret’s voice was stern. “Is there news you wish to share with two people who have been waiting breathlessly for your return?”
She held up her hand and said, “Gage asked me to marry him.” She smiled nervously and James stepped down to hug her tightly. “I said yes. It-it won’t be for a while but...” Her voice trailed away.
Nodding, the assistant said, “A wedding next summer perhaps. That would be lovely. I think James should walk you down the aisle. Oh, there’s much to do…”
“Wait,” Rowan interrupted with a frown. “You’re not surprised. Did he mention asking?”
“I’m certain I wouldn’t know, darling.” Then Mary-Margaret’s face lifted and tears shimmered in her eyes. “But I hoped.”
Placing her hand on the woman’s cool cheek, she said, “I’ll need your help. Maybe Miss Jeffries would help, too. I-I don’t have a mother.”
“It would be my greatest p-pleasure, darling.”
Looking at James, she asked, “Where’s Nina?”
Clearing his throat, her bodyguard murmured, “With the girls.”
“I need a sleepover so I can talk to her.” Smiling, she snuggled Benji close. “Let’s go visit Miss Jeffries.” Her t-shirt was wet. “After I feed this famished child.”
Later that night, they piled into Miss Jeffries’ house and spent the evening cooking, talking, and reading with two adorable little girls.
Rowan stared at her family: the men and women who had been part of so many moments - good and bad - in her life.
Smiling down at her son, she whispered, “Our family, Benji. The ones we chose. I think everything is going to be okay.”
Benji stared intently into her eyes...and laughed.
Always the Good Girl Publishing
Writing as Shayne McClendon
The Damaged Series
The Quiet Series
The Manhattan Madame Series
The Great Outdoors Series
The Love of the Game Series
The Barter System Series
Starting Today
Completely Wrecked
The Hermit
And many more...
Writing as Sabrina Rue
The Others Series
A Devoted Companion
Writing as Charlize Rojos
The Brotherhood Series
Eating the Cake
Links to Other Work
There are a few characters and situations throughout the Damaged Series that trace to my series The Barter System. All eight books of the series are available on Amazon.
In the universe that exists inside my head, most things are connected. Sometimes, it’s deliberate and others…well, the characters take over.
My most avid readers can find the Easter eggs in my work but don’t worry if you haven’t read everything! Each book is a wonderful little whirlwind on its own.
I hope you loved Coming Home…and that you enjoy the other books in the series. In the meantime, check out my other work. You’re going to find yourself addicted to more and more and more.
As Tina Turner said, “Welcome to the Thunder Dome.”
About Shayne McClendon
Shayne McClendon is the author of more than forty published books and over four hundred short stories. She writes emotional romantic fiction as Shayne McClendon, paranormal romance
as Sabrina Rue, and LGBTQ erotica as Charlize Rojos.
For the past decade, Shayne has written more than 12 million words of non-fiction in the health and wellness space as a researcher and ghostwriter.
In 2020, she will publish her first official non-fiction.
Shayne spends most of her waking hours writing in one genre or another. She lives in Florida but occasionally gets out of her own head long enough to attend author signings or give interviews around the country.
If you’re looking for stories that tug at your heart, make you laugh out loud, and sometimes make you cry so hard you need a giant box of tissues…look no further than books by Shayne McClendon.
Coming Home: The Damaged Series - Book Three Page 20
