by Riley, Alexa
“God, I missed you,” he says, looking down at me. His eyes are so soft yet intense. It’s all-consuming having him look at me that way. Like I’m the most beautiful woman in the world.
“We’ve got a lot to talk about.” I cup his face with my hand and can’t help but look at the rock he’s put on my finger. “And we’ve got a lot to plan. A wedding, a baby. It’s all so much.”
“Whatever you want, sweets. It’s yours.”
“I think I want more of you between my legs,” I say, biting my lip. I never knew that could be so amazing, and I think I may be addicted after just one time. If it’s like that every time Kenton goes down on me, I may not ever let him up.
“You don’t have to ask me twice.”
He starts to move, but I grab his shoulders and laugh. “Let’s get out of this house first. I want you to take me home so I’m not worried about someone hearing us.”
“Home,” Kenton says, rubbing his nose against mine. “I like the sound of that.”
Epilogue
Kenton
Three years later…
My eyes are closed, and the sun is beating down on me, but the cool breeze and the sound of waves has a permanent smile on my face. That and the fact that Madeline is draped over my body in the hammock.
We decided to come back to the island for our anniversary, and it’s been a week of nothing but the two of us. We came here for our honeymoon right before our daughter was born. We spent a few days out here and enjoyed the quiet, making up for the first visit being cut short. This time we wanted to be lazy and not have to worry about anything but making love.
Our little girl, Ophelia, is staying with Madeline’s brothers while we’re away, and we have no worries that she’s keep them in line. She’s the one who runs our house. Well, she runs me anyway. It’s kind of cute to see the two beautiful females in my life argue.
Madeline and I had been talking about having another baby, wanting to take it slow, but not wanting them too far apart. So we decided our first trip here was good luck, so certainly a second trip couldn’t hurt.
I reach into the cooler beside me without opening my eyes or having to move anything other than my arm. I grab a beer and twist off the top, pressing the cool glass to Madeline’s back. She squeaks and then playfully slaps my chest. I take a drink, and then offer it to her, letting her take a sip.
We’re both still naked from when we made love earlier. Neither of us bothered to put clothes back on. I plan on taking her at least once more on this before taking her back into the hut and starting all over again.
“The hammock was a good call,” she says, handing me the beer back and lying back down on my chest.
“Definitely an added bonus.”
I had some of the workers from the hotel come out and add a few things since I knew we’d be out here for a week. This was one of my better ideas.
“I think we should get one of these for back home,” she says, her hand moving to my cock.
I’m still hard from the last time I took her, but her hand on me never fails to get a reaction.
“I think if we had one of these back home, we might have the cops called on us.”
Madeline leans up, straddling me, and sinks down onto my thickness. She’s slow to lower herself, neither of us in a rush to a climax. We’re just making love when we feel like it, lazily moving together. I hold her hips and move inside her as the breeze blows the swing a little. It’s paradise.
“We might give Mrs. Conner a heart attack. You know how she likes to look at your ass.”
I raise my eyebrow and give her a smirk. “I only want one woman looking at my body. And she’s currently riding my cock.”
She leans down and places her lips on mine, smiling as she kisses me.
“Good answer,” she says, sitting back up.
I reach up and cup her breasts, squeezing them and plucking at her nipples. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
She blushes a little and touches my cheek. “Thank you for bringing me back here, Kenton. This island is something special.”
Epilogue
Kenton
About nine months later…
“That island is cursed!”
Madeline is screaming at me, and I’m just sitting beside the hospital bed, nodding my head and trying not to wince at the pain in my hand.
“Triplets! That island gave me triplets!”
The nurses are walking around the room trying to keep her comfortable and give her everything she needs, but Madeline wanted to do a natural birth, so drugs are out of the question.
We knew early on that this pregnancy was different than our first one. When we went for our first ultrasound, we both nearly collapsed in shock at what the doctor told us. Natural triplets. It’s almost impossible, but we’d done it. We were about to go from one child to four. Madeline blamed a week at the island, saying that’s how we only had one last time. She said that we stayed too long and babies just kept being made.
I had to admit I felt a little pride at knocking her up three times on the island, but hey, I’m a dude. Madeline went from ecstatic to hysterical at the drop of a hat. I think we were both overwhelmed, but as the pregnancy progressed we were happy that she and all three babies were healthy.
She had a scheduled C-section, but her water broke in the middle of the night last night. We came straight to the hospital. We’d discussed this with the doctor, and Madeline said if her body went into labor, she wanted to give it the opportunity to give birth naturally.
So here I am, white-knuckling the hospital bed with one hand while the other is being used as Madeline’s stress ball.
“Just breathe, sweets.”
“Don’t you ‘sweets’ me right now, Monroe,” she says. “This is all your fault. You did this to me.”
“Baby, if I remember, most of the time you were doing it to me on the island.”
The nurse beside us snorts, and Madeline gives me the death stare.
“You’re right,” I say, hoping that will fix whatever I just did wrong.
“Okay. Looks like it’s time,” the doctor says.
Suddenly Madeline looks at me with a panic on her face, and I lean in, pressing my forehead to hers. “I’ve got you, Madeline.”
“Call me by my name,” she says, sounding scared.
“I’ve got you, sweets. I’ve always got you.”
Epilogue
Madeline
Five years later…
I’m sitting back on the lounge chair in the backyard watching our kids run around. Mark and his wife, Lori, just got here and came out back to sit down beside me. Their two boys run out to play with their cousin in the tree house and we laugh as our four girls tell them they have to say the password.
Our girls give us a run for our money, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Kenton is so patient with all of them and even braids their hair. I don’t know how he puts up with all the drama, but I suspect he likes it. He says I’m the reason they are so beautiful, and I love hearing that. Even though I think all of the girls look like him, he says they look like me.
“I still don’t know how you manage with four girls,” Lori says, sitting in the lounger next to me.
“I wouldn’t know what to do with a boy, to be honest,” I confess. “Kenton is enough to handle.”
“Talking about how wonderful I am?” he says, bringing me a glass of lemonade.
He leans down and kisses my neck, and I get that warm feeling low in my belly. His lips always make my toes curl, even after all these years.
“So we all set for next week?” Mark asks, looking at us.
“Yes, the girls are really excited. Are you sure you can handle all four of them for a week?”
Mark waves his hand like I’ve got to be kidding him.
“Please. Two boys is the same as four girls. We got this.”
“I can’t believe you’re going back to the island,” Lori says, laughing. “I thought you swore i
t was cursed.”
I give Kenton a wink. “I asked my doctor if he was a boy scout.”
“Why?” Lori asks confused.
“Because I wanted to make sure the knots he put in my tubes were extra tight when I got them tied after the triplets. We’re done with the baby-making business.”
We all laugh and spend the afternoon grilling out and having a relaxing day.
But a few months later, when we’re back home from the island, two little blue lines appear on the test, and Kenton is cockier than ever.
THE END
The Final Promise
Chapter One
Liberty
“Liberty, this is the wrong fork placement.” I glance up to see Mrs. Spade moving the fork I placed down moments ago. “I know you haven't done this in a while, but I like them like this.” She moves the table setting around to how she wants it laid out.
“Of course, Mrs. Spade.” I go about the giant table that seats twenty people making sure all the place settings are as she likes them while Mrs. Spade goes around putting down name cards. I pause when I reach Devlin Spade’s. I can’t stop myself from glancing over to see who he is sitting next to.
Evianna Vanbrunt. I knew that name was going to be there before I even looked, but it was like I had to give myself an extra kick to wallow in my self-pity and jealousy. Mrs. Spade has her sights set on her son Devlin and Evianna finding a happily ever after. I’d heard her all afternoon carrying on and on about how perfect it would be if her son would finally settle down and Evianna would be perfect for him, their families being old friends and all.
I swallow the lump that keeps creeping its way up my throat. It’s going to be hard enough seeing him tonight. I’m not sure what his reaction to me being here is going to be. His mother has had the dinner planned for over two months. I would know. I keep his schedule. I am his secretary after all and have been for a little over four months now.
Four beautifully sweet months that have been more than I could have hoped for, but I know they won’t last. We were never meant to be. No matter how long I’ve loved Devlin, he’s never going to be mine. We come from two very different worlds, even if I grew up with him living next door. I’m not even sure you could call it “next door.” My mom and I lived in a house out back on their giant estate. My mom was in charge of managing the Spade home. The estate was expansive and it took a team to manage.
From the moment my mom got the job working and living here and I laid eyes on Devlin, I wanted to be his. He was the first boy I liked. Well, maybe not a boy. He was more a man than a boy at twenty-four and fresh out of college. I was fourteen at the time, but I knew I was in love. He might have been ten years older than me, but I didn’t care.
He hadn’t lived at home then, but he did spend a lot of time here. He had started working at his father’s company and was gearing up to take over. He finally did that over a year ago. They spent a lot of time together back then. Devlin’s father Hector was a family man. Family dinners were frequent. Not as frequently lately, I’ve noticed, now that I’ve been working for Devlin.
Devlin was an only child and his mother has always doted on him. She’s only ever wanted the best for him, and I know to her that’s someone like Evianna Vanbrunt. I could never be Evianna Vanbrunt. Not in this life or the next. Oh. I could fake it. When I came to live with the Spades I was assimilated into this world. I even went to their schools, as I lived there. I knew how to act and what to say, but I always felt like I didn’t belong.
The Spades never treated us as if we were less than. They were always kind, but we still worked for them. Well, my mom did, and I often helped her in my free time. My mom and Mrs. Spade have even become close over the years.
“The flowers are lovely, Liberty. You always did have a green thumb. I miss seeing them around the house now.” I glance up at Mrs. Spade. Kamaile, I correct myself. She doesn't like it when I call her by her last name. She’s been correcting me for the last year, but old habits die hard. I also think I’m trying to keep up something of a wall between the Spades and me, knowing that in the long term, failing to maintain distance would only end up hurting me. But after what I learned last night that might not matter any longer. That ship has sailed.
“Thank you. Mrs. Kamaile,” I say. I’d gone out to the garden to pick flowers for the centerpieces for the dinner. I used to do it all the time when I lived here. The garden was my favorite place. I don’t know what it was about flowers, but I could spend days arranging different vases filled with them. It was one of the things I missed about living here.
Now I live downtown in a condo. It’s more than I could have ever asked for. It came with my job. I don't even have to commute for work. I live one floor up from my office. Well, maybe not “office.” It’s more a desk outside of Devlin’s office, though I spend most of my time inside his office. He’s actually cleared out a space for me on his own freaking desk.
He said it would be easier, but I soon found out it was because Devlin likes having me within reaching distance. The man always has his hands on me in some way when we’re alone. I wasn't there even a week and he had me pinned to his desk, my dress flipped up, with his head between my legs. It wasn't days later I was in his bed, where I’ve been every night since.
“Your mom said you’re heading out soon. Stay and join us for dinner. I have an open seat next to Devlin.”
I look at the other seat next to Devlin. Like I want to sit next him, with Evianna on the other side likely flirting with him.
“I’m sorry. I have plans tonight,” I lie, knowing that if I didn’t say I had something else she would push me to stay. Devlin and his mother both have that in common. They always get what they want.
“Okay.” She stares at me for a moment. “Just thought you might need to catch up since he’s been out of town. You two have been stuck together at the hip since you started working for him.”
My cheeks warm at her words. We have been stuck together in many ways over the past few months. I fiddle with the flowers and mutter, “That’s my job now.”
Kamaile lets out a laugh. “Well, he wasn’t like that with his other assistant.”
I don’t tell her maybe that’s because his last assistant was highly trained. I only have a high school diploma under my belt. Devlin probably thinks he needs me next to him at all times to make sure I’m doing everything right.
He left town three days ago and made me promise that I’d stay at his place. It wasn't hard. My home is right below his. Devlin’s condo takes up the entire top floor of the Spade building. The two floors below his are made up of other condos for upper employment. I’d somehow gotten offered one when Devlin hired me as his assistant. He wanted me close at all times in case he needed something. Again, his last assistant didn’t have a condo and still doesn’t. He was even promoted. It made me wonder.
Devlin practically shoved the job on me after I graduated school. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. When Devlin found this out one Sunday afternoon when he was home having dinner with his parents he pushed the job on me. Told me I should take a year off from school. Jump into the workforce and not travel for a year like my mom wanted. Devlin didn’t seem to like my mom’s idea at all.
I quickly jumped at the opportunity. My crush on Devlin was running my mind and heart. I’d do anything to be close to him. I didn't think about what might happen to my heart. The first time Devlin all but pounced on me, I fell head first into him, not thinking about anything else but the moments we were stealing together. I didn't plan to lose my heart. I should have known better. The more time we spent together, the harder I fell for him. Who was I kidding? He had my heart before any of this even started.
We never talk about the future. When it gets brought up I always change the subject. I don't want to hear that this is just two people having fun. That I’m his mistress or something along those lines. I know Kamaile has plans for Devlin. She’s been pushing him for years to settle down.
I always dreaded
that one day he might bring a woman home for a family dinner, but he never did. Not that he really needed to. His mom is constantly trying to set him up and inviting woman over for dinner, though she hasn't done that in a while—probably because Devlin ignores them and is even a little rude at times. But it now looks like she’s back at it. Only this time it will kill me to have to watch it. More so now that I’m going to be the mother of his child.
Chapter Two
Devlin
I look down at my phone and grit my teeth. It’s been over twelve hours since I talked to my Liberty. The fucking wifi on the flight I took from Italy back to the States isn't working. I take a deep breath as I exit the plane. I couldn't even do a check on her. She sounded off last night. No matter how many times I asked her what was wrong, she kept saying she was fine. I knew that something was bothering her and it was driving me fucking insane.
The trip had done a number on me. I was used to traveling for work but stopped once Liberty came to work for me. The Italy trip, however, was one I couldn't put off. She was supposed to come with me. I’d planned to surprise her with a few extra days of sightseeing and relaxing, to finally get my girl to open up to me. To get her to admit what we have. Maybe then I could tell her her condo was driving me fucking insane and that I wanted all of her shit out of it and into mine. Maybe we could even find a new place. I don’t think she cares for the condos much. I’ll build her a fucking house on the moon if she wants. I don’t care where we live as long as each night her little ass is tucked into bed next to me.
Liberty has always been a soft-spoken, down to earth, sweet girl. From the first time I saw her she’s always held my attention, even when she shouldn't have—too young for me. But there was something about her. I always sought her out. I came home more and more just to see her. I once even debated moving home just so I could keep a better eye on her. But I pushed the idea away, knowing that if I was that close to her all the time I’d cross the line before I should.
