CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
REAGAN
"Are you going to let me get that?"
"Fuck no."
I rested my head on Pepper's chest, effectively pinning her down by laying on her soft, gorgeous tits. I was exactly where I wanted to be even if a tornado threatened to blow the house apart. And her fingers felt so good massaging my scalp. Why would I move?
The knocking came again and I just sighed as I snuggled into her more. Her heartbeat against my ear felt warm and comforting. Her skin was slightly sweaty from our vigorous sex session we just finished.
The only movement I intended on doing was having a bath together later on. Anything else, like opening doors, was off the table.
Pepper kissed my forehead sweetly and gave my face a few light taps.
"Come on. Whoever's there isn't going away. Let me just scare them off with the gun and we can come right back here."
"Nuh-uh," I protested. "I don't want to get up from here for one fucking second."
Another knock. Longer this time, with at least ten hard raps on the door.
"My boobs aren't going anywhere," she laughed, pushing me off more insistently.
"Ugh," I whined, sliding off her body reluctantly. "Any time they're not in my face is a goddamn tragedy."
"I'll make it quick," she promised, pulling on a T-shirt and kissing me sympathetically when I frowned in response.
She looked around for a pair of shorts to put on when a crazy idea came to me.
"Hey, you know what'll really scare someone off?"
I strode over to the front door, naked as the day I was born with her juices still coating my cock.
Her eyes widened when I touched the doorknob and she realized I was serious.
"Reagan, don’t!"
I just grinned when the insistent pounding came again and started to turn the knob.
"Seriously, don't!" she shrieked, hopping frantically into a pair of shorts and making her tits bounce deliciously. "What if it's my--"
Too late. I yanked the door open to the disgruntled, then shocked and horrified face of Alfred Huxley and his wife.
"...Mom."
"Jesus Christ, Sells!"
Hux turned away and shielded his eyes as if he just looked straight at the sun, while Janice seemed completely unable to look away.
"What can we do for you two?" I asked, cheerily and unfazed.
"Can you put some goddamn pants on?" Hux demanded, still facing away.
"I think I'd rather not. The fresh air feels fantastic."
I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorjamb. Only then did Pepper's mother yank her eyes up to my face.
"I'd like to speak to my daughter," she stated matter-of-factly.
I looked over my shoulder to where Pepper stood behind me. She seemed to forget about feeling mortified about me being naked and leaned casually against my back.
"Yes, Mom?" she asked coolly.
Janice's eyes shifted from Pepper's face to mine.
"I'd like to speak to you alone, if that's alright."
"Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of Reagan."
My heart swelled in my chest like a balloon. Damn, she really did trust me. I already knew but this just reinforced it. I intertwined my fingers with hers that rested on my ribs and squeezed. She squeezed back and brushed her lips across my shoulder blade.
Fuck me, I would do anything for this woman.
Janice regarded us silently with a tight-lipped frown. I could see her willing herself to not drop her eyes down to my dick again. She looked tense and nervous while we waited calmly for her to speak.
"Alright," she muttered through gritted teeth. Her eyes dropped for half a second before turning her attention to Pepper but I didn't miss the flush that crept up her neck.
"Alfred and I were to give you our share of investment in the new Cloverville development but since Reagan has, ehm, forced us to pull out--"
Her regret of her choice of words was written as clear as day all over her face. It took all my strength to keep from bursting out laughing.
"We're willing to buy the farm from you outright," she continued. "Paid in full. Just name your price."
Pepper lifted one eyebrow but didn't appear the least bit surprised.
"Wow. You just don't know when to quit, do you, Mom," she said flatly before glancing up at me. "Where have I heard this before?"
"Sounds like something I said to you." I said, nuzzling her cheek. "Back when we first met. That already feels like so long ago."
"And what did I tell you back then, babe?"
I grinned. "First you told me no, then you pretty much told me to fuck off."
"Right." She returned her attention to her mother. "I won't be disrespectful to you Mom, but my answer is the same."
"Sweetheart, I'm trying to set you free from this place," Janice pleaded. "To give a little back of what I took away by leaving you."
"I appreciate it. I really do," Pepper replied. "But it's too late for that and I've made my choice. I'm keeping the farm and running it with Reagan's help."
Janice's eyes returned to me and I silently dared her to look down again. Hopefully, old Hux satisfied her in other ways because she seemed utterly fascinated by what I was carrying. He seemed to give up on participating in this talk and walked back down to their car, still looking away.
"Pepper," Janice said in a low, weakening voice. She was grasping at straws and she knew it. "There's a big, beautiful world outside of this farm. You can do anything you want. You can travel. You can go to school and get a degree, all without worrying about money! Just because your dad--"
"This has nothing to do with Dad," Pepper cut her off with a raised hand. "This is my decision, Mom. We can be civil and have a relationship again, but you have to respect my choices."
Janice opened her mouth again but this time I cut her off.
"I think we're done here." Both of my arms snaked around Pepper's waist and held her protectively against me. Her pulse raced against my skin, which only made me tighten my grip.
"I'm sure Pepper will call you when she feels like seeing you. Goodbye Janice."
With a steely glare that looked eerily like Peppers and a final sneaky glance down at my junk, she walked off the porch and went to join Hux.
She tapped him on the shoulder, letting him know it was time to leave. He turned around and I closed the door at just the perfect time for him to get another eyeful.
Pepper leaned her back against the door and let out a deep breath.
"I can't believe I did that," she said. "I was so nervous. I thought for sure I was going to cave."
Holy shit, she was beautiful. And brave. And strong.
I took her face in my hands and just gazed at the loveliness of this woman who I was lucky to call mine.
"I'm so proud of you, gorgeous."
I kissed her long, deeply and slowly, saving every bit of her on my tongue. My rising dick pushed against her thigh and she burst out laughing.
"I can't believe you just stood there talking to her with it all hanging out like that! And her husband, oh my God."
"Well, I wasn't about to leave your side just to put clothes on." I moved sensually down the side of her neck. "And maybe she'll be inspired to find someone a little more... fit."
"Hmm. Well she'll have to visit a stud farm 'cause she's not getting mine."
Pepper's eyes flashed and she grinned as she scratched across my back, sending sweet tingles everywhere.
"Never."
I lifted her legs to wrap around my waist and pressed her against the door, pinning her there with my kiss, my body, everything in me.
"I'm yours," I growled into her ear. "Always."
Her lips trailed softly across my cheek to whisper in my ear.
"I love you. Thank you for sticking by me."
Her eyes glittered with happy tears when I looked at her. And I knew her face was the one I wanted to see at the beginning and end of every day.
; "I love you, too," I answered. "And thank you for being everything I ever needed."
EPILOGUE
PEPPER
TWO YEARS LATER
"Mrs. Sells? Are you sure you should be doing that?"
"I'm pregnant, Julian. Not dead."
I shifted the basket of lemons to my left hip as Julian looked on with wide, worried eyes.
"Anyway, I needed to get up and walk around. I'm so bored just sitting around the house lately."
"Yes, ma'am. I just don't think you should be doing any heavy lifting." He approached me with concern in his eyes. "My wife had an early labor when our fourth was born because she was trying to do housework. I just want you and my future mini-boss to be safe."
I smiled at him, still grateful after all this time that Reagan scoured the state for the most qualified farm manager he could find. He couldn't have possibly know what a devoted family man he'd turn out to be. Julian turned also out to be a fair and patient supervisor to all ten of our full-time workers and even taught me a few new things about farm work.
But most of all, he became an incredibly loyal friend to Reagan and me.
At our wedding, right here on the farm last fall, Ignacio was Reagan's best man and Julian his second groomsman. Maddy and my mom were my bridesmaids. Hux was nowhere to be found, although I could have sworn Mom and Ignacio were making eyes at each other.
But I wasn't paying attention to them. It was my day. Our day. And it was perfect.
The pumpkins were ripe, the air was crisp, and the autumn colors were rich and beautiful. So many oranges, yellows, and reds, which made my husband's green eyes glow like a cat's when I walked down the aisle.
We got pregnant soon after, which was pretty much expected with how much sex we were having. Even while as big as a whale, Reagan couldn't keep his hands off and me and was incredibly protective of us.
Like a lion with his pride, my green-eyed alpha challenged everyone who tried to overstep their place with us. For a little while, that was often my mother.
I felt she was my responsibility to deal with but he never let me face her alone and I was grateful for that.
He probably would have agreed with Julian about me being out picking lemons from the tree, but at the end of the day I did what I wanted and I was badly craving a fresh salad with lemon vinaigrette dressing.
I snuck out to the orchard while he dozed off on the couch with Bonny cuddled up alongside him. They were like peas in a pod, those two. Even she seemed to get more protective of me and the baby thanks to his influence.
By the time I got back to the farmhouse, he was awake again and reading the paper.
He was shirtless and barefoot, of course, wearing only a pair of jeans slung low on his hips as he took up the entire length of the couch. We joked that he was the one barefoot and in the kitchen most of the time.
If we didn't have so many people working on our property now, he'd be naked constantly and still answering the door in his birthday suit.
"And where did my babies run off to?" he asked, shifting his eyes up toward me.
My heart warmed. He always called us that since we found out I was pregnant. He was so devoted and enamored with being a father.
"I was craving lemons, so I got some. Is that okay with you?" I asked with a heavy dose of snark.
He chuckled and returned his eyes to his paper.
"Sassy woman you are."
A sudden, stabbing pain jolted through my abdomen and I dropped the lemon basket in surprise.
I hissed and grabbed my stomach. My heart started to race and I squeezed my eyes shut through the pain.
“Babe! Are you okay?”
I opened my eyes to find myself staring into green, frantically worried ones. He was at my side so fast, I didn’t even notice that he moved.
“Pepper! Is it contractions? I’m calling 911.”
“I’m fine,” I said, finally catching my breath. “Your son is a hell of a kicker.”
His worried look didn’t fade in the slightest.
“You’re sure that’s all it is?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” I laced his fingers with mine. “I still got at least four weeks to go. First kids are usually late.”
Reagan finally relaxed and leaned his forehead on mine.
“Both of you are so precious to me.” His fingertips swept over my belly, igniting flutters within me and all over my body. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost either of you.”
I ran my fingers through the dark sea of his hair. He’d been growing it out and it started curling around his ears in the most adorable way.
Secretly I loved seeing my strong, protective, shit-talking alpha get vulnerable with me. I loved knowing that my man had a heart and would always treat me and our children with love and tenderness.
“We’re not going anywhere, silly,” I told him, kissing the bridge of his nose. “It’ll take a lot more to take a Sage mama down.”
“I know. I just can’t help loving you so much.” He lowered himself to his knees and kissed my belly. “Both of you.”
“And we love you. You’re already an amazing husband and father.” My caresses across his neck and shoulders slowed to a stop. “But babe?”
“Yes?”
“Will you please pick up these damn lemons I dropped? I can’t see past my stomach for shit.”
Reagan laughed and slapped my ass as he stood, lemons already in his hand.
“Sit yourself down and put your feet up, beautiful. I’m making this lemon vinaigrette you’re craving so bad.”
With a firm hand still on my ass, he leaned down and nipped my ear.
“And while you’re enjoying your dinner, I’m going to park right at your sweet pussy and feast on you.”
My whole body flushed with heat. This man was insatiable for me! We already made love this morning and twice yesterday too.
I seated myself down and watched my husband’s broad, muscular back move with agility in the kitchen. Our son started moving again, more gently this time. I placed my hands on my belly to feel the kicks and flutters as I watched his father prepare our food.
Two years ago, I never imagined this would be my life. If someone asked, I probably wouldn’t even have wanted this life.
But now, without a worry in the world except to carry, protect and teach this baby, I couldn’t dream of ending up anywhere else.
Thank you!
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Also by Annette Fields
The Small Town Bad Boy Series
Heavy Metal Heart
Beauty and the Bastard
Big Bad Boss
BIg Bad Sinner
Cocked and Loaded: A Billionaire Romance (Small Town Bad Boys Book 4) Page 14
