Possessive Firefighter: An Older Man Younger Woman Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 69)
Page 7
“But I know what I hope is coming next,” she says.
“What might that be?” I smile.
She takes my hand and places it back on her stomach.
“Your first born son.”
“Our first born son,” I say. “Because without you there is nothing. With you I’ve got everything.”
EPILOGUE
Sierra
One year later
“He really loves that little boy, doesn’t he?” my mom asks.
I take a sip of my tea and look out the window into the back yard, watching Asher roll the toy fire truck towards Ashton, our son.
“You have no idea.”
“Any emotional changes since the birth?”
“Only happier if that’s even possible. Every minute Asher’s not playing with Ashton he’s telling me how beautiful I am, and sometimes he texts me from the fire station or right after he’s put out a blaze to let me know he’s okay.”
“That must be nice.”
“Very. I feel like I almost never have to worry with him and he makes me feel as beautiful as the day we met. He can’t keep his hands off me.”
My mom shakes her head. “This is so crazy. Your dad always said he never seemed that interested in girls, even though women were very interested in him.” My mom takes a sip. “Actually…confession time.”
“Tell me,” I say.
“Asher told your dad that there’s something about you that made something inside him come alive. He described it like an old run down house that wasn’t cared for and suddenly someone came in and flipped the switch and the lights lit up and the whole place just came to live.”
“Like poking a sleeping dog maybe.”
My mom laughs. “Something like that.”
“Well he sure likes to poke…”
I have to remind myself I’m talking to my mom and not one of my friends, but it’s too late. Her eyes open wide and as she goes to pick her tea cup out of the saucer she practically knocks both off the table.
“Too much information!” she jokes.
We both laugh and then my mom looks outside and I do to.
“I can’t believe I’m a grandma,” she says.
“You’re a hot grandma!” I say. “And young too.”
“Thank you,” she says. “But as crazy as it is for me to think about that, and I’m still processing it, I do love thinking about it. And it’s for reasons like that right there that makes this so perfect.”
Through the glass I can hear Asher make fire alarm sounds and then race the toy truck across the ground. We watch as he pulls the little toy firefighter guy from the truck and has him climb up Ashton’s arm like it’s a ladder.
We both burst out laughing.
“He’s going to be working alongside his dad when he’s what…eighteen?”
“Twelve! I swear,” I say.
We both laugh again.
“He gives a new meaning to like father like son,” my mom says.
“Well, what a great man to have as a role model,” I say. “I’m so proud and so excited for Ashton.”
“Me too. And your father is too.”
“There’s no weirdness?”
“None.”
“Not even at home? He never says anything to you?”
“I think there was about…oh, a month or two of it, but then it made complete sense to him. I mean he did hype up Asher pretty hard all those years. What did he expect you to think about him?”
“You’re right, but the best part…?”
“What’s that?”
“It wasn’t hype. All the incredible things he said were just the tip of the iceberg. He’s everything dad said he was and more. The perfect husband, father, protector…everything.”
“I heard about the protector part.”
“What do you mean?”
“One of the ladies I work with saw the three of you in Costco the other day and was about to go over and say hi. Apparently you were at the end cap and Asher backtracked into the row to grab something.”
“Oh, I know where this is headed.”
My mom turns her head sideways. “So it’s true?”
“Yeah, some random guy was coming from the other aisle and when he saw me on the end cap he just whipped out his business card and handed it to me…like that’s how he approaches women or something?”
“Unbelievable. He didn’t even say anything?”
“I guess his name, which was in raised gold lettering on that card, was supposed to do the ‘talking’ for him.”
“And the rest I heard is accurate?”
“Well, if you heard that Asher came back right at that moment, took the card from his hand, wadded it up and tossed it right back in his face and then stepped on it when it hit the ground then yeah…what you heard was accurate.”
We both laugh.
“But I heard something more.”
I take a sip of tea. “Yeah, then he looked the guy straight in the eye and said, ‘If you even think about so much as looking at a married woman again, mine or anyone else’s, I’ll break you and step on you just like your sorry ass business card…but once I put my boot on you I’ll keep twisting my heel until I grind you up like dust under the ball of my foot.”
“Ouch!” my mom says. “I’m guessing he didn’t respond to that?”
“He responded by lowering his head and eyes and turning and practically running in the other direction with his tail between his legs.”
“Don’t you think that’s a little much?”
“Not really and Asher told me why. He said my hands were on the handle of the cart and he knows my engagement ring and wedding band were very visible. And to make matters worse Ashton was right there and no way in hell he was going to let anyone try to even think they can move in on what’s his. His family.”
“He really does have a possessive streak, doesn’t he?”
“He’s the nicest guy ever,” I say turning to watch him as he plays with Ashton. He looks so happy and carefree out there. “But if you step to his family, you better be prepared to get stepped on…and run over and then backed up and run over again and again and again. His words not mine.”
“So it’s safe to say you feel pretty safe when he’s around.”
I practically spit out my tea. “Oh my god, are you kidding? He’s like a human shield. A human security system.”
“And you wouldn’t necessarily guess it if you saw him now,” my mom says as she looks outside at the two of them playing.
“It wouldn’t be my first thought because he’s in his ‘happy place,’ as he calls it.”
“His happy place?”
“Yeah, he says whenever he’s here at home with us nothing bad can ever happen because everything is so perfect here. I swear I’m not sure we’d ever leave other than to take vacations if he didn’t have to work. He just loves being here with us.”
“So he’s an absolute hunk…the perfect father…and a genuine family man.”
“Yeah, I won the lottery when I won his love.”
“You sure did,” my mom says. “And from the looks of things he feels exactly the same way.”
My eyes lock in on his and I swear they’re sparkling as my hulking husband plays with our little bitty baby.
I reach for my phone and quickly snap a picture. This one’s going in the collage I’m giving him for his birthday.
That and hopefully I’ll give him the only other thing he ever asks for…another child.
Because it’s exactly what I want too. To keep filling this house full of love, life, and laughter.
And thanks to him that’s exactly what we’re going to be doing.
Watching our family grow. Our family. And his family. Because we’re his and he loves us more than anything in the world.
And we love him just as much. Our possessive firefighter.
And soon to be father once again. I just got the news today and can’t wait to surprise him tonight.
It’s time t
o start another adventure with another child to love and shower with our love.
Together. Always and forever.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Asher
Seven more years later
I can’t help but feel proud as I watch my wife hand a hot dog to Ashton, Alexander, Skylar, and Serenity.
My four kids and my wife mean everything to me and I’m so damn proud of them and glad that all the firefighters in this great country have been able to protect places like Yosemite National Park where we find ourselves today.
We do a lot of things together. The kids are always on the go with sports and school activities so it’s nice to take a long weekend out here in nature and remind us what it’s all about…good peaceful, natural living and spending time together as a family.
And although I have to be gone sometimes due to my job, my wife has done a great job teaching the kids to cheer for each other. No victory is too small to celebrate and we all celebrate for each other.
But little does she know that tonight I have something very special planned for our eighth wedding anniversary.
Last year our team happened to save the summer cabin home of an eccentric billionaire…billionaire with a b.
He was getting up there in age and he was so grateful so he gave us each gifts that are absolutely priceless.
He asked to have coffee with me individually after we put out the blaze. He was an incredible listener, asking all kinds of questions before finally concluding with, “You’re a wise man. You speak a lot about your family. You’ve found the meaning of life…a meaning many men find out to late, or unfortunately never at all.”
I had mentioned in passing that next year would be our eighth wedding anniversary. A week later a box arrived at the station that I had to personally sign for. When I opened it and read the note I knew I couldn’t accept it. But the note told me he’d sold the house and had moved out of the country…and to please not look for him.
All he said other than that was that the story of my wife reminded me of how much he loved his own wife before she passed and he wanted me to have something special that he never had the chance to give her…something he’d held on to for years and when he heard me mention the number eight he knew the time was right.
Apparently she was to celebrate her eightieth birthday just before she passed and in preparation he’d bought an eight-carat diamond ring to give her…a gift he was never able to deliver.
And that’s exactly what was inside that box with the words, “I couldn’t give this to the woman I loved in time…but you still can. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and health together.” It was signed, “Your Friend, Leonard.”
“Well Leonard” I say as I look off into the majestic beauty that Yosemite is “…today’s the day. And I know she’s going to love it. Thank you. We both thank you. We all thank you.”
“Honey, are you okay?” my wife says.
“Yeah, I’m great. Never better,” I say slowly and softly. I’ve found complete peace with her and being outside in nature only amplifies that.
“You were staring off into the distance talking to yourself. You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, but I wasn’t talking to myself,” I say as I reach down and kiss her on the cheek. “I was talking to a friend.”
“A friend?”
“Yes. You know how I’m a bit protective of you from time to time?”
“A bit? From time to time? Protective or possessive? Not that I’m complaining one bit,” she says wrapping her arms around my waist as she melts into me.
“Well, there’s one man who asked me to give you a gift…from him and from me.”
“Okay?” she says.
I proceed to tell her the story of how I came about something special, not telling her what it is…
…until finally I pull the box out from behind my back and open it.
“Oh my god. Asher! It’s…it’s…beautiful.”
“It’s priceless. Just like you,” I say.
I slip it on her right hand since I already slid on the most important rings on her left hand eight years ago. We kiss and she melts right back into me.
“Dad, did we bring any ketch—.” Skylar stops mid sentence. “Why is mom crying?”
“Mom’s crying because she loves dad and she loves you. Come here,” she says pulling Skyler into our hug.
Skylar has mustard around her lips and damn if it’s not perfect.
“Ashton. Alexander. Serenity. Get over here,” I say and my other kids put down their food and join us.
We all embrace one another together as a family, holding hands and holding on to each other tight, especially me.
It’s not going to be much longer until my big arms won’t be able to fit around my family at once and I want to get in as many as these “dad shields” as I can. At least that’s what the kids call them.
I look up at the sky and watch as the stars are already coming out early. It’s not even dark yet, but I can spot them already. Or maybe they’re planets.
I don’t really know, but what I do know is that the only thing that shines brighter is the sparkle in the eyes of my wife and our kids.
Because I’ve done everything in my power to make sure of it. And I’m going to continue to do so for the rest of my days.
And there are a lot more days like this to come. I’ve already got some surprises planned.
Surprises that are only mine right now. I haven’t told anyone.
But no surprise is really mine. Because it means nothing without my family…my everything…my life.
And it all started with her.
My love.
A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS
Book 1: Baby Lust
Book 2: Veteran
Book 3: Built
Book 4: Bambino
Book 5: Rescued
Book 6: Leader
Book 7: Professor
Book 8: Burned
Book 9: Worldly
Book 10: Pistol
Book 11: Policed
Book 12: Driven
Book 13: Lucky 13
Book 14: Lumberjacked
Book 15: Protector
Book 16: Carpenter
Book 17: Italian Stallion
Book 18: Gardener
Book 19: Budapest Billionaire’s Virgin
Book 20: Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 21: Cocky CFO
Book 22: Fireman’s Filthy 4th
Book 23: Mechanic
Book 24: SEAL’s Secret
Book 25: Police, Pooch, and Smooch
Book 26: Fireman’s Fake Fiancée
Book 27: Billionaire’s Virgin Ballerina
Book 28: Bitcoin Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 29: Veterans Day Daddy
Book 30: Cowboy’s Christmas Carol
Book 31: Police Officer’s Princess
Book 32: Statham
Book 33: Bodyguard
Book 34: Greek God
Book 35: Billionaire Single Dad's Babysitter
Book 36: Mountain Man
Book 37: SEAL’s Justice
Book 38: Royal Romance
Book 39: Doctor Mountain Man’s Special Delivery
Book 40: Crocodile Dan D
Book 41: Mountain Man’s Secret Baby
Book 42: Doctor Bad Boy’s Secret Baby
Book 43: Cop’s Babysitter
Book 44: Nanny for the Cop Next Door
Book 45: Small Town SEAL’s Saving Grace
Book 46: Cop’s Fake Fiancée
Book 47: Billionaire’s Nanny
Book 48: Cowboy’s Babysitter
Book 49: Steamy
Book 50: Brother’s Best Friend
Book 51: Possessive Professor
Book 52: Firefighter’s Babysitter
Book 53: Soldier’s Secret Baby
Book 54: Ward’s Independence Day
Book 55: Doctor Next Door
Book 56: Possessive Policeman
Boo
k 57: Coached by the MMA Fighter
Book 58: Boss’s Babysitter
Book 59: Virgin in New York
Book 60: Rock Star’s Baby
Book 61: Possessive Protector
Book 62: Possessive Australian
Book 63: Best Friend’s Brother
Book 64: Possessive Cowboy
Book 65: Summer Romanced
Book 66: Possessive Prince
Book 67: Lovers’s Enemy
Book 68: Cop’s Best Friend
Book 69: Possessive Firefighter