Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 119184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Brady, Brady.
Over and over until I’m hoarse, but none of that matters.
His strong arms hold me up, and his voice echoes so roughly in my ear, urging me to come.
Vowing to love me forever.
And I love him so much I go off with a wild scream, rocking like mad on his cock as he fills me.
The world falls back into place so slowly, and he pulls out, turning me around and bringing me down on the day bed with a tumble.
“We should get inside. It’ll be cold out here soon.”
“Eventually. I want to see your face,” he says as he pulls me closer.
In no time at all, I don’t need to worry about the chill. He’s inside me again, and we both groan with relief.
I roll my hips, watching his eyes glaze.
“I want this forever. Can we do that?” I whisper.
“Forever,” he agrees.
“Promise me?”
“That’s the promise I made today, Sass. Won’t break it for anything while I’ve got a beating pulse.” He pauses his punishing strokes to bring my left hand to his mouth, kissing the rings. “Forever, Lena. You deserve nothing less, and you’re going to get it.”
Chills.
Nobody guarantees the future, I know, but tonight my man sounds like a prophet.
Later, as he drags me inside to the large bed to hold me with my head against his chest, listening to the soft drumming of his heart, I’m stoked to wake up to the rest of our eternity.
Epilogue
Double Dog Dare
(Lena)
Eight Years Later
Freya perches on the edge of the chair as I work. Ideally, I wouldn’t have my seven-year-old daughter with me, but sometimes life doesn’t ask.
Her small face is sharp and attentive.
The small, shriveled cat in front of us is clearly a stray. He’s missing one ear from suspected frostbite, and he’s severely underweight.
Poor little honey.
Even with the lick mat I’m holding in front of his face for a distraction, smeared with tuna-flavored food, the beast hisses as Dr. Vetol administers the first of many shots.
“Is he gonna be okay?” Freya whispers, blinking up at me with Brady’s sharp blue eyes.
When she was first born, those eyes were a shocker, but now they’re my pride and joy.
Is there anything better than walking around with my husband’s legacy, even when he’s not here?
“He’ll be fine. Just stay back, Freya,” I warn, checking the cat for a chip once the doctor finishes.
“What’s his name, Mom?”
“For now, it’s John Doe.” Dr. Vetol chuckles warmly.
Ever since I took over Pawsome Hearts, he’s been the perfect partner in business and medicine, bringing an infectious humor and the kindest bedside manner to the wildest beasts who walk through our doors.
“John Doe? That’s boring! He needs a better name. Let’s give him one, Mom!”
“Let’s not just now,” I say sharply, biting back a smile.
“But everyone deserves a cool name, even the strays.”
I sigh. “Freya, we both know what will happen if I let you name him.”
Dr. Vetol laughs again, inspecting the cat’s ears for mites one more time.
Freya pulls an innocent look that rivals a cartoon chipmunk.
“What? What will happen?” She whispers breathlessly.
“You’ll want to keep him, and we can’t.”
“Keep him?” She claps her hands delightedly. “Wow, great idea! But you should name him, Mommy.”
I look down at the tabby, who eyes me with all the disgust a cat can muster—and for this boy, it’s a metric ton.
“I don’t think he likes me, honey. He’s a little rough around the edges. Who knows how long he’s been out there.”
“Well, yeah! But John Doe, that’s being mean,” she says, rolling her eyes.
I mock glare at her. “I knew it was a mistake, bringing you to work.”
“But I had to come for school,” she says sheepishly.
True, unfortunately.
She’s taking after me, growing up camera shy. Every time her teachers give her a project that involves her parents’ jobs, it’s never any contest who she picks to shadow.
The puppies and kittens only sweeten the deal.
“You,” I say, “are your father’s girl. You inherited his charm.”
She beams wickedly. “I know!”
Coming from me, that’s never an insult.
We’re almost a decade in, and I don’t think I’ll ever get over how much I adore Brady. Having a daughter changed things, yes, especially when I look at her and realize I’d die for this little cherub in an instant.
Best of all, I don’t have to. Not when I’m married to the hottest, happiest billionaire beast in Seattle.
With Brady, it’s been a total joy, showing Freya what a healthy, loving relationship looks like.
“Hey, Mom?” Freya pushes off her chair and comes toward me, head cocked to one side. “You’re smiling again.”
The cat yowls miserably as the doc finishes looking over a few last scrapes on his legs, and I go back to work, checking the sedative shot we’ve already prepped. He’s going to need to go under while we rinse him off in the big metal sink if we want to avoid getting ripped to pieces.