Dane hummed and sipped from my mouth again, tasting and tantalizing me. The kiss soon became hard and deep and wet. “Now I want you naked. Well, mostly naked. The boots can stay.”
“Fine, but I’m not sleeping in them.”
“All right,” he said easily, so sure he’d get his way.
He did, actually.
Epilogue
Eight years later
“I don’t like what this time of year does to you.”
Dropping my paper plate into the kitchen trash can, I looked over my shoulder at Dane. “You don’t like to see me happy?”
“I don’t like to see you regress. Or to see the downstairs of our home looking like a spooky crypt.”
“I didn’t go that far.” Okay, maybe I did. There were pumpkins, foam tombstones, synthetic spiderwebs, and fake skeletons all around. Rubber bats and strings of ghost lights dangled from the ceiling. I even had inflatable props like scarecrows, witches, and grim reapers. My favorite thing was the bubbling cauldron that occasionally let out a wicked cackle or other spooky sound.
The truth was … I went crazy with the decorations every Halloween. Turning to fully face him, I said, “I regret nothing.”
“Was the smoke machine really necessary?” he griped.
I tilted my head. “You sure you’re not just being whiny because you’ve spilled red juice all over your shirt?”
“I didn’t spill it. Our daughter poured it on me because she thought it would be ‘awesome’ if it looked like I was covered in blood.”
I clamped my lips together to stifle a smile. “I’m assuming you mean Alicia.”
Our four-year-old daughter wasn’t the most placid of children. She insisted she was a princess, fought with the soul of a reincarnated MMA fighter, and had a mischievous streak that seemed embedded in every bone.
“She just wants you to look, you know … Halloween-y,” I defended. “You never dress up.”
“Because I’m not seven.”
“Adults dress up, too,” I reminded him, gesturing at my Maleficent outfit. I crossed to him and slid my hands up his chest. “It’s a shame you won’t. You’d look hot as a fireman.” I hummed as he kissed me, curling his arms tight around me. “But this particular holiday has grown on you—I’ll take that as a win.”
He grunted. “Come on, you’re missing this party you insisted on throwing.”
“It’s good to see you’re enjoying it,” I said dryly.
Dane kept one arm looped around my waist as he led me out of the kitchen. Walking into the living room, I had to smile at the sight of the kids dancing to the Ghostbusters theme song while playing Musical Statues.
Dane might not be too pleased by the effort I’d put into the party, but the children were sure enjoying themselves. They particularly liked the spread. Many of the foods were made to look like Halloween decorations such as ghosts, eyeballs, fingers, and mummies.
Drinking a glass of punch, Melinda frowned at the stain on Dane’s shirt. “What happened to you?”
He sighed. “Alicia.”
“Ah, I see,” Melinda said. Because, to be honest, no further explanation was needed—the kid got up to all kinds of shit.
“It’s a shame Junior didn’t come,” I said.
“He’s thirteen now,” she reminded me. “He considers himself too old to celebrate Halloween.”
“You can never be too old to celebrate Halloween.” I slid a meaningful look Dane’s way, but he missed it—his gaze was on our two daughters.
I wouldn’t say fatherhood changed Dane—he was still cold, ruthless, and calculating. But when around his children, those traits fell away. I’d initially worried that he’d struggle to allow himself to love and bond with them—such a thing wasn’t reflexive for Dane. But I’d worried for nothing. He’d taken one look at them the moment they were born and fell hard each time. He was a protective, hands-on dad who never let his children feel second to his job.
“My money’s on Addie,” he said into my ear. “She’ll win easy.”
If he thought I’d bet against him, he was wrong. Our eldest daughter, who was a year older than Alicia, was much like Dane. Calm, serious, a deep thinker, and uber competitive. She also had his dark eyes, and her sleek medium-length hair was the same deep black as his. Unlike him, Addison was also sweet as pie and great with animals.
Wyatt paused the music. The dancing kids froze, apart from Ashley and Tucker’s youngest boy, Cooper—he toddled around, too young to understand the game. He pulled hard on his older brother’s leg, but Kian didn’t budge. Little Sabrina, however, wobbled and then stumbled back a step.
Beside Wyatt, Simon winced and said, “Sorry, Sabrina, you’re out.”
Her eyes went wide as saucers. “I didn’t move. Mommy, tell him I didn’t move.”
“I would if it were true,” said Hanna with a smile.
Hanna had become accidentally pregnant with Sabrina after a one-night stand six years ago. The kid’s dad, Kyle, had been very involved during the pregnancy. He and Hanna had eventually become a couple, and they were cute as hell together—especially right now, dressed up as Mr. and Mrs. Incredible. Ashley and Tucker, who stood off to the side with them, had come dressed as Morticia and Gomez Adams.
The buzzer sounded just as the music restarted.
Dane checked his phone. “It’s Kent and Emma.”
I smiled. “Good, I was hoping they’d come.”
“I’ll let them in.” He kissed my temple and then left the room.
Melinda leaned into me. “I really like Emma.”
“So do I. She just ‘fits’ Kent in the best way.” Unlike his ex-wife. He hadn’t even tried to work things out with Jen, feeling too betrayed by all she’d done and concealed from him. She’d pestered him to forgive her for months. Hell, she’d even reached out to both Dane and I at one point, appealing for us to help her win Kent back.
“Emma’s so sweet I was convinced it had to be an act at first—I couldn’t see how anyone could truly be that nice,” said Melinda.
“She’s completely genuine. I’m glad he has her. I just wish he’d get over his hang-ups about marriage. Though I can understand why he’s shy about taking another walk down the aisle. It didn’t exactly end well last time.”
“I think he’ll make an honest woman of her at some point. I love how sweetly protective he is of her. He’s even more so now that she’s pregnant.”
Yes, and I figured a big reason for that was that his ex-wife kept calling and sending Emma letters. Jen had popped back onto the scene when she heard that his girlfriend of three years was pregnant. Luckily, Emma had more staying power than to be scared off by Jen’s antics.
I smiled as Dane re-entered the room with Kent and Emma. They weren’t wearing costumes, but I hadn’t expected them to. Kent was too serious for that. Emma wasn’t so serious, but she’d never dress up unless he did too—she wouldn’t want to make him feel bad.
“Thanks for coming,” I said.