“Oh, right,” I said, getting back on track. “It really doesn’t have anything to do with where we live, but eventually Mason’s going to be controlling most of the things that will require a constant presence at the office. So that means we can live wherever you want. If you want to live here on a permanent basis so that you’re closer to your folks, I can set up an office here and work from home.”
“But Noah, your parents’ home … that’s all you have left of your family,” she said, her voice sounding heavy.
I hugged her to me and kissed her forehead because I wanted to, and because she was still being selfless. “You’re my family now, Lanie. And I plan on us having lots and lots of beautiful little Lanies in the future. And maybe at least one Noah to carry on the Crawford name.”
Her brows shot up, her eyes widened, and a broad smile spread across her face. “Babies? You want babies?”
“Mmm-hmm. Lots and lots of babies.”
“Well then,” she said thoughtfully, “we’re going to need an awfully big house to accommodate all those babies, don’t you think?”
I shrugged. “I suppose so.”
“And Polly is going to need someone around to keep her busy while Mason is working long hours at the office. Otherwise, she’s just going to be all over his ass for not being around as much.”
“Probably,” I agreed.
“My mom’s better and Dad’s back to work. And Dez has been looking for a place to stay in the city as well …”
I knew what she was getting at. “Kitten, are you trying to tell me that you want to live at the Crawford estate?”
She got a guilty look on her face. “Is that terrible of me? To not be jumping at the chance to live so close to my parents?”
“Not at all. You can visit them anytime you’d like. After all, we have a quaint little home here as well. Christmas, Easter, a little summer vacation, whatever. We don’t need a reason to drop everything and come for a visit.”
“Plus, we don’t have a nosy neighbor guy back in Chicago. And you don’t have to shirk your responsibilities at Scarlet Lotus, either,” she said.
“Hey! I take offense at that,” I teased playfully, tickling her side.
“I’m kidding! I’m kidding!” she laughed.
“So, Chicago?” I asked, wanting her to make the final call.
She nodded. “Chicago it is.”
“Good,” I said, satisfied with her decision. I forced her to roll over so that I could rise up on one elbow and hover over her with a devious grin. “Now, let’s get started on making those babies.”
I leaned down to kiss her, but she placed her fingers between our lips. “I had that contraceptive shot, remember? I can’t get pregnant right now.”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t hurt to practice.”
She giggled and finally relented, letting me kiss her long and hard as the fire crackled in the background. That was the way I wanted it to always be between the two of us: carefree laughs, erotic lovemaking, happy and free. Free of cheating exes, free of backstabbing friends determined to see us ruined, free of feeling like you’re the only one who can save the life of someone you love and taking drastic measures to do so. Free of that isolated feeling of living alone.
It wasn’t exactly the same dream that every other red-blooded American had, but the foundation was the same: someone to love, someone to care for, someone who wanted nothing more than to do the same for you in return—someone who had your back come hell or high water.
And we would have that dream. I’d make damn sure of it. I wasn’t so naïve that I thought everything would be perfect. We’d have our own small battles to fight, but in the long run, we’d win the fucking war.
We would have our happily ever after.
Epilogue: Bringing Sexy Back
Lanie
It was the eve of the second anniversary of the day my life had been turned upside down, inside out, and spun round and round, sending me in a new direction. Two years since the day I had put myself up for auction in a nightclub called Foreplay that traded women to men of wealth and power in exchange for a hefty payment.
The other women in my group had done it for their own reasons. I had done it to save a life. My mother’s life, to be specific.
Two million dollars was what I’d gone for. Auctioned off to the highest bidder, Noah Patrick Crawford, CEO of Scarlet Lotus. He would own me for two years, use me to satisfy his every sexual need as he saw fit.
That man would teach me how to suck a cock properly. That man would give me the first of many orgasms, introduce me to my inner Cooch—and she to the King of Fingerfuck, the Ridonkabutt, the Assterpiece, the Wonder Peen. That man would pop my cherry, turn me into a wanton hussy, and rock my ever-loving world. That man would infuriate me to no end—in and out of the bedroom—and then ride in on his white horse to save the day.
That man was now my husband.
And the father to our daughter, Scarlett Faye Crawford.
Scarlett was the apple of her daddy’s eye. She’d been born less than a year after we married. In fact, I had been pregnant with her at our wedding ceremony and hadn’t even known it. I was certain I had conceived our daughter the night Noah gave me my engagement ring.
His mother’s ring.
That night will be forever etched in my mind, its perfection so blindingly glorious in every way. He had offered the precious diamond to me as well as his heart, his everything. He belonged to me, and I belonged to him.
Surrounded by the walls of my dream cottage—the house I’d secretly coveted as a child—our life had begun anew. We’d whispered our desires and our dreams, and yeah, we’d made love like there was no tomorrow. It was hot. It was magical. It was perfect.
He had told me that night that he wanted lots and lots of babies. And I was more than happy to oblige. Scarlett was the first of many more to come.
Yes, she was spoiled. She had everything imaginable—clothes, toys, books—and lacked for nothing. But more important than all of those materialistic things, she was loved. Loved by people who doted on her every whim, every fancy.
She had almond-shaped eyes the color of precious sapphires framed by lush dark eyelashes. Creamy soft skin to sprinkle our kisses on, thick chocolate ringlets that begged to be brushed and adorned with bows and ribbons, and a smile that could make the masses bow at her feet. We were all under her spell from the moment she took her very first breath.