For an instant, she couldn’t breathe. Then she threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him over. “Reese.” She hung on tighter. “Reese, I love you so much.”
He eased her back enough to look at her, his amazing blue eyes filled with love. “Is that a yes?”
“Of course it’s a yes. I love you. Griff loves you. Gran loves you. If you’ll have all of us, then yes, yes, a thousand times yes.” She went back into his arms.
“I want us to be a family,” he said, nuzzling the side of her neck. “I want us to have more kids. If...if that’s what you want, too.”
She smiled at him through her tears. “I do, I absolutely, do. Griff wants a brother. We can give him one.”
The last of his tension slipped away. “Or a baby sister who looks just like you.”
Kenzie brushed away tears. “I feel like I’m dreaming.”
“If you’re dreaming, we both are, and it’s a beautiful dream. You’re everything I ever wanted, baby. I can’t wait to start a life with you.” Reese slid the ring onto her finger and very thoroughly kissed her.
It was late morning now, the sun well up. Kenzie had been awake for a while watching Reese sleep. He was lying on his stomach, dozing softly beside her. Her gaze ran over the beautiful tattooed wings stretching across his wide shoulders. She traced one of the feathers with the tip of her finger, then shrieked when Reese erupted beneath her, laughing as he turned over, bringing her with him, setting her on top of him.
“Good morning,” he said, grinning. He was aroused, she realized, and a rush of desire slipped through her.
She smiled down at him. “After making love all night, I can’t believe you’re thinking about sex.”
Reese cupped her breast and gently caressed her. “And you’re not?”
She laughed, her body softening beneath his touch. “I’m thinking about it now.” She leaned forward, her long dark hair cocooning them as she lifted a little and eased him inside her.
Reese groaned as she took control, setting up a rhythm he quickly matched. Gripping her hips to hold her in place, he drove into her, heightening the pleasure. Demanding and giving, they took from each other, took and gave until there was no holding back. Pleasure erupted, fierce and sweet, carrying her over the edge. Reese followed a few moments later.
“I love you,” he said as he curled her against his side and settled an arm around her. “I can’t wait to marry you.” He gave her a last brief kiss. “In fact, I bought you an early wedding present.”
“You did?”
“If you don’t like it, we can sell it and buy something else, but I’ve been looking at the property for a while now. It’s a big two-story home, with plenty of room for all of us. Maybe I was thinking of marrying you even before I figured it out.”
“Oh, Reese, that’s a wonderful present. I can’t wait to see it. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. We’re just getting started.”
Kenzie thought of the family they would make together, trusting him with her heart as she hadn’t been able to do before.
Kenzie smiled. As Reese had said, they were just getting started.
EPILOGUE
Eight months later
Reese manned the ski boat he had bought as a family Christmas present, a bright red MasterCraft ProStar. His wife and newly adopted son were both water sprites. Griff had taken to skiing as if he’d been born to it, already single skiing and jumping waves.
A lot had happened in the last eight months. Kenzie had been cleared as a suspect in Lee Haines’s murder, thanks to evidence uncovered in Shreveport. No mention was ever made of how the evidence was found.
The DNA samples Reese had collected at Kenzie’s town house after the kidnapping was a match to Eddie Fontaine. Fontaine was arrested, and, not knowing the evidence wouldn’t hold up in court, immediately rolled on Nolan Webb. Neither mentioned Sawyer DeMarco, but it didn’t really matter since DeMarco was dead.
Reese had gone to Heath Ford about the shooting in Loggy Bayou. Turned out the man Reese had killed was wanted for murder. Given the circumstances—the rescue of a kidnapped child—no charges were filed.
Troy Graves was rotting in jail. He had taken a plea deal, which had shaved a few years off his sentence, but his actions had cost people their lives and there was no way he was getting off without paying for his crimes.
Delia Parr had skated, but she hadn’t really committed a crime. According to the tabloids, she was involved with a real estate mogul old enough to be her grandfather.
In early spring, Reese had agreed to coach Griff’s Little League baseball team. He couldn’t believe how much fun he was having. He was a family man now, with a son and a grandmother who lived with him in the big house he had purchased in Preston Hollow.
