Page 51 of Bound to the EMT

“You know we’ll have to tell my parents.”

“Oh, I already thought of that. I was hoping to tell them at the party?”

“Perfect!”

Branson leans in and kisses me, his touch gentle as he holds me in his arms. Arousal swirls through my body as I feel his barely leashed savagery through the bond. Before things can go too far, however, there’s a knock at the door. His groan as I pull away follows me through the house, making me tingle from head to toe.

“Later, love. After the party, I’ll be all yours.”

Thankfully, the meeting is quick. All that seems to be needed is both of us agreeing to stay in the marriage. As if there’s anything or anyone else. No doubt when she saw the mark, she knew it was pointless to drown us in bureaucracy. The only other thing was to confirm the name change, and she was gone.

With a large grin, I pack up my goodies and the snacks, and we race away to his parent’s mansion. They greet us with large hugs and shouts of welcome before Mr. Astorford mans the grill. Never in my life did I ever imagine someone as rich as them doing the cooking, but he looks so natural there. So much like a dad.

Tears prick my eyes as I watch all of Branson’s friends from the EMS unit and family laugh and joke as if they’re all one big group. My father stands off to the side, unsure of the interaction, but soon, even he joins in, his lips lifting into the ghost of a smile over Mikey’s antics.

Once everyone is settled, Branson clinks his knife against his glass and draws everyone’s attention onto us. My heart swells as I watch the outpouring of love from each and every one of them.

“Thank you for joining us this evening, and a huge thank you to the hosts.” Mr. Astorford stands, puffs up, and tugs on his grill master apron before sitting back down. “We can’t think of a better way to celebrate six months than with all of you. Thank you for being there with us and for us, and thank you for your continued love and support as we go off into the future. Now, I believe my lovely bride has a special present for the parents.”

My lips hurt from how hard I’m grinning as I take the bags over to the three. My father sits off to the side, his expression wary as he holds the frilly thing to his chest. One by one, they open the bags and pull out a shirt. Everyone sits in silence as they read them.

First, Mrs. Astorford looks at me, her eyes wide and shining with happiness. “Truly?” Like the proud grandparent she is, she turns the shirt around to show everyone what it says.

Number One Grandma. Cheesy, but fitting for this ragtag family. My father blinks as tears gather in his eyes. He says nothing but clutches his Number One Grandpa shirt to his chest and mouths the words thank you. Unable to hold back any longer, I walk over to him and give him a tight hug.

Tears stream down our cheeks as everyone whoops and hollers, wishing Branson well and congratulating the grandparents. My heart swells even more as I catch my husband’s gaze from across the way, seeing and feeling the love pouring from him and into me.

Never in my dreams did I think I’d be allowed to find my happiness, and now I have it flowing all around me, shoring me up. Who would have thought my happily ever after would have come from a butt plug gone wrong, but here we are. And forever seems brighter than I could have ever imagined.