Epilogue

Nathan

Two years ago, I never would've believed this would be my life. Yet here I stand on the back porch of the house Sadie and I share, holding her hand as she giggles. She's got a blindfold over her eyes, and every time she tries to peek, I give her a playful tap on the ass.

"Patience, sunshine," I say, leading her down the steps. "We're almost there."

She laughs, the sound pure and light. "You know I'm not good at waiting, Nathan. You're torturing me."

I smirk, guiding her across the yard. "Just a few more steps. And keep that blindfold on, or I'm turning us around."

She grumbles something under her breath, but I ignore it. I've been working on this surprise for months, ever since I found her sketching out ideas at the kitchen table. She thought I didn't notice, but I see everything when it comes to her. It wasn't hard to figure out what she wanted—a space of her own, somewhere she could escape to and lose herself in her art.

The old shed in the backyard was perfect. It was falling apart, but I saw the potential. After a few weeks of late nights and early mornings, it's finally ready.

She started school as a pediatric nurse a year ago and it's going well, but I know how desperately she's been seeking a creative outlet. I also know that her hesitation in pursuing her art full-time is a leftover remnant of the mental abuse she experienced at the hands of the bastard who helped give her life. I've spent two years working to undo the impact he's had on her, but some things hold tighter than others.

"Alright, stop right here," I say, positioning her in front of the shed door. My heart's pounding like I'm about to step into a firefight, but this is different. This is for her.

"Can I take it off now?" she asks, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Not yet," I tell her. I reach for the door handle and slowly push it open, the scent of fresh paint and wood polish wafting out. "Okay, now."

Sadie rips off the blindfold, blinking against the sudden light. She stares ahead, her mouth falling open as she takes in what I've done. The shed is unrecognizable. The walls are painted a soft, calming blue, her favorite color. There's a skylight in the roof, letting in natural light, and the floor is covered in drop cloths, ready for her to make a mess. Easels, shelves filled with canvases and supplies, a cozy little seating area—all of it just for her.

"Nathan," she breathes, stepping inside like she's afraid it'll disappear if she moves too fast. "You… you did this for me?"

"Who else?" I reply, leaning against the doorframe as I watch her explore. She runs her fingers over the brushes and paints, her eyes wide with wonder.

"It's perfect," she whispers, turning to look at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Thank you."

I push off the doorframe and walk over to her, pulling her into my arms. "You deserve it, sunshine. You deserve everything."

She wraps her arms around my neck, standing on her toes to kiss me. I kiss her back, slow and deep, taking my time. We've been through a lot and it hasn't always been easy. Getting her father away from her, dealing with the court dates, moving, accepting the gossip in town about our age difference—it's been something the last two years. But moments like this make it all worth it.

When she finally pulls back, she's smiling, her cheeks flushed. "You know," she says, her voice teasing, "I've been thinking about doing something special in here."

"Yeah? What's that?" I ask, though I have a feeling I know where this is going.

"I've been wanting to do a nude," she says, biting her lip as her eyes drop to my chest. "And I think you'd be the perfect model."

I chuckle, low and rough. "Is that right? Well, I suppose I could be convinced."

Sadie grins, stepping back and grabbing a canvas from the shelf. She sets it up on the easel, then looks at me expectantly. "Take off your clothes, Marine."

There's something about the way she says it that sends a jolt of heat through me. I don't hesitate, stripping off my shirt first, then my jeans and boxers. My length springs free, already hard and curving upwards. Her eyes roam over my body, and I see the way her breath quickens, her cheeks reddening.

"Like what you see?" I ask, my voice dropping.

"Always," she says, her voice breathless.

I smirk, stepping closer to her. "Your turn, little girl."

She doesn't need to be told twice. She peels off her shirt, then her pants. Her panties and bra follow quickly after. I can't resist the urge to touch her, running my hands over her soft skin, and feeling her shiver under my touch.

But she pushes me back, a playful glint in her eye. "Get on the floor," she orders, and I chuckle, dropping to the ground.

She grabs a brush, dipping it into a pot of dark paint. The moment it touches my skin, it's like a spark ignites between us. She drags the brush down my chest, her eyes locked on mine, and I feel the heat coil low in my belly. She's teasing me, her strokes slow and deliberate, the paint cool against my heated skin. The brush continues to dip lower, tracing the ridges of my abs, and I can't keep still. I shift, a low growl rumbling in my chest, but she only smirks, her eyes glinting with mischief as she continues.

"Stay still," she whispers, but I can see the way her hands are trembling, the way her breath hitches every time she drags the brush lower.

"Hard to stay still when you're torturing me like this," I mutter, my voice rough with want.

She smiles that wicked little smile that drives me crazy and keeps painting. But it's not long before the brush is forgotten, replaced by her hands, her fingers smearing the paint across my skin. I let her get in a few moments of painting before I can't take it anymore. I grab her wrists, pulling her down on top of me, and her laughter is swallowed by my mouth as I kiss her, hard and hungry. Her soft moan is swallowed by my kiss, and she melts against me, her body a perfect, pliant contrast to the hard tension in mine.

Rolling us over, I pin her beneath me, pressing her into the floor, my weight holding her down. The sight of her—eyes dark with desire, lips parted and swollen from my kiss—sends a fresh wave of need coursing through me. She's everything I never thought I'd have, and the thought of her being mine drives me wild.

I dip my head to her neck, tasting her paint-free skin, the salt and sweat mingling with the lingering scent of paint. She gasps, her body arching up into me, and her nails dig into my back, urging me to go further, to give her everything. My hands wander lower, sliding between her fold and finding her hot and ready for me.

She gasps, her hips jerking at the first brush of my fingers. I tease her, sliding just a bit of my digit inside, feeling how wet she is, how desperate she is for more. The way her body responds as she arches and grinds against me, nearly undoes me.

"Please," she whispers, her voice trembling with a need so raw it takes everything I have not to lose control right there. Then she clenches around my finger.

Yeah, I'm done teasing.

I grip her hips, yanking her down further and positioning myself between her legs. Her thighs part for me, and the sight of her spread open, waiting for me, is almost more than I can handle. I thrust into her in one smooth motion, burying myself deep, and we both groan at the sensation.

She's tight, her walls clenching around me, drawing me in deeper with every stroke. I start slow, each thrust deep and deliberate, feeling every inch of her, claiming her with each movement. My senses are overwhelmed completely by the feel of her and me coming together as one. The slick slide of our bodies, the sound of her breath hitching with every thrust, the way she clings to me like I'm the only thing keeping her grounded—it's intoxicating.

Her legs wrap around my waist, pulling me closer, urging me on, and I comply, driving into her harder and faster. The room fills with the sounds of our joining. Everything is overwhelmed by the feel of skin against skin; the sounds of the wet slap of flesh meeting flesh mingle with the breathless gasps and moans escaping her lips.

"God, Daddy, yes," she pants, her voice trembling as I hit just the right spot inside her. I dip my head, nipping at the delicate skin of her throat, sucking a mark into her skin, branding her as mine. Her body tightens around me, and I can feel her getting closer, her nails digging into my shoulders as she holds on for dear life.

I reach between us, my thumb finding that sensitive bundle of nerves at her core, rubbing slow, firm circles. It only takes a few rotations before she shatters, crying out my name as her orgasm rips through her. The way she clenches around me, her entire body trembling beneath mine, pulls me over the edge with her.

I thrust into her one last time, burying myself deep as I come, my body shaking with the force of it. Her name is a growl on my lips as I spill inside her, claiming her in every way that matters.

We stay like that for a long moment, our bodies tangled together, our hearts pounding in sync. The paint is smeared all over us, the colors mixing with the slick of our sweat and arousal, a testament to the intensity of what just happened.

Breathing heavily, I finally roll off of her, but I don't go far. I pull her close, our bodies still wet and warm, and she snuggles into me, her head resting on my chest. My hand brushes through her hair, pressing a kiss to her temple as she sighs contentedly relaxing against me.

"You're mine, Sadie," I murmur, my voice low and possessive, but there's a tenderness there too, something I've only ever felt for her. "Always."

"Always and forever," she murmurs. We lay in silence for several moments before she looks up at me with a soft, nervous smile. "I have a surprise for you, too."

"Oh yeah?" I ask, my interest piqued. "What's that?"

She wriggles out of my grasp and hops up. She searches around until she finds my discarded t-shirt and pulls it on. "Wait right here."

"Wouldn't dream of moving, sunshine." She gives me a chuckle and then scurries out of the shed.

A few moments later, she returns with a small gift bag. I sit up as she hands it to me with a shy smile.

"I was going to give this to you at dinner, but this feels like a better time."

"What is it?"

"Open it." She folds herself down in front of me, her eyes wide and expectant as a I begin pulling tissue paper out.

My heart skips a beat when I see what's inside. A small, white onesie, the words "Like Father, Like Son" printed across the front in bold letters. I stare at it, my mind struggling to catch up with what my eyes are seeing.

"You're…?" I trail off, looking up at her, my heart hammering in my chest.

She nods, her eyes shining with tears of joy. "I was used for an ultrasound test today during labs and I found out. They said I'm two months pregnant. We're having a boy, Nathan."

For a moment, I'm speechless. The thought of having a son with Sadie, of raising a family with her, is something I never dared to dream about. But now, holding that tiny onesie in my hands, it's real. It's happening. I'm going to be a father.

"Holy shit," I breathe, and then I'm pulling her into my arms, holding her tight against my chest as she straddles my lap. "We're having a son. I can't believe it."

She laughs, a soft, joyful sound, and I kiss her, hard and deep, pouring every ounce of my love and gratitude into that kiss. She's given me everything—more than I ever thought I could have—and now she's giving me a family.

"I can't believe I didn't notice," she says, pulling back just enough to look at me. "I've been feeling so sick, and I just thought it was nerves or something. But it all makes sense now."

I chuckle, brushing a thumb over her cheek. "Guess we're both in for a surprise, huh?"

She nods, her smile radiant. "Yeah. But I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else. I love you, Nathan."

"I love you too, Sadie," I say, my voice thick with emotion. "More than anything. And I promise you, I'm gonna be the best damn father this kid could ever have."

She kisses me again, slow and sweet, and I hold her close, my heart swelling with love and pride. I never thought I'd have this—a home, a family, a woman who loves me. But I do. And I'll do everything in my power to keep it, to protect it, to make sure Sadie and our son have the life they deserve.

As I hold her in my arms, the paint drying on our skin, I can't help but think how glad I am that I made this girl mine.

~The End

Get more hot reads here!