Epilogue

Epilogue

Emberly, Seven months later

T he past seven months have been a huge eye-opener for me. I've come to realize all those romance novels my best friend loves might not be so wrong after all. Getting the guys and living happily ever after isn't such a fairytale. Not when I can reach out and touch my fantasy and have them touch me right back.

I push open the large door to the local coffee shop and head straight for Rosalee. "Ugh, another two months and I'll burst. I don't know if I can wait that long."

I join my friend at a small table for two and grin as she tries to wrap me in a warm hug around my swelling belly.

"It's so good to see you!" Rosalee sighs. "Nothing to do but wait it out and let those two men of yours dote on you, hand and foot. You better not even try to tell me you don't love them pampering you day and night."

I cringe a little and pick up the chamomile tea Rosa ordered for me. The smell of the coffee house is addictive and the pastries are to die for but I resist the urge and settle for my tea instead.

"Last night I had the most horrible leg cramp and Samuel spent an entire hour massaging the muscle."

"Mmm-hmm. From that wicked smile on your face that's not the only thing that man massaged." Rosa wiggles a finger my way.

I hide my smile and don't do such a good job of hiding the deep scarlet hitting my cheeks. My Irish blood is always giving up all my secrets.

As it turns out I was right about my professors and the only regret I have is waiting so long to share my feeling with them. They are the perfect men for me and despite my age, or maybe because of it, I'm the perfect woman for them. We fit together seamlessly. Three months after our hot fling in Elliot's office I studied my ass off and graduated at the top of my class under my own hard work.

During that time we kept our relationship from the public eye. But all bets were off as soon as the ink dried on my diploma. And not a moment too soon. By the fourth month of my pregnancy I started showing and our little secret hit the gossip rounds fast enough to give me whiplash.

Now I'm looking to further my education and work toward my Masters and maybe even my Ph.D. and my men couldn't be happier or more supportive. Girls my age might not be looking to settle down, but what I share with my new family feels right for me and that is all that matters.

As a graduation gift my men made a big show of moving me into a brand new house we've made into a beautiful home to welcome our first little bundle of joy. In fact, I have about thirty minutes to catch up on all the gossip with Rosalee before both Elliot and Samuel swing by to take me shopping for a beautiful hand-carved crib I spied in an antique shop last week.

Oh, and Thomas Cane. You won't believe what the grade-A asshole did over spring break. Not a week after our parking lot incident he tried his special moves on another chick back in L.A. while visiting his big shot NFL daddy. Turns out the chick was an undercover cop. You don't need me to tell you how that turned out. But I will. The news plastered his pretty boy face all over the news and the black shiner he sported made lovely makeup for his stay in jail. Last I heard he plead guilty and is serving a two-year sentence for aggravated assault with a hefty fine as a pretty little bow. After some pressure, Dean Winslow of BU also submitted the report Elliot and Samuel wrote to the school board and that tacked on another six months for multiple counts of assault with the intention of forced sexual acts.

Karma is a fucking bitch.

A chime goes off behind me and I look up to see Rosalee's face redden. Over my shoulder I catch a well-dressed professor that looks more fit to be in a Russian gang than walking the halls of Blackthorne University and I grin, turning back to Rosalee.

I tap a finger on the table. "Well, well, well, how the tables have turned." My friend still has a half a year before she graduates and from the look on her face, she has the hots for the new psychology professor who just walked through the coffee shop's door looking like he invented sex in her eyes.

"Oh, no, this is different." Rosa shakes her head vehemently.

My eyebrows shoot up and I purse my lips in a way that says I'm not buying her excuses. "Really?"

"I can't, Emberly."

"Why?"

She is damn near eating her fingernails she's so nervous. "Because there's something I haven't told you."

I set my tea down and take my friend's hand, all joking aside. "What? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But?—"

She pauses so long I'm about to shake her for an answer.

"He's not only my new psychology professor and thank God for that. I never thought Mr. Cobbs would retire."

"Stop stalling, Rosalee!"

"Okay okaaaay. He's also the founder of BU. How would it look if I were to get cozy with him?"

I take in the heavy breathing and the fire in my friend's eyes as she rakes them over her untouchable love interest, and I can't help the smile and evil plan formulating in my head.

The bell rings again and I wave to my men. I lean my heavy belly forward and whisper loud enough for only my friend to hear.

"I. Dare. You."