Epilogue

EPILOGUE

LEGEND

One Year Later

I juggle the tray of coffees and copies of newspapers in my hand as I try to unlock the door to the house. It took some convincing, but I finally talked Maya into moving to another house, and it's a good thing we did because we needed something bigger.

I set my keys down on the entryway table, kick off my shoes, and then make my way to the bedroom, where my wife is still sleeping.

I put the tray of coffees and cake on the nightstand and sit down on the edge of the bed. "Wake up, sleepyhead."

I was up all night watching the online newspapers, waiting for the reviews to come out about Maya's book. She wanted to stay up too, but being six months pregnant, she's had trouble staying awake like that.

As soon as I saw the review at two o'clock this morning, I knew I needed to go and get Maya a physical copy. It's a little after six, but she can go back to sleep and sleep all day if she wants to. She's going to want to hear this.

Maya scrunches up her nose and moans with her eyes still closed. "Do I smell coffee?"

"Yep, I got you some decaf. And your favorite coffee cake to go with it."

She opens one eye and looks at me. "Why do you sound so chipper this morning?"

I laugh. After a year, she's figured out I'm not really a morning person. Maybe because for the last several years, I've operated missions at night. I hold one of the many newspapers up. "I thought you'd want to read the reviews."

She bolts up in bed, a scared look on her face. "Did you read it? How is it? Oh God, was it bad?"

I can't keep the smile off my face. "It's really good."

She's shaking her head like she can't believe it. "Legend, you better not be messing with me."

I open the paper where the review is and hand it to her. She reads through it, and I can see her get misty-eyed as her eyes scan the words. I'm not going to lie. I went through the same emotions.

"They loved it," she says like she can't believe it.

I pull the paper out of her hand and start to read. "This is my favorite part. Maya Calhoun, now Maya Johnson, has released an epic romantic suspense novel. I'm not going to lie, I've always been a fan of Maya's but this book is at a different level. There's emotion, passion, the intensity will have you breathless and rooting for the couple to get together. Whatever you're doing, Maya, keep it up. This is going to be a New York Times bestseller and will be at the top of the charts for weeks to come. Mark my words! "

Maya has her hand to her chest, and she's shaking her head, soaking it all in. "This is because of you, you know that, right?"

"Honey, the sex is good, there's no doubt about it."

She smacks me on the chest. "I'm not talking about that. I mean, yeah, of course due to your expertise, I do write better sex scenes. It helps that you're always willing to act them out, but I mean it's the way you love me. That's what helps me to write better books. You have shown me what love is."

If someone would have told me a year and a half ago this is where I'd be in my life now, I wouldn't have believed them. I thought I'd be traveling, doing jobs here and there, living aimlessly, and now my whole life is so full that sometimes I'm overwhelmed with how much love is in my heart.

"Ditto, baby. You showed me what love is, too."

I lean into her, kissing her lips and then lean down to kiss her bare belly. "Love you too, baby girl."

Maya groans. "We don't know if we're having a boy or a girl. Remember, we want it to be a surprise."

I shrug. I don't have the heart to tell her that I sneaked a look at the last ultrasound. Watched the nurse type 'girl' on the screen.

"Right, well, I'm sorry to wake you up, but I wanted to show you that."

She yawns. "Thank you, honey. Come back to bed."

She pulls me down, and I lie by her side. Grumbling, I tell her, "I would love to come back to bed, but your brother is picking me up soon."

She loops her arms around my neck. "He can wait."

I laugh because I'm loving this horny side of Maya. Since she got pregnant, she's insatiable, and the feeling is mutual because I can't get enough of her. "Your brother has just now forgiven me for marrying his sister and getting you pregnant. I think I'll be pushing my luck if he gets here and I'm violating you six ways to Sunday."

She's tracing my nipple through my shirt and pouting at me. "He's moved here, Legend, and he's probably going to be at the house all the time. He's going to have to get used to the fact that his baby sister is having sex. I'm twenty-nine years old."

I nod in agreement. "Yeah, but since he's taking on some of my cases with Spartan Shield Corp and working for Cerberus, I sort of owe him by not throwing the fact we're having sex in his face."

She runs her hand across her swollen belly. "I think he knows."

I give her a big nod. "You got me there. Okay, ten minutes. You think I can give you two orgasms in ten minutes?"

Her eyes are sparkling as she shakes her head side to side. "Nope. No way."

She knows I like a challenge. "Oh it's on, Mrs. Johnson."

And then I not only prove her wrong but I throw in a third orgasm to boot. She'll learn to never doubt me. Especially when it comes to pleasing her.

Want to read Walker's story? Read Ransom .