Epilogue - Violet

Eight months later

"I can't believe we're out of the house without either of the kids," I said to my husband. "When was the last time this happened?"

"Probably when there was only one kid," Nile laughed.

Penny and her baby sister Amelia were at home with a babysitter while Nile and I enjoyed a rare dinner date. It was freeing to eat my food while it was still hot and not have to worry about doing any dishes afterwards.

"Is it bad that I kind of miss them, though?" I asked.

Nile reached across the table to squeeze my hand lovingly. "No, it's not bad," he said. "I kind of miss them, too. That's why nights out are so important. It gives us a chance to miss them, so we don't go insane."

I laughed, knowing his words to be true. I couldn't say what Penelope was like as a baby, but I felt sure she was much calmer than Amelia was turning out to be.

Something about being the second-born daughter had made her slightly more feral than other children. With a full head of honey-blond hair like me and a winning smile like her father, it was all too easy to let her get away with things. Especially when Penny got involved. Our well-behaved eldest child was the instigator for spoiling the baby. Nile and I had our hands full with our two princesses and had been looking forward to this date all week.

Just a few days ago, I had gotten the promotion I had been dreaming of. And tonight, we were finally getting the chance to celebrate.

Walter had decided that my services could be much better utilized as the studio's full-time in-house artist. I would no longer be required to help with the day-to-day operations in the shop. Instead, Walter had converted the storage space in the back of the studio into my personal art room.

"Tell me more about your space," Nile said. "Walter said he had done some major upgrades."

"I need to take you to the studio so you can see it," I began excitedly. "He installed a full wall of glass so I can look out into the shop, and a window on the south wall so I can get better natural light. I still need to finish setting up all of my supplies, but when I'm done, you're going to have a hard time getting me to come home from work."

"It's a good thing you have a studio at home, too," Nile laughed. "But seriously, Vi, I'm so proud of you. I know you've been working so hard toward getting a permanent display at the studio and selling your pieces."

"That's the other thing I was going to tell you. Walter has been in touch with other studios in the surrounding states, and they're going to house some of my work as well. Who knows? Maybe I'll go national."

"International," Nile corrected.

He was practically beaming with pride. I knew many men might feel intimidated by having a successful partner, but not him. He was proud of the name I was making for myself.

"Are you about done eating?" he asked. "I can flag down the waiter if you want something else."

"I think I'm done. Should we get the bill and head home?"

"I don't think I'm ready to share you with our children just yet," Nile replied.

"In that case, I have an idea of what we should do next," I said, wagging my eyebrows up and down at my mate. "Let's go act like teenagers in a car somewhere."

Nile paid the bill, and we headed to our car.

"I've got the perfect place," he said as he started the car. He held my hand in his own, making gentle circles on my palm as he drove carefully through the city streets.

He put the pedal to the floor when we left the town limits, heading for a secluded spot at the edge of the forest. When the car was parked, he killed the headlights and flashed me a grin.

"Get over here," he said, pulling the level on his seat so it reclined back.

Slowly and seductively, I began to unbutton Nile's pants. I stroked the hardness inside his boxers until the fabric became strained.

When I finally lowered the hem of his underwear, I bent my head over his lap and I heard Nile take a quick intake of air. I paused, the tip of his penis resting on my bottom lip as I looked up into his eyes with a sparkle of mischief in my eyes.

"Are you teasing me, Violet?" he asked in a gravelly voice.

"Absolutely," I responded.

I flicked my tongue out to lick the tip and elicited a moan from my mate. I smiled, pleased that I could drive Nile to distraction and frustration with so little effort. Still looking into his eyes I opened my lips and placed them around his shaft. My head bobbed up and down as I took him in and out of my mouth.

After a few minutes, I shimmied out of my underwear and straddled my mate. I allowed him to enter me slowly, and felt the relief wash through both of us as we connected.

We had been intimate plenty of times since baby Amelia was born, but we were always quick and distracted. Here, alone in the forest, it felt as though we were in our own little world. There was no chance of us being interrupted, so we took our time with each other.

I rocked my hips back and forth, rubbing my clitoris on his pelvis as I felt his hardened cock inside me. His hands caressed my thighs and hips, moving in time with the rocking of my body.

Even in the close confines of the vehicle, I felt like I couldn't get close enough to Nile. I lay my head on his shoulder, kissing his neck without breaking our rhythm.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he murmured into my ear.

"So are you," I told him.

Our tempo increased, and I felt myself getting closer and closer to the edge.

"Yes, Nile," I moaned as I reached my release.

At the sound of his name, he climaxed right after me. We took deep breaths as we recovered, and then Nile began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"I was just thinking we should probably be careful," he replied. "If we add too many more Pinedale pups to our house, we'll have to move."

I smiled as I rolled off my mate and sat down in the center seat so I could snuggle up next to him.

"I'll have as many of your babies as you'll give me," I assured him.

I hit the button on the sunroof so that we could look at the stars as we enjoyed each other's closeness.

"I love you, Violet," he said.

"I love you, Nile," I replied.

"Are you ready to go home?" he asked.

I smiled at him in the darkness, happier than I ever could have imagined.

"There's nowhere I'd rather be."

*****

THE END