Epilogue

ASHER

Six Weeks Later

“ Y o, Fontaine, you got a visitor.” Kenny bumps his shoulder with me. We just got back from a call. Simple enough, but we still have to make sure everything is restocked and back in place. I look up and find my woman walking my way. I look from her to my watch, noticing the time. How she managed to leave work during her lunch and not catch me on a call is the luck of the draw.

“Be right back.” I drop what I’m doing. Lennon is in her signature black scrubs, hair up in a ponytail, face void of makeup, and looking like she’s a woman on a mission. My feet carry me toward her, worried something’s wrong. It’s not abnormal for us to have lunch together. Usually, I’m the one stopping in without letting her know, not the other way around. I watch as she quickens her pace. Her gait is half of what mine is, and she’s always asking me to slow down because she can’t keep up.

“What’s wrong?” I ask once she’s in hearing distance. We’re a few feet apart when she launches herself into my arms. Her legs wrap around my waist, arms are thrown over my shoulders, and she’s got her nose tucked into my neck.

“Nothing, everything, I’m so happy I don’t know whether to laugh, cry, or puke.” I plant my feet shoulder-width apart, hands cupping her ass cheeks, digging into the fleshy softness. Any chance I can touch Lennon, I’m going to. I’m downright obsessed with having her near, and the long hours at the fire station only have me hungry for more.

“That could be kinda hard to work with, gorgeous.” Lennon finally lifts her head out of the crook of my neck.

“The last could be really gross, too. Anyways, I couldn’t wait until the end of the day or for you to be home from work tomorrow.” Our schedules make things challenging to say the least. Usually when I’m walking into the house the morning after my shift, she’s preparing herself to leave for work.

“Must be really important.” I lick my lips, readying myself for her to tell me her news and then kiss her senseless.

“It is,” she agrees, hyper-focused on the way I drag my tongue along my lip. Fuck, she makes it damn hard not to move this somewhere else, ignore her conversation, and slide my cock deep inside her.

“It must be.” It’s clear she isn’t ready to spill whatever it is she has going on, and I don’t want to push her to tell me. I will say if she doesn’t get with the program soon, there’s a damn good chance the alarm will go off and I’ll be rushing out on a call.

“It is, so I didn’t say anything because of my nerves and there’ve been how many months where my period likes to wave its red flag. Well, last month, it was super light. I didn’t think anything of it because, well, life and the whole thing with Kennedy moving in next door.” Yep, my sister finally bit the bullet and came to her damn senses. She’s paying more than Lennon wants, and the two of them got into a conversation where I saw my sister ready to say forget it . I pulled Lennon aside and told her to let Kenny figure out a payment she’s comfortable with even if it’s more than my woman ever expected. Then, if she was okay with the idea, we’d set the extra money each month aside, put it in some kind of CD or high-yield savings account for Briar. Lennon agreed that’d be a great idea, and when or if Kenny decides to move out, she’ll make it available for family members to use as they please.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Lennon cocks her head like I’m not in tune with her. A man knows when his woman is off-limits while using his mouth on her pussy. Everything else is free game, depending on how she’s feeling, of course.

“Naturally.” She rolls her eyes while smiling.

“Gorgeous, I do not wanna rush you, but there’s a chance we could get interrupted. Shit’s been wild today with all kinds of crazy accidents.” Whispering Oaks may be a small-ish town with a population of under ten thousand, but we still have an interstate to hop on and off to get here, and we also help with backup calls when needed.

“Crap, well, I had symptoms. Obviously, sore boobs, being more tired, like utterly exhausted, and keeping my eyes open is near impossible.” I smile, getting the picture. My sister would walk around holding her chest while yawning in the middle of the day when she was pregnant. I let Lennon continue without saying a word. “Not to mention the nausea right after waking up after a nap. That’s been a doozy. And when I was talking to the head nurse at the office, well, it’s been a domino effect.”

“You didn’t tell me about the nausea.” How the fuck was she able to get that past me?

“Well, no, I figured it was honestly because I’ve been tired or something was going around.” She shrugs her shoulder. I mull that over in my head. I’m going to have to be damn watchful when it comes to her.

“Right.” I nod, urging her to continue.

“She suggested I take a pregnancy test between patients, and she’d read it whenever she got a chance. That was this morning before the office opened. Well, surprise! I’m pregnant!” I close my eyes, breathing through the happiness. Fucking knew it would happen with Lennon. Didn’t know when, but I fucking knew. I open my eyes and look deep into her brown ones. They’re shimmering with tears, love, and happiness.

“Fuck yeah. I’m so goddamn happy. This life is going to be a wonderful thing, gorgeous. Which means you need to get with Minnie and Catherine. The ball needs to roll because we’re getting married as soon as fucking possible.” My ring is on her finger, has been for the past month. Crew knew someone who knew someone, set up an appointment at the jeweler, and he custom designed the ring within a couple of weeks. It pays to have a diversified friend group like mine.

“Yeah, I’m thinking we’re going to have to move it up quick like.” I cock an eyebrow. Lennon has been wanting all of her family, adopted or not, to be in on the planning as well as my family. It’s been a circus to say the least. Different time zones, different states, and different tastes. What I’d really like to do is run the hell away, elope, have my name attached to hers, and go on a honeymoon up in the mountains.

“Pleased as fuck you’re getting with the program on that, gorgeous.” One of my hands slides up her spine. I feel her shiver and cup the nape of her neck, pulling her face closer to me.

“I’m going to, but there’s more.” I stop in my tracks, wondering what else she has to tell me.

“What’s that, Lennon?”

“I had a scan. Don’t worry, Luke was at the hospital, and only the nurse and ultrasound tech know. I’ve sworn them to secrecy. Anyways, I’m pregnant with twins!” She is ecstatic, and that makes two of us.

“Goddamn, I’m the happiest man on earth. Got my woman, got our babies, and there’s nothing else I could ever want,” I say right before my lips collide with hers. Lennon holds on tighter; she gives as good as she gets. My tongue swipes along the seam of her lips, gaining entrance then tangling with hers. I kiss her with everything I’m worth, showing her what she means to me, and I’ll be telling her, too.

“Asher,” she pants against my lips. Her hips slowly rock back forth. Lennon has no idea what she’s doing, so lost in the haze, and I’m having a hard time holding still.

“Lennon, baby. We gotta stop.” Anywhere but here, and I’d walk with her in my arms until her back met something, and then I’d let her ride me until she got hers.

“Oh shit, I did it again, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did, but you won’t find me complaining. Not fuckin’ ever. You wanna go inside and make a call to your sister and Momma Catherine? Then we’ll do the rounds with everyone else?” She nods while unwrapping her legs from my waist, sliding down the length of my body and not helping me in the least in calming my dick down.

“I love you, Asher, now and forever.” I feel her words deep in my soul.

“I love you. Always, Lennon.” The smile she gives me means fucking everything to me.

I hope you enjoyed Asher and Lennie’s story and will consider leaving a review.

Coming next is His Valentine, Kennedy and Trent’s story and releases February 10th!