Page 20 of The Mayor's Surrender

“Let’s welcome Mayor Brooks Payne,” James Reynolds, the new mayor of Sweet Temptation Bay, says. Brooks takes the stage and doesn’t release my hand. He looks down at me and nods, so I follow along.

“Thank you everyone. This is the last time you’ll see me up here giving a speech as your Mayor. As I say farewell, I want to say thank you for your support over the years. My love for Sweet Temptation Bay has never dissipated over the fifty years, even though I’m hanging up my tie. It’s time for me to dedicate the rest of my days to this beautiful lady beside me and to the lovely family we made together.” The crowd goes wild with cheers at the mention of me. I can’t hide my blush.

“It was scandalous that I fell in love with my beautiful assistant when she worked for me, but many didn’t know I met her before. She came to visit me on my hospital bed, and the first thought in my head was I’d died and gone to heaven. All these years later, I’m still not sure it isn’t the case. Taylor, you’re the best thing to happen to me. You’ve given me two wonderful children, and you made my career a success. Everyone knows that I couldn’t have pulled off being a mayor without you. I loved you then, and I love you still. I’ll love you forever.” He pulls me into his arms and kisses me in front of the entire crowd. Cheers erupt, but I’m lost to it all. My mind and body become his at this moment.

As he pulls back, I add, “I love you, Brooks. Take me home.”

He waves at the crowd, and then, with a swiftness I’ve only seen at home, he sweeps me off my feet and carries me down the steps. “We’re going home.”

Our oldest, Jacob, says, “I’ll take them out for ice cream, pops.”

“Good boy.” He winks at our son.

“We’ll join them,” Axel says, taking his kids as well. I wave them away as my hubby carries me to the waiting SUV. Our security will take care of them, but I’m glad Axel will watch out for them, too. He’s a great uncle. Besides being a high-profile figure like a mayor, our investments and Brooks’s savings from his career in the Navy, we’re well off, so we make good targets.

“They’re fine, Taylor.”

“I know, Brooks. It’s just that retirement isn’t going to be as relaxing as you think.”

“What do you mean?” he asks as we sit in the back of the vehicle, cuddling like a young couple.

“Let’s just say…I’m not hitting menopause early.” I hadn’t gotten my period in nearly two months, so I thought it was the change happening a bit too soon.

“Baby, are we having another baby?” His mouth falls open.

I press his mouth close and caress his cheek. “Yes, are you okay?”

He grins like a wicked devil, wagging his brows, his hand sliding up my bare thigh. “I’m great. I hoped I’d fill you up with one more after we had more time alone.”

“You planned on getting me pregnant?”

“Damn right. I love seeing you with my babies.” We didn’t have any babies after the first two because I was busy raising the two while remaining his assistant, which wasn’t easy to do, so I stayed on birth control. I didn’t want either of us to get fixed just in case we changed our mind about more. When he told me that he was only serving one more two-year term, I got off birth control, but we never got pregnant. We assumed I couldn’t anymore. We were so wrong, happily wrong.

“Time to celebrate our new future, wife,” he growls, pinning me to the backseat with his mouth on my throat. I’m so grateful for Tropical Storm Gretchen. It brought us together, and nothing can tear us apart.

THE END

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