Page 107 of Time for Change

“Finally, Jack,” she murmurs with a sassy grin.

I press my lips to hers, savoring the feel for a moment before opening my mouth and letting my tongue lead the way. She opens up, her own tongue dancing with mine as her hands gently move up my chest. I snake my arms around her, pulling her tightly against my body. Of course, my cock notices her nearness and makes his presence known, growing hard between us.

“I love you, Sweets,” I tell her, pulling back and holding her gaze. “I understand why you did what you did, and I appreciate the sentiment, but never again. I want you in my life, in my kids’ lives, and they want you here too. So just know, if you try to leave again, I’m coming after you.”

She laughs, throwing her arms around my neck and going onto her tiptoes. “That sounds kinda kinky,” she quips, a naughty grin on her lips.

I slap her ass and grind my erection against her. “We should go upstairs, and I’ll show you.”

Stevie shakes her head. “I’m not sure that’s wise. I don’t want to confuse them when they wake up and I’m here.”

“Believe me, love, they’ll be thrilled. Christian has asked about you almost daily, and Gianna is good. She promised we’d talk if she ever started to feel scared moving forward. Besides, she’s the one who texted you to come over.”

“Lest we forget,” she says, toeing her athletic shoes and kicking them off. “I can leave before they get up in the morning if needed.”

All I can do is grin. She’s an incredibly smart, caring woman, and I’m so damn lucky to call her mine. “Not necessary.”

With her hand in mine, I flip the locks on the front door and guide her up the stairs toward my bedroom. “Having you here feels right,” I confess.

Just as we reach my bedroom and the door is closed and locked behind us, she whispers, “Jack?”

“Yes, Sweets?”

“I almost didn’t come over after I got that message at work, but the truth was, I’ve been miserable without you.”

“Same, love. Same,” I tell her, pulling her into another deep kiss.

I plan to spend the rest of the night showing her exactly what she means to me. And not just tonight either. She’s mine. I want to create new memories with her and my kids. I want to continue to get to know her, encouraging and supporting her as she completes school. I want to spend my free time basking in her inner light and helping her achieve her dreams.

I want it all with this woman.

And by God, I want to get my mouth on that nipple piercing.

Stat.

Epilogue

Stevie

May

I’m all smiles as I watch Christian stand at the front of the room, his adorable little light blue graduation cap perched on top of his head. His graduating preschool class is singing a song together about animals, and it’s seriously the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

Jack reaches over and takes my hand, giving it a light squeeze. My gaze turns to him, and I still can’t quite get over how we’ve gotten here. It’s been about three and a half months since Valentine’s Day, and things have been going very well since. The kids have been great, allowing me to be part of their lives while they’re with their dad. I’ve spent a little time with Mya too, getting to know her through the events with the kids, and frankly, she seems like a good person. She’s definitely a loving mom, and all I can think is how lucky Gianna and Christian are to have both her and Jack as their parents.

Gianna turns around and gives us a grin. She’s sitting in the row in front of us with her mom and Cort, and while she’s paying attention to the graduation proceedings, I can’t help but notice how often she turns around and smiles at her dad. It’s a knowing, almost secretive little grin that has me looking over to Jack to see what’s going on.

The preschool teacher starts announcing the kids, one by one. The little graduates walk to the front and pose with the teacher, receiving their graduation certificate. When we seeChristian up next, all four of us adults have our phones up and ready to catch the little guy receiving his certificate.

“Christian Harper.”

We all clap and start snapping pictures as he stands proudly beside his teacher, giving us a big, cheesy smile. Just before he walks away, he throws his hand up, pinky and index finger high in the air with the rock-on sign, and hollers, “Shake and bake!”

The entire room erupts into laughter as Jack groans beside me. “No he didn’t,” he mutters, clearly embarrassed by his son’s outburst. Yet, you couldn’t wipe the smile off his face with a putty knife.

What’s worse, Caden is sitting on the other side of Jack, and he reciprocates by throwing up the same hand sign and replying, “Shake and bake, buddy!”

Giggling, I murmur, “Come on, Jack. You can’t tell me you’re surprised.”

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