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Epilogue

Tobias

One year later…

I throw the ball and watch as Biscuit runs for it, jumping into the lake when it bounces in. No fear, that one. Not an ounce of it.

“She’s going to get the house all muddy!” Theo calls out.

I glance over my shoulder to see him stepping onto the back second-story deck.

“She’s not in the house,” I answer, and I see his eye roll from here.

“You going to come shower, or what? I can smell you from here.”

I give him the middle finger and hear him laughing.

Biscuit drops her wet, muddy tennis ball at my feet, that I swear was green once upon a time, and looks up at me with her dripping face.

I pick up the ball and throw it again, this time aiming for the lake.

She goes for it, diving in. She loves the water, and so do I.

It was a selling point on the house. The fact it’s on a lake that we get full use of, with a dock for a small boat that we go out on as much as possible is amazing.

We’re just outside of Seattle, not too far from Theo’s job, since he’s the main money-maker these days.

His choice, not mine. Said he’s fine making all the money as long as he gets to come home and be fucked by me. I didn’t hate the idea.

I quit the rehab first, because it was the hardest. Not seeing Brandon anymore is amazing in ways I can’t explain.

I still work at Foxy’s now and then, but my availability is minimal.

Mostly I stay on so I don’t get stir crazy being in a house in the middle of the woods.

Working on that Mustang only keeps me so busy.

I’ve yet to drive the thing, but maybe I will one day.

“Everyone is going to be here in a half hour.” Theo is leaning on the railing, looking down at me. When he says everyone, he means everyone . Guys from the bar, his friends, family, all of them.

“You haven’t showered yet,” I say. Biscuit drops the ball again, but this time I throw it into the open yard, away from the lake.

“That’s because I was waiting for you.”

If anything is going to make me shower, it's that. I grin and hurry up the steps.

“Come on, girl!” I call out as Biscuit runs back to me. “We’ll play more later. ”

She follows me upstairs and into the house, where she does in fact get the floor all muddy. But hey, Theo wanted a dog.

I head to our bedroom, walk past our California King four-poster, and into the bathroom with Theo following. I’m barely under the water for two seconds before he’s dropping to his knees and sucking me into his mouth. I’m not even hard, but it won’t take long for me to be when he’s acting like that.

“What is this for?” I ask, grasping his hair.

He gives a little shrug, massaging my balls as he shoves my dick to the back of his throat.

“Just because you’re a little cock slut,” I say, causing him to moan.

Theo lets me fuck his mouth, and I do it slowly, loving seeing him on his knees for me. Before long, I can’t hold back anymore. My grip tightens on his hair, and I pull my dick out to stroke it.

“Open your mouth," I growl.

He does, sticking out his tongue and my cum splatters his face, landing in his mouth too. He swallows what he can, and I pull him to his feet, licking off the rest and kissing him with it on my tongue. I push him against the wall, gripping his dick in my hand and stroking.

“Is this why you wanted me to shower with you?” I ask as I trail my lips along his jaw. I find the thrumming vein and suck on it.

“Uh huh. ”

“If you want my cock, baby, just ask for it next time.”

“But this… is more fun,” he chokes out, his hips thrusting into my hand.

I get onto my knees for him and lick his balls while jerking him off.

“Fuck, you know how much I love that,” he whines. “Tobias…”

“Come for me,” I whisper.

Theo grabs my hair, guiding me back to his dick, so I take his head into my mouth and suck, still jerking off the rest of him and he explodes into my mouth with a choked gasp.

We wash up after that and quickly get dressed because everyone will be here soon. Theo’s parents still don’t talk to him, and I know it bothers him, but his brothers check in now and then, and that’s something.

Since we moved further away, we started a quarterly get together.

Originally we were going to swap where we host it, but everyone loves our house since it’s spacious—and the fact they don’t have to clean up—so we’ve done it here each time.

We don’t mind because we’ve started avoiding the city at all costs.

Once you’re away from it, you don’t want to go back.

“So, who’s going to be the first one?” Theo asks as he pulls out the paper plates and solo cups.

“Definitely Nathanial and Luca.”

“You think?” he asks with a funny smile.

“They were so mad that they weren’t the first ones last time, so yeah… I’m pr etty sure.”

“I think it’ll be your sister.”

“My sister? That’s the funniest thing I ever heard.” I laugh.

Turns out we were both wrong. It’s his brother, Michael, who shows up first, and to say it’s awkward is an understatement.

I don’t hate Michael; in fact I have nothing against the guy at all.

He’s just… odd. He hardly talks and just looks at everything.

He’s stiff and feels like he doesn’t belong anywhere other than a boardroom.

When he does talk, he’s nice and polite.

He and his wife—they were married about six months ago, suddenly, which their parents aren’t too happy about—brought a dish of pasta salad.

Everyone who comes by brings food, and we eat a hearty dinner while catching up on each other’s lives. There’s a good group of us, about twenty, so there’s plenty of food. And Biscuit gets her fill too, thanks to Leslie being a messy one year old who loves to throw food around.

“Don’t you guys want some roommates?” Nathanial asks as he pours another drink.

“Not unless you want to hear him screaming my name all night,” I say.

Theo nudges me, giving me wide eyes.

Nathanial and I both laugh, but then he adds, “I wouldn’t mind watching.” He waggles his brows suggestively.

“Oh my God,” Theo says as he walks away.

“It’s adorable how much you love him,” Nathanial says, getting close and resting his head on my shoulder .

“Yeah, you should try it someday.”

He shrugs, sipping on his drink. “Maybe I will.”

Dating professionally was fun. I met a lot of interesting and amazing people, but the best person I met was Theo.

If I never dated anyone but him for the rest of my life, it’d be fine by me.

He is the absolute love of my life, and I have no idea how I went so long without him, but now we have forever, and that’s all that matters.

Theodore

Six months later…

I went to work today thinking it would be a normal day—and most of it was. All my meetings went smoothly, and my team was working hard. I had lunch with the other managers, as we do on Fridays. Around four, an hour before it was time to leave, my boss—Marianne’s father—called me up to his office.

Over the last year and a half, since Tobias and I decided to really make a go at building a normal life together, I’ve felt what it’s like to work for the things I want.

I don’t hate it. In fact, I think I like it more.

Getting up to go to work sucks. I never want to leave Tobias in the morning.

But earning a paycheck? It feels damn good.

But nothing has ever felt as normal—and terror-inducing—as being called up to the big boss’s office on a Friday evening.

No, not even the stupid scary movies Tobias makes me watch—still.

Which is even worse when we live in a house deep in the woods.

As I make my way through the office, I swear I feel everyone staring at me, but I’m sure it’s just my own insecurities and worries about being fired.

If I get fired, well, I’m not sure what we’ll do. Figure it out together, I guess.

I’m proud of being the sole provider for my family.

I like taking care of Tobias. Yes, he still works sometimes, but that’s because he wants to.

Do I love it? Not really. Some would think him going on dates with other people is cheating, but I trust him more than anyone in this world.

He would never do anything to hurt me, and his dates are strictly professional.

I’m sure he would step up and go back to working full time, but I don’t want him to.

I like my role. Going to work and being in charge of all these people then going home and letting it all go, giving up control to Tobias, it's an amazing feeling.

Looking in the reflection of the shiny metal door, I adjust my tie and run my fingers through my hair.

I don’t talk to Mr. Dumonte often when it comes to work, but we have attended a few dinners together, thanks to Marianne still being in my corner and trying to keep the peace between us.

Her new boyfriend is super cool about it, which is a relief.

She’s happy. I see the difference in her eyes.

Not that I still worry about what happened with us, but I guess a small part of me will always feel guilty for tossing her world upside down.

But when I see her with Wayne, her boyfriend, I know it was the right decision for both of us.

The elevator doors open and I step into the lobby.

“Good morning, Cindy. I’m here for Mr. Dumonte. He just called.”

“Oh, good afternoon, Theodore. Yes, he’s expecting you.”

She picks up her phone and presses a button. “Mr. Dumonte, Theodore is here to see you. Yes, sir, right away.”

She hangs the phone up and gives me a bright smile.

Her glasses are too big for her face, but I think that’s the style nowadays.

It’s not really an issue or even the point of focus, because her bright red hair is curly as hell and…

poofy, for lack of a better word. The whole look fits her, but nothing about her is subtle.

I make my way down the hall, stopping in front of his closed door. I take a deep breath before raising my hand to knock twice.

“Come in!”