Epilogue

EVIE

^ELEVEN MONTHS LATER^

My lipstick shade wasn’t right. I’d lost my preferred pale-brown matte months ago and hadn’t had the time to replace it. I would wear red, but that was too messy for tonight’s plans.

My lengthy chestnut waves failed to hold their curls in the dry winter air, hanging lifeless at my waist. I tossed my strands, sideswiping them in hopes of adding some volume.

What was I doing wrong? Had being a mother seriously taken this much of a toll on me?

I rolled my eyes, snatching my phone from the sink and pulling up my recent calls list. Saanvi’s name was at the top, and I pressed the camera button beside her contact photo, holding my cell before me.

The black screen lit up with her deep skin tone and dark-brown, pin-straight hair. “Hey there. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” I dipped the phone’s camera to show her the satin slip dress hugging my curves. “What do you think of this?”

“It’s pretty…”

I knew that tone. There must be something wrong with it. Ever since I gave birth in September, Saanvi had been incessantly trying to spare my feelings.

“But?” I prompted.

“But what happened to the Mrs. Claus outfit?”

And there it was.

I frowned at the red velvet trimmed in white fluff, which was hanging on the glass shower wall behind me. This time last year, I was wearing it for Sam. Now, it taunted me like the ghost of Christmas past.

“It’s a lot tighter than it was last year…” I hedged.

She shrugged. “I’m sure it just shrank.”

“It didn’t,” I growled. “It’s the baby weight I put on.”

As badly as I’d wanted this child, and as much as I loved baby Andrés to death, I could have done without the extra pounds.

Saanvi rolled her eyes. “You’re being too hard on yourself.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Listen, a little over a year ago, you got divorced, had a one-night stand, got pregnant—despite being told you couldn’t—and carried one healthy little Vázquez to full term… You’re definitely allowed to gain a little weight along the way.”

I couldn’t resist a smirk on hearing her recap of my life all in one breath. “I know. It’s just a lot. You’ll find that out if you and Tim ever change your mind about having kids.”

“Oh, we’re definitely not having kids,” she snapped. “I have a little nephew to spoil now, so I can feed him sugar, send him home, and not deal with the consequences.”

I shook my head and chuckled. “Remind me never to let you babysit.”

As Saanvi and I laughed together, I switched off the bathroom light and pulled open the door. My laugh faded and my stomach plunged somewhere into my lower body at the sight before me.

Sam was lying right in the middle of the satin black duvet cover, his eyes closed and his chest slowly expanding and contracting with his heavy breaths.

His taut, tan skin and muscular stomach were soaked in the warm lighting of our two matching bedside lamps. Our baby, dressed in a tiny pastel-blue onesie, was nestled beside him in his arms.

Andres’s dark-brown locks were growing in nicely. His eyes were closed in sleep right now, but I knew as soon as he woke up, those giant, dark eyes—so similar to Sam’s—would start curiously staring around the room.

Just like that, my heart melted. Pinpricks of warmth swelled behind my eyes, and my life was full.

Nothing else mattered. Not my faulty lip color, my uncooperative hair, or even the few extra pounds I could easily rid myself of in the new year. This was my life, and by God, I wouldn’t change a thing.

I grinned, whispering to Saanvi on my phone screen, “Jesus, you’ve gotta see this…” I clicked the tiny reverse button on my phone camera, and Sam and Andres took over my screen.

After a moment, I pressed it again, shifting the view back to me. Saanvi’s tawny hand rested over her heart, and her smile beamed as widely as mine. “So cute,” she mouthed.

“I know,” I muttered.

After a few provocative gestures of encouragement from Saanvi, I chuckled, shaking my head. We silently waved goodbye, and I tapped the red button, ending our call.

I stepped forward, and my palm fanned over Sam’s bare stomach. Warmth radiated from his perfect skin. “Hey, baby,” I muttered, mid-caress of his abs.

His lids fluttered open, and his dark-chocolate irises danced around the bedroom in confusion. “Did I—”

“Fall asleep?” I interrupted. “Yeah.”

Sam had been just as tired as I was since Andres was born. We’d been taking turns getting up in the middle of the night when Andres cried. Even though Sam wasn’t able to take any time off from the firm, he’d been adamant about doing his fair share of parenting.

“I’m sorry,” he said through a yawn.

“It’s okay.” I smirked. “The view was worth it.”

He glanced down at where Andres was still quietly relaxing.

“I’ll take him,” I whispered, and gently scooped up our bundle of joy from where he was nestled between Sam’s torso and arm.

Andres whimpered as I pinned him against my chest. I lightly bounced and shushed him while crossing the room to tenderly place him down on the miniature mattress pad in his crib. I stood up, my arms empty as half of my heart rested within reach.

Two arms suddenly wrapped around my waist from behind. Sam’s heated body pressed against my backside, and his breath brushed my cheek. We gazed down at Andrés together.

“This coming weekend will already be four months…,” I muttered.

“Seems impossible,” Sam said.

“Yeah, time flies.”

I furrowed my brows, keeping my eyes pinned to Andrés. “How will I leave him?”

“What do you mean?” Sam asked.

“After New Year’s, when I go back to Evangeline’s,” I clarified.

“Well, Saanvi and our parents said they would babysit, and as long as you keep your dates with that handy little pump, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I don’t mean that. I mean emotionally. I’m not ready. Maybe I’ll never be ready.” Evangeline’s had been my dream. It still was. But Andrés was a dream too. How could I choose between being a mother and running a business?

“Do you think I’m being selfish?” I asked in a small voice.

“What?” I could practically hear Sam’s shock. “Why would you ask that?”

“Raising Andres on top of us each running a business?” I sighed. “Is it too much?”

“It’s a lot…,” he admitted.

~So, that’s a yes…~

“But together, there’s nothing you and I can’t do,” he added. “Along with my crazy sister-in-law and the rest of our family, anyway.”

Sam was always so confident despite my doubts. I could definitely understand how he’d become the CEO of a super-successful law firm, bigger and better than ever post-merger.

“We’ll make it work.” His lips pressed against the ball of my shoulder. “I promise.”

Sam’s reassurance was as refreshing as mint candies steeped in hot chocolate, and I finally smiled through my wavering apprehension.

As my peace resurfaced, my limbs weakened. Andres had yet to make a peep. Sam and I sighed in unison, staring down at our miniature angel.

“Best Christmas Eve ever…,” Sam uttered.

“Yeah,” I agreed.

After a moment, I yawned, pulling an answering one from Sam seconds later.

“I’m exhausted,” Sam groaned.

“Me too.”

“So much for that Christmas Eve roll in the sheets, huh?”

I sighed. “There’s always Christmas Day.”

But who was I kidding? Tomorrow would be hectic. I couldn’t remember anymore why we’d thought it would be a good idea to host Christmas dinner here.

We’d assumed it would be easier for the baby’s first Christmas to have everyone under one roof, but now, faced with the reality, I just wanted to crawl under the covers and hide. Thankfully, Saanvi and our moms were coming early to help.

“I love you,” Sam whispered.

“I love you too.”

Sam grasped my arms, gently leading me from the crib and into bed. “Come on, let’s get some sleep.”

Sam leaned over, switching off the lamp on his bedside table, and I did the same on my side. Darkness surrounded us, apart from the subtle glow of the moonlight pouring through the windows and the tiny night-light across the room.

But then I suddenly remembered…sex wasn’t the only unfulfilled promise tonight.

“Wait.” My fingertips shot to my table lamp. It clicked on, relighting the bedroom.

Sam furrowed his brows. “What?”

I faced him, propping myself on an elbow. “You owe me.”

He rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on…”

“No. It’s been ages, and I want one.”

“Now?”

“Right now.” I watched him expectantly, but he stayed silent. “Well?” I cocked a brow. “Are you waiting for Santa and his reindeer to deliver it, or are you gonna give it to me?”

Sam sighed heavily, and his sly tone clicked on. “Are you Christmas? Because I wanna marry you.”

Laughter erupted from my windpipe. My palm flew over my mouth, muffling it so I didn’t wake Andrés.

Sam grinned, shushing me as he leaned in and pressed his forehead to mine. The cozy warmth of his massive palm swept across my waist, and his breath brushed my lower lip.

“That’s more like it,” I whispered.

“Yeah?”

“Mhm.”

Our lips met, pressing together as perfectly as they always had. My caving stomach and aching desire were the best gifts Sam could have given me.

I cupped his face and slipped my tongue into his mouth, sliding it against his. His guttural groan vibrated my taste buds as he slid his hand underneath the mini slip dress.

His warm cheeks and scratchy five o’clock shadow on the tender flesh of my inner palms only increased my need for him. I kicked away the silk bedding, exposing my naked lower half to the chilled night air.

Our mouths remained connected, and his grip on my hips tightened as I climbed over him and straddled his lap. My throbbing clit was slightly eased as I met the thick bulge in his boxers.

Sam’s torso sat up from the sheets, his large hands roaming my curves as if he hadn’t felt them in ages.

My pent-up hormones would no longer tolerate excuses. We hardly got the chance to do this since having Andrés. We were always either tired, too busy, or Andrés started fussing.

I reclaimed my lips and reached between us to peel away the elastic band of his boxer shorts like wrapping paper, freeing his cock.

Then I shifted over his lap, lining his eager tip up with my entrance, and slowly lowered my hips, easing his shaft inside little by little.

Our foreheads remained glued together as we shared unsteady breaths and hushed moans. After the rest of my weight settled and he was fully immersed, I leisurely rolled my hips over his lap.

My clit grinding on his abdomen alongside the satisfying slow slide of his erection was everything and more. I had to remind myself sometimes: I was married to this man. There was a child who existed in this world because of Sam’s and my mingled DNA.

Sam smirked. “Didn’t wanna wait until tomorrow for this either, huh?”

If I could choose to relive every minute of pain and suffering, just to end at this exact moment in time, I would do it in a heartbeat. “It seems like I’ve waited my whole life for you, Vázquez…,” I whispered. “I don’t wanna wait a minute more.”

Our mouths collided, and our smacking lips, panting, and stifled moans overtook the silent night.