Camp Hardwood by Alexa Riley

Epilogue

Tia

Five years later…

“You really do everything with love,” Honey says to me as she airplane feeds our daughter. She’s too old to be fed like that, but I keep that comment to myself. It’s adorable and our youngest always giggles when she does it.

Honey and Ford are the grandparents of the century. They can’t get enough of our little girls. It warms me that our daughters have a family that fights over who gets to spend more time with them. It’s something so foreign to me, growing up the way I did. I’ve made my roots here and this is my forever home and family.

“What?” I say as I tie a perfect bow on the basket I’ve made. I packed up a late lunch for me to take out to Van in the barn. He didn’t eat enough when he stopped by for lunch and eating me doesn't count. I don’t care what he says. He’s too worried about hanging out with us and playing with our girls to eat a proper meal. He’s been busy out in the barn this week and now he’s dealing with someone who needs him to tend to their horse. Van normally only tends to our own animals, but the next closest veterinarian clinic is over two hours away so it isn't uncommon for people to stop in and ask a question or have him take a look. It’s hard for Van to say no when he thinks an animal might need help. Even if he’s as busy as he is.

“The basket looks like it belongs on a display. I can only imagine what’s inside of it.”

Thankfully everyone is used to me blushing. They think it’s the norm, but really I’m blushing because this basket isn't only stuffed with food for my husband—it might have a few other things for us to play with too. Van and I have been married for almost five years and there’s never a dull moment when it comes to our lovemaking. I know there never will be because he’s always finding new inner desires I didn't know were there. He really is the other half of my soul. How else could he read me so well and know things about me I didn’t?

“You know I’ll make you one anytime you want,” I tell Honey.

Sometimes I do it for her and Ford as a thank you. They’re always so eager to watch our girls when Van and I need a night with just the two of us. Like the nights when he wants to make me scream his name and it’s better if no one is within a mile of our place. I just don’t put the little extras in theirs like I do with the ones Vans and I use.

“I know, sweetheart.” She comes over and gives me a kiss. “Tell my son I said hi and I’m ready for another baby around here.” I roll my eyes.

“So, the usual.”

“Yep.” She winks at me before sitting back down with our girls again.

I give them both a kiss and think that I wouldn’t mind a third either. The girls are getting more independent and Van’s finished school. We have the time and he’s brought it up a few times himself. I just always have this small fear if I have too many kids that one might not get the attention it deserves. I know that’s my inner battle at play because it really is a village around here. It might be called Camp Hardwood, but everyone is family and this is home.

I take my basket out to the Gator for the short ride over to the barn. When I get there I see a truck I don’t recognize parked outside. This must be the person who called, but I wonder why they don’t have a trailer hitched up if they wanted Van to take a look at their horse. For some reason the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Not because I’m scared but because of something else I can’t place.

I step out of the Gator and grab my basket. The barn doors are open wide for me to enter and I freeze when I see my husband standing with a woman who is maybe ten years older than me. Not that it matters because she’s all legs with long blond hair. Without having seen much of her or knowing her, I can already tell she’s a professional show horse rider. What has me taking a step back is the fact that my husband has her by the wrist. Her hand is suspended between the two of them and I can’t see his face. I can only see her blue eyes widen in shock.

I drop the basket in my hand and almost trip over it in the process.

“Darling girl. Be careful,” Van says as he throws the woman’s wrist away like it’s on fire.

He’s half running to me even though I already caught my balance.

“You’ve still got your apron on,” he says, smiling down at me. Before I can say anything his mouth comes down on mine for a long, sweet kiss. “And you brought my favorite.” He gives my bottom lip a nibble and I’m too shocked to stop him. “Okay, second favorite. We all know you’re my favorite thing to eat. But your butterscotch brownies are second and I can taste them on you.”

The woman clears her throat and it shakes me back to reality. Van can always take me to someplace else where I forget about everything but him.

“I told you to get lost,” he tells the woman without looking her way.

“But—”

Van’s eyes are cold as he snaps his gaze to her. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re up to, but you came to our house and tried to touch me when it’s perfectly clear I’m married.”

“I didn’t know. I thought—”

“I bet my life I mentioned my wife five times since you got here.”

I believe him. At times it makes me blush how much he goes on and on about me. He’s just so proud and happy to have me he can’t help himself but tell anyone who will listen. It’s no secret in town Van is married because Honey made the wedding a three-day event! She wanted everyone to know she had a daughter now and I’d never felt more loved since I became a Cyprus.

“I think I’ll find another vet.” The woman lifts her chin while somehow looking down at me before she stomps off in her flashy cowgirl boots that are all show and no work.

I hate to break it to the woman but Van’s into kitchen aprons and me laid out naked on our bed. That’s what gets him going, not anything fancy.

“I told you to do that before you got out of your truck,” Van mutters, shaking his head.

He knew she was up to no good the second she got here. The Cyprus family is loaded and some people try to sink their fingers into it. They never get anywhere but sometimes people get brave.

“You and that apron.” He switches the subject back to me and all his focus is directed solely on his wife. It never gets old thinking of myself as that.

“You had her by the wrist,” I point out. I know I’m going to get fucked extra hard over the comment.

Van reaches down to pick up my basket and I lick my lips when I see a few of the toys I packed have gotten tossed to the top.

“I was stopping her from touching me. I don’t know what the fuck she was doing,” he steams. “You know that apron does shit to me and I didn’t get enough of you at lunch. You know I need more.”

My nipples tighten at the thought. When it comes to Van, he can have it all. There’s no part of me that doesn’t belong to him.

“Maybe I’m not giving any up. I just caught you with another woman in here.”

Van lets out a humorless laugh. “That was nothing. You just saw what I have to deal with all the time. All those lifeguards are always trying to hang around your kitchen and get whatever treat they can.” His playfulness drops from his face and now I’m the one fighting a real laugh.

I’m really not jealous. I know I’m the only woman for Van. We are two halves of a whole, but still it gets us both worked up when someone tries to sneak in and grab our attention from each other. It’s always going to be a losing battle for them. For us it just makes sex that day a little more intense and I can tell from the glint in his eyes I’m not going to be walking out of this barn on my own two feet.

He’s going to slay me with orgasms but it doesn’t matter. I might not be able to walk out but my husband will carry me. We’re about to have one of our summer sneakouts in the barn and maybe this one will end up with us having a little boy.

I don’t have any doubts because Van always gives me what I need. If a baby boy is what I want, it’s what I’ll get.