“When did you get it?”

“Charlene bought it for me. We’re not Area 51-ing the first time we have married sex.” She goes for it again, so I pull her down to my chest, then I roll over on top of her. Parts of me still feel sticky as I fit myself between her legs.

I toss the package to the floor. “We’ll pretend I didn’t see that. Okay?”

“Okay?” It’s more question than anything.

“The only thing I want to do is love you right now.”

She runs her fingers through my hair and hooks her legs around my waist. “I like the sound of that.”

We kiss until we’re breathless and my desire to be inside her is too strong to deny.

The crash of the ocean against the rocks, the soft lilt of birds, the whisper of leaves brushing against each other in the breeze fade away as Violet’s sweet sighs turn into moans.

I can’t wait to love this woman forever.

Epilogue

All The Loves

VIOLET

Two summers later

It’s a gorgeous day at the Chicago cottage. Training camp starts in less than a month, so we’re getting in all the relaxation time we can. Alex’s contract runs out at the end of this coming season, but there are lots of interested teams, so he’s not worried.

I’m about to head to the dock when Alex comes down the stairs. I stop arranging fruit for a second to watch him because he’s shirtless and always so damn hot.

The paring knife in my hand clatters to the table. “What the—”

“Ready to go swimming?” He pauses on the bottom stair and strikes a pose.

“You can’t be serious.”

“About swimming? It’s eight million degrees out, Violet. What else would we do on a perfect day like this?”

“I mean you can’t be serious with that.” I gesture to his bathing attire.

His hands go to his hips, Superman style. “I don’t see anything wrong with my suit. It’s aerodynamic.”

It’s aerodynamic all right. Alex is wearing a red Speedo. Through the tight fabric I can see the entire outline of Super MC, including the ridge at the head. We’re not alone. No one can ever be adequately prepared for the Super MC in all his ridge-outlined glory.

“There’s too much penis going on, Alex. You’ll scare people with that.” There’s so much business. I have no idea how he’s managing to keep himself in there. There will be some kind of wardrobe malfunction before the end of the day.

Buck appears at the top of the stairs, along with a weebling Logan. His mop of white blond hair and dimpled smile draw my attention away from Alex’s ridiculous spandex atrocity.

Logan puts his arms out. “Up! Up! Dada!”

Buck hoists him up and ambles down the stairs. Logan is a tank. He’s definitely going to be a hockey boy, just like his dad.

“Oh my God. What the hell is that?” I point at Buck’s junk and then look away.

“Like it, Vi?”

I thought Alex’s Speedo action was bad, but it’s got nothing on the thing Buck has containing his man unit. Containing is not really the right word. It’s like he tied a pouch around his parts and is calling it a bathing suit.

“Can the two of you please, for the love of penis, go put on regular bathing suits? We have people coming over who aren’t exposed to your crazy on a regular basis.”

Sunny comes out of the bathroom with a sigh. She’s pregnant again, and it’s the vomiting stage. She has several more months before the baby wreaks havoc on her vagina, but in the meantime he or she is testing her ability to hold down food.

“Mama!” Logan pushes away from Buck and waddle-runs over to her on his chubby, unsteady legs. He has two speeds, run and bolt. He attaches himself to Sunny’s leg.

“Is this some kind of competition?” she asks when she takes in the horror of our husbands.

“I think they want to know who can embarrass themselves the most in one weekend.”

“Didn’t you invite those people from across the lake to come over? They won’t want to be our friends if you’re dressed like that.” Sunny motions to their crotches.

Lily appears at the top of the stairs next, with Randy behind her. She’s all smirky and satisfied looking. Damn her. But then she takes a few steps down, and I’m greeted with the sight of yet another well-endowed man wearing a horribly inappropriate bathing suit.

Sunny rolls her eyes. “What is this? A penis parade?”

I start laughing, and then groaning as I hold my tummy. Alex rushes over and puts his hand on my stomach. “Are you okay? Is everything okay?”

“Other than the fact that I’m probably going to pee myself, I’m fine.”

He sinks to his knees in front of me and rests his cheek against my tummy. He slides his hands under my bathing suit cover up and lifts it over my belly. “Alex!”

“I just wanna say hi.” He drops the fabric so he’s hidden under the material. It would look perverse, except for the fact that he’s cooing at my tummy. Or rather, he’s cooing at what’s brewing in my tummy.

“Hey there, little buddy. I’ll see you in a few months, okay? You be good in there.”

He pops back out, oblivious to any weird discomfort he’s caused for anyone.

Phones start chiming with messages from Darren and Charlene. Unfortunately, Lance can’t make it this time.

Commotion follows as food and towels are gathered. Buck has to run after Logan and wrestle him into his little tiny lifejacket before he gets too close to the beach. Sunny follows behind them, and Randy throws Lily over his shoulder, his hand on her ass as he runs across the beach and down the dock, jumping into the water.