A LONG TIME COMING EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Meghan Quinn
**HUXLEY**
“We don’t need that,” Lottie says as her hand rests on her baby bump.
“Yes, we do,” I reply in a stern voice while motioning to the store attendant to add it to our list.
“Huxley Cane, we do not need three cribs. We picked out one, I allowed the second one because
you seem to be going through some sort of existential crisis. But a third?” She shakes her head. “Not
happening.”
I turn to the attendant and say, “Please retrieve those bed linens from the back so we can look
through them again.” The attendant, Uma, nods her head and fades away from me and Lottie. Next, I
turn toward my pregnant wife and say in a stern voice, “What did we talk about?”
She folds her arms over her chest and stares me down. The look does nothing to me, unlike JP who
seems to wilt under the stare of his pregnant wife every freaking time. “We talked about that when you
were going down on me, that doesn’t count.”
“The fuck it doesn’t,” I say. “Especially since you convinced me to let you go on that girl’s trip two
weekends ago when my cock was halfway down your throat. You know I don’t like you being out of my
sight when you’re pregnant.”
She rolls her eyes and then leans against a large white shelf holding a variety of blankets. “You
know, it’s all fun and games marrying an alpha asshole until they try to control your every move.”
“I’m not trying to control you,” I say, taking a step forward and looping my hand behind her back.
“I’m taking care of you.” I wet my lips. “After the scare we had in the hospital, you can’t blame me.”
Her hard expression lightens up as her hand falls to my chest. “Everything is fine, Huxley. The
doctor said everything was fine.”
“Doesn’t mean I’m going to let up on taking care of you.”
“And I appreciate that.” Her hand rubs over the lapel of my suit jacket. “But you’re extra possessive
right now and I know I agreed to letting you pick out whatever you want for the baby, but let’s not be
insane about this. This baby girl doesn’t need three cribs, okay?”
I work my jaw to the side, the tension growing in my neck. “Why not?”
“Uh, because she’s one baby. I know you’re Mr. Money Bags, but that doesn’t mean we need to
just throw money around. Let’s be smart about this, Huxley. A crib for our room and a crib for her room,
that’s fair.”
“But what about when she’s sleeping downstairs?”
“That’s what swings and our bodies are for.” Her hand moves up to my neck. “Don’t you want to lay
on the couch, your baby girl sleeping peacefully on your chest? Are you telling me you’re going to go put
her in a crib?”
Damn it.
No.
That will never happen because I will cherish the moments.
“No, I’m not going to want to let her go.”
“Exactly.” Lottie lifts up on her toes and presses her lips to mine. “You’re going to be such an
amazing father.” She kisses me again, this time, it’s deeper. When she pulls away, she smirks and says,
“So two cribs, understood?”
I can’t tell you when it happened, how she’s been able to turn the tables on me when it comes to
who dictates what occurs in this marriage, but it happened and all I can do is sit back and agree.
“Fine, but I’m not happy about it,” I say, just to put up a fight because I hate to admit it, but she
might be right. Three cribs could seem extravagant. And I might have the money, but I don’t go out of
my way to show it off.
She pats my cheek. “Such a good husband.”
Uma reappears, arms full of linens. A smile on her face, she asks, “Shall we pick out more linens for
the new crib?”
“Actually, we’re just going to stick with the two,” Lottie says. “Sorry about the inconvenience.”
Uma’s expression falls for a brief moment before she tacks on a smile and says, “Well, let me go put
these back and we can talk fabric for the rocker.”
“That would be lovely,” Lottie says, a look of total satisfaction across her face.
It’s the same expression she’s been wearing ever since she found out she was pregnant. I’ve always
heard about pregnant women radiating with joy, but I never thought much of it, never cared to think
about it. But with Lottie, with my girl, she’s beaming. She holds her growing stomach with pride and
doesn’t complain once even when she was having a hard time in the first trimester, always sick to her
stomach. I told her she didn’t have to be a superhero, that she could complain, that she could be
irritated—like her sister—but she just shakes her head and smiles.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a happier pregnant woman.
And it’s beautiful to witness.
***
**JP**
“JP! Where the hell are you?”
Fuck. I wince as my balls shrivel up into dust.
She beckons.
The viral, demon-like woman I married has risen.
She should be napping. I put her down half an hour ago.
Why is she awake?
And what the hell is she going to do to me now?
“JP!”
Mother of God.
Swallowing hard, I lift from the corner of my home office where I’ve found solace from the spitfiring dragon that is my pregnant wife, and slowly rise to my feet. I push my hand through my untamed
hair, steady my nerve-wracked breath, and tell myself my mantra . . .
“You are strong. She’s carrying your child. She won’t kill you.”
She might try to eat your arm off today . . . but she won’t kill you.
I move away from my nook of comfort, pocket my phone in my sweatpants, and head out my office
door where I run right into her.
And dear Mother of God . . . what happened in that bed from the moment I laid her down until
now.
Her hair is sticking up on all ends like Angelica’s doll, Cynthia, from Rugrats.
The tank top she was wearing has shifted so one of her breasts is just dangling out of the neckline.
And there is a smear of red lipstick across her face.
She put the lipstick on this morning because she said it made her feel pretty. If she looked in the
mirror, I doubt she would think the same thing.
“What the hell are you doing?” she asks.
Playing Candy Crush and trying not to turtle myself into my own nut sack.
“Work,” I answer and lift my hand to touch her shoulder, but her lip pulls up and her fangs sparkle
back at me.
Nope, not going to touch her.
“I’m uncomfortable,” she says, her face looking pained.
And fuck, I do feel bad for her, despite her threatening my life every chance she gets.
She’s had a terrible pregnancy. Name it and she’s dealt with it.
The worst of it all is the lower back and hip pain she’s been dealing with that has made her so
uncomfortable that she’s absolutely insufferable to be around. And I’ve tried everything money can buy
. . . everything.
I’ve paid the best doctors.
I’ve bought all the contraptions, but nothing is comfortable to her.
“Well . . . baby, did you, uh happen to notice that your breast is out of your shirt?” I ask, pointing at
her large chest. Her belly and her tits have grown together, and I’m not complaining about it one bit—
unfortunately she has.
“Of course, I know my tit is out,” she says, her pupils flashing murder. “They’re huge and pulling on
my back. This is how they’re most comfortable. Do you have a problem with that?”
I hold up my hands in defense. “No, not at all. I actually . . . I think it looks great. You know I love
your tits. They’re really sexy.”
“Are you seriously trying to get in my pants right now, JP?”
“What?” I ask surprised. “No. I was just complementing you on your breasts. They’re A+.” I want to
add, if I wasn’t so terrified of you right now, I might even get a little hard from the sight of them, but my
ability to have an erection has really decreased since she started spraying me with deathly venom
anytime she opens her mouth.
“So you’re not trying to get in my pants?” she asks, hand on her hip and I can’t tell if she wants me
to say yes or no. I don’t know the right answer and frankly, I’m scared of what she wants me to say, how
to handle this situation.
“Uh . . . do you want me to try to get in your pants?”
“It wouldn’t hurt every once in a while. We barely have sex, JP, and I know it’s because you find me
revolting.”
Uh, no, it’s because my balls shrivel up whenever you walk in the room.
“Kelsey, I don’t find you revolting. You’re sexy—”
“Then fuck me, JP.” The way she says it, with a challenge to her voice, I honestly don’t know if she
means it or if she’s taunting me.
Would I like to fuck my wife? Uh yeah. I miss being intimate with her. I think it’s been a month since
I even thought about fucking her. She’s been so temperamental, so uncomfortable, so flat out unhappy
that the only thing I’ve thought about is trying to make her feel better, not trying to fuck her.
“Do you actually want me to fuck you?” I ask.
“Do you think I would just say that to say it?” she asks before reaching for the hem of her shirt and
pulling it up and over her head. Her swollen breasts rest heavy on her chest while her belly is slightly
rounded. She has a touch more belly than Lottie despite not being as far along, not that I would
compare them, Kelsey does that enough for everyone.
Lottie has had a—what Kelsey calls—dreamy pregnancy. It’s like glitter and rainbows over in that
household while we’re dodging volcanic eruptions and the wrath of Satan over here.
“I . . . uh . . . I honestly don’t know what to think or say or do,” I say, my will to stay strong slipping.
“I’m trying here, Kelsey, but I feel like whatever I do or say isn’t good enough. I don’t feel like I’m helping
you, so I’m not sure how much me fucking you will help.”
She takes a step back and her eyes start to well up with tears.
Fucking great.
Good job, idiot!
Before I can say anything, she takes off toward the stairs and straight up them.
Hell.
“Kelsey,” I say, chasing after her, taking the steps two at a time.
She slips into the room but doesn’t shut the door—thankfully.
I push through the door and catch her slip into the bed, under the covers, blanketing herself all the
way up to her neck.
“Baby,” I say softly as I move around to her side of the bed.
She turns away from me, so I move over her and to the middle of the bed where I lean down to
look at her, only for the blankets to be whipped up in the air, startling me to my back where Kelsey pins
me to the bed by straddling my body with hers.
“Ah-ha! Got you where I want you,” she says as I lie there, confused as fuck, trying to understand
what the hell is going on.
“Kelsey . . . what . . . uh . . . are you okay?”
“Perfect,” she says as she starts to move her pelvis over mine and brings her hands to her tits.
Jesus fuck.
Her fingers roll her nipples and she makes a hissing sound as she moves her hips faster.
“Oh my God,” she says, her voice full of surprise. “I . . . could come right now.”
“What?” I ask. “How?”
She doesn’t answer, just keeps thrusting over me, playing with her nipples as I stare up at her, so
confused about what the hell is going on.
Was she actually sad?
Was she pretending to lure me up here?
And Jesus Christ I’m so confused because, even though I have no idea how to read this woman, I’m
hard as a goddamn stone from the image in front of me.
She might be a little she-devil at the moment.
She might have mood swings that have been hitting this household harder than a category four
hurricane.
But seeing her play with her plump tits like that . . . yup, I’m gone.
“Baby, let me pull my pants down. I want you coming on my cock.”
She glances down at me and for a moment, that shy vixen that I fell in love with rolls her teeth over
the bottom of her lip. She shimmies off me and, while she removes her shorts and underwear, I strip
down quickly, letting my cock spring up my stomach. When she’s ready, I position my cock and let her
take charge as she slowly sinks down on me.
It’s been far too long, feeling my wife like this, that a wave of lust shoots up my spine, making me
break out in a full-on sweat. And just like that, I’m in the moment.
I’m in the mood.
And I’m soaking up every second of it.
“Kelsey,” I whisper as she rocks over me. “Baby, I’ve missed this. I’ve missed you.”
She glances down at me and smiles. “I’ve missed you, too.”
We were going at it like crazy when she was first pregnant, but then the hormones really started to
take over and it’s prevented us from connecting in every way. But right now, with her moving on top of
me, it feels like I’m back home and everything is going to be okay.
I bring my hands up past her belly, to her breasts and I lightly squeeze them, knowing just how
sensitive she is.
Her head falls back and a long moan slips past her lips. The sound reverberates around me, spurring
me on even more and I try to tell myself to hold back, to think about other things then my fine as hell
wife thrusting on top of me, but it’s nearly impossible as my orgasm starts to climb.
“Fuck, Kelsey, I’m close.”
“Me too,” she says as she lifts up and off me.
“What . . .”
My voices fades out as she positions herself on all fours and smirks over her shoulder.
Hell.
I’m quick to my knees and sink into her within seconds.
I grip both of her hips as I pulse into her.
“Harder,” she says, her voice panting as her hand moves between her legs.
“Rub yourself, Kelsey. I want you coming hard on my cock.”
Her head falls to the pillow in front of her and as she rubs her clit, her other hand grips the blankets
beneath us, holding on as I plow into her relentlessly. She wants it hard, I’m going to give it to her hard.
Because I know she likes it, I reach down and I wrap her hair around my fist, giving her a tug. She
hisses between her teeth and then I hear her gulp right before her pussy begins to contract.
“Oh my God, JP,” she whispers. Her fingers brush against me as she rubs herself, creating this
teasing sensation that pushes me right to the brink.
“Shit, Kelsey.” My teeth bare down, my body tenses and I try to hold back, I really fucking do, but I
can’t. My orgasm wraps around me, squeezing me tight and before I know it, I’m coming inside of her.
“Fuck me,” I shout as my body stills.
“Oh Jesus,” Kelsey shouts right after me, her fingers moving more rapidly and then, she screams
and comes as well, constricting my dick, creating a longer orgasm for me.
“Fuck,” I groan as we both breathe heavily.
I shift off her and she rolls to her back as I go to the bathroom and clean up. When I’m done, I bring
a wet washcloth to her and help clean her up as well.
When I’m in the bathroom, rinsing everything, I hear her say, “Can you come here?”
“Of course,” I answer as I move back into the bedroom and take a seat next to her naked body. I
place my hand on her belly and lightly stroke her skin.
Her heavy eyes look up at me. “Will you lay with me?”
“Anything you want,” I say as I move around her and lay down on the bed. When I’m situated, she
curls into me, one leg over my legs, one arm wrapped over my stomach. I kiss the top of her head as she
settles in. “Comfortable?” I ask her.
“Yes.” She sighs. “Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Kelsey. You know I would do anything for you.”
“I know, but . . . I . . . I haven’t been the easiest to be around.”
You could say that.
“It’s the hormones. You’re not normally like this.”
“But I feel bad.”
“Don’t.” I kiss her head again. “You’re carrying our child. I can’t imagine how hard that is. You’re
allowed to have your moments.”
She snuggles in even closer. “You’re too good to me, JP.” Her voice cracks and I grip her tighter.
“Hey, don’t be sad. This is what marriage is, Kelsey. We help each other out, we’re there for each
other, even if you’re going through some sort of dragon-lady transformation.”
She chuckles and presses a kiss to my chest. “I don’t know why you’re still with me.”
“Because I’m infatuated with you. Because I could spend every day with you, and it still won’t be
enough. Because you’re my home, my everything, and if I ever lost you, I don’t know what I would do.”
“I lucked out with you,” she says softly, her voice growing tired. “Thank you for loving me.”
And then, she’s out.
She spends the next three hours sleeping peacefully on me.
And I don’t make a sound. I don’t move. She’s getting some rest and that’s the best thing I could
ask for . . . that and her not being a rabid beast around the house.
***
Huxley: Do you think three cribs is too much?
JP: Why the hell do you need three cribs?
Huxley: A crib for our room, the baby’s room and one for downstairs. I would get a crib for every
room if Lottie didn’t threaten to cut my dick off.
JP: Dude, you need to chill. Two cribs is fine, one is even better.
Huxley: Fuck that. My baby needs the best.
Breaker: Is this what our text thread is really going to be? Baby shit? Yesterday it was bottles. The
day before that it was clothes. Now it’s cribs. Come on.
Huxley: Get Lia pregnant and then you can join in on the conversation.
JP: Solid advice.
Breaker: I would prefer to get married first.
JP: No one is holding you back from getting married.
Huxley: Yeah, the engagement is long, don’t you think?
Breaker: Sorry that I’m not a possessive asshole like you two who has to claim my girl as quickly as I
can. We’re taking it slow.
JP: Ha! Slow? You were engaged in like a month.
Breaker: But I’ve known her for over ten years. Why am I even arguing this? Change the goddamn
subject from babies.
Huxley: We have, we’re talking about you now.
JP: Which frankly I find boring. I have a new development over here if anyone wants to hear it.
Breaker: Does it have to deal with what brand of diapers you’re going to use?
JP: No, dumbass.
Huxley: Bambo, I think that’s what we’re going with. Better for the earth.
JP: Best would be cloth diapers . . .
Huxley: I’m not shaking shit off a rag. Not happening.
Breaker: For the love of God.
JP: Our sensitive little brother is getting irritated. Let’s cater to his needs.
Huxley: Fine, what is your new development?
JP: In order for Kelsey to get some good sleep, I have to fuck her first. I’ve had so much sex in the
last week, I think my dick is going to fall off.
Breaker: Why do you think that’s something we want to know?
JP: It isn’t about babies.
Huxley: Lottie has been all about sucking me off lately.
Breaker: Wow, okay. I’m leaving this thread.
JP: Ooo, looks like the newly engaged have lost their spark.
Huxley: Yeah, that’s what it seems like.
Breaker: We have not lost our spark. We just had shower sex like an hour ago.
Huxley: Did you use a dildo in the shower?
Breaker: Why the hell would I do that?
JP: ^^Amateur. Remember, he only uses them in the bathtub.
Breaker: How the hell do you know that?
Huxley: The girls talk.
JP: Yeah, I know a lot about your sex life actually, probably more than you.
Breaker: I’m going to need to have a conversation with Lia.
Huxley: Don’t be afraid to spank.
JP: Or have her swallow your balls.
Huxley: When Lottie swallowed my junk, I passed out on the bed.
JP: There’s nothing better than passing out in the middle of sex only to revive yourself with an
orgasm.
Breaker: What the fuck is wrong with you two? I understand where this is coming from with JP, but
Huxley, I expect more from you.
Huxley: I’ve lost my touch. Blame it on Lottie, marriage, and the baby.
***
**BREAKER**
“Do you think our sex life is boring?”
Lia pauses where she’s stirring soup on the stovetop and looks over at me. Dressed in my favorite
Harry Potter shirt, hair tied up in a messy bun, her brow lifts up in question. “Are you really asking me if
our sex life is boring after you just tied me up to the bed and spanked my pussy until I came?”
I smirk. Yeah, that was really hot.
“I just want to make sure you’re satisfied.”
She sets the wooden spoon on the Mickey Mouse spoon holder we bought together last week
when we went to Disneyland again. She then moves over to me and places her hands on my bare chest.
“I’ve never in my life been more satisfied than I am when I’m with you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Why are you even questioning this?”
“Well, you know, because my brothers were texting . . .”
Lia pushes away while rolling her eyes. “Do not compare yourself to your brothers. All of you are
freaky in the sheets on your own terms.”
“So that’s something you talk about, with the girls?”
“Of course.” She grabs two bowls and sets them on the counter. “It’s nice having that outlet.”
“Do you know that they tell my brothers and then my brothers make fun of me?” I ask as she pulls
out a baguette from the pantry and sets it on a cutting board.
“They’re making fun of you for pleasuring me like a god? Seems like that’s an insecurity issue on
their end.” She cuts the baguette, sets it on a plate and then slides it on the island in front of the chairs
we like to sit in when we’re enjoying a meal.
I decide to grab us drinks.
“They probably know that you’re better at sex then they are,” Lia continues. “I mean, the girls even
admitted it themselves that they think you’re the kinkiest Cane brother.”
A smirk tugs at my lips. “They would have the knowledge about it, you know, since you’ve been
gabbing and all.”
“You’re an idiot.”
We both laugh and she pours soup into our bowls and brings them to the island where we both
take a seat. She turns toward me and crosses one leg over the other while she breaks a piece of bread
and dips it into her cheddar broccoli soup.
“Do you feel better, or do I have to continue to tell you why you rock my world?”
“I feel better.” I scoop up some soup and then say, “But one more thing.”
She rolls her eyes and says, “Yes, Breaker, you truly do give me multiple orgasms.”
“No, that’s not it.” I chuckle and pull on the back of my neck. “I was just wondering about the
wedding.”
“What wedding?” she asks so casually.
“Uh, our wedding.”
“What about it?” she dips her bread and chews.
“Well, I was just wondering when it was going to happen.”
“When do you want it to happen?”
“Sooner would be cool,” I answer.
“Yeah?” she asks, a smile on her face. “You really in a rush?”
“I’m not in a rush. I just . . . I don’t know. I kind of just want to be married.” I take her hand in mine
and say, “I want you to be Ophelia Cane. Is that too much to ask?”
“Are you being possessive?”
“Maybe a little,” I admit because it’s in my blood. My brothers might be possessive idiots, but hell, I
might be one too. “I just don’t see why we need to wait. We don’t want a big wedding. We know where
we want to get married. You have the dress. I have suits . . . why don’t we just do it?”
“You’re serious,” she asks, pausing her bread ripping.
“Yes. I want to start our life together, don’t you?”
“I thought we already did,” she chuckles. “We bought a house together. We’re engaged. I think we
started it a while ago.”
“I mean as husband and wife.”
She tilts her head to the side and says, “Are you feeling left out that your brothers are having
babies and you’re not?”
“No,” I say, even though maybe there’s a little truth to that.
“You’re lying,” she says, leaning forward and taking my other hand in hers. “You want a baby.”
“I mean, not right now, but the thought of it is appealing. Don’t you want to have kids?”
“I do,” she answers. “I’m not quite ready to have kids, but I do someday. I’m in no rush.”
“Me either, but the first step is getting married.”
“Traditionally, yes.”
“And I don’t know.” I turn toward her and put her legs between mine. “I want to know that you’re
mine forever. I want the piece of paper that says we’re husband and wife.”
She tilts her head to the side and then cups my cheek. “God, who knew you were this sensitive,
possessive, sweet man? You weren’t giving those vibes when I first met you, more like Ross Gellar during
his college years.”
“I take that as a compliment since Ross is clearly the best character.”
She brings my face closer to her and kisses me on the lips, the feel of her mouth so warm, so
perfect, it makes me melt right into her arms.
“If you want to get married, let’s get married.”
“Really?” I ask.
“Really,” she says.
“Then, I think we need to break the news to the group.
“More like you need to shove it in your brothers’ faces right?”
“Precisely.”
***
**HUXLEY**
“We brought wine,” Breaker says as he walks into the kitchen, holding a bottle of red.
“Perfect, because half of us can’t drink it,” JP says while he protectively holds Kelsey’s hand.
“I told you they would say that,” Lia says while swatting Breaker in the stomach.
“Not my fault they’re pregnant. Just means more wine for us.”
“You don’t even like wine,” Lia says. “I have no idea why you got that.”
Breaker looks down at the bottle and mumbles, “I don’t know either.” Smiling broadly, he says, “I
think I just want to celebrate is all, and I thought bringing wine would do just the thing.”
“Wine, to a brunch . . . where normally you would celebrate with champagne?” JP asks.
“Leave him be,” Lottie says while taking the bottle. “This is sweet. Thank you, Breaker. Now tell us,
what are we celebrating.”
My beautiful wife sets the bottle down and then leans into my side. I pull her close and rest my
hand on her stomach.
“Well, Lia and I have set a date.”
“You have?” Kelsey asks. “Oh that’s so exciting. When?”
Breaker puts his arm around Lia and says, “Next month.”
“That’s fantastic,” Lottie says. “We’ll be able to show off our baby bellies in your wedding photos.”
“Says the perfect pregnant woman,” Kelsey mutters.
“You’re perfect,” JP says, kissing her shoulder.
Kelsey looks great. I know she’s not comfortable, but from where I stand, she looks amazing. I feel
bad for both of them because they’re still in the second trimester. I can’t imagine what the third will
bring.
“Do you have a venue?” I ask.
“We do,” Breaker says, looking so fucking happy that it actually brings a smile to my face. “The
public library. Reign and his crew are going to cater it. It will be intimate and just the closest people in
our life.”
“Sounds perfect,” Kelsey says. “Are you planning on going anywhere for your honeymoon?”
Lia and Breaker look at each other. “Now that’s something we’re fighting over. We might have to
go on several different honeymoons,” Breaker says.
“As if that’s a punishment,” JP says just as Reign, my private chef, comes into the kitchen.
“Food is ready.”
“Thank you,” I say to him.
The crew stands from where they’re sitting, and they head out toward the back.
JP and Kelsey first. JP whispers something into Kelsey’s ear and she laughs while looking up at him.
Total opposites, but it works for them.
Breaker and Lia are next, walking hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder. A pair that should have been
together many years ago.
And then it’s me and my girl. A couple that probably never should have met up, but by some odd
happenstance, we did.
“You okay?” Lottie asks.
I glance down at her and lightly press a kiss to the tip of her nose. “I’m perfect. Just really happy for
my brothers.”
Her expression softens as her hand slides up my chest. “You’re such a softy, Huxley Cane. What
happened to the man I first met? The one that forced me to be his fake fiancée?”
“I didn’t force you to do anything. That was your own choosing.”
“Uh, huh. I distinctly remember some blackmail.”
“I don’t recall that at all.” I slide my hand over her backside and lean down for a kiss which she
gives me.
“Funny how that happens, huh?”
“Yeah, funny.”
“Well, since your memory is so bad, that just means we’re going to have the joy of returning to the
newborn class we went to with Ellie and Dave.”
I pause and pull away. “The one with Judith?” She nods with a devilish smile. “The fuck we are.”
She lets out a loud laugh and tugs on my hand toward the patio.
“Lottie, I’m serious, we’re not going back there.”
“We will see about that, Huxley Cane.”