Commanding the Curvy Girl (Spoon Heroes)

Epilogue

Molly

S ix Years Later

"Stop, daddy! You're under awwest!" Greenley shrieks, racing after Easton across the back lawn as fast as her little legs will carry her. "I said stop!"

Easton chuckles, stumbling to a stop. As soon as our almost-three-year-old daughter gets close, he scoops her up into his arms. "You can't arrest me, pretty princess!" he growls, tickling her mercilessly while she squeals. "I'm arresting you."

"No!" she screams through laughter, thrashing around in his arms like a wild thing. One little fist clocks him in the eye. Her foot smacks him in the ear.

"Can we arrest them both, Mom?" our five-year-old son, Bentley, huffs, annoyance in his voice as he sets his book aside, shaking his little head. He's the spitting image of Easton…but he's always so serious. He definitely doesn't get that from his daddy. That man is never serious about anything. Well, he's never serious about anything but us. When it comes to us, he's deadly serious.

He loves us like no one else. For six years, he's loved me beyond all reason. I didn't know happiness like this existed until he tore my walls down and wriggled his way into my heart. Now, I can't imagine my life without it. This life is nothing like the life my mom had with my dad. It's…beautiful.

I don't doubt Easton. There is no room for doubt. He shows me every single day that I'm the center of his world. He would kill for me and our kids, no questions asked. I feel the same way. They are my world. And God, it's such a beautiful world. It's so much bigger and brighter than it was the day we met, full of love, laughter, friendship, family, and hope.

He still works at the Sheriff's Office. I'm still with the FBI. It's a lot of stress, but days like this—moments like these—make every single moment of stress worth it. What we do is important. But so is this. So are we. He never lets me forget that.

"If we arrest them, we have to house them, feed them, be responsible for them…" I try to talk Bentley out of ruining their fun. "Seems like a lot of work for a few shrieks, buddy."

He sighs, rolling his eyes. "Fine. But can I have my headphones? She's making my head hurt again."

I fight a smile, fishing around in my bag for his headphones. He always says she gives him a headache. But as soon as someone else says it, he turns into a little warrior cub, defending his sister. He's allowed to complain about her, but no one else is.

And God forbid if anyone makes her cry. Bentley is as calm as they come, but he'd wage war for his sister. She feels the same way about him. No one messes with Greenley's big brother unless they want to catch hands. Our daughter is a tiny little savage. She definitely gets that from her daddy. I had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.

"Mommy, help! Help!" she squeals as Easton carries her back toward the blanket spread across the grass. "He's awwesting me."

"Oh no," I whisper, holding my arms out for her. "What did you do?"

"She's going to jail for being cute," Easton says, flashing me a grin. "And for kicking me in the ear."

"I tried to warn you that she was a Ninja in the womb." I pat my belly. "Her baby sister is shaping up to be just like her."

"Sissy!" Greenley cries, squirming for Easton to hand her to me.

"Careful," he reminds her, gently passing her over to me. As soon as she's in my arms, she wiggles until she's laying down with her head against my belly so she can talk to her little sister. She jabbers away, talking so fast none of it makes a bit of sense.

I glance down at her, my heart melting at the sight.

Easton settles on the blanket between me and Bentley, pulling me up against him. His lips brush the side of my head. "What do you think they're talking about?" he asks.

"Their plans to take over the world."

He snorts laughter. "I'm not sure which is worse, the fact that you're probably right, or the fact that there are going to be two of them soon."

"Your fault," I remind him. "You're the one who did this to me."

A lazy grin spreads across his face as he leans close, pressing his lips to my ear. "Damn right I did this to you, baby. And you loved every fucking minute of it." His hand grazes the side of my breast, and I have to fight a groan.

He's right. I did love every second of it. I always do.

He chuckles, nipping my ear, and then snuggles me up against him. I close my eyes, resting my head against his shoulder. "I can't wait to meet her," I whisper. "What do you think she'll be like?"

"You," he says instantly. "She's going to be strong and beautiful and brave and intelligent just like you, princess."

My heart melts, tears springing to my eyes. I don't know what I did to deserve this man, but I'm going to keep doing it. Every single day of forever.