Hard Sell| ETHMA

EPILOGUE

EMMA

Three Months Later, January

"Four babies. Final offer."

I drop olives into my martini and add a twist to Ethan's. "You do realize you're negotiating with yourself, right? I haven't issued a single counteroffer."

He comes up beside me, wrapping an arm around my waist as he lifts his cocktail. "Three babies."

I tap his chest with a fingernail. "Maybe you should wait until we've been married more than three weeks before suggesting three babies."

"Actually, I take it back," he muses. "I'm going back to four. Four kids."

I laugh. "How about enjoying cocktails as newlyweds before we skip straight to the procreation bit?"

"Deal," he says, brushing a kiss against my lips.

I wind my free arm around his back, kissing him with every ounce of besotted newlywed passion coursing through my body.

Which is a lot.

Despite my suggestion that we let Michael and Olivia tie the knot first, Ethan declared me too much of a flight risk.

We were married on New Year's Eve in a quiet ceremony at the place where it all began . . . sort of.

Las Vegas.

This time there were no strippers, no lurking journalists. Just close friends. Ethan's parents were there as well, plus Felicia. And though Ethan rolled his eyes, I don't think the atypical family showing bothered him as much as it might have a few months ago.

If we've taught each other anything, it's that we're both too stubborn and strong-willed to let other people's bad choices dictate our lives any longer.

I'd invited my mother. She hadn't come, and I was relieved. So, I wasn't blessed with a great mom. Or even a good one. It doesn't matter anymore. I have Michael. I have Olivia and Amanda, and even Kennedy, in his crusty old way. I have a dozen other good friends who I know I can call whenever I need anything.

Another surprise addition to our friendship circle? Jarod Lanham. He gave Ethan his business after all. Turns out his whole plan to take me to the gala was a test of sorts, to assess Ethan's character. At least that's his claim. Ethan insists he's just trying to save his pride, but I'm not so sure. Jarod's taken to calling himself our rich, manly matchmaker, and I think he just might be right. For that matter, the whole group played the matchmaker role of sorts.

I'm grateful. I'm grateful for everyone and everything that led me to this moment. That's led me to Ethan.

He's everything I need that I didn't know I wanted.

Well, almost.

I pull back from the kiss and smile up at him. "Two babies. Final offer. And I want to be married for at least a year."

He grins. "I'll take that offer on one condition."

I sip my drink. "What's that?"

He waggles his eyebrows and takes my drink from my hand, setting it aside. "We get lots of practice before the year is up."

"Deal," I say with a laugh, letting him scoop me up and carry me to the bedroom.

I'll be honest, I sort of want three or four babies myself. But no need to concede the game just yet.

Ethan and I may be wildly in love, but we're also still us.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

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I had so much fun of this book I hope you all loved it!!!

Ps. NEW BOOK coming soon.

xoxo