Epilogue
The following morning, Stacy awoke wedged between Max and Eric, feeling content and warm. That was until she moved. Her body ached, and instantly the tears reached her eyes. She took a deep breath and calmed herself before the men noticed. Max’s phone rang for the third time this morning, and he slowly rose from the bed, letting his hand glide across her belly. She held her breath.
He got up, and she could hear him whispering into the phone.
“You’re hurting, aren’t you?” Eric whispered and slowly moved away from her.
She shook her head, and he raised his eyebrows at her in warning to not lie to him.
“I’ll be okay,” she whispered, and her head began to throb. She clenched her eyes closed and again tried to calm her breathing.
“Head hurts, huh?” he asked, and she nodded slowly.
“I’ll go get you something for that. Rest and don’t move,” he ordered as he slowly rose from the bed. She could barely take in the sight of his sexy, naked body, muscles and all. He returned quickly, helping her sit up just enough to swallow the pills and sip the water. He stared at her, and she knew he was still pretty upset about yesterday.
“I’ll be fine as soon as these kick in.”
“That’s a pretty bad bump you got, and the stitches on your knee must hurt, too,” he stated.
“I’ll be fine,” she whispered then closed her eyes.
He lay there next to her, watching her. She could sense him, and she could hear his breathing.
“You don’t have to stay in bed with me. Just give me twenty minutes and I’ll be down for breakfast. Oh crap! I can’t make breakfast for the guys,” she stated then cringed when she opened her eyes and lifted her head. Eric placed his hand over her belly then eased her head back down.
“Don’t be ridiculous. The guys are taking care of meals for the next few weeks while you recover.”
“I won’t need a few weeks, just maybe a day,” she added with an attitude.
“Right, babe. Just a day.”
“The investigators from New York are going to be here in thirty minutes. Wyatt will be here, too. They just need to go over your statement, honey, and then we can put this behind us. Also, Anna and Millie called. They’re really worried about you.”
“Thanks, Max. I’ll call them in a little bit.”
“She’s sore and her head hurts,” Eric added as he caressed Stacy’s belly.
Max walked closer to the bed and knelt down. He looked very concerned.
“Do you feel dizzy or nauseous?” he asked. It had only been about the hundredth time throughout the night that he woke her up to ask her. He finally stopped asking when she threw a pillow at his head and mimicked his every word.
“I thought we were over that?” she asked.
“Doc Jones said to keep an eye on that head of yours.”
“Doc Jones, Doc Jones! Just stop making me talk and let the pills kick in and I’ll be okay,” she stated with her voice starting off strong then ending in a whisper.
“Damn stubborn woman,” Max stated then leaned down and kissed her collarbone.
“But she’s our woman, and we wouldn’t want her any other way,” Eric added then leaned down and kissed her neck. She smiled as she lay there with her eyes closed.
Later in the day, after she spoke with Anna and Millie about what happened and she gave her statements to the investigators from New York, Stacy sat on the porch swing with Max and Eric. They looked out toward the wooded area and a stream the men told her led to a private swimming hole. “We’ll take you there when you’re all healed up,” Max told her as they swung together.
“But I don’t have a bathing suit,” she replied as she felt Eric’s hand caress her thigh and move under her skirt.
“Ya won’t need one darling,” he teased, and she felt her cheeks warm and her heart pound inside of her chest. She was in love with two sexy, irresistible men. A city girl like her from New York living in a fantasy come true. The town of Pearl was her new home, just like the Triple C ranch. Her cottage would be rented out by Marie until she and Ron moved out of Texas, as they planned on getting married. It brought a smile to her face knowing that Ron and Marie finally entertained the attraction they had for one another all these years and gave in to retiring together. Marie had told Stacy that it was her fault. Ron had gone into protective mode and wouldn’t leave her alone for a minute. He kissed her, and the rest was history. Stacy laughed about that. Marie was one tough cookie, and boy, did Ron have his work cut out for him.
Stacy thought about Anna and Millie and hoped that one day they could join her here in Pearl and be part of a great community and perhaps find true love just as she had. Of course, when she suggested they visit, they were filled with excuses, and Anna sounded downright scared out of her mind. She had an unsettled feeling about that, but both Eric and Max had told her that she couldn’t force Anna to leave New York. Anna had to be ready for change just as Stacy was. She reached for her men’s hands and placed them on her belly. One day they would get married and start a family. Max and Eric talked about it and made her see that here in the town of Pearl, anything was possible. She found love here. She found safety and security here, and ultimately, she found herself.
“I love it here,” she whispered.
“We love that you’re here, Stacy. This is only the beginning,” Eric replied then touched her cheek, causing her to turn toward him. He kissed her softly, released her lips, then smiled. Max touched her next, and she kissed him softly then looked back out toward the Cantrell land. She was in love for the first and the last time in her life.
THE END
WWW.DIXIELYNNDWYER.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
People seem to be more interested in my name than where I get my ideas for my stories from. So I might as well share the story behind my name with all my readers.
My momma was born and raised in New Orleans. At the age of twenty, she met and fell in love with an Irishman named Patrick Riley Dwyer. Needless to say, the family was a bit taken aback by this as they hoped she would marry a family friend. It was a modern day arranged marriage kind of thing and my momma downright refused.
Being that my momma’s families were descendents of the original English speaking Southerners, they wanted the family blood line to stay pure. They were wealthy and my father’s family was poor.
Despite attempts by my grandpapa to make Patrick leave and destroy the love between them, my parents married. They recently celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary.
I am one of six children born to Patrick and Lynn Dwyer. I am a combination of both Irish and a true Southern belle. With a name like Dixie Lynn Dwyer it’s no wonder why people are curious about my name.
Just as my parents had a love story of their own, I grew up intrigued by the lifestyles of others. My imagination as well as my need to stray from the straight and narrow made me into the woman I am today.
Also by Dixie Lynn Dwyer
Ménage Amour: Were Trilogy 1:
Were She Belongs
Ménage Amour: Were Trilogy 2:
Were Love Found Her
Ménage Everlasting: Were Trilogy 3:
Were Love Conquers All
Siren LoveXtreme Forever: The Men of Five-O #1:
SWAT Team One and the Social Worker
Siren LoveXtreme Forever: The Men of Five-O #2:
SWAT Team Two and Miss Robin Hood
Ménage Amour: The Town of Pearl 1:
For the Love of Anna
Available at
BOOKSTRAND.COM
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com