Page 138 of When We Were Reckless
Like a fucking charm.
Pretty sure that’s how Fable was conceived. Not that she’ll ever know that.
There’s a pink Post-It note on the fridge, and I laugh when I read it:Make sure we packed the floaties. And the inflatable crocodile. Did I remember the sunscreen? I’m sure I forgot something. Have I told you lately that I love you? I love you more than donuts with sprinkles. More than all the stars in the sky. You’re my lobster.
She punctuated it with a lipstick kiss.
I grab a pen from the drawer and scribble a response on an orange Post-It, then slap it on the fridge where she’ll see it when she wakes up.
Quinn and I have been leaving notes for each other ever since we moved in together, the summer before her third year at UCLA. I was with the DirtDevilz for two years, and Quinn traveled with me whenever she could, but it was tough being away from her so much.
It was a good ride, but I was more than ready to settle down and start a new chapter of my life. Quinn never asked me to quit. She’d never do that. It was my decision. The truth was I wanted to spend more time with her. The other deciding factor was that my body couldn’t handle the wear and tear anymore. So I coached up-and-coming new racers, and I set up my own moto and streetwear clothing line, which is more successful than I’d expected. I owe a lot to Gideon, who worked on the financials, and Quinn’s dad, who helped me get the start-up off the ground.
Thankfully, I’m close with her family again. All they needed was the assurance that I loved their daughter and would do everything in my power to make her happy.
“We’re going to the beach today, aren’t we, baby girl?” I tell Fable as I set the cut-up fruit in front of her. She grabs a piece of mango and guides it into her mouth while I pour the wholemeal pancake batter into the pan. “You’ll get to hang out with your cousins.”
That gets her excited. My girl loves her cousins. She’s babbling away and dancing in her seat while I tell her about all the exciting adventures she’ll have at the beach.
We moved back to Texas a couple years ago when Quinn was pregnant. We loved California, but we wanted to live near our families, and we wanted Fable to grow up with her cousins. So we bought a rambling stone farmhouse with vaulted ceilings and tall windows.
Instead of ramps in our backyard, we have a swimming pool and giant oaks, and beyond that, acres of dirt trails through the woods. I still ride as much as I can.
I’ve been teaching my nephews—Levi and Zane, Brody and Shiloh’s son. Zane was a foster kid, and Brody and Shiloh adopted him four years ago when he was almost three.
Mason’s son, Jake, loves to ride too. But my star pupil is Gracie. At the tender age of seven, my niece is already a force to be reckoned with. Good luck to Jude if he thinks he’ll be able to keep her locked up in an ivory tower. She’s like a tornado. Every bit as competitive and stubborn as her parents and tough as they come. I love that girl.
But my two favorite girls are the ones I share a life and a home with, the ones I love above all others—the sunshine girl I married three years ago and the baby girl that was our greatest gift.
“Should we make your mommy a breakfast smoothie?” I ask Fable as I drizzle honey on her pancake and then set it in front of her. She’ll be a sticky mess when she’s done eating, but she likes to do everything for herself, so I don’t try to feed her. Kids should be allowed to get messy.
She claps her hands together and rewards me with a big toothy grin.
“When you grow up, don’t settle for anyone who doesn’t treat you like a queen,” I tell Fable as I prepare my queen’s breakfast.
“She won’t. She’s too smart for that,” Quinn says, wrapping her arms around me from behind. I turn to face her, and she smiles up at me. It’s bright and glorious. Like sunshine on a rainy day. Still so fucking beautiful.
The smartest thing I ever did was not letting Quinn go.
She smacks a Post-It note on my chest before she wraps her arms around my neck. I capture her mouth with mine and palm her ass, pulling her body flush against me. Even after all these years together, I still want her all the time in every way imaginable. And believe me, we both have good imaginations.
“We still have time. If we’re quick….” I suck on her bottom lip, my dick swelling in my shorts, and now all I want to do is drag her back to bed and fuck her senseless. And her low moan gives me hope.
“Mama. Mama!” Fable shrieks. Not wanting to be left out, she’s smacking her palms against the tray of her high chair and screaming at the top of her lungs now, demanding our full attention.
With a small laugh, Quinn pulls away from me. I groan, knowing there’s not a chance in hell that I’ll get lucky with my wife this morning.
“Read your note,” Quinn says with a smirk as she lifts Fable into her arms and kisses her rosy cheeks.
I peel the Post-It note off my chest and read it:Happy Anniversary (One Day Early). I love you more than words can say. You’re the inspiration for every hero I write. Only you’re so much better than any book boyfriend. You’re my everyday crush and my dream come true. P.S. Last night, I had a dream… remember how I didn’t want to try anal? I’ve changed my mind. I’ve packed the lube.
I scrub my hand over my face and groan again. Jesus Christ. She’s trying to kill me.
“You don’t play fair.”
Quinn just laughs and dances around the kitchen with Fable in her arms. She’s singing an ABBA song, loud and off-key, but it doesn’t matter. Not even a little bit. Her voice is my favorite sound. Quinn is my favorite everything.
My girls are laughing, their faces lit up with joy, and I don’t know how it could get much better than this.
