Epilogue Nia #2
By the time the last song faded, Lochlan’s shirt was gone, discarded somewhere in the shadows. His chest gleamed faintly in the firelight, his skin warm beneath her touch. Her own dress felt suffocating, the fabric clinging to her sweat-dampened skin.
She couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Lochlan,” she murmured, her voice low and breathless. “I need you.”
She kissed him again, her lips lingering on his, teasing, before she broke away with a wicked grin. Then she ran, her laughter trailing behind her as she darted into the woods.
The cool night air kissed her skin as she let her dress straps slip from her shoulders, leaving it behind.
Her underwear and stockings followed, piece by piece, falling into a trail of fabric between the trees.
The moonlight guided her, filtering through the branches above as her bare feet carried her into a clearing.
She stopped in the center, the moon’s silvery glow lighting up the open space. Her chest rose and fell as she caught her breath, her arms lifting to the sky. She spun slowly, the cool grass brushing against her feet, the night wrapping her in its quiet magic.
When she turned, she saw Lochlan emerge from the shadows, his movements slow and his gaze locked onto hers. Her heart thundered in her chest as she watched him, his hands at his waist, undoing his belt, the soft sound of leather sliding free sending a thrill racing through her.
And then his pants fell, and she forgot how to breathe.
She ran to him, her bare feet silent against the ground, and leaped into his arms. He caught her easily, his hands steady as they gripped her thighs, holding her against him. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and the heat of him pressed against her, sending a shiver through her entire body.
Lochlan’s lips claimed hers again, his hand tangling in her hair with just the right amount of pressure, pulling her head back to deepen the kiss. A soft moan escaped her, her body melting against his, but then she felt the rough bark of a tree against her back as he pressed her to it.
His mouth left hers, trailing down her neck, his stubble grazed her sensitive skin and made her shiver. Each kiss was a mixture of teasing and reverence, and by the time his lips reached a peaked nipple, she was trembling.
“Lochlan,” she breathed, both a plea and a command.
In answer, his hands slid down her sides, gripping her thighs firmly as he lowered himself. She gasped when he maneuvered her legs over his broad shoulders, the position leaving her entirely exposed to him, completely at his mercy.
He looked up at her, his gaze molten, a silent promise in his eyes before his mouth found her.
The first touch of his tongue sent her head back against the tree, a strangled moan spilling from her lips. He was thorough, savoring her like she was something decadent, something worth every second of worship.
Her hands flew to his hair, threading through the soft strands as her hips moved instinctively against him. Every flick, every stroke, drove her closer to the edge, but just when she thought she’d tumble over, he eased back, letting her teeter there, maddeningly close to release.
“Loch!” she scolded, half-laughing, half-growling as frustration built.
His voice rumbled through her, the vibration adding another layer of delicious torment. “Patience,” he murmured, his voice rough against her skin.
“Patience?” she snapped, glaring down at him, her chest heaving. “I’m about to—”
But he silenced her with another long, deliberate stroke, sending her spiraling right to the brink again before pulling back.
“Loch!” she growled, tugging at his hair in protest.
When it happened again, she shoved him to the forest floor.
“You’re going to pay,” Nia said, her voice low and dangerous.
Lochlan laughed, the sound husky and confident, the kind that could have distracted her—but she wouldn’t let it.
“Make me pay, love,” he said, his tone a challenge. “We have forever.”
So she did.
Using the wetness pooling between her thighs, she slid against his hardness, deliberately not letting him inside her. His hands gripped her ass with bruising force, but he didn’t push—he only groaned, the deep sound rumbling through his chest and driving her on.
She shifted her hips, teasing him with her slick heat, building herself higher as she rubbed against him. Her control was intoxicating, and the sight of him beneath her, his head thrown back, his lips parted in a desperate groan, made her thighs clench.
He was close. She could see it, feel the tension coiling through his body.
“Nia,” he ground out, her name a curse on his lips, his hands trembling as they tightened even more.
“No,” she said, her voice breathless, grinding harder against him. “If you want inside, come now.” Her eyes locked with his, daring him. She smiled wickedly. “And then maybe I’ll let you go again.”
He growled, deep and feral. Before she could react, his hand cracked against her ass in a sharp smack that sent a shiver up her spine. Then his hands were back on her, guiding her, sliding her up and down his length with effortless control.
“Goddess,” she gasped, her head falling back as the sensations overwhelmed her. “Lochlan, fuck—”
The world went dark as she shattered, her climax ripping through her with a force that left her trembling. He followed her over the edge, his body arching beneath her.
When their breaths slowed and the world settled again, Lochlan pulled her against his side, tucking her close. His chest heaved as he let out a low, satisfied laugh, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“Smug witch,” Nia teased as a satisfied smile spread across her face. She pressed her lips to his skin, trailing gentle kisses across his chest.
Lochlan groaned, the sound low and rough, vibrating against her mouth. “Your smug witch,” he said, his hand brushing tenderly along her back.
She tilted her head up to meet his gaze, her smile widening. “My husband.”
He shifted, turning them so that he hovered above her, his weight comforting and familiar. His eyes glinted with heat and mischief as he leaned down, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss.
“My wife,” he whispered, his body already eager for hers again.
She laughed softly, her fingers framing his face as her heart swelled, warmth radiating through her.
She’d never wanted this, or thought she needed it.
Love was a living thing, both tender and unassailable.
She would pour every part of herself into nourishing and nurturing it, and she knew Lochlan would, too.
Given time, their love would flourish and grow, strong and everlasting.
The End