Epilogue #2
“You have no idea how badly I want this with you, but I’ll wait. I want you to be one hundred percent ready.”
I stare into his eyes, seeing the kind of love I never knew existed or thought could be extended to me. “I want this with you. . .so much.”
His mouth lands on mine, careful but sure. He angles my head, and his tongue sweeps across my lips. I reciprocate, kissing him, tasting him, and wanting to explore and know every part of him.
I bite his lip, and he groans. His hands glide over my body, landing on my butt, fisting the cotton fabric of his shirt.
“I thought this was a new way of testing my will.” He kisses me, his hands sliding underneath and gliding up my sides. He takes his sweet time, and I’m learning it’s pure torture of the best kind. “I like you in my sweatshirts, but you in only my shirt, and your bare-toned legs might’ve killed me.”
I smile, layering kisses over his shoulder.
His fingers grip the hem of his shirt. “May I?”
I nod, pulling away and lifting my arms as he slides the soft material upward and over my head. His eyes roam over my body.
His gentle touch glides over my arms, tracing the muscles. “You have to tell me what you want or. . .don’t want. Ok?”
I love him so much. I step into him, my skin pressing against his. “I need you to participate.”
That grin appears, and I tug him down on the bed.
“Help me figure that out.”
The weight of his body falls on top of mine, skin that’s warm and familiar.
He starts with my mouth and then sweeps kisses down my neck. “You gonna drop my ass to the floor, Jones?” he teases.
I grin as my fingers trace the ridges of each muscle in his back. “Maybe.”
His smile falls away, and there’s a heated intensity in his eyes that’s new. A burn radiates from my core throughout my entire body.
“Just stay right here. . .with me.”
His warm palm slides up my thigh as his mouth lowers to mine. Every movement is gentle and slow. His fingers skimming over every scar.
“I love you,” I whisper.
Cole’s lips run over my cheek to my ear. “I love you, too. I’m going to show you how much.”
We take our time loving and exploring, learning each other in a whole new way. We lie in the dark, my head on his chest, resting in his slow, rhythmic breathing that calms my soul.
“I want to stay here like this with you forever,” I whisper, not wanting anything to take away from the moment.
He pushes a strand of hair out of my face. “I’m not going anywhere. Ever.” His large hand spreads over my back. “I want forever with you. A life. A family, whatever that looks like. I want you to be my wife if. . .that’s something you want.”
I lie perfectly still.
Wife? Is he asking me to marry him?
I’ve never even thought about marriage or what it would look like to be a wife.
My brain spins with what that would mean.
He shifts from underneath me, and his hand slides over my stomach.
I can barely make out his eyes.
“It doesn’t have to be soon. I just wanted you to know,” he whispers as if he’s afraid he spooked me.
“I’m. . .not sure I’d be any good at being a wife,” I admit the fear that rises to the top.
His eyes roam over my face, and that dazzling grin appears—the one that takes all my hard resolve and squishes like a bug. “I think you’d be perfect as my wife.”
I slide my hand behind his neck, pulling his face to mine. “You sound pretty sure.”
His grin spreads against my lips.
“You’re gonna have to be ok with me staying out past bedtime or leaving in the middle of the night.”
His lips brush against mine. “I expect nothing less.”
My fingers brush over his scruffy jaw, asking a question I need an answer to. “Would you be ok if, at some point, I bring a girl or boy home who needs to know that someone will keep finding them?”
His hand slides up my thigh, gripping my hip. “Yes. I want to do that with you.”
“Ok.”
“Ok?” He pulls away, questioning my agreement.
It’s my turn to smile. “Yeah. Maybe someday I’ll marry you then. Might even consider taking your name and tossing the one that’s never meant a single thing.”
His head falls into my neck, and he flips me over on top of him. “Good. Because when you wear my jersey, I want you to know it’s legit. I’m going to keep loving you. Forever.”
______
Six Months Later
COLE
The ball hits my hands, and I drop back. I scan, waiting for Ricketts to hook right and into the middle. My eyes snag on an opening, and I take it.
I tuck the ball and charge forward through the open path, sliding into the twenty-yard line.
We set up.
“Rowdy fifteen blue! Rowdy fifteen blue!” I drop my heel, and the ball hits my hands.
Three quick steps back, I slip left, dodging and pulling my arm back to launch the ball. It drops right into Ricketts’s open arms in the endzone.
The fans roar, and I jog off the field, pumping my fist three times in the air. I cross the sideline, having secured our spot in the playoffs, and my team and coaches congratulate me. I pull my helmet off and squint, adjusting to the massive stadium lights, wanting to see her.
Ten rows up and right on the fifty-yard line is my girl. She’s on her feet, my name and number across her back, and a smile tugging at her lips that’s just for me. Jos is beside her, arms crossed, eyeing the guys in front of her, completely unimpressed by their obnoxious celebration.
I walk to the middle of the field, remembering why I love this game—the strategy, physicality, camaraderie, and competition. It’s the first season in my life where it’s been for me and me only.
I think my parents would be proud. This is what they would have wanted. My mom and dad showed me what love is—what it feels like—and I’ll never again hide it away, because I’ve seen what love can do. It can change everything.
I head for the tunnel but stop along the stands, searching for Ryder again. I spot her in the first row, surrounded by fans. I reach for the metal railing and pull myself up as she leans down, her hands gripping my face.
Her lips press against mine. “You looked like you knew what you were doing out there.”
A fan reaches over, shoving a Sharpie in my face, and she carefully guides their hand away, never breaking eye contact with me. Always my protector.
I kiss her again, holding it a little longer this time. “I’ll see you in a bit.” I release the bars and drop to the ground.
She leans down a little further. “I got a call.”
My eyes flick between hers, knowing what it means. She and TJ have been endlessly trying to break down the workings of a massive trafficking ring, but that doesn’t stop the calls from coming.
She slips my jersey over her head and tosses it to me. I pull up one more time, and she kisses me again. “Don’t want to get blood on it.” She smiles. “I’ll see you at home.”
I kiss her one last time, and she turns, jogging up the stairs, taking two at a time, following Jos. I watch her. She’s everything I need, and soon, she’ll be my wife.
I head into the tunnel with the rest of my team, worry filling my gut at all of the possibilities of what she’s running toward.
I slap hands with my teammates as they celebrate our win. Even T-Bone reaches out and bumps my shoulder, the ass finally doubling down like he understands we have something to lose. He still calls me Rocket Boy, but I no longer mind.
I dress and spend my time with reporters before leaving my team, so I can go home and wait. Heading toward the parking lot, I pull my phone from my pocket.
RYDER: Meet me at The O.
It takes me thirty minutes to pull into the drive and park beside Ryder’s bike. I climb the porch stairs and hear the lock click as Jos opens it, stepping back to let me in. I don’t miss her swollen cheek.
I step inside, finding Ryder on the floor with her back to me, her blonde hair spilling out of her braid.
I inhale and let it out, relief rolling through me.
Kelsey sits cross-legged beside her, and shielded are two little girls, maybe four or five, clicking brightly colored blocks into a tower. Books, stuffed animals, and dolls are spread all around them.
Ryder peeks at me over her shoulder. A fresh cut hovers over her eye, and her lip is split and puffy. She leans forward and whispers something to the little girls before standing, and I catch her holding her side.
Jos takes her spot on the floor as Ryder reaches for my hand, pulling the door open and stepping into the cool night air. As soon as the door closes, her arms slide around my neck, and her body smashes into mine.
I hold the back of her head, never taking this for granted.
Her body relaxes, all the tension letting loose as she hangs onto me like she’s afraid to let go. I know without a doubt that I will spend the rest of my life doing just this. Being here. Helping in whatever way I can.
I carefully run my hand over her side. “How bad is it?”
“Just a little scratch.”
I huff out a laugh. “Broken rib?”
“Maybe a fracture.”
I’m careful, but I hold her tighter. “You ok?”
Her chest expands but stutters and then deflates. “I am now.”
I kiss her temple, examining the fresh wound. “Tell me what you need.”
“Just this for a minute.”
I’ll hold her as long as she wants.
Eventually, she releases me. Her lips push to the side as her gaze drops to my chest. “You still sure this is what you envision when you see the rest of your life?” She fists my shirt, but I hear the insecurity creeping into her voice.
“Hey.” I wait for her to look at me, and it takes a second, but her gaze eventually drifts up to mine. “There is nothing else I want more than this. You are the rest of my life, and we’ll keep doing this together.” I slide my hand into hers, pressing it to my chest. “Ok?”
A subtle smile pulls at her busted-up lip. “I need your help. There’s a little boy. Kerry is with him. Maybe ten years old.” Her chin dips. “He’s. . .been through a lot. Track and Hope are making all the calls and filing reports. Think you could show him some cool stuff about football?”
I push the wisps of hair away from the sticky, dried blood. “Yes. I can definitely do that.”
She hugs me again, her cheek pressed to my heart. We stay like that for a few long seconds. I’ll do this forever—remind her that I’m not going anywhere.
“What do you say, we see if we can calm the little guy’s anxiety?”
“Cole,” she pauses, pressing her eyes closed. “I know this is hard.”
She’s right. It’s beyond difficult to see and understand that there’s so much pain, suffering, and hurt. But loving her is the easiest damn thing I’ve ever done.
“I’m the luckiest man to get to do this with you.”
She tips her chin up just enough, her lips barely meeting mine, and then grips my hand to lead me inside.
“All right then, Matthews. Let’s see if your game and superpowers can help another kid venture beyond the darkness.