Epilogue
SADIE
“ W ake up, Mommy!”
I pop one eye open, looking at my beautiful baby girl. Samantha turned six last month, and she’s such a little ray of sunshine. Her bright green eyes sparkle as she gives me a toothy smile.
“Morning, sweetheart. What’s–”
Samantha tugs at my arm before I can finish my thought. “Come on!” she urges, making me laugh. I throw on a robe and my slippers and follow her out into the kitchen.
“Happy am-in-aversary, Mom!” Seth, our four-year-old shouts. He has a too-large apron tied around him with food spills all over it.
“Anniversary,” Cutter gently corrects, patting our son on the back.
“Yeah. That.” Seth grins, his eyes the same shade of blue as his father’s.
“What’s going on?” I ask, looking around the disaster area that is the kitchen.
“You were supposed to go to the dining room so you didn’t see the aftermath,” Cutter says from behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my temple. “You look beautiful today, sweetheart.”
I know I look like a mess, but I truly believe he thinks I’m beautiful no matter what. My stomach flips every time he calls me sweetheart or baby or any little pet name, really. Even after seven years of marriage, my husband still has the ability to make me melt with a single word.
Cutter guides me to the dining room, chuckling when Samantha and Seth dart ahead of him to sit at the table.
“Oh my gosh, what is all this?” I gasp, looking around at the feast spread out on the table.
“Breakfast, duh,” Seth quips.
“Seth, what did we say about using that word?” Cutter reprimands.
“It’s rude,” he sighs.
Cutter squeezes our son’s shoulder reassuringly and kisses him on top of his head.
For being a big, bad, tattooed mountain man, he’s such a softie when it comes to his family.
I’m usually the one doling out punishments.
Not that I need to very often. Our kids are so sweet and thoughtful, though they have a healthy dose of sass that needs tempered sometimes.
“Omelettes with fresh-laid eggs, hand-picked chives, bacon, and my special blend of herbs and spices.”
“I made the fruit salad!” Samantha chimes in. I look at the cut fruit and then dart my eyes over to Cutter.
“The fruit came magically pre-cut, all Sam had to do was assemble it,” he says, reading my mind.
Samantha is responsible and careful for her age, but handling a knife at six might be a bit much.
Of course, my husband figured out a way to have the kids help while keeping them safe.
He’s kind of perfect in that way. In every way, really.
Cutter kisses my temple and pulls out my chair for me, helping me get settled. These sweet little gestures do me in every time. I’m reminded every day how lucky I am to keep this man for the rest of my life.
“Thank you, everyone. This is such a lovely way to start the day.” I squeeze Samantha’s hand and then Seth’s, trying not to cry. I never imagined my life would turn out this way.
A little over ten years ago, I found myself hopelessly lost and stranded in Cutter’s forest. Now, I’m celebrating a decade married to the sexiest, sweetest man I could ever imagine.
Cutter cups the side of my face, tilting my head up to meet his gaze. “Happy anniversary, love,” he murmurs before bending down and taking my lips in a soft kiss.
“Ew!” Samantha squeals.
Cutter chuckles, the deep sound vibrating through me. He gives me one last kiss and takes his seat next to me.
The four of us laugh and talk about the day ahead as we devour the delicious breakfast. My husband has continued to grow his business of selling canned veggies, dried herbs, and special spice seasonings by adding dried and cured meats as well as farm-fresh eggs.
We still live up near the top of Hope Mountain, though we’ve added a second story and multiple bedrooms to the cabin. We’ve expanded the greenhouse and built a bigger chicken coop, as well as added new gardens to the south and west of the property.
After my failed attempt to be a real estate agent, Cutter encouraged me to explore other interests.
Aside from helping my husband around the farm, I also teach an online course for small business owners.
I’ve learned a ton from Cutter over the years and want to pass on that knowledge to those just starting out.
After breakfast, the kids dash off to their rooms to get ready for the day. I start clearing up the dishes, but Cutter stops me with a hand on the small of my back.
“I’ll take care of cleaning up. I have another surprise for you,” he murmurs, kissing the side of my neck. I bite my bottom lip and look at him over my shoulder. Cutter groans and presses a chaste kiss on my lips. “How is everything you do the sexiest goddamn thing?”
Before I can answer, my big, burly husband scoops me up in his arms and carries me to our room. I giggle and wrap my arms around his neck, kissing his chin. Cutter closes the door with his foot and sets me down, pressing me against the wall.
The heat and hunger in his eyes sends a shiver down my spine, but it’s the love and adoration underneath that warms me up. He’s always looking at me like that, and it never gets old.
Dipping his head down, Cutter trails his lips up my neck, kissing and nipping at my pulse point. “As much as I want to fuck you right up against this wall, I don’t want to scar our children for life.”
I huff out a laugh, then moan as he grinds his thick cock into my stomach.
Cutter threads his fingers through my hair, tipping my head up and crashing his mouth down on mine.
I immediately open up for him, sliding my tongue against his and getting lost in his kiss.
One after another, he bombards me with kisses, each one rougher, needier than the last.
I’m a panting, whimpering mess by the time he finally pulls away.
Cutter rests his forehead on mine breathing me in. “Damn, woman,” he whispers. “I’ll never get enough of you. He surprises me by wrapping me up in his arms and rocking me back and forth. This man. He’s equal parts sexy, insatiable beast, and sweet, caring protector.
“You said there was another surprise?” I ask once he steps away. Cutter grins at me and goes to the closet, digging around for something. When he returns, he’s holding a blue velvet rectangular box.
I open in, gasping when I see the gorgeous rose-gold necklace with an elaborately etched heart charm.
The heart has a clasp on it, which I open.
Tears spring to my eyes when I see a tiny cut-out photo of us on our wedding day on one side and a recent photo of the whole family on the other side.
My whole heart, contained in one piece of jewelry.
“It’s absolutely perfect. Thank you, husband,” I say with a smile.
Cutter draws me in for another hug. “Love hearing you call me that,” he whispers. “Love being your husband.”
“I love being your wife,” I murmur, kissing his chest right over his heart.
Cutter nuzzles into the top of my head, making me smile at his sweet gesture. “I absolutely adore you, Sadie,” he says with all the tender conviction in the world.
I soak up all of his love, letting it fill me up.
This man has given me more than he could ever know.
A life full of joy and laughter, a safe place to regroup, a shoulder to cry on.
He’s shown me every single day that we’re both worthy of a happily-ever-after, despite our rough patches and trauma from the past.
Overcome with gratitude, I tilt my head up and kiss him slowly, deeply, before whispering, “I absolutely adore you, too, husband.” Cutter gives me a heart-stopping smile, rubbing his nose up and down mine.
Our moment is interrupted by the kids bursting into our room.
“Pretty necklace!” Samantha gushes.
“We helped pick it out!” Seth chimes in. “Wait, where’s the chocolate?”
I peer over at my husband, who grabs a box of chocolates I didn’t see earlier. Our son never forgets about dessert.
Cutter chuckles, opening the box of chocolates.
He hands it to me first, letting me have the first pick.
Then he lets the kids take one chocolate each.
“Brush your teeth when you’re done with your snack,” he says, trying to be authoritative.
I wait until the kids leave to laugh at him. “What? Something funny?”
I nod. “You when you’re trying to be stern.”
He narrows his eyes at me, but then grins, kissing me on the tip of my nose. “I can’t help it,” he says with a shrug. Cutter spins me around and gives my ass a playful smack. “Are you ready to start the day, love?”
I look at him over my shoulder, giving him a sweet smile. “With you? Always.”
He returns my smile with an even bigger one. “Good. You’re stuck with me now, sweetheart. I’m yours forever.”
THE END