Epilogue
STELLA
“Wait, what do you mean, you’re going to stay in Vegas for a little longer?
” I asked Rainy, wondering what the hell she was on.
My sister was a workaholic through and through.
She never took time off. Her little getaway was normal, three to four days in a city far from home where she wouldn’t be able to bump into anyone from our small Colorado town of Forge Creek to let her hair down and live a little.
“I can’t really go into too much detail, but…” Her voice dropped in tone and words slowed like she had been caught by surprise.
“Rainy, you there?” I asked, flipping through the channels on the TV in the hotel room. “You okay?”
“Mhmm… yup, I’m very, very good.” Her breathing changed, and my eyes widened.
“Did you meet someone?”
“You could say that.”
“Is he… there right now?”
“Yup. So, I gotta go, ‘kay? And sorry for not being able to meet up after the game, but soon. We’ll catch up soon—“ And with that, my sister hung up the phone, but not before I heard a very manly fuck it sound from the other end of the line, accompanied by a deep groan.
I set my phone down and smiled. I knew her going to Vegas would get her lucky! I pushed off the bed and knocked on the door. “You have ten minutes, mister!” I called out over the shower.
“I would be faster if you joined me,” Scott said, but I laughed.
“You would be an hour late if I joined you,” I reminded him of what had happened in Toronto.
Life on the road was… interesting.
Fun and exciting. Living in hotel after hotel might not be the greatest, but I did get to explore the cities we were in for away games while he was at practice.
I usually found cute little coffee shops I could work from, or worst-case scenario, I worked poolside.
Honestly, all I needed was Wi-Fi, and I was good to go.
But even I had to admit I was looking forward to a month of us being in Houston after this.
I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled at my reflection.
Wearing my guy’s jersey, hair and makeup done, I looked pretty good.
He stepped out of the bathroom, and I caught his reflection in the mirror.
Steam billowed out behind him, and the white hotel towel almost looked obscenely too small as it wrapped low around his waist.
“I fucking love you wearing my name,” he said before striding towards me.
I recognized that predatory look in his eyes I saw in the mirror.
It was all too familiar. It had been a month of us being together, and things had been great.
Incredible. We got to know one another in a very real way, and no matter what we might disagree on, we never really fought. He was my home, and I was his.
My eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of his lips on my neck on the very spot he’d learned from our first time together that was my undoing.
“Just so you know, Stella. We’re going to be late again.
” He pressed his hard length against my lower back, and I gasped.
My hips rolled and ground against him, but it all came to a halting stop when I felt it.
Cool metal wrapped around my left ring finger.
My eyes popped open, and I stared at Scott in the mirror.
“Honey?”
“I love you. I think… I think I never really dated because a part of me knew that you were out there. My other half. My better half.” His words were sweet and spoken with so much genuineness I knew he meant it.
“Marry me, Stella.” His unblinking gaze locked with mine.
“Marry me and let me make you the happiest woman on earth, because god knows I’m already the happiest man who walks god’s green earth.
” I turned in his arms, reaching up to cup his face.
My eyes never glanced at the ring on my hand.
It could have been made of spun sugar for all I cared.
I didn’t need jewelry or expensive gifts.
I was old enough to know what was really important in life.
And Scott Chance was that for me. My everything.
Not because of the fame or notoriety that came with him or his money, but the man who had me with one look and falling in love with him in less than twenty-four hours later.
A man I found out my brother had decided to set me up with.
“Yes,” I said, nodding. Scott bent and lifted me up, making me gasp.
“No take-backs. No returns,” he warned. Like that would somehow change my answer. If anything, it only made me that much more confident in it. I could see our life set out in front of us. The world was our oyster, so to speak, and all we had to do was live it.
“Good, because you’re stuck with me,” I sassed. My lips hovered over his. “We’re engaged.” I laughed and loved the feeling of his chest shaking with his own laughter.
“We’re engaged,” he confirmed. “This isn’t how I was going to do it.
I promise I’ll make it up to you, but I saw you standing there in my jersey, my name on your back, and I wanted to see you with my ring on your finger.
I couldn’t wait.” His impatience for something so sweet only made me love him harder and proved I’d made the right call by saying yes.
“This was perfect. I don’t want anything but this,” I said honestly, my lips hovering just a breath from his. “But I have bad news for you.” I swallowed, knowing the moment I said it, he’d do everything in his power to make it so.
“What’s that?” His gaze searched my face for a hint.
“Now you’re definitely going to be late to the game tonight.” I grinned, and his lips touched mine before we sealed this new deal with a little more than kissing.