Epilogue – Two Years Later
Derek
As I watched Damon play with AJ, I still couldn’t believe this was my life, even after two years. Every time I woke up next to him, I would just lay there and look at his peaceful face. I had so much love for him that I thought I would go crazy if I didn’t tell him that I loved him each and every day.
He’s grown a lot since that day I met him, and I don’t mean in the physical sense. At first, he was this hesitant little thing, and I just felt like I had to protect him from the world. Seeing his different sides, especially his playful side, was amazing.
Sure, he may have seemed like a prude when we were first starting out, but I felt like he was just scared that I wouldn’t love him. I honestly couldn’t believe he would think that I wouldn’t fall in love with him. He’s caring, kind, and the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
There are times when I ask myself, what if ?
What if I never met Damon? Would he still be with OPS, or would he strike out on his own, painfully ignorant of how people operated out in the real world?
What if, in the hopes that the feeling of loneliness would go away, I got back together with Mina? I thought about that particular scenario quite a few times. Thank fuck that never happened. She was a menace, and deep down, I was never really sure if she loved me or not.
Damon caught me staring and gave me a soft smile. His beautiful golden eyes danced with mischief. It was like our hearts and minds were connected, and I could tell what he was thinking. He would also think that he couldn’t believe his life turned out like this; a newly minted author with a healthy baby boy and a loving husband to keep him company.
It was when his eyes slid down my body as if he could see through the clothes I wore, that I had to fight my erection. He would see me adjust myself through my jeans and give me a sly smile.
I loved cataloging all of the different shifts in his facial expressions. The way he smiled, the way he smirked. Shit, I even loved the way he rolled his eyes and laid a hand on his hips when he thought I was tryna put a fast one on him.
About a year after AJ was born, I worried that Damon would get tired of my antics and push me away when he needed a break. I was surprised that he welcomed all of my advances with open arms. These days, when Mom and Dad come by to pick up AJ so we can have the house to ourselves, Damon initiates, and I follow his lead.
Although Damon and I appreciated having them around, they eventually went back to Florida, only to move back up here. They wanted to be there to see their grandchildren grow up, not be separated by thousands of miles.
“Papa!” AJ said, running to me to show me one of his toys.
“Hey, buddy! Whatcha got for me?” I rustled his soft black curls as he went on a monologue that I was only able to catch every other word of, but I loved every second of it. His amber eyes would light up with this pure, unadulterated joy that I sincerely hoped would never diminish, not if I could help it.
“Hey Baby, are we still on for tonight?” Every other Friday, we tried to go out for date night. I didn’t want us to be couples that fell out of love simply because they stayed at home and did the same thing every day. There was nothing wrong with that, of course. Damon was a homebody through and through, but I was always more comfortable doing something, whether it was my hands working or simply being outside, enjoying the fresh air.
“Of course! I just need to work on a couple of things, and then I’ll be good to go.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” I didn’t just like it, I loved it. ‘Cause tonight wasn’t any other date night. Tonight was the night that I planned on proposing to him.
And he had no idea.
I should have proposed years ago, but in a way, I was glad we waited. Despite being a matched couple both legally and in the eyes of our friends and family, I didn’t want to push him and have it end up the way it did like last time.
Never again.
This time would be different, because I would have the man that I loved by my side. Till death do us part.
The End