Epilogue
EPILOGUE
2 MONTHS LATER
OLIVER
“I think this new flavor is the best yet.”
Lifting my head from Shea’s breasts, I look up at her and add, “The vanilla cupcake was an excellent choice. I definitely approve.”
Shea gazes at me, heavy-lidded, her eyes glazed with desire. “I thought you might like it.” Her voice is rough. Slightly breathless. Sultry without even trying.
“Oh. I do.” Taking her taut nipple into my mouth again, I swirl my tongue around it, adding a little flick that makes Shea’s breath catch. “Especially when I get to taste it here.”
Releasing her nipple with a little pop, I start kissing a path down to her stomach, tasting hints of sugar and sweet cream as I go. Her hands tangle in my hair, pulling gently, and she sucks in a sharp breath as I reach her bellybutton and lap at the tiny puddle of flavored oil there.
“Oll.” All the muscles in her abdomen tense. “Oh. That feels…”
“Good, I hope?”
“Beyond good.”
“Perfect.” I grab the small bottle sitting on the mattress and uncap it, pouring a small amount of it into my palm. Then I dip my finger into the liquid and trace a line of it from her bellybutton to just above the apex of her thighs.
Parting Shea’s legs, I move between them, bracing my hands on either side of her hips. But before I lower my head again, I just look at her, taking a moment to memorize everything.
With Shea spread out like this, offering herself to me without hesitation, I know I’ve been given the most precious gift. Not just a beautiful one, although that’s irrefutable—with her skin gleaming like satin, sweetly flaring hips curving to a slender waist, and small but perfectly plump breasts tipped with rosy nipples, she’s like a masterpiece come to life.
I love every tiny detail about Shea, from the tiny birthmark just below her right hip to the scar on her thigh she got when her childhood cat, Lucky, accidentally scratched her. I love the tattoo on her ribcage with the letters J and S looped together in an elegant script, the initials of her beloved parents. And most of all, I love the way she looks at me, her gorgeous sapphire eyes filled with the same depth of love I feel for her.
But it wouldn’t matter what she looks like. Shea is beautiful in every way. Her beauty is in her kind heart, her selfless desire to protect the ones she loves, the funny little comments she makes that always make me smile, and the ways she shows her love in the most creative ways, like naked mini-golf and taking me to Fort Ticonderoga to see battle sites from the Revolutionary War, even though the topic bores her to tears.
Shea would be the first to say she’s not perfect. But to me, she is.
“You’re so beautiful,” I tell her. “Every part of you.”
“Oliver.”
“You are.” I kiss her bellybutton again. “Here.” My lips brush across her hip. “And here.” Pausing, I rest my hand over her heart. “And here. Here most of all.”
“So are you,” she replies, her gaze softening as she meets mine. “You’re perfect. And I still can’t believe you’re mine.”
A lump lodges in my throat. “Always.”
Her hand strokes my cheek. “Always, Oll.” With a quirk of her lips, she adds, “Remember. You’re never getting rid of me.”
“I’ll never want to, Shea. Ever.”
Lowering my head again, I trace my tongue along the damp trail I created, lingering between her legs to lap at her core. Her skin is flushed and slick with arousal, her sensitive bud swollen and exposed.
As I pull the little bundle of nerves between my lips and suck at it, Shea’s hips jerk up and she lets out a low moan. “Oh.” Her fingers tighten in my hair. “Oh. That’s…”
But then I suck harder, and her words trail off. Her hands clutch the blanket beneath her. The muscles in her inner thighs quiver.
I place one hand over her stomach, holding her down gently. With the other, I plunge one finger inside her, feeling her inner walls pulling me deeper. Then I add a second finger, pumping them in and out slowly at first, then faster.
Shea’s breaths come faster, and she’s making these incredibly sexy sounds—half moan, half whimper—as I bring her closer and closer to the edge.
I love seeing Shea like this, so unrestrained, her pleasure a visible thing, and knowing it’s because of me.
It’s always been special, making love to Shea, but now it’s even better.
Now I’m making love to my future wife. Soon to be my actual wife in just under three months. We picked January twenty- eighth, which isn’t the typical time of year to get married, but it’s the anniversary of the day we met.
The anniversary of when my life changed forever.
So I can’t think of a better time to take Shea as my wife.
“Oliver.” There’s a note of desperation in Shea’s voice. “I need more. Please.” She half sits up and grabs my biceps. “This is… I love it. But I need you inside me.”
Just like everything else Shea asks for, I don’t hesitate.
Moving up her body, I notch myself at her center. Then I hold myself up with one arm while I cup her cheek with the other. “You won’t hear me complaining about that. It’s my favorite place in the world to be.”
Her eyes glint with humor. “Then what are you waiting for?”
Indeed.
So I do exactly as Shea asked.
With my hand still on her face, still holding her gaze, I slowly sink deep inside her. And although we’ve made love hundreds of times, it never, ever gets old. It always feels just as perfect. It always feels like coming home.
Shea’s legs wrap around me, linking us together.
I pull almost completely out, then plunge back down, filling her completely.
Her hips tilt up to meet mine, and I can feel her inner walls squeezing around me.
And when I look at her, hair splayed across the pillow, her eyes fiery blue, her cheeks and chest flushed with arousal, my heart feels like it’s about to explode from the overwhelming emotions swelling inside it.
While I love bringing Shea pleasure, there’s nothing like this. Being joined with her, feeling her arousal as it grows more intense, the muscles fluttering as she moves closer and closer to ecstasy.
As we move faster, coming together in a frenzied rhythm, the pressure builds inside me, coiling, getting hotter and more insistent. My whole body is alive with need, each brush of Shea’s skin against mine setting off sizzles of electricity.
I tilt Shea’s hips so I can go even deeper, hitting that hidden spot, and she arches her back as she moans, “I’m so close. Oh. I need… Just?—”
But I know what she needs.
Reaching between us, I find her little bud again and rub it fast and hard, just the way she likes.
Then I thrust home once more.
She explodes around me.
It’s such an exquisite sensation, words can’t describe it.
As her muscles ripple around me, I rocket into space along with her.
And it’s everything .
All I ever wanted, and so much I didn’t even know existed. Not until Shea. Not until I met the love of my life.
Not until she came back to me.
Gathering Shea in my arms, I roll us over, holding myself still deep inside her. She settles her cheek on my chest and sighs, her breath feathering across my skin. I can feel her smile as she says, “I’ll never get sick of this. Ever. Not even when we’re both old and gray.”
I stroke her hair, trailing my fingers through the silky strands. “Not even when I’m old and wrinkly? And I have a cane to hobble around?”
“Even then.” She lifts her head to look at me and smiles. “You’ll be a sexy silver fox. I’ll be the one all wrinkly.”
“Hardly.” I press my lips to her head. “You’ll always be stunning. Even when you’re a hundred.”
Her smile expands. Tiny lines crinkle around her eyes. “I won’t mind it. Getting old. Because I’ll have you. My soon-to-be husband.”
My heart squeezes. “My soon-to-be wife.”
“It’ll be here before we know it,” she replies. “I sent the final numbers to the event planner this morning. The dress only needs a final fitting. And I got an email from the jeweler. He said the bands are ready and we can pick them up any time.”
“That’s great.” I pause. “Are you sure you don’t need more help with all the planning? I feel like I haven’t done enough.”
“You’re fine. Remember, I have Jade helping. And everyone here—Maya, Nora, Ari, Thea… There’s actually not enough for everyone to do. I’m going to have to come up with extra tasks because so many people want to help. And?—”
From the nightstand, Shea’s phone starts to ring.
“Oh crap!” Shea flails her arm to grab it, but she’s not quite close enough. But I am, so I snatch it up and hand it to her before it stops ringing. She jabs the screen without looking at it. “Jade?”
I can hear the rise and fall of a voice on the other end. A few seconds later, Shea says brightly, “Okay! We’ll be here. I can’t wait to see you guys.”
Then she hangs up and says, “Jade said their flight caught a tailwind and got in early. So they’re already on their way here.” She makes a little grimace. “I can’t wait to see them. But now we only have about fifteen minutes to get showered and changed.”
“Well, then we’d better get into the shower.” I lift Shea off me, hop out of bed, then bend down to scoop her into my arms. As I jog towards the bathroom, she clutches my neck and giggles. “Oll! I can walk!”
“I know.” I kiss her forehead. “But carrying my naked fiancée to the shower is much more fun.”
“Sleepy Hollow really does go all out for Halloween.”
Shea sounds slightly awed as she looks up and down Main Street, taking in the elaborate decorations along the storefronts on either side. “I mean, I’ve seen Halloween Festivals before, but this… it reaches a whole new level.”
“It does,” I agree as I follow her gaze. I’m pretty impressed myself at the lengths Sleepy Hollow has gone to bring the full Halloween experience downtown.
Each store has a themed display, many of them incorporating the Headless Horseman, which makes sense since he’s basically the mascot for the town. The Hop-less Horseman has a life-sized Headless Horseman in the window, but instead of a pumpkin under his arm, he’s holding a giant bag of hops instead. Across the street, at the Hungry Horseman, they have a skeleton—without his head, of course—surrounded by mountains of Halloween candy.
The regular bulbs in the street lamps have been replaced by red ones, casting an eerie glow onto the sidewalk. Jack-o'-lanterns are set along the side of it, each one with a battery operated candle inside, all designed and donated by the Sleepy Hollow High School art classes.
Up ahead, the town park has been transformed into an enormous graveyard, complete with hundreds of gravestones with skeletons guarding them, and wispy ghosts hanging from all the trees. Volunteers stroll around the park wearing an array of creepy costumes, handing out handfuls of candy to the swarms of children racing around.
Most of the people in attendance are wearing something Halloween themed, as well. Some in full costume, others just wearing orange or black. Shea and I are wearing actual costumes—at her insistence, and I don’t mind—with me dressed as James Bond, and Shea the femme fatale villain who tries to distract him with her beauty.
And I have to say, in her clinging black dress with a daring slit that shows off her stockinged leg every time she moves, I’d be distracted from my mission. It’s a struggle to keep my focus now, and while I know we’re just walking around downtown Sleepy Hollow, I’m always watching for any sign of potential trouble, just to be safe.
After everything that’s happened over the last year, I’m not taking any chances.
“This is really cool,” Jade enthuses. She’s dressed as the Scarlet Witch from the Marvel movies, and Niall is dressed as Vision. Shea almost fell over laughing when he came out in his costume, telling him he should start wearing a glowing stone on his forehead all the time.
Glancing up at Niall slash Vision, Jade puts on a pleading face. “Can we go on one of the haunted hayrides? I heard they’re supposed to be really scary.”
Niall wraps his arm around Jade as he gazes down at her. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? In your condition?”
Shea snorts. “Niall. She’s pregnant. Not ninety. I think Jade can handle it.”
Niall makes a face at Shea. “Is it bad that I’m concerned about the mother of my child?”
“Of course not,” Jade soothes. She kisses his cheek—carefully, so as not to smear his red makeup—adding, “If you’re really worried, we won’t go. But I think it’ll be okay.”
Turning to Shea, I ask, “What do you want to do first? The graveyard walk? Adult trick or treating? The haunted library tour?”
She brightens immediately. “Oh, the library tour. Thea and Penny were telling me all about it. Since they both work there, they helped plan the whole thing, and it sounds really cool. Thea’s going to be reading scary stories, and Penny is leading the tours.”
“Okay.” I smile at her. “Library tour it is.”
“How about the library tour, then a hayride, and after that, we can stop at the Hop-less Horseman for their special Halloween wing special?” Jade suggests.
Niall’s shoulders stiffen. His smile goes tight.
My own muscles tense, and my jaw twitches.
“Are you sure?” Niall asks, his tone carefully neutral. “There are lots of other places to eat here.”
Jade looks at Shea with her eyebrows raised. “What do you think, Shea? Are you up for it?”
There’s a brief hesitation, and then Shea replies, “Yes. Definitely. I’d love some wings. And their pumpkin stout—” She stops. “Sorry. I forgot you can’t drink beer. But they have some good non-alcoholic options. Ciders and stuff like that.”
“That’s fine.” Jade tugs Niall’s hand. “See. Shea’s fine with it. And we have you and Oliver there to protect us.”
Hugging Shea to my side, I inspect her face, looking for any sign of discomfort. “Are you sure?” I ask quietly.
“Yeah.” She lifts her chin and smiles. “They have the best wings. And Nora said she and Jackson were going to stop there. Ari and Cash, too. So maybe we can all meet up.”
Fuck. Every time I think I can’t be more impressed by Shea, she does something like this.
And if she can overcome her fears, so can I.
“Okay.” Turning her towards me, I capture her lips with mine, kissing her long enough for Niall to make loud coughing sounds in the background. When the kiss ends, I continue, “Wings it is. But first, the library tour.”
“Perfect.” She beams and slips her hand in mine. “This is so great, Oll. I’m so glad you could get the night off.”
“Yeah. I was lucky.”
Or rather, I told the guys at the station how badly Shea wanted to go to her first Halloween Fest, and at least half of them volunteered to take my shift. They all like Shea, know what a hard time she went through this past spring, and were more than happy to step up so I could enjoy this night with her.
As we walk towards the library, Shea swings my hand and does a little skip. She looks over at me, joy lighting her face, so beautiful she makes my heart hurt. “This is just what I always hoped for. Doing things like this with you again. And now I have my brother and best friend here, too. I can’t imagine it being more perfect.”
Oh.
My heart.
Then she stops abruptly, nearly causing a pileup of at least six people right on the sidewalk. “Sorry!” she blurts to the random couple that almost ran into us. Once they move past us, she grabs Jade’s hand. “I forgot to tell you!”
Jade laughs. “What?”
“Remember I said I was sending writing samples out to some of the papers in the city?”
“Yes?”
“One was accepted!” Shea bounces in excitement as she adds, “ The New York Times ! I couldn’t believe it! But they said my story was gripping. Can you believe that?”
Jade lunges at Shea and hugs her hard. “That’s amazing! Congratulations!”
“I know.” Her face glows with pride. “And they said they want more work. It’s not full time yet, but maybe one day…”
Niall tugs Shea into his arms. “Congrats, Shea. You deserve it.”
She does.
After another minute of congratulations, Shea returns to my side. Looping her arm around my waist, she says, “Okay, James Bond. Let’s see if the library is really haunted.” She pauses, her attention shifting across the street for a second. “Oh. There’s Kane. We should ask him to come with—” Pausing, she watches as Kane strikes up a conversation with Jess, Nora’s friend.
“Or maybe not,” she adds with a speculative look. I can practically see the wheels turning in her head. She’s been wanting to set up Kane with someone for months. I haven’t heard him say anything about Jess before, didn’t realize he even knew her, but who knows?
“Why don’t we text him once we get to the Hop-less Horseman?” I ask. “See if he wants to join us then.”
Shea nods. “Okay.” Setting off again down the sidewalk, she leans against me as we walk. Niall and Jade fall behind us, talking quietly to each other. Then Shea gives my hand a little squeeze. “Oll?”
“What?”
Her expression softens. Emotion thickens her voice. “I love you.”
“Oh, Shea. I love you too.”
“You know how I said our parents are watching us? Keeping an eye out?”
I kiss her soft cheek. “I remember.”
“They must be so happy. Seeing how everything turned out. Me and you. Niall and Jade. Maya and Cole. We all found the perfect person, just like they did.”
Oh.
My Shea.
It’s only ever been her. And it always will be.
“You’re right, love. We did.”