Epilogue
Kris gently swirled the wine in his glass, watching the rich ruby liquid catch the moonlight filtering in through the tasting room windows. The scent filled his senses, notes of ripe berries, a whisper of spice, and a lingering sweetness reminiscent of the very woman he’d created it for.
Cassia.
She had changed his life in so many ways. How had he lived before her? She was his mate, his partner, his best friend, the heart of his entire world.
She owns our heart, his bear said.
And our soul, Kris added.
He lifted the glass and took a slow, measured sip. Instantly, memories flooded his mind, carried on the delicate notes of the wine. Their first meeting, that accidental ad, Finn’s innocent mistake. Which now felt like the most beautiful act of fate imaginable.
She’ll love it, his bear said confidently.
Kris took another critical sip. You think so?
Of course, his bear replied with a soft growl. It tastes exactly how she makes us feel.
Kris chuckled. His bear was right. Cassia’s warmth, her strength, her playful charm, and the undeniable fire of their bond were woven into every drop. He’d named this special vintage Cassia’s Heart . It was a declaration of his love for his mate.
Your version of shouting it from the highest mountain peak, his bear said.
Something like that, Kris agreed, his thoughts consumed by the woman he loved.
“Kris?” Cassia’s voice drifted softly from the doorway, pulling him from his musings. He turned, and his heart still skipped at the sight of her, silhouetted against the moonlight.
“I’m right here,” he called, setting the glass down.
“What are you doing in here all alone?” she asked lightly, slipping her hand into his. He closed his eyes for a moment, reveling in the current of recognition that flowed between them.
“I’ve been working on something,” he confessed. “Something special.”
Cassia raised an eyebrow, teasing. “You have been in here blending wine when you should have been in bed with me?”
He laughed, guiding her closer to the tasting table, closer to him. “Wait until you taste it.” He reached for a second glass, carefully pouring her a glass of Cassia’s Heart. “This one is unique.”
“Unique how?” She took the glass he offered and raised it to her nose, her eyes closing as she breathed in the aroma.
“Unique, because it’s blended with everything that reminds me of you,” he said, suddenly shy.
What if she doesn’t like it?
Stop overthinking it, his bear warned him.
“Reminds you of me?” she asked as she took a sip.
“Your favorite notes, your warmth, your strength…and the sweetness that you have brought into my life.”
“Oh, Kris,” she whispered, pressing a gentle hand to her chest. “This is…incredible.”
He stepped closer, cupping her cheek tenderly. “I’m glad you think so. I named it Cassia’s Heart. I blended it with every moment we’ve shared, every dream we’ve built together, and every hope I have for our future.”
She set the glass down carefully, eyes glistening with joyful tears. “You really know how to make a woman feel special, Kris Thornberg.”
He laughed softly, sliding his arms around her waist and drawing her close. “Only you, Cassia. Always and forever, only you.”
Forever sounds good. His bear sighed happily.
She tilted her head and smiled up at him. “Only me.”
He lowered his head and captured her lips. A small moan escaped her lips as the kiss deepened and his need for her threatened to overwhelm him.
In one fluid movement, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the workbench where he had been blending the wine.
Gently, he set her down on the smooth wooden surface, her eyes dark with desire as she gazed up at him. The moonlight streamed through the windows, casting silver patterns across her skin as he inched her knees apart and nestled his body between her thighs.
“I should be scandalized,” she whispered against his lips, her fingers tangling in his hair. “Wine making is serious business, Mr. Thornberg.”
“Very serious,” he agreed, his voice husky as he trailed kisses down her neck. “And what could be more serious than showing my mate exactly how much I adore her?”
She laughed, the sound spurring him on. “When you put it that way...”
He slipped his hand under her shirt, and cupped her breast in his hand, his thumb brushing over her taut nipple through the fabric of her bra.
“I love you,” Cassia breathed, arching into his touch. “More than I ever thought possible.”
The confession, though he’d heard it before, still hit him with the force of a revelation. This woman—this incredible, smart, beautiful woman—had chosen him. Had trusted him with her heart after it had been so carelessly broken.
“I will spend the rest of my life earning that love,” he promised. “Every day, Cassia.”
“You already have it, all of it. No earning required,” she whispered.
Kris lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her palm with reverence. “Then I’ll spend my life making sure you never regret giving it to me.”
A teasing smile curved her lips. “Well, you’re off to a good start with this wine.”
He laughed, the sound echoing through the tasting room. “Just wait until you see what else I have planned.”
“Oh?” Her eyebrow arched playfully. “Care to share these plans, Mr. Thornberg?”
Instead of answering, he pushed the cup of her bra down and lowered his head, sucking her taut nipple into his mouth. She gasped and wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him closer as a soft moan escaped her lips.
“I’ll take that as approval,” he murmured against her skin.
“Enthusiastic approval,” she confirmed breathlessly as he circled his tongue around her nipple. She pressed herself closer, inching her body up and down, rubbing against his hardness.
With a growl, he let go of her and stripped off his clothes, standing before her naked, like some primal beast.
Then he stepped forward and hooked his fingers into the waistband of her pants, she lifted her bottom off the bench allowing him to slowly pull them down over her thighs. When her pants were discarded on the floor beside his, he gazed down at her, drinking in the sight of her nearly naked body bathed in moonlight.
But he did not simply want to drink her in, he wanted to taste her. He pressed his hands against her thighs, gently spreading them as he dropped to his knees. Her eyes widened with anticipation as she watched him, her chest rising and falling with quickened breaths.
“Kris,” she whispered, her voice holding a tone of desperation that made him harden further. He longed to bury himself inside her, but not yet…
With reverent hands, he hooked his fingers into her lace panties and slid them down her legs, adding them to the growing pile of discarded clothing. Then he leaned forward, pressing soft kisses to her inner thighs, working his way slowly upward until his mouth found her center.
Cassia gasped, her back arching as his tongue swept over her most sensitive spot. Her fingers threaded through his hair, urging him closer as he worshipped her with his mouth. The taste of her was intoxicating, sweeter than any wine he’d ever created.
“Kris,” she moaned, her thighs trembling as he slipped two fingers inside her.
Her hips rocked against his hand and mouth, seeking more of the pleasure only he could give her. He felt her inner walls clench around his fingers as he stroked that special spot inside her, his tongue circling her sensitive bundle of nerves with practiced movements he knew drove her wild.
“Oh,” she gasped, her body tensing.
He increased his tempo, growling with satisfaction as he brought her to the edge. With a final curl of his fingers and a deliberate flick of his tongue, he pushed her over the precipice. Her body shuddered, her soft cries filling the tasting room as waves of pleasure washed over her. He did not relent, drawing out her climax until she tugged at his hair, urging him upward and with deft hands, he pulled her sweater over her head, and unclasped her bra. He did not want any barrier between them.
“I love you,” he murmured as he stroked her breasts.
Her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. “Show me,” she challenged, eyes dark with renewed desire.
Kris didn’t need to be told twice. He guided himself into her, his eyes locked with hers as he slowly pushed forward. The sensation of her warmth enveloping him nearly undid him then and there. He paused, breathing deeply, savoring the connection that went beyond the physical.
When he regained his control, he began to move, rocking his hips as he thrust into her. Cassia leaned forward and kissed his chest, her tongue finding his nipple and curling around it. He groaned at the sensation and, for a moment, his pace faltered.
Cassia grazed his nipple with her teeth, knowing full well the effect she had on him. But he also knew the effect he had on her. Slipping his hand between their bodies, he tweaked her nipple, and her inner muscles tightened around him.
“Not fair,” she gasped, as he increased his pace, driving into her with more force, the workbench creaking beneath them.
Kris didn’t answer as his mouth replaced his fingers and he flicked his tongue over her taut bud. Cassia dug her fingers into his shoulders, urging him on as her body responded to his every touch. She was close again. He could feel it, the way her inner muscles clenched around him, the way her breathing quickened.
He shifted the angle of his thrusts, hitting that sweet spot inside her that made her gasp his name.
He understood what she needed, increasing his pace as he thrust deeper, harder. The primal connection between them intensified, their bodies moving in perfect synchrony. Kris could feel his own release approaching, a delicious pressure building.
Then she came, her inner walls clenching around him in waves, her body shuddering against his. The sight of her—head thrown back, lips parted, completely lost in pleasure—pushed him over the edge. With a deep groan, he followed her into ecstasy, his release pulsing through him as he held her tightly against him.
“I love you,” he whispered as he slowly regained control of his senses.
“And I love you so very much.” Cassia’s arms tightened around him as she nestled her face against his chest.
Kris closed his eyes, breathing her in, savoring every second. Their path hadn’t always been smooth, and fate had played some strange tricks to bring them together. But here, now, wrapped in each other’s arms, he knew every moment, every challenge had been worth it.
Together, they were the perfect blend.