Epilogue
Waking up this Christmas feels different in a lot of ways.
For one, it’s sunny outside. And warm. Missing the snow we’re used to back home. But that won’t be a problem for long… Since I have a couple more surprises up my sleeve.
That’s the other reason why this Christmas feels different. Because on this holiday morning, when our eyes peel open, and we look at each other… We’re already smiling.
Because we’re engaged.
“Good morning, fiancé,” Jesse murmurs sleepily, stretching his arms over his head.
“Good morning to you, fiancé.” I kiss his pulse. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, baby.”
We ended up falling asleep on the couch again after the unexpected proposal, which is actually good for my next surprise.
It means I get to see my fiancé’s face light up, which is so thrilling I can’t seem to stop my toes from wiggling.
The thing about proposing to Jesse is that I’d been thinking about it for a while. I’ve known, pretty much since the moment we got together, that I wanted to marry him. But I couldn’t help myself from getting hung up on making the proposal itself as memorable as possible.
I almost did it on his birthday, back in August. But I chickened out and wound up making him come four times instead. Either way, I think he had a great night.
But last night, after that soul-cleansing orgasm, and the way he was looking up at me, rosy cheeks, tousled platinum hair, eyes the color of golden treasures… I found that I just couldn’t help myself.
I couldn’t wait one more minute to become his fiancé. Fortunately for me, he said yes. And we spent the rest of the night kissing and touching on the couch, being deliriously happy, for the best Christmas Eve ever.
“I really need to shower,” Jesse grumbles, sitting up, wincing over what I’m guessing is muscle strain from the wild sex last night. “And because I’m so sore, I’m looking for volunteers to wash me. Maybe a certain… fiancé is up to the task?”
He grins at me, and I chuckle, kissing a line down his bicep. “That absolutely sounds like something I could manage.”
The two of us finally stand up on wobbly legs and race through the house toward our bedroom. The master bath is attached, meaning you have to go through the bedroom to get to it. Which also means that as soon as Jesse is pushing the door open, I’m jittering with excitement.
As soon as it’s open, and he looks inside, his face freezes. His mouth is open, eyes wide. Just pure shock and awe, and I’m living for it.
“Merry Christmas,” I sing to him by his ear.
He gasps out a laugh of disbelief, then peeks at me. “You did this??”
“No, some other awesome fiancé broke in and decorated the bedroom like a winter wonderland.” I roll my eyes teasingly, and he shoves me.
“I can’t even believe what I’m seeing!” He cheers, prancing into the room.
There’s fake snow everywhere. Lights and decorations strewn up on the walls of our bedroom, two more smaller Christmas trees, a fake fireplace… Even our bedding is different. It’s all flannel red and green, covered in a fuzzy throw. The whole room looks like back home, in the northeast.
“I thought… just in case you missed being in Maine for Christmas,” I tell him, walking up behind him and wrapping my arms around his waist. “I’d bring Maine to us.”
He gazes up at me. “You’re amazing. I love you so much.”
Pushing up to my lips, he kisses me softly, which of course turns heated, because we’re both still naked.
We end up pawing at each other, shoving one another toward the shower, where I fuck him until we both come, and then we wash each other up, slow and cherishing. A new Christmas morning tradition.
Once we’re finally clothed again, Jesse shouts, “Time for presents!” and darts out of the room.
Chuckling, I shake my head, following after him. But apparently, I’m not moving fast enough, because he starts barking at me from up the hall.
“Hurry up! Come on come on come on!”
“Alright… Jesus,” I grumble. “Hold your reindeer.”
But when I get to the living room, he’s not there. He pokes his head around the corner from the hall. “Your big gift is outside.”
Okay, now I’m intrigued.
I follow him, or rather, allow him to drag me by the hand, outside onto the back deck. He brings me down to our little yard area, then stops, grinning at a pile of stuff on the ground.
“Tada! Merry Christmas,” he says while bouncing around animatedly.
“Thanks, baby…” I hum, cocking my head. “What, uh… is it?”
He jaunts over to the pile. “It’s everything we’ll need to start our own garden. Or rather, your garden.”
He beams at me, and I’m speechless. I’m just blinking at his beautiful, cheerful face, my heart swelling up behind my ribs.
He’s giving me a garden…?
“See, all of this wood we’ll use to build the fence.
There’s chicken wire, and rope, and everything you need.
” He smiles at me. “I know you miss being able to grow things… And now you can. You can grow whatever you want here. Well, whatever the weather will permit. But, spoiler alert, I also got you some stuff for indoor growing in the den. It’s not like we use it anyway. ”
“Baby…” My head shakes back and forth as I stomp over to him, taking his face in my hands. “This is such an incredible gift. Thank you so much.”
“And the best part is that we get to do it together.” He grins. “We’ve got nothing but time, and I figured this would be a fun thing for us to do. As partners. Or fiancés. Or husbands.” He bites his lip, and I laugh.
“Well… to be fair, you might not have as much free time on your hands as you think…” My fingers trail his jaw, and his forehead lines. I show him a wicked smirk, nodding toward the house. “Come here, baby. Let me give you your gift.”
He looks nervously excited, just like he did last night when I was about to propose, and I swear, it’s the best possible look on him. Taking him by the hand, I drag him back into the house, to the living room.
Picking up a flat box wrapped in snowman paper, I hand it to him, unable to stop from fidgeting in place. He rips it open like a wild animal, confusion gracing his features when he finds the documents and a set of keys.
“What is this…?” he asks, looking everything over, his eyes bugging out of his head.
“Congratulations, Jess,” I whisper. “You’re the new owner of your very own shop down on Main Street.”
He’s stunned speechless for a few seconds, before he mutters, “Do you mean that empty space where the coffee shop used to be?” His eyes spring up to mine.
I nod. “Yup. It belongs to you.”
“Oh my God…” He gasps, his face immediately morphing into one of mesmerized elation. “Oh my God! I can’t believe you did this!”
He tosses the box onto the couch and attacks me, leaping up into my arms. I catch him by the butt, hugging onto him tightly while he kisses my lips over and over.
“I get to open my own restaurant,” he whimpers, emotions clearly bubbling over.
I can’t help but feel them too. Making him this happy is like taking a unicorn ride over a rainbow.
“Holy crap, it’s really happening. I get to open my own place!
Design my own menu, choose ingredients… I get to cook for a living! ”
He squeals, and I laugh, running my fingers up and down his back. “Yea, you do, baby. You get to run the show.”
He pulls back to blink up at me. “Are you sure I can do it…?”
“Is that a serious question?” I ask, my lips curving.
He squeals again. “Who am I kidding? Of course, I can do it! This is my dream!”
“Yea, it is, baby,” I chuckle, kissing his bottom lip.
“And you made it happen…” He sighs with hearts in his eyes. For me. “James… I just…” He shakes his head. “Between the proposal and now this… You’re rocking my world this Christmas, baby.” He kisses my smile. “I can’t believe you did this for me…”
“It’s not just for you, baby,” I tell him, thumbs drawing circles on his jaw. “It’s for us. This is our future. Getting married, starting a business… Starting a life. It’s all I want… With you, Jess.”
“I can’t wait to build a life with you,” he whispers on my mouth.
Our kisses slow down. And we feel it; the excitement of so many wonderful new things happening in our world.
I think him giving me a garden is fitting… Because of everything we’ll be growing together. A business, a marriage. A relationship that means something, not just a hidden affair.
With this man in my arms, I’ll want for nothing else.
He’s it. The gift of a lifetime.
“Am I dead??”
I have to laugh at that. Leaning over the counter, hands clasped together, my grin is uncontrollable while I watch James devouring all the little sample items on the plate.
“No, I’m serious,” he grumbles once he’s swallowed the mouthful of pineapple macadamia shortbread. “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven, because this food, baby… It tastes like it was baked by an angel.”
I bite my lip. “You’re way too good for my ego. Let’s just hope the food critic dude shares your enthusiasm.”
“I know he will.” James grins, reaching over and grasping the top of my apron, yanking me forward to press a soft kiss on my lips. “I mean… He doesn’t need to share all the enthusiasms I have for you…”
Chuckling, I flick my tongue over his lower lip. “Well, it wouldn’t be the worst thing for him to think I’m hot. It could help my cause.”
James scowls at me, and I laugh even harder.
We’re spending the afternoon here. I’m designing a special tasting for a food critic who’s going to come in tomorrow and taste my stuff. Hopefully, he ends up loving it, and writes a glowing review in the local paper that will drive business for the grand opening, which is happening in one week.
To say I’m nervous would be a bit of an understatement, which is why it’s a good thing James is here today, giving me that confidence boost I need. I can always count on him as my cheerleader.
Sometimes I like to picture him in a short skirt with pom-poms. It makes me laugh to myself.