Epilogue
Tripp POV
My eyes search the crowd where family and friends sit. As I lap around, anxiety builds in my chest when I don’t see her yet. It’s when I take my position, I see her. Zoey settles quickly in her seat, her smile wide as I spot her in my jersey with my name on the back.
Longing shoots through me when I see her. It is the first time in three months and one of the last of the long-distance trips. After graduating, we have maintained a hot, heavy, long-distance relationship while she is in grad school at MIT and I’m in Seattle. The distance was no match for us. We were terrified at first, but we were more determined to make it work.
I let go of the tension as peace settles in me, ready for the game. Zoey’s gaze remains glued to me throughout the game, and I can’t wait to hold her.
The game ends with us winning and the chaos seizes us, putting us in a frenzy of excitement. Of course, when I finally get to her, I mark her with my kiss. Holding her in place, exchanging a promise that I don’t plan on letting her go. I have a surprise for her later.
“You are amazing.” We are finally alone in the car. I turn to stare at her, not believing she is here with me. She still looks at me like I’m her universe and I hope she knows that I’m hers, too.
We get home and I shove her inside my apartment. It is the perfect balance of us inside. She has her naughty mug collection here. My photos explode everywhere and now feature her. The little Polaroid camera she got me is tucked away in a special box with our more intimate photos sessions. I rush her inside the bedroom and I’m tearing off the jersey I gave her. Rediscovering my favorite parts of her.
Wasting no time, she yanks off her top and bra, getting naked in record time. I’ve missed her a lot, and we’ve finally got a date for when she’ll move permanently with me, now able to do her grad courses online and remotely.
“Tripp,” she mewls. Her body responds only to me. I don’t plan on taking my time yet. I just want to feel her squeezing around my cock.
My lips lick, bite, and kiss all of her. I pull her down and around my waist.
“Fuck, I’ve missed you,” I mutter against her lush lips. It’s been a couple months since I actually felt her. Since I had to satisfy myself way too many times with my hand, her photos, her voice, and things reminding me of her. Pulling back, I watch as I push my cock through her folds, letting the image of her blissed out face burn in my head.
My resolve breaks loose as she squeezes around me, and I groan, trying to take back control. As hard as I try, I can’t help but grip her hard against me, rutting into her like a feral animal as we both chase our highs together. It was a miracle that she came first; I was not a second after, my vision nearly going out as I emptied inside her, filling her and refusing to waste a drop.
Panting, I roll her to the side, selfishly keeping myself inside just a little longer.
“Don’t laugh, but I did something,” I finally say.
Z’s laugh is rich and I can’t wait until we live together permanently.
“Is it a new sex toy?” She winks. “Or more lingerie?”
“Oh, those are just stocking stuffers. I got those things, but it’s not the main event.” I grin as her eyes darken. It never gets old seeing that from my girl.
She hasn’t seen my back yet. Turning around, I hear her gasp and then she’s silent. “What do you think?” Suddenly I’m nervous, wondering if it’s a mistake.
It is a tattoo, like my photo collection. My skin has dates and coordinates about us.
The first date and coordinates is the first day I met her at the Tutor Center.
The second date is when we became friends, which coincided when it went from admiration to obsession and her fucking my brains out.
The third date is when she went to the first game.
The fourth was when we officially started dating.
The fifth is the official move in date we have set.
“These are beautiful,” I hear her sigh and voice crack with emotion. I flip over, wiping the tears from her face.
“Z.” I kiss her cheeks. “I plan on putting on more dates.”
I am rewarded with that smile that always gets me, “Thank goodness you have plenty of space and it’s actually tasteful.”
“Well, Duke did talk me out of putting your face there.” I laugh at her shocked face. Giggling, I take her in my arms, feeling peace settle like a favorite blanket. What she doesn’t know is that the next date is the date I’m going to ask her to marry me.