Epilogue
CHLOE - SEVEN WEEKS LATER
With one of Hawk’s hands on my thigh and his palm flattened between my breasts, I felt it coming.
Building.
And as it took hold, I lost all sense of myself. The movement of my hips became erratic and inconsistent.
"Chloe,” Hawk grunted, his grip on my thigh growing firmer by the second.
I tried to hold on, tried to get back on track. But I couldn’t. Being filled so full of him, teetering right on that edge, and looking into his eyes made it impossible.
Hawk sensed there was no chance of me regaining control. He surged up, flipped me onto my back, and drove in deep.
“Baby,” I breathed, tipping my chin higher as I closed my eyes.
A moment later, along with his consistent thrusts, Hawk’s mouth was on my exposed throat. He licked, kissed, and nibbled.
And when his hand squeezed my breast before his thumb flicked over my nipple, it happened.
I shattered, sparks of pleasure spreading throughout my body. Somewhere in the middle of it, Hawk found his own release. He collapsed briefly on top of me, his face going into my neck, but eventually, he rolled to the side and took me with him.
With my body draped over his, knowing what I’d originally set out to do, I mustered up the strength to lift my head and look at him.
Feeling utterly spent and lazy, I smiled. “Happy birthday, Hawk.”
His eyes were so bright. “Thank you, sweetness.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring it home,” I lamented. “You weren’t supposed to do any work today, especially with all the work you’ve been doing over the last few weeks.”
Not only had Hawk gone above and beyond to care for me following the shooting, but he’d been taking steps to make a career change.
He was still helping Joyce and Dale in the furniture shop a few days a week when he could to make the transition easier—they’d insisted they’d be fine—but Hawk had been approached by my cousins.
Kash, Ryder, and Milo Cunningham had been working for years in their father’s business.
But the brothers had decided to open a new division of Cunningham Security, and they were recruiting.
With his record, there were limitations to the jobs that Hawk could do, certifications he could get from the state, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t work in a field that’d bring him more joy and fulfillment.
I was beyond thrilled that he was going to do something that would make him happy.
And I loved my family for giving him the opportunity.
To his credit, Hawk had been working extremely hard lately, which is why I’d wanted him to have the day not needing to work today.
“I don’t mind.” Hawk stroked his fingers along my scalp. “I love watching you enjoy what’s happening between us.”
I smiled again. “I’m so excited for today.”
“Yeah? Care to finally enlighten me on the plans for the day?”
“Well, first up was morning sex,” I began.
“Then I was going to make you breakfast, have a little fun afterward, and give you your presents before we go visit with your sister, Gus, and the rest of your family for lunch. I’m taking you out for a romantic dinner for two before we meet up with the gang at Lou’s, so we can dance. ”
His brow furrowed. “I thought this was my birthday.”
“It is.”
“So, I have to dance on my birthday?”
“Um, well, you get to do it with me,” I reasoned, my tone light and teasing.
“Hmm. I’m not sure how I feel about all this.”
Hawk’s tone didn’t match my own, so I worried that perhaps he really wasn’t thrilled with all I’d planned. And I wasn’t quite sure if this was just about the dancing, either. Perhaps he was still uneasy about going out for dinner.
Word had traveled fast in this town. Ever since I’d gotten shot and gotten through those initial weeks of my recovery, I’d noticed a change.
I’d gone back to work—Kara and my mom had been lifesavers during those first few weeks when I couldn’t be there—and it seemed everyone in town had wanted to patronize my shop.
I’d been grateful for it, especially because it helped me not to think about what had happened weeks prior. Eventually, I didn’t feel any anxiety about the situation.
But more than the new—and old—visitors to the cake shop, there was a welcoming spirit around Hawk.
We’d started small at first, making a lunch trip to Enzo’s to pick up lunch for takeout.
When that had gone successfully, we stopped at another spot and grabbed a table.
Everyone had been pleasant, some even asking about my ordeal.
Best of all, I’d noticed the way many folks had made the effort to be kind to Hawk.
It wasn’t all great everywhere, but there’d been a drastic improvement. Even Hawk had been surprised by it.
“You know how I feel, Hawk,” I said, brushing my fingers lightly across his chest. “If anyone is unkind or rude, we’ll leave.”
He shook his head. “That’s not it, Chloe.”
I tipped my head to the side. “What is it, then?”
“I just… Well, there’s something else I was hoping for on my birthday.”
“Oh.” My mood turned melancholy. “I… I was so excited, I didn’t think, Hawk. I should’ve asked you if there was something special you wanted to do.”
His arms gave me a squeeze. “I’m happy to do everything you planned, sweetness. There’s just one thing I’d like to add.”
I’d packed the day with a bunch of fun, but I could certainly tweak things as needed to accommodate whatever he had in mind. “Okay. Sure.”
He smiled.
Then he reached over to his nightstand, opened the drawer, and pulled something out.
The next thing I knew, Hawk was holding a velvet-covered ring box between us. “I’d like to do everything you planned for today, Chloe. But the greatest gift you could give me today would be this. Agreeing to spend the rest of your life with me.”
My lips parted. “Hawk.”
With unbelievable ease, he shifted us in the bed until his back was against the headboard, my body settled in his lap.
“You are the biggest and best surprise of my life, Chloe Cunningham. I never thought I’d ever get to experience romantic love like this.
But you did it. In my darkest days, you were the brightest ray of sunshine.
You’ve lit up my whole world, and I don’t want to spend a single day without you.
Tonight, I’m not upset about dancing with you.
I just want to do it knowing that you’re going to be mine forever. ”
Tears filled my eyes and spilled down my cheeks as Hawk opened the ring box.
“Chloe Cunningham, will you do me the honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?”
I didn’t trust myself to speak.
Nodding furiously, I threw my arms over his shoulders, squeezed, and couldn’t hold back the sob that escaped.
Hawk’s arms came around me, holding me tight.
It took me a minute, but I finally settled and pulled back to look at him.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes.” I beamed at him. “Yes, baby. I would love nothing more than to be your wife.”
His whole face lit up as he took the ring out of the box and slid it onto my finger. “You’ve made me the happiest man.”
“We’re engaged.” I was practically squealing with excitement.
“We are. I can’t wait to be your husband.”
My cheeks hurt so much from smiling. “I can’t wait to be your wife.”
“I’d do it today if we could.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” His voice was firm, unwavering. “But I suspect we have a lot of people in our lives who might want to be there to celebrate with us. Bottom line, big or small wedding, sooner or later, I’m ready whenever you are.”
My heart.
I suspected from the moment I first laid eyes on him that Hawk was going to be someone special in my life.
From our first kiss, I knew he was going to change my whole world.
And I wasn’t wrong.
Feeling so warm and happy, unable to stop smiling, I asked, “Would it bother you if I amended our plans for today?”
“How so?”
"I was thinking of adding a little celebration this morning before breakfast.”
He smirked. “Do we still get to have fun after breakfast, too?”
I nodded slowly as I shifted and straddled his hips. “Absolutely,” I whispered against his lips before I kissed him.
Then Hawk and I celebrated.
And this time, I gave him precisely what he deserved and brought it home.