Epilogue
brEWER
It’s a golden afternoon on Cherry Mountain. Late fall, but today feels more like summer, sunshine streaming through the firs and turning the forest to honey. I’ve been chopping wood for an hour, working through the log pile in a steady rhythm, pausing now and then to glance over at the porch.
My wife is sitting there in the rocking chair, wrapped up in my flannel shirt, her red hair loose around her shoulders.
She’s dozing, head tilted back, our baby boy fast asleep in her arms. Eli’s tiny fist is curled against his cheek, his mouth slightly open, and neither of them stirs at the sound of my axe.
Josie always says she finds it calming—the rhythmic thud of metal on wood.
With a grunt of satisfaction, I split the last log clean down the middle and toss my axe to the ground, wiping the sweat from my brow.
The wood is ready to be taken to the sawmill, but that can wait.
Right now, all I care about is my wife and son, asleep on the porch in the golden sunlight.
I watch them as I approach, my heart threatening to burst just like it always does when I look at them.
Can’t believe they’re mine.
I try to tiptoe up the porch steps, but the wood creaks beneath my weight, and Josie’s eyes flutter open. She smiles at me, those pretty green eyes twinkling. I swear she gets more beautiful every day.
“Sorry, sugar,” I murmur as I press a kiss on the top of her head, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It’s okay. I was just dozing.”
I nod. “Want anything? You thirsty?”
“No, I’m good, thanks.”
“Something to eat?”
She shakes her head, smiling. “Honestly, Brewer, I’m fine.”
“How about a slice of cherry pie?”
A pause. Then her face spreads into a slow smile. “Actually, that does sound pretty good.”
I smile back at her, then go inside and cut her a generous slice, carrying the plate back out to the porch. Josie takes it with her free hand, and I settle into the chair beside her, reaching over to grab Eli.
“I got him, sugar.”
Our son feels feather-light in my hands as I lift him up and rest him on my chest with the ease of eleven months’ practice.
He doesn’t even stir, and I lay a hand on his tiny back, bending to kiss his chubby cheek.
He smells sweet and milky, his wispy red hair still holding the scent of baby shampoo.
It’s been almost a year, and I still can’t get over how small he feels in my arms. Like a grizzly bear cradling a hamster.
He’s growing fast, already more toddler than baby—taking wobbly steps around the cabin, clinging to furniture for balance.
But no matter how big he gets, I know I’ll never stop wanting to protect him.
Never stop wanting to stand between him and the world.
Josie watches us as she eats her cherry pie, grinning when I meet her gaze.
I wrap my free arm around her, sighing contentedly.
I love these moments with my family—these quiet snatches of time where the world seems to stand still.
Life is better than I ever could have imagined, and it’s all thanks to my wife.
Josie Benson.
I proposed soon after she told me she was pregnant. The wedding was tiny—just how we wanted it. A small ceremony on the mountain with Clay, Savannah, and a few family members. It was perfect. Still have to pinch myself sometimes when I look at her wearing my ring.
Josie is curvier than ever now, softer in every way, her body forever changed by carrying our son and bringing him into the world.
I swear she’s never been more beautiful.
She moves with a confidence that wasn’t there when I met her, and I think she’s finally starting to believe me when I tell her she’s perfect.
She finishes her cherry pie, and I watch as she stands up to take her plate back inside.
Those deliciously thick thighs fill out her jeans, my flannel shirt tied off so it hugs her curves.
A familiar desire sparks inside me, and I crane my neck, keeping my eyes on her as she walks through the door.
Then I stand up slowly, holding Eli to my chest. He lets out a sleepy sigh as I carry him into the cabin, toward the nursery.
This used to be the spare room, but I cleared it out when Josie got pregnant, painting it sage and filling it with toys.
Eli’s crib stands in the corner, the baby monitor propped up on the nightstand beside it, and I lay him gently on his back.
He makes a noise, shifting in his sleep, then he settles once more, his tiny chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.
I watch him for a few moments, listening to him breathe, my heart so full it’s almost painful. Then I hear the creak of a floorboard and turn to see Josie in the doorway, watching us.
“Did he go down okay?” she whispers as I move to join her.
“Yep. Didn’t even wake up.”
We watch him from the door for a few more moments. Then I ease it shut, take Josie’s hand and guide her into our bedroom across the hall. It’s quiet inside, the afternoon light falling warm and honeyed through the window, catching Josie’s hair and making it shine like rubies.
“Why did you bring me in here?” she asks, feigning confusion, a knowing glint in her eye.
“Let me show you, sugar.”
I close the gap between us and kiss my wife. She tastes like cherry pie on my tongue, hot and sweet, and I groan as she presses against me, all my blood rushing downward. I’ll never stop wanting this woman. Never stop losing my mind over every kiss, every touch.
We don’t make it to the bed.
Our clothes end up discarded around us as I lie back on the floor, pulling my wife on top of me. She straddles me, both of us moaning as she sinks onto my throbbing cock, taking me deep.
“Ride me,” I grit out. “Ride your husband ‘til you come, sugar.”
She lets out a shuddery breath, tossing her hair back over her shoulders as she starts to move. All I can do is watch in awe as her gorgeous body smacks down against me, her tight pussy swallowing my cock. She rests her hands on my chest for balance, fingers splayed, riding me like a wild thing.
“Fuck, that’s it…”
A growl escapes my throat as I watch Josie’s plump tits bounce, a sheen of sweat beading on her freckled skin. She’s panting, eyes locked on mine, molten with need.
“Oh, Brewer,” she whimpers, biting her lip. “You feel so good.”
Fuck.
I swear this woman will be the death of me.
“Keep going, sugar. You’re doing amazing.”
I buck my hips in time with her, pushing up as she bears down, earning a ragged moan from Josie. She tips her head back, a rosy blush spreading across her skin. Her movements are urgent now—chasing her orgasm—and I can feel her walls quivering around me, squeezing tight.
“That’s it, beautiful.” I grip her hips tight, helping her move. “Be a good girl and come for me.”
We don’t last much longer. Josie crumbles first, her fingertips digging into my chest, rhythm turning jerky as she cries out, “Brewer!”
My heart stutters. Watching my wife come undone with my name on her lips is too much. I thrust up once, twice, then pleasure bursts through me, tearing a groan from my throat.
“Fuck, Josie…”
My hot cum spurts inside her, throbbing through my cock until I’m spent and shuddering.
Then I pull Josie down against me, crushing her to my chest as we slowly catch our breath.
We stay like that, holding each other close until the sweat has dried against our skin.
Then I press my lips against her neck, kissing up her jawline until I reach her lips.
Our mouths meet, slow and unhurried, and when I pull back, Josie is smiling at me like the cat that got the cream.
“You happy, sugar?” I ask.
“Very.” She nuzzles against me. “That was amazing.”
“Sure was. You look so fucking pretty when you ride me.”
She hums contentedly in response, tracing a pattern on my chest, following the lines of my tattoos until her fingers reach her name. It’s inked in the space over my heart, Eli’s name just beneath it. Seemed fitting, since my heart belongs to both of them.
After a few more minutes, we finally get up, heading to the bathroom.
We keep the baby monitor close as we freshen up and put our clothes back on, then we head to the kitchen so I can make Josie a hot chocolate.
But as I set a fresh mug down on the counter, the baby monitor crackles to life with the unmistakable sound of Eli babbling to himself.
“Da…baba…da…” Then the sound of a bright giggle. “DA!”
Josie grins at me. “Sounds like someone’s awake.”
I follow her back to the nursery, where Eli is standing in his crib, gripping the bars. He bounces on his feet, hair sticking up on one side, a wide smile taking up his face when he sees us. His chubby arms reach for Josie, and she scoops him up.
“Hey there, handsome,” she says. “Did you sleep well?”
Eli lets out a wet giggle in response, his tiny fingers reaching for a fistful of her hair. She untangles them patiently, grinning down at him.
“Ma…ma…” he gurgles.
“That’s right, honey.”
She lifts him up and blows a raspberry on his belly, making him cackle with delight. Then she starts to dance with him, rocking back and forth until he’s giggling even more. I watch them from the doorway, throat clogged with emotion.
I waited so long for this.
For them.
My family.
As I watch them together, my mind drifts back to the man I used to be. Always alone. Chopping wood outside an empty cabin. Driving to Creekside Diner every day to look at a woman I believed could never want me. I was convinced I wasn’t worthy of love. Convinced I was a monster…
“Brewer?”
Josie pulls me from my thoughts, her eyes bright as she holds Eli to her chest. She beckons to me, and I push off the doorframe, crossing the room. Then I wrap my arms around them, smiling as Eli babbles something against my shoulder.
“I love you so much,” I murmur. “Both of you.”
Josie tilts her head to look at me. “We love you too, Brewer. More than anything.”
I know she means it.
‘Cause I know now that I’m not a monster.
I’m a husband. A father.
And as I hold my wife and son in my arms, I know they’re all I’ll ever need.