Epilogue
EPILOGUE
DUKE
It’s a warm summer evening in Cherry Hollow as I park outside Midnight Tales, my wife’s bookstore. She’s been running this place for two years now, ever since I bought her the empty premises beside Mountain Brew. Now her cozy bookstore is a thriving local business, and she even has a couple of employees to help take care of things.
I head into the store, grinning when I catch sight of my wife sitting behind the counter with her nose in a book. She’s so engrossed in the story that she doesn’t seem to hear me as I wind past overflowing shelves and stuffed armchairs, my gaze never leaving her face. I love watching her read. She’s so fucking cute. Obviously there’s something surprising happening in the book because her mouth is open, eyes wide as saucers. With frantic fingers, she turns the page and lets out an audible gasp at something she reads.
“I knew it!” she mutters. “I knew it was him.”
Holding back a chuckle, I clear my throat loudly, and Ariana’s head snaps up.
“Oh!” She grins at me sheepishly. “Hey, you. I didn’t hear you come in.”
My wife gets up from her chair, and my heart jolts at the sight of her swollen belly. It still blows my mind to think that this perfect woman is carrying my baby—our tiny daughter curled up safely inside her. She’s nearly five months along, and our excitement is building every day.
“Hey, princess,” I say, wrapping my arms around my wife’s curvy body. “You look so fucking pretty today.”
Ariana giggles. “You say that every day.”
“That’s because it’s always true.”
Now that she’s pregnant, my wife is more gorgeous than ever. Her curves are thicker, her body fuller, and her skin glows with radiance. It’s almost impossible to keep my hands off her. The urge to fill her with my cock and make her come for me is irresistible, and I’m rock hard at the slightest touch from her. God knows how I convinced the sexiest woman in the world to marry me, but I’m sure as hell not complaining.
“Ready to go?” I ask, pressing a kiss on her soft cheek.
“Yep.”
She smiles at me before grabbing her book and following me out of the store, locking up behind her. I take her hand in mine as we head for our truck, and a man does a double take as he passes us. Another woman eyes me warily from across the street.
And I don’t give a fuck.
The stares don’t bother me anymore, not even in summer when the streets are busy. People are always going to look at me. Some will even judge me on my appearance, assuming I’m some kind of monster just because of my scars and size. But their opinions don’t matter to me. All that matters is what my wife things. Ariana and the baby are my world, and I’m way too wrapped up in our perfect life to care about anyone else. If everyone on this street stopped to look at us right now, I wouldn’t even notice. I’d keep on walking with my wife by my side, knowing I’m the luckiest man on earth.
“Did you have a good day at work?” I ask once I’ve helped Ariana into her seat and started the engine.
“Sure did!” She grins at me. “Somebody came in to thank me for a recommendation I gave them. Said I introduced them to their new favorite book. It made my whole year!”
Ariana’s eyes sparkle whenever the bookstore is mentioned. She loves her job. A career centered on books is all she’s ever wanted, and I’m so fucking proud of her for making Midnight Tales a success. She even encouraged me to give reading a try. I’m not a dedicated bookworm like her, but I’ve found an appreciation for Mark Twain and Jon Krakauer.
“That’s awesome,” I tell her as we drive through the woods toward our home. “You’re like the literary matchmaker of Cherry Hollow.”
She laughs. “I like the sound of that.” Sunlight filters through the trees overhead, the golden light turning Ariana’s eyes to pools of honey as she looks at me. “By the way, I promised we’d babysit for Trace and Chloe on Sunday. Is that okay?”
“Sure.” I smile at her. “It’s good practice.”
Ariana hums in agreement, then sniffs the air with a curious look. “Have you been working on something? You smell like sawdust.”
“Just a custom order for the hardware store,” I lie, fighting back a smile. “A chest of drawers.”
She accepts my answer and leans her head back, resting a hand on her bump. She doesn’t know that I’ve been working on a secret project for the last month, just for her. Every time my wife leaves for work, I get out my tools and head to the largest spare bedroom in our cabin. I told her I needed to use the room for storage, trying to dissuade her from going inside. It worked, and now, the surprise is finally ready. I just hope she’ll love it.
We arrive at the cabin to see Scout slinking out of the trees toward us. Ariana picks her up, fussing over her as we head inside. The cabin has changed since I lived here alone. My wife and her books are, in her own words, a “package deal”, and bookshelves line nearly every room of our house, all of them full to bursting. The bookcase I made her when we met fits perfectly in our bedroom, and shelves only her favorite books.
I like being surrounded by stuff that makes my wife so happy. Her books give the cabin an even cozier feel, but several are still boxed up, stored in one of the back bedrooms. Her collection keeps growing, especially since I buy her books at every opportunity, just to see the way her eyes light up.
“Hey, can you help me with something in the spare bedroom?” I ask as Ariana kicks off her shoes.
“Sure.”
I take her hand, guiding her through the cabin. The spare bedroom is right next to the baby’s nursery, which we’ve already decorated. Once we’re outside the door, I hang back, letting my wife grab the handle and push it open.
Her gasp of delight is everything I hoped it would be, and for a moment, all she can do is stare, her mouth hanging open.
“Oh my God!” she exclaims breathlessly. “Oh my God!”
The spare bedroom has been transformed into a library. Cherry wood bookcases line every wall, the shelves full of all the books that used to be trapped in boxes. They’re alphabetized by author, just the way Ariana likes them. There’s a comfy couch near the center of the room, an armchair by the window, a vintage floor lamp, and a Persian rug covering the wooden floorboards. I even installed a rolling wooden ladder so my wife can slide across the shelves looking for her next read.
“Duke!” She whips around to look at me, tears in her eyes. “Did you do all this?”
“Sure did, princess. Figured it was about time you had your own library.”
She spins around in awe, taking in every inch of the room before letting out a squeal of delight. I catch her in my arms as she rushes toward me, kissing every part of me she can reach.
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
“You like it?”
“I love it! Oh, Duke, it’s so perfect. It’s a dream come true.”
I smile at the delight that glows from her every pore. Bringing my wife happiness is my biggest goal in life. Her smile is everything.
Sometimes, late at night, I think back to the day I pushed her away. Broke her heart. Made her cry. It still makes me sick to my stomach when I remember the way I acted. Since then, I’ve done everything I can to make up for it. Ariana forgave me a long time ago, and I know she trusts me completely, but I don’t think I’ll ever stop trying to make amends or being grateful that she gave me a chance to put things right. She’s the love of my life, and she deserves to be spoiled. She deserves to know how fucking perfect she is.
“I’m so glad you li—” Ariana cuts off my words by pulling me down into a kiss, her lips soft and sweet against mine.
“You’re the best husband in the world,” she says, tears sparkling in her eyes as she pulls away. “I love you so much.”
My heart feels like it might burst out of my damn chest.
“I love you too, Ariana. More than anything.”
She melts against me and I squeeze her tight, savoring the way her softness press against me.
“You have to promise me one thing,” I tell her, stroking her hair.
“Anything.”
“No sliding around on that ladder just yet. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Ariana giggles. “I promise. But after the baby arrives, nothing will keep me off it.”
My hand slips between us and I touch her bump. “She’ll be here in no time, princess.”
“I know. I can’t wait!”
With a contented sigh, my wife smiles up at me. She looks so fucking pretty, and her gorgeous body is sending blood rushing down to my cock.
“There’s just one problem with this room,” I say, looking around at the library.
“What?”
“Think about it, princess. What have we done in every room except this one?”
Her eyes darken and she smiles coyly. “We’ve definitely had sex in this room before.”
“It was a spare bedroom then. Now it’s a library. It’s a whole different room.”
Ariana nods, pretending to look thoughtful. “I see your logic.”
My hands slide down her body, reaching for the buttons of her shirt. “We need to do something about it. Urgently.”
“What do you have in mind, Mr. Stirling?”
My cock twitches at the look she’s giving me. “Let me show you.”
I lean in to kiss her, frantically unbuttoning her shirt and tossing it aside. Her mouth is hot and sweet, her tongue gliding against mine as she tugs off her bra. The rest of our clothes are tossed aside in a series of desperate movements until we’re both naked, our hands grabbing at every inch of each other.
I push my wife gently onto the couch, positioning her at the edge and kneeling in front of her. My gaze roams her body, and I run my hands over her deliciously plump tits, her rounded belly, her thick thighs.
“You’re so fucking sexy,” I tell her, my cock throbbing with need. “You have any idea how good you look, princess?”
She whimpers as I trail my hand down to her pussy, pushing my fingers against her warm heat.
“Good girl. You’re all wet and sticky for me.”
She nods, biting her lip as she stares hungrily at my cock. “I’m ready, Duke.”
A jolt of desire zips through me, and I stare down at my gorgeous wife, her parted legs squirming in anticipation as she waits for me to fuck her.
How the hell did I get this lucky?
I grab her thighs, pulling her closer to the edge of the couch, shuffling forward on my knees until the tip of my cock pokes against her core. With my eyes locked onto Ariana’s, I push inside, filling her up in one deep thrust.
“Mmm.” She moans deeply, throwing her head back, and the sound is like a red rag to a bull. I grip her legs tight, holding them apart as I start to move. Her tight little pussy clamps around my cock, hot and throbbing, setting my nerves on fire.
“You feel so fucking good,” I grit out, leaning forward to kiss my wife’s open mouth. She moans against my lips, bucking her hips in time with my thrusts, taking me deep inside her.
I pull back to look down at the place our bodies join, watching as my thick cock sinks into her tight hole over and over. Her cream coats my length, and the wet smack of our bodies meeting fills the room, driving me crazy.
“Oh!” Ariana cries, her face screwed up with pleasure, tits bouncing as I thrust into her. “Duke, yes!”
“That’s it, princess. Take your husband’s cock.”
I can smell her sweet arousal, the scent of sex filling the room. My heart is pounding like a jackhammer, my balls throbbing as they slap against my wife’s ass. Her walls flutter around my cock, her cries getting louder, echoing around the room.
“DUKE!”
She screams my name, sobbing as her body convulses with a shaking orgasm. The sounds of her pleasure tip me over the edge, and I grip her tight as my release surges through me. My vision turns white, and I let out a hoarse shout as my cock explodes, filling my wife’s pussy with hot cum.
I blink down at her, breathing hard as my mind clears. She’s smiling at me, her cheeks flushed, eyes twinkling.
“Is the room fixed now?” she asks.
“Hell yes. That definitely did the trick.”
She giggles, and I lean down to kiss her naked body, from her firm bump up to her soft neck. It took a while for Ariana to feel comfortable wearing nothing around me. Years of feeling self-conscious didn’t simply vanish overnight after we got together. But as time passes, I can see my wife’s confidence growing every day. She’s more comfortable wearing clothes she likes, and there’s an inner glow of self-assurance that wasn’t there before. I hope I’ve had something to do with it. I worship her curves every chance I get, and now that she’s pregnant, I think she’s sexier than ever.
“What are you thinking about?” she asks, reaching up to trace the scar on my cheek.
“How much I love you.” I grab her hand and bring it to my lips, kissing the baby-soft skin. “You’re my whole world. You know that?”
She beams at me. “You’re mine too, Duke. You and our baby. I love you both so much.”
“I love you too, princess.”
Never in a million years did I think I’d be married one day. I spent so long isolating myself from the world, feeling like a freak. I convinced myself I was unlovable, and for a long time, I believed it. But then Ariana came along. She has turned my world upside down and given me more happiness than I ever thought possible. There are still days when it doesn’t feel real; like I’m living a chapter from someone else’s story—a chapter far too perfect, too beautiful for a man like me.
But it’s real. The love I share with my perfect wife is real.
Turns out beauty can fall for a beast after all.