Epilogue
THE NEXT DAY
DAY TWO GAME… WIN
RUBY
Last night was amazing. Perfect even. After we told each other how we felt, it was like all my worries melted away. Because I was with him. When Liam looks at me, when he holds me, touches me, everything else melts away.
Except now I’m sitting at this game, my gaze flicking around to the women in the audience. They’re still wearing the same outfits as yesterday, and I still feel a twinge of jealousy when I see them. Or maybe it’s not jealousy, maybe it’s envy. I’m not sure.
The team skates out, and then Liam stops in the middle of the rink. I watch as he lifts his arm, touching his hand to his lips, then he points his arm in my direction and jerks his chin toward me.
The camera pans over to me, and I see myself on the big screen. Flicking my gaze from Liam to the display, I gasp, lifting my hands to my lips when I see myself and the caption beneath my name:
MEET RUBY. FICHTNER’S GIRLFRIEND.
I can’t hear anything over the blood roaring in my ears and rushing through my entire body. My breathing comes out in heavy pants until I finally begin to calm. Slowly, the noise of the audience filters back in and reaches my ears. They’re cheering.
They’re… happy for us.
Once the camera pans away and I’m no longer the focus of the Jumbotron, the cheers die down and my heart slows to a normal pace. Then the game starts. This time, I take it in and enjoy it. I can’t believe he did that. Liam just announced to the entire world that we’re together.
As the game continues, I watch the Lonestars win. Not just win, but dominate. I think that Liam does everything he said he needed to do for his part in the win. I’m actually not sure because I know absolutely nothing about the game itself.
But when the final buzzer sounds, everyone throws up their hands and screams. They won 4–1, making up for the night before. Liam skates over to the bench, and I watch as he takes his glove off, then places his palm against the glass there.
I move one row down so that I can be closer to him. Lifting my hand to the glass, I press it against his on the other side. “Wait for me?” he asks.
He doesn’t have to ask. First, because we came in the same car, and second, because I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else… ever. Last night when he came over, it sealed the deal for me.
This is real.
Him and me. We’re together, and I don’t think I’d want to be anywhere else than with him. I’m not sure there’s anywhere else to be, really. “I’ll see you out back,” I say.
His lips twitch into a smile, a big one. It takes over his entire face. He’s so damn handsome, I cannot believe that he wants anything to do with me. But here he is, and I feel like I should pinch myself to make sure it’s real.
When I clench my thighs together, I can feel the soreness there, the ache between my legs, and I know that it’s real. He’s real. We are real. I can’t wait. Liam winks before he spins around and heads toward the locker room.
I stay where I am for a moment, watching the direction from which he disappeared. My smile stays in place. I don’t think I could stop smiling. I’m just that happy. I drop my hand from the glass, then turn around before I head out to wait for him.
Leaving the arena, I walk in the same direction I did last night, except this time I feel much better about my future. Making my way toward the screaming women, I only stand there for a few moments when the men start to exit the arena, and then I see him.
Liam’s eyes scan the crowd, and I know when he sees me because his entire face lights up. He walks past all the women, making a beeline directly to me. Then I’m in his arms, and his mouth is on mine.
Right here in front of them all, he kisses me, and I melt—for him and into him. I’m falling in love with this man. I cannot wait for tomorrow and the next day, for every minute of every single day to come.
ONE YEAR LATER
AND THEN THEY WERE MARRIED
LIAM
Reaching around the front of her, I curl my fingers around her throat as I slam inside her with one thrust. I bury myself, unmoving, unbreathing, as I just feel her. Fuck. We’re married.
I don’t move.
My wife feels amazing. I don’t want to be anywhere else or to be with anyone else. I can’t believe that this is my real life. I’ve married my dream girl, and I get to keep her forever. Touching my lips to the side of her head, I begin to move inside her.
“You’re going to wrinkle my dress,” she breathes
I snort. “Fuck the dress.”
I pull almost completely out of her, then sink back inside. I love the way my woman feels. No, wait, my wife. I love the way my wife feels. Being inside her feels like being home and being in heaven all at the same time.
“Liam,” she gasps.
“I’ll pay for the dry cleaning, Ruby.”
Reaching between her legs, my fingers find her clit, and I begin to move them there. Ruby whimpers, shifting her hips backward, pushing her ass against me. My eyes slowly slide closed as I continue to move, feeling her sweet body.
Her moans fill the space. I should have probably let her change before I pounced on her, but I couldn’t wait another minute to be inside her.
Ruby is my wife now.
Mine—forever.
Moving my fingers between her legs, I make firm circles against her clit, hard and fast as I begin to move inside her. My pelvis slams against her ass with each thrust. Ruby turns her head slightly, my lips capture hers, and she whimpers against my mouth.
My fingers don’t stop moving between her legs. My tongue slips inside her mouth, tangling with her own, and I taste her. She rips her mouth from mine, her hands reaching in front of her, curling around the headboard. Then she slams her hips backward and cries out with her release.
I didn’t even realize she was that close, and before I know what’s happening, my orgasm is being ripped from my body. My balls draw up, and I still inside her, emptying my release as I come—hard.
Ruby turns her head, her lips finding mine as I begin to rock gently, unable to leave her body. I want to stay buried inside her for the next five decades, maybe longer if I’m lucky. Shit. I can’t believe this is my life. That Ruby is mine.
Sliding out of her, I roll onto my back on the bed. Before she can lie down, I gather her in my arms, dragging her body against mine. Lifting my hand, I curl my fingers in her hair and tug her head back, my eyes finding hers.
“Good evening, wife.”
“Hey, husband,” she breathes back, tipping her head so that her eyes easily lift to meet mine.
“I can’t believe this is real,” I murmur.
Her lips curve up into a smile, her gaze searches mine, and then she smiles softly. “It’s real, and I’ve never been happier.”
Lowering my head, I touch my mouth to hers. “Never,” I breathe, my lips hovering against hers in a barely there kiss.
“I’m pregnant,” she exhales.
Pregnant.
Words I thought would freak me the fuck out if I ever heard them. But I don’t feel that way at all. In fact, I’m instantly filled with elation. My woman, the love of my life and my wife, is pregnant with my baby—our baby.
Holy shit.
Our baby.
Lifting my hands, I cup her cheeks. “Our baby?” I ask.
She dips her chin in a single nod. “Yeah,” she exhales. “Our baby.”
Complete. In this moment, my world is one hundred percent complete. I know I’ll probably feel this way over and over throughout my life, but I’m content knowing that this is as perfect as it’s going to get right now.
I’ve married the love of my life. She’s pregnant with my baby, and we’ve both had amazing orgasms.
Leaning forward, I touch my mouth to Ruby’s. “Thank you,” I rasp against her lips.
“Thank you?” she asks.
Slipping my tongue inside her mouth, I taste her for a long moment—maybe too long, because I almost forget where I’m going with this conversation.
As I finally break the kiss, I nibble on her lips, tugging on the flesh with my teeth.
I nearly lose myself again, but then everything comes flooding back to me.
“Thank you,” I continue. “Thank you for giving me a life worth living. I’m not easy, I know that. I’m not perfect, and I screw up a lot. But you never make me feel bad about anything.”
“Liam,” she whispers.
“And thank you, baby. You walked into that arena and spilled that iced coffee on me. It was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.” And I’m telling the whole fucking truth about it, too.
That iced coffee changed the trajectory of my entire life, and I’m fucking glad for it. I love this girl, and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that there is nobody else for me in the entire damn world. Just her—just Ruby.