Epilogue
Sawyer
Fifteen months later
‘There you go, buddy,’ I say as I finish adjusting Noah’s bolo tie.
I brush my hands over his shoulders, then give his suit jacket a tug at the bottom to straighten it out.
Though, no doubt he’ll be running about outside the minute I take my eyes off him, and it’ll be creased and messy in no time.
But what can I do? He’s a cowboy at heart. Never going to try to tame him.
I twist him in my hands so he’s facing the mirror behind, and he shoots me a gappy, beaming smile at the sight of us both—matching black suits and bolo ties, and there are two brown cowboy hats waiting for us on the table downstairs.
‘You know,’ I start, filtering my fingers through his bangs that really needs a cut to try to make it neater and keep it out of his eyes. ‘I think you might look more handsome than me.’
Noah giggles at that and just smiles even brighter, the amount of confidence he’s built over the past fifteen months shining through.
I know Rory and Wyatt’s wedding today will be a big deal for him, but he’s getting much braver at speaking to new people.
Even has a couple of friends now that come over to the ranch for playdates, one of them he’s managed to recruit to attend the bull-riding school that I set up this year.
Teaching a bunch of kids how to put their lives at risk—sounds about right for me, given that even after a bull snapped my leg in half, I still went back for more. Got my World Champion title back, though, didn’t I? As if anyone ever doubted me.
The business is still new, but it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made.
Me and Honey made the long distance work when I was travelling again for bull riding, but I couldn’t be happier to leave all those empty hotel rooms and bad signal phone calls behind for waking up each day to a house filled with laughter and love. With Honey and Noah.
‘Okay, buddy.’ I stand up, still not used to how quickly he’s growing, how his baby face is already becoming more lean. ‘Go show Grandma your outfit downstairs and I’ll check in on how your mom’s doing.’
Rory and Wyatt’s wedding has been a long time coming, but they wanted to host it at Sunset Ranch and decided to convert a dilapidated barn at the edge of their property into a space to hold the wedding.
A trial run for possibly running weddings as a business idea to add to the retreat in the future.
I hope I can be their first real customer if they do decide to.
Noah runs out of the room, the sound of footsteps tumbling down the stairs echoing along the landing as I seek out Honey where she was getting ready in the bathroom. The door is ajar, so I adjust my tie and suit, then carefully ease the door open.
There my golden girl stands. A lilac satin dress drapes over her beautiful body, slipping over each curve like the smoothest of streams. Her long blonde hair is pinned half up with pearl-like clips, the rest hanging loose in soft waves.
I have to fight the urge to run my fingers through them because I know she’s spent too much time getting ready this morning.
She’s fucking breathtaking and I lean against the door frame to stop myself from falling to my knees. I’ll save that for later tonight when Noah sleeps over at May’s and we’re back late from the wedding.
‘You look beautiful,’ I admit, and she whips her head around to me from where she was standing over the sink, staring into the mirror. I wonder what she was thinking about. When she might be the one walking down the aisle …
Her smile is sweet and instant, eyes immediately roaming over me in my suit. The way she bites her bottom lip says enough. But it’s as I step into the room that the sunlight pouring through the window catches her eyes and I notice the silver rimming them.
I know I look handsome, but enough to make a woman cry? I’m no Elvis. It has me kicking the door shut and rushing towards her.
‘Hey, what’s wrong?’
I run a hand along her jaw, cradling her face and angling it up to me, as my other captures her hip, bringing her close to me. Bright baby blues shine up at me, blinking, but it’s her glowing smile as a tear cuts down her cheek that has me confused.
That’s when she holds up a white stick between us.
Where two pink lines sit.
My breath catches.
‘We’re … having a baby?’ I ask, clutching onto her hip tighter.
She nods, eyes swimming with overflowing tears and the brightest of joy—because she doesn’t want to leave. She wants this. With me.
I scoop her up into my arms and crash my lips against hers. My body is alight like a neon sign, buzzing and blinking with so much happiness and love, it’s overwhelming, so I channel it all into my kiss, taking her mouth deeply. Tenderly. Reverently.
I don’t even have to tease her mouth open—she just lets me in, our tongues instantly dancing with each other. Because she was born to be mine. Her mouth made for me. Her body made for me. Her heart made for me. As mine are for her.
Kissing her feels like home.
Where I’m completely at ease.
My mind the calmest when she’s with me.
I break the kiss just to squeeze her in my arms, a feeling I can only describe as pure sunshine coursing through my veins at the future that’s playing out in my mind right now.
I hug her tightly, knowing that having her and Noah in my life was a blessing, and to be able to grow that family, to share more of the love she’s uncovered within me—I could never thank her enough.
Because I have so much love to give now.
‘You’re gonna be a dad,’ Honey whispers into my ear, warm breath tingling against my skin while I nuzzle my face into the crook of her neck as we embrace. I know she’s more than aware what those words do to me—the pride that bursts through me at the thought.
‘Fuck, I’m so happy, Blue,’ I laugh out, though it could easily be mistaken for a cry. I need to be closer to her, feel her more against me. Her amazing body that carries my child. ‘I love you so much.’
‘I love you so much too,’ she breathes out, the kiss she presses to my cheek searing my skin. Such a simple action that has heat blazing inside of me.
‘God, you’re just incredible,’ I groan, my hands on her full hips now, digging into the soft flesh, unable to let go.
‘Sawyer,’ she gasps, a breathy chuckle following as I press more hot kisses to her neck, right over where her pulse flutters. ‘Are you seriously getting turned on by the fact that I’m pregnant?’
‘Fuck, yeah I am, Blue.’ I roll my hips against hers, enlightening her to just how much I want her. Need her. ‘The idea that you’re growing my baby in your beautiful body. That’s fucking hot.’
In one quick move, I lift her onto the counter, silently thanking God for the thigh split in her dress so I can easily step between her legs, the material bunching around her thighs.
‘We have to leave for the wedding soon,’ she breathes out, though I sense little protest in her tone as I palm her breasts, her nipples tightened and hard beneath the thin fabric.
Fuck, she’s not wearing a bra under this, and the knowledge has me flicking the straps of her dress off her shoulders, the satin material slipping effortlessly down.
Honey’s head tips back, lips parted as her breath quickens.
As her hips start to grind slowly against me too, giving in to her desire.
‘I can be quick,’ I whisper into her ear as I push the skirt of her dress up higher and drag her panties to the side to rub my thumb across her clit, warming her up for me. Her breath shudders out in response, lashes fluttering as I thrum against her clit faster.
‘Know you too well, sweetheart,’ I admit, releasing my hand from her to unzip my trousers and pull myself out, giving my achingly hard cock a few strokes before I run it through her wetness, my other hand still holding her panties out the way.
Her thighs inch open further, giving me better access. ‘Your legs’ll be shaking in no time.’
‘But—’ She cuts herself off with a moan as I slide into her, eyes rolling back.
I press my forehead against hers, my thrusts slow and unhurried to start, savouring the heat of her, the way her baby blues flash each time I bottom out.
Even if I did say I’d be quick. But I can’t get enough of this woman.
I’d happily miss my best friend’s wedding, where I’m one of the groomsmen, just to make love to the mother of my child.
Because she’s everything to me. My entire world.
That’s why it’s easy for the words to slip out, ‘Marry me.’
It’s not just a heat of the moment thing—the question has been on the tip of my tongue for the past year, I’ll be damned. But I’ve been waiting. Taking things slow like she wanted. Going to therapy. Proving what a good father I could be to Noah, what a good husband I could be to her.
‘Sawyer,’ she gasps as I thrust harder, her whispering voice edging too close to not being quiet anymore.
I continue my thorough strokes. ‘Please, Blue. I’ll give you anything. I’ll give you forever.’
Her hand cradles my cheek, the soft pad of her thumb running over my bottom lip. ‘You don’t have to, Sawyer. You’ve given me everything I could ever want and more.’
‘That a yes, Blue? You gonna marry me?’
And I know I made the right decision proposing to her, choosing this beautiful woman to be my wife, because she lays those sparkling baby blues on me and answers in true Nash fashion—‘Fuck yes.’