Epilogue
“Oh, I see it. We’re getting so close! You see it?” I make a slight hop and immediately regret it because my feet are killing me, and I feel like I might collapse.
“Yeah, Saint. I see. Just distracted by all these restaurants and bakeries,” Alex answers me, looking around as we make our way down the street.
It’s off-season for him and while it definitely isn’t the best time of year to come, we’re walking the Camino together. It was a promise he made me shortly after I moved in with him, and I’d been looking forward to it all winter. Putting in time on the treadmill and walking whenever I could to try to build up my stamina. Now we’re finally here, just meters away from the cathedral, and I can hardly believe it.
“Yes. I’m excited about dinner. I could eat all the things.” I laugh a little because I’m giddy and a bit delirious from the whole, put-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other-for-endless-miles thing.
It was a strange sensation to get up every day, just to walk across Spain. Meeting other people walking, hearing their stories, getting to see all the countryside, only to find yourself collapsing into a different hostel bed every night exhausted with aching feet.
“Yes, all the things,” he agrees and then gives me a sly grin. “Also excited about the fact we’re going to have an actual hotel room tonight. Alone. With a door and everything.”
I elbow him gently in the side but can’t help the smile that forms.
“Me too.”
When we getto the square in front of the cathedral it seems surreal. Somehow impossible that we’re finally here after all those days of walking and at the same time all too real. I feel teary eyed, and I hug Alex. He pulls me close and kisses the top of my head.
“How’s it feel? You made it, Saint.”
“Freaking amazing.”
“Worth all the pain?”
“Definitely.” I pull away just far enough that I can smile up at him.
He leans down, his eyes searching mine. “So fucking proud of you, you know that?”
“And you. We did it! You want to go inside?”
“Yeah. We can. Just give me a second. I need to get some water out of my bag first. Getting dehydrated.”
“Okay. I’m gonna look up where we go to get our certificates for completing it.” I pull my phone out and start doing a search while he rifles through his bag. “I think we have to go down this way, but I’m not sure. I was so excited about getting here that I didn’t research this part.”
“Saint?” he says my name.
“Yeah?” I ask absently looking through my phone.
“Saint,” he repeats.
“Yes?” I answer, and when he still doesn’t talk after a beat I frown.
I look down and suddenly realize he’s stopped going through his bag because he’s down on one knee, looking up at me with a ring between his fingers. My chest goes so tight I feel like I can barely breathe. My heart feels like it might squeeze its way straight out of my ribs.
“I’m hoping you’re gonna let me be yours for good, Saint.”
“Yes,” I answer immediately. I don’t have to think. Because with him, I know. With him it’s always yes.
He grins at me, and I lean over to kiss him.
“Here, try it on. I did my best to guess the size but I’m not sure.”
I slip the ring on, and it fits perfectly, sparkling in the sun and looking fresh and gorgeous against my worn-out trail clothes and appearance. He stands up and kisses me again, pulling me close to him after, and the way he’s breathing I almost think he might be close to crying.
“You had this in your bag the whole time?” I look up at him.
“Yeah. It’s been so hard to hold off this long. I really wanted to wait until we got to the beach. The end of the world spot you were talking about, but I couldn’t wait any longer. You know. So I hope you don’t mind the location.”
I glance around and several people are staring at us, pointing out our little scene to friends near them. Normally I’d hate this much attention being focused on me, but I’ve learned to adapt. Being with Alex means people stare, but I don’t mind.
“No, I don’t mind at all. I love it. I love you.” I stand on my tiptoes to kiss him, and he wraps his arms around me, kissing me like his life depends on it. The way he feels, wraps me up in his arms, the smell of his cologne, and the sound of his heartbeat—will never not make me feel like I’m home.
“I love you, Saint. I wish I knew a better way to tell you how much, but the ring will have to do for now.”
We get our certificates,find our hotel, collapse for a long nap, and then get up and take showers with the idea that we’re going to find a nice restaurant to go out and celebrate for the night. But by the time I finally get out of the shower, I’m thinking I’d much rather spend a night in with Alex than be out on the go again.
“How much would you hate it if we put off a celebratory dinner one more night?” I give him a doubtful face and bite my lip because I know he was looking forward to it.
“We can get room service if you want.” He looks up from his phone and smiles at me.
“Are you sure? I’ll rally if you want, but I kind of like the idea of a night in.”
“Saint, I don’t care where we go as long as you’re there and at some point, there’s food. It’s all good as far as I’m concerned.” His eyes run over me and then back down to his phone. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his shoulders and kiss his cheek.
“Okay. What are you doing?”
“Just answering a few emails. This new agent is getting me deals left and right. More than I can take. And we’re still in closed-door negotiations so he gave me some more updates on that,” he mumbles as he types out a sentence.
“Hmm. Okay. I think the rest might have to wait for another day though.” I slide my hand down over his chest and abs, splaying my fingers and kissing the side of his neck as I do it.
“You think?” he asks absently.
“Yes. I think you need a reward for this gorgeous ring and that proposal,” I whisper.
“You’re my reward, Saint,” he answers softly, quickly typing another sentence out. I can tell I’m distracting him though by the errors he’s making. I grin against his skin, kissing him again and flick the tip of my tongue over his neck.
I slide my hand lower, palming him through the sweats he has on where he’s already starting to get hard for me.
“Fuck, Saint,” he curses, dropping his phone to the table and leaning back in the chair.
“I need you. It’s been too long,” I whisper, sliding under the waist band and wrapping my fingers around him.
Even though it was low-season on the trail we hadn’t really had much time alone in the hostels and boarding rooms where we’d been spending our nights. There weren’t even good places to dodge off into the woods, and we’d definitely tried. Between the circumstances and how exhausted we were every night, it was probably the longest dry spell between us since we’d started seeing each other.
“You’re fucking telling me,” he mutters, his eyes sliding closed.
“Go sit on the bed so there’s more room for me to get on my knees for you.” I let go of him reluctantly and nod my head.
His eyes flash to mine, pure lust written in them, and he does what I ask without question. Stripping out of his sweats and boxer briefs on the way. I grin at how easily he complies. Xavier is a whole hell of a lot easier to manage than most people would think, you just have to know the right way to handle him.
My legs are tired from all the walking and my muscles complain a little as I get down on my knees, taking my time as I run my fingers up his thighs. It’s worth it. I would do anything for this man. Anything to make him even half as happy as he makes me.
I run my fingers over the length of him and take him in my mouth. I’m still perfecting this, being able to take all of him, because of his size. But thankfully I’ve had Mackenzie’s advice and tricks on my side. I try not to grin at that thought and the fact that we’re going to get to tell them all the news tomorrow. I can already guess the reactions that will come.
“That excited to suck me off or you got something else on your mind, Saint?” he asks, and I realize his eyes are open again and he’s watching me.
He leans forward to run his fingers along my jaw, and I run my tongue over him one more time before I answer.
“Just thinking about telling everyone that Xander Xavier wants me to be his wife,” I answer, a playful smile on my lips.
“Fuck, you keep up like that and I’m going to need to marry you now. Have to go back to the cathedral and see if they can fit us in.” His thumb runs over my lower lip as I stroke him.
“Oh no. We’re doing the big wedding. With the dress and all the things. Just be careful I guess, when you pick the best man.”
His eyes narrow and then he grins. “It wouldn’t fucking matter because you’re going to be too busy fucking me every chance we get that day.”
“Oh yeah?” I tease him with the tip of my tongue again, and a tortured groan escapes him, making his eyes darken.
“Speaking of, use the other hand.”
I frown. “I’m not as good.”
“Don’t care. I want to see that ring on your finger when your hand’s wrapped around me.”
I switch as he asks, doing my best to keep the same pace and his fingers slide into my hair. His thumb strokes the side of my jaw, and he looks at me with a sort of reverence that makes my heart skip beats in my chest. Makes me wonder how I ever got this man to be mine.
“So gorgeous like this, Saint. The way you look and feel. Can’t believe how fucking lucky I am.”
His words spur me on, and I pick up my rhythm and take him deeper as I do. Having him like this is one of my favorite things in the world, watching him lose control under my touch, listening to the way he breathes and talks to me.
“Fucking hell. Your mouth is so good, but I need inside you. It’s been too long. Get up here,” he groans, his eyes opening again, and I stand, stripping out of the shorts I’d put on and take a step toward him.
“Shirt too, I want to see all of you—all of my wife.”
“Fiancée,” I correct him.
“Wife as far as I’m concerned. That paper’s just fine print. You got the ring on. You’re mine.”
I smile and shake my head at him, pulling the shirt off and tossing it on the bed.
“You don’t think so?” He raises an eyebrow.
“Whatever you say, Xander,” I taunt him because it’s a name I only use when I want to get under his skin. Needle him a little until his temper rises just enough that he wants to fuck me hard to prove a point.
He grabs me then, pulling me toward him, then down onto the bed under him in one quick motion that has me grinning because I’m getting exactly what I want.
He shakes his head at me, his mouth on my throat and his hand between my legs a second later testing me. Just the graze of his fingertips against my clit has me letting out a soft moan.
“Already that fucking ready for me?”
“Been thinking about it for hours. Days really,” I admit.
He kisses his way down my chest, to the center of my breastbone and then cups one of my breasts and slides his tongue over the tip of my nipple until I arch up for him.
“Don’t tease me. I can’t take it.” I sigh as he runs his thumb over my other nipple.
“Wife,” he says it like a command.
“Fine. Wife,” I repeat it, trying to appease him because I just desperately want him inside me. If we’re being honest, he’s as good at playing me as I am him.
His hand slides down between my thighs again, his fingertips dancing over my skin with the lightest touch imaginable and when I try to move my hips to get more friction, he pins my thigh with his knee.
“Like you mean it.”
“I’m your wife. The paper is fine print.” I give in as he gives me more of the pressure I need.
“Should have always been.” He slides a finger inside me and all the little touches that are just short of what I need are driving me crazy.
“Yes. You should have always been mine. Now you are, and I need you. So much, please Alex.” I look up at him, and he’s watching me closely, a hint of a smirk playing at his lips while he studies me.
“I love you,” he says it like it’s a confession. Like he always does when he gets like this. I know what he means. All the words he doesn’t say about the past and about our future.
“I love you too.” I reach over and run my fingers down his forearm. “But I really, really need you to fuck me. Put me out of all this misery.” I grin and he returns it in kind.
“Spread these gorgeous thighs wider for me. Then I want to hear you say it again,” he withdraws his fingers and grabs one of my legs as he slides his cock between them.
“I need you.”
A moment later and he’s inside me, a curse leaving his lips, filling me perfectly as he always does.
“That’s my girl. So… fucking… beautiful,” he mutters as he leans down to kiss me again.
He fucks me slow and sweet, taking his time while he watches me until I can’t take any more of the languid-paced torture and beg him for all of it. All of him. He fucks me faster then, a sheen of sweat breaking out across his chest because even though it’s spring, it’s warm out today and there’s only the windows to cool the room. I trace through it with my fingers, following the outlines of his tattoos up his shoulder until I feel the edge of my orgasm start to take, and I curl my fingers into his skin.
“Come for me, Saint. I want the people on the street to hear how good it is.”
It feels like lightning under my skin, spreading warmth through my nerve endings, and I cry out his name.
“Fuck… I love the way you sound,” he groans a moment later as he starts to come. He bends his neck down, pressing his lips to my skin, and I run my fingers up the line of his spine into his hair, until he slows and pulls away from me. He kisses my shoulder as he lays next to me.
“I love you so fucking much. I hate that it took so long for us to get here, but I can’t wait to see you in that dress.”
“I love you too. And I can’t wait to see the suit you’re going to wear on the floor.” I give him a hike of my eyebrow before I smirk at him.
“Just using me for the sex. I fucking knew it.” He grins.
“It’s true.” I sit back on my knees and then move to straddle his waist before I bend down to kiss him again. “Which is why we need to order room service so I can have you fed and ready for another round.”
He grins harder and shakes his head, grabbing my hips and then dragging his fingers down my thighs.
“Go get dressed, and I’ll order something.” He gives me a playful slap on the ass, and I give him a look of pretend shock before I kiss him one last time.
As I stand, I look back at him and grin.
“What?” His brow furrows as he sits up.
“You. You make it all worth it.”
“Yeah. You’re my reason too, Saint.”
* * *