Epilogue
Two months later
Presley
“ Happy birthday, my love,” I said once I could put words together in the right order. “Seems like I got a present too even though it’s not my special day.”
West let out a low, satisfied growl. “I can’t think of a better way to start the day, birthday or not.”
He was on top of me, still inside me, in my bed in the master bedroom of my beautifully remodeled home.
Waking up together was a rare, cherished treat, as was spending a full night together.
His mom had invited Sienna, Nova, and Scarlet to Nashville for the weekend, promising them a movie at the theater yesterday and a trip to an orchard today. Whether she’d admitted it or not, I was pretty sure the real reason was to give West and me time together to celebrate.
We’d celebrated on and off all night.
That was the easy, no-brainer part. I hoped the gift I’d gotten him would go over okay.
My idea had seemed perfect—fitting and funny and heart-tugging all at once—when I’d come up with it. As usual I’d acted on it right away, but ever since putting it into motion, I’d had some low-key worries that it would send the wrong message.
Tamping down on that, I pulled his head to me and kissed him, taking my time and making sure he knew how loved he was.
“I’m a lucky man,” he said in his gravelly morning voice. “Be right back.”
He rolled out of bed and went into the bathroom. As soon as he closed the door, I gathered my nerve, hurried to my closet, dragged his large gift out, and propped it up against the bed. Nervous, I pulled my robe on, sat on the mattress next to the gift, and waited.
The door opened, and he emerged, a grin on his handsome face and not a stitch of clothing on his gorgeous body. He’d made me scream his name not fifteen minutes ago, but I already felt a stirring of desire deep inside me as I watched him walk toward me, his eyes lighting up at the wrapped present.
“What’s this?” he asked.
I took in a quiet, steeling breath. “Something for the birthday boy.”
“Can I unwrap it now?”
“Of course. Unless you’d rather wait till after kayaking.” We’d planned an early-morning outing.
He laughed like a kid, shaking his head. “Hell no. Let’s do this.”
Also like a kid, West tore into the wrapping paper while I bit my lip, my gaze locked on his face.
As soon as the painting was revealed, his eyes crinkled with a grin, then they popped open in disbelief. “Holy shit balls, Presley.”
I swallowed, encouraged by that initial reaction but not at ease yet.
“What did you do?” he asked, still smiling, the smile still reaching his eyes. “Who made this?”
“I commissioned Shawna Jenkins. She used the photos we took at the Honeysuckle Festival.”
Using the llama photos as a guide, Shawna had painted the five of us—West, me, and the girls—plus Betty and Esmerelda.
The main difference between the photos and this painting was that, in this, West and I stood side by side between the llamas, with Nova in my arms and Scarlet and Sienna in front of us.
Like a family instead of two near-strangers on opposite ends with three girls drawing us together.
He let out a laughing howl as he stepped back to take it all in. “This is incredible, Pres.” He held his hand out to me, his eyes still taking in the details. “We look like a family.”
I took his hand, stood, and moved next to him. “You guys are my family, but I want to make sure this doesn’t come across as pressure to make any changes. I know the girls are key, and we’re taking it slow. I’m okay with that.”
“You are?” His smile faded and his brow furrowed.
“As long as I have a piece of you, West, I can be patient. It’s you I want. Not necessarily a husband. Not until you’re ready.” I wound my hands to the back of his neck, went up on my toes, and pressed a kiss to his lips.
He caught me, pulled me up against him, and took the kiss deeper, reassuring me he’d received the painting in the spirit it was intended.
“Thank you, Presley,” he said eventually. “I fucking love it.”
“Thank goodness.”
“You were truly worried?”
“Maybe a little bit. I know I can come across like a loose cannon, but I hear you, West. I understand you want to go slow and why.”
West
I pressed another kiss to my gorgeous, understanding Presley, acknowledged my own worries, then went to the overnight bag where I’d packed a change of clothes. I riffled through it until I found the ring box that contained the biggest, prettiest ring I could afford.
I wasn’t too worried about the size. It wasn’t the largest stone, but it wasn’t puny either, and I knew Presley well enough to understand she wasn’t about showiness.
She might value her investment accounts, but it was about security, not ego or showing off.
That was one of the many reasons I loved her so damn much.
As I took a moment with my back to her, the velvet box in my hand, I gathered my nerve, closed my eyes momentarily, and hoped she’d meant she wanted me as her husband when I was ready.
Because I was ready.
With the box enclosed in my hand, I straightened, faced her, met her curious gaze.
I stepped up to her and laced the fingers of my empty hand with hers. “Did you mean what you said? About wanting me in whatever way I can give you?”
“Absolutely.” She smiled, her eyes sparkling with love and affection.
Man, this woman was so fucking beautiful and good and had the best heart. I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve her, but I was thankful every single day.
“I want to give you everything, Presley. Every corner of my heart, every bit of my love, every day for the rest of my life. I want to share all the joy and challenges and laughter and good coffee this life can throw at us. I want to be a family with you. I want you to be the mother figure my daughters look up to, take comfort from, and learn from, because you’re the most incredible role model for love, inspiration, and badassery.
” Still naked as the day I was born, I went down on one knee, thinking maybe I should’ve pulled on some pants first, but screw it.
I was baring myself to her in every possible way.
I flipped the box open, plucked the princess cut diamond ring out, and held it up with fingers that shook. “Presley Holiday, will you marry me?”
If I thought her face showed happiness before, it glowed with joy now, her eyes going big and sparkly, and everything in me felt as if it clicked into place.
The normally unflappable love of my life blinked, and tears flowed down her cheeks as she nodded.
“Yes, I’ll marry you, my burly, badass, teddy bear of a man. Yes to all of it.”
I stood, tossed the empty box to the bed, and held her left hand between us. Breathing in deeply, I tried to steady myself as I gently slid the ring on her finger.
She held up her hand and studied the ring. “I love it, West. I love you.”
I drew her against me, her robe flapping open so we were skin to skin, my erection pressing into her abdomen insistently. I kissed her thoroughly, passionately, fervently, then pulled back enough to gaze into her soulful blue eyes. “I love you so much, Presley.”
She peered back at me as she reached down and closed her fingers around my shaft. “That’s never been more evident,” she said with a wicked grin.
I backed her toward the bed, lowered her onto it cross-wise, and climbed over her. Overcome with need and love, I wasted no time entering her, closing my eyes at the heavenly feel of her until it hit me. “Shit. Forgot protection.”
“I don’t mind,” she said.
“What if I get you pregnant?”
“I don’t mind,” she repeated, her voice breathy as she arched up into me and clamped her legs around me, pulling me in so deep we truly felt like we fused to become one. “I love the girls so much, and I wouldn’t mind making a baby with you. If you’re up for more.”
“With you? I’m up for just about anything.”
I made love to her slowly, unhurried for as long as I could manage, reminding myself we had the rest of our lives together and there was no need to rush.
That there would only be one first time with my fiancée and to make it last. Being inside her with no barriers was the most incredible feeling.
Knowing she’d agreed to spend her entire life with me?
It blew my fucking mind that I could be so lucky.
When Presley was close to shattering, I braced myself over her as my body moved of its own accord, climbing, reaching. I nipped at the lobe of her ear and said, “You’re mine forever, Presley Holiday.”
Her orgasm gripped her, her body contracting around my dick, and at the same moment she called out my name, I came hard and spilled my seed into her.
For several long seconds, we were suspended together in a place where time stopped and the world possibly ceased to spin on its axis.
My breath stuck, my brain stopped, and everything centered on the intense, earth-shattering ecstasy we gave each other.
Eventually I came back into my senses, registering the gorgeous smile on my fiancée’s face first, then noticing the cool air on my bare ass.
As my breath slowed, I managed to brace myself on my forearms so I could fully take in the beauty of this woman, with flushed cheeks, swollen lips, and a dreamy look in her eyes.
I kissed her, a slow, loving exploration of her luscious lips. Then I rolled to my side, taking her with me.
“I want to marry you as soon as humanly possible,” I told her.
“I’m so up for that.”
Propping myself up on my elbow, I traced her lower lip with my finger. “Last night at the dads’ group, Luke told us he’s opening up his barn for events to help support the farm.”
“Yeah?”
“I immediately pictured us getting married there. I want to support him, but also I’m not the kind of guy who fits in at a fancy, expensive hotel ballroom. If you’re set on that kind of thing, we can discuss it?—”
“I’m not set on a fancy anything, West,” she interrupted. “I love the idea of some kind of classy but rustic setting. Oh! What about Christmastime? Lots of evergreens? Lights? Maybe white and silver with the green?”
“Think we can put together a wedding by Christmas?”
“I happen to know an excellent planner.”
I grinned. “Magnolia would be perfect. She could pull it off, don’t you think?”
“I know she could.” She ran her finger slowly down the middle of my chest then back up, looking pensive. “What would you think of a Christmas Eve wedding?”
“I’d fucking love it, and so would the girls.”
“Three of the most adorable flower girls,” Presley said, her eyes sparkling. “In gorgeous silver dresses with lots of sparkles.”
I rumbled out a laugh. “You so completely get them.”
She nodded, an affectionate smile on her lips. Then the smile dropped. “One problem. Can Magnolia work with Luke? There’s…something between them. Like bad blood.”
“It’s Christmas and a wedding. She’s hungry for business, and he’s trying to save his farm. Surely they can pull it off.”
“She’s a professional,” Presley said, then she shook her head, as if shaking off the problem for now. “I can’t wait to marry you, West. Christmas Eve in Luke’s barn. It’s a date.”
“And then I want you in my bed every night for the rest of our lives.”
She tilted her head and bit her lip.
“What?” I asked, frowning.
“I’m with you about the rest of our lives and the sleeping together every night but…”
“But what?”
“I want you in my bed. Or we can buy a new bed. I don’t care. But…will you and the girls move in here with me?”
I laughed. This was what she was worried about? Could the girls and I manage to live in this big, comfortable family home on the shore? My princesses would be over the damn moon about it. But I couldn’t let her think it was that easy. “You don’t like my house?”
“Your house is perfect…for the four of you. But there’s no place for all the kayaks. Plus three kittens…”
“And your shoes.”
“And my shoes. Do you think you could feel at home here?”
I rolled on top of her, bracing myself on my arms again, and kissed her, my heart feeling light, elated, and full of hope and optimism. “I can be at home wherever you are, my love. You’re my home, Presley. I belong with you.”
“And I belong with you.” She pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “But just so you know… I would’ve sold my shoes for you.”
“And I would’ve built a shoe shed in the yard for you.”
We laughed and we kissed, and I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of our lives doing that every single day.
Thanks for reading Single-Minded ! I hope you loved West and Presley.