Epilogue
THREE MONTHS LATER
ZIGGY
When Kennedy asked me to come with him to Wayward, I wasn’t interested. First, people. No, thanks. Second, I really didn’t want to run into Caroline again. He says she’s backed off now, but I don’t want to deal with the awkwardness of coming face-to-face with her.
I never thought we’d end up here.
“Hold tight,” Kennedy says, grip crushing my hand. “We can get through this.”
I don’t know where this we business is coming from when he’s the one in the chair. Trying to be sympathetic, I pat his hand, reminding him that I’m here. He’s the one who decided to do this, not me, and I’m so curious to see if he’ll go through with it.
If he does, I foresee a lot of fun in our future.
“You ready?” the woman asks, doing her best not to look amused.
He lets out a gust of air. “Ready.”
Then she leans in, lines up with the dot on his nipple … and shoves the needle through.
A shriek echoes and dies in Kennedy’s throat, my hand going numb from the pain. She sets the end on the barbell, him panting through it, and he turns wide eyes on me.
“How the fuck did you let them do that to your dick? Don’t get me wrong, I’m reaping the benefits, but fuck me.”
A laugh slips out. He’s so dramatic. I ignore that he just announced to a complete stranger that I have my junk pierced and drop a kiss on his forehead. He’s got this. The big baby.
“Still want the other one done?” his piercer asks, her amusement finally winning the battle.
“Yes. I think. Ah … yep. Yes. Do it.”
This time, I peel my hand out of his and offer him the other one. Might as well even things up.
And this time when the piercing goes through, his shriek escapes and fills the small shop.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to … fucking ouch!”
“Yeah,” the woman agrees. “It’s painful. Getting your junk or your tongue done hurts more, I think, but nipples aren’t pleasant.”
“Why does anyone do this?” he asks, sounding faint.
“Body positivity.” Her tone takes on a sly note. “And for a lot of people, it makes them more sensitive.”
Kennedy’s grumbling when he gets up out of the chair, and on a whim, I decide to support him in this. After all, it’s weeks before we can have fun with them, so I might as well get this over and done with too.
I slip into his vacated chair.
They wear matching confused expressions.
Because I’m apparently not being obvious enough, I strip off my shirt.
“You want yours done too?” she asks.
I nod at Kennedy, letting him know he can talk for me.
“If you have time? He’s obviously used to this process.”
“Yeah, I think he’s got more piercings than me,” she says and goes to grab a consent form.
“You sure about this?” Kennedy asks.
“I considered a Jacob’s ladder, but maybe we’ll save that for our first-year anniversary.”
He goes offline for a long moment. “Yes, please.”
It’s so cute the way my piercings turn him on. And just seeing the barbells glint through his nipples turns me on as well. I can’t wait to drive him wild with them.
“Only one nipple,” I tell him. “I need to give you a chance to catch up.”
“That will never happen. I think we’ll leave the piercings to you.”
“Wait until those are healed, and then we’ll see.” I tug his earlobe. “You’d look hot as fuck with your ears done.”
His lips twitch. “Noted.”
“Is it still painful?” I drop my hand to run over his chest.
“Not like it was when she pierced them. It’s more like a bruise feeling.”
That’s easy to handle.
“You sure you want to do this?” he checks. “You don’t have to just because I did.”
“I know. I want to do this together.”
It’s the right answer, judging by the way he gets all heart-eyed at me.
He does that a lot. These small, sneaky moments when he can’t believe he’s found me, and it reminds me to be awed that I found him as well.
I never would have thought that Kennedy would be more perfect than my dreams of him were.
My mouth feels dry as one word that’s been surfacing a lot lately tries to take over.
I’ve known it since the day I met him, but the longer we’re together, the more it solidifies.
It’s there as we work silently side by side.
It’s there during our picnics, and our swimming, and when we have a whole conversation without opening our mouths.
It’s there when I hear him playing the songbird, or he’s singing along to the radio, and it’s there in my mine, which is always so loud and full and busy when he’s with me.
I can’t hold it back anymore.
“I love you.”
Kennedy blinks at me. Then blinks again. “Really?”
“Yeah.” I swallow. “Always.”
“Thank fuck. I’ve been wanting to say it for months now, and I was terrified I’d scare you off.”
My grin is unbearable. “Say what?”
“How much I love you. You’re so strong and special, and getting to be with you is still a pinch-me moment.
I love brushing your hair back, and your cute little smiles, and the way you blush when I tell you what a pretty little hole you have.
I love everything about you. And the best part of all of that is that you make it easy.
I’m not scared to love you, and I finally know what it’s like. ”
I tug him close because I need to kiss him and get some of this emotion out. Kennedy will never doubt, ever again, that he deserves the world. I’ll prove it to him every day.
When the piercer comes back and does my piercing, I don’t make a sound. It hurts, but there are worse things, and I sort of want to show off for him a little bit.
I want him to be as proud to be mine as I am to be his.
Because I finally know what love is.
Love is strength.
And sunshine.