by Jenika Snow
He cupped my cheek and stroked my skin with his thumb.
“I meant every fucking word.” He seemed so desperate for me to believe him.
“I know, Max. And hearing you say that, wanting me to know that for sure, makes me love you even more.”
“No one will ever compare to you, to what we can have. Nothing will ever compare to what we will have, Abigail.” The smile he gave me had my heart skipping a beat. “I won’t let you go. Ever. You realize that?”
I grinned. “Good. I wouldn’t want it any other way.” I felt the love he had for me.
He held me tighter. “It’s always been you for me,” he whispered. “Always.”
And that right there was what I’d call a happily ever after.
Epilogue One
Max
One year later
There hadn’t been a future for me until Abigail came into my life. I’d known that at thirteen when I first saw her, and I knew that now, all these years later.
I pulled to a stop in front of my place, the duplex small, with one bedroom and a small postage-stamp-sized yard. But it was perfect, not just for me, but for Abigail too. We’d moved in together, and I couldn’t lie and say I wasn’t pleased I finally had her close. I didn’t like having her so far away, not close to me where I could protect her… where I could love her.
I climbed out of the car and made my way to the front door. Immediately, I heard music playing. She was a Classic Rock kind of girl. I’d found that out a week after I first met her. I’d pestered her with a million questions until I knew everything about her. Her likes and dislikes, her needs and wants.
I headed past the kitchen and into the living room, where I saw her leaning over the coffee table and cleaning it. The jeans she wore were tight, and instantly my cock hardened. I thought about all the filthy things I wanted to do with my girl right now.
She straightened, not realizing I was just a few feet from her. She started humming, and I moved closer to her, so close I could reach out and touch her.
And I did just that.
I wrapped my hand around her waist, spun her around, and pulled her close so we were chest-to-chest. She gasped and had her hands on my chest, her smile forming as soon as she looked into my face.
I let out a pleasured grunt at the sweet cotton candy scent that came from her. I walked us backward a few steps and sat down on the couch, Abigail right on top of me. She straddled my hips, and if my cock hadn’t already been hard, it would have gone rock-solid in that moment. I lowered my face to her neck and inhaled deeply, closing my eyes and getting lost in her scent.
“God, I missed you.” I growled when she squirmed in my lap. “Damn. You smell fucking good, Abigail baby.” I ran the tip of my nose up the side of her throat.
She made this sweet little moan for me and pressed down harder on my cock, causing my jaw to clench. I could have gotten off feeling that.
“Even though you’ve been working all day, covered in grease, you smell all manly.”
I’d been working at my uncle’s garage for years now but was saving up, building relationship with clients so that one day when I did have enough to start my own body shop, I’d have a solid reputation to back me up.
And I wanted to do all of this for us, for Abigail and me and our future.
“How about you rise up and give me a kiss then, let me know how much you like it?” I growled out those words, desire licking at me. She braced her hands more firmly on my chest and did just that, kissing me just as hard as I would have kissed her.
And when she ran her tongue over my bottom lip, I nearly came right then and there.
But as much as I wanted to slide in deep, fuck her right here on the couch, there was something more important that weighed on me.
I pulled back and reached into my front pocket, seeing her brows knit, as she was no doubt confused why I was stopping this. And when I held up the ring box, her confused expression morphed to shock. She climbed off me, and I swallowed roughly. Was I rushing things? Were things moving too fast for her?
I dropped to one knee in front of her, held out the box, and popped the lid. I was going to do this right, even if it wasn’t the most romantic proposal with roses scattered everywhere, candles lit, or chocolate covering her lush, naked body.
I saw her eyes widen as she stared at the ring. It wasn’t the biggest one, wasn’t the most expensive one, but it was a ring I’d envisioned in my mind over the years, the one I had custom made just for her. It was unique, just like my Abigail.
I took one of her hands in mine, my fingers shaking. I’d never been a guy who got nervous, but about to propose to the only girl I’d ever loved… had me so fucking scared.
“I love you, Abigail. I love you so much it hurts sometimes.” I swallowed again. “All I’ve ever wanted since the moment I saw you was for you to be mine.” I pulled the ring out of the box. “I love everything about you, and I love that you make me a better man by just being in my life.”
The way she smiled made me feel like I was on top of the fucking world.
I rose up and kissed her, unable to help myself. I just had to be close to her. “You’re the only woman I want to spend my life with, to carry my babies, and the only person who I can fully be myself around.” I looked into her eyes. “We were made for each other. Until forever, Abigail.”
I pulled the ring out and slipped the diamond on her finger, refusing to let my nerves control me. “Marry me. You already make me the happiest man on the planet, but having you as my wife will just make everything come full circle.” I looked at her face again.
Abigail didn’t say anything for long seconds, just stared down at the ring, and I was starting to worry. But then she looked up at me, her smile wide, and threw herself in my arms.
I held her, vowing silently to never let her go.
“Yes, of course. I think I’ve wanted to marry you since I was thirteen.”
God, that sounded so damn perfect, because it’s how I felt too.
I pulled back and cupped her cheeks, leaning in so I could kiss her, so I could properly seal this.
She’d always been mine.
Epilogue Two
Max
Five years later
God, I was so lucky, and every day, I figured I’d wake up and realize all of this, my life, was nothing but a dream, a fantasy.
She was my world. My everything.
Abigail.
The years had passed from us starting a romantic relationship, to moving in together, to becoming husband and wife, and now we were parents.
I stared at Abigail as she lay in the hospital bed holding our daughter. I held our son.
Twins.
A little boy and girl, a little piece of both of us.
And as I looked at Abigail, as I looked at our twins, I knew one thing for certain.
Everything in this room was what I’d die for.
I glanced over at Abigail and saw the smile she wore as she looked down at little Lanie. “She looks like you,” I said softly, not wanting to wake up Landon.
“And he looks like you,” she whispered back and grinned.
Over the last five years, Abigail had finished school. I went back and got my associates degree in business and was having the grand opening of my body shop next month. It had been a long, hard road, a lot of blood and sweat spilled, but in the end, it was worth it. In the end, I wouldn’t have changed a second.
I smiled at my wife, feeling like I was the luckiest bastard in the world. There was nothing more important to me than what I had, and I sure as hell didn’t take it for granted. Because when you didn’t recognize all the blessings you had, that’s when you didn’t realize how good life actually was.
And without the love of an incredible woman and the babies she gave you, life really wasn’t worth it.
About the Author
Find Jenika at:
www.JenikaSnow.com
[email protected]
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Jenika Snow, Until Forever (You're Mine, 3)