Epilogue
Alyssa
“Geez, Brody… you can wake me up at two AM anytime if you do that to me,” I giggle as I lay across his body. Half an hour ago, he brought me out of a dead sleep with his hand between my legs and his lips on my shoulder. Ten seconds ago, he gave me a major orgasm, got one of his own, and now we are sweaty and limp and oh so happy.
Glancing out the window, I can see snow still falling. Even though I’m blissfully warm, I cuddle up closer to him and listen to his heartbeat. It’s come down off its high and is now slow and steady under my cheek.
We’re in Asheville, North Carolina, taking a break from the beach and enjoying a late January snowfall. It was Hunter and Brody’s idea to come here. They wanted a winter getaway where they could ski, and I wanted a winter getaway where I could sit in a hot tub and drink a hot toddy while snow fell around me. We all got what we wanted by renting a cabin at the top of a mountain. We skied all day, would go out to a fabulous dinner, then come back and hang out in front of the fire.
Brody and I have been spending a lot of time with Gabby and Hunter over the last several months. We get together a few times a week for dinner, or meet over at Lillian and Butch’s house for a family game night. Lame, I know… but I love it!
Tonight is our last night in Asheville, and then we’ll be headed back to the Outer Banks. I miss The Haven. Even though I know it’s in good hands between Casey, Savannah, and Bobby, about four days away is the max I can handle. Brody’s getting antsy too. He calls to check in on the animals more than I do.
The Haven has been flourishing with Brody’s attention. The aviary is built, and we’re learning how to care for some of the local species of coastal birds that get brought to us. I say “we’re” learning to care, but it’s actually just me that’s doing the work. Birds wig Brody out for some reason, so he steers clear of them.
But what he doesn’t do for the birds, he more than makes up for in the care of the rest of the facility. Hiring him full time was the best business decision I’ve ever made, because not only has it enabled me to expand and help more animals, but I have the love of my life beside me almost twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I know some people would say that’s too much, but they don’t know Brody Markham.
I say even that is nowhere near enough.
“Would you mind getting me some water, baby?” Brody asks, his voice rumbly and sated.
“Sure,” I say, lifting my head up and kissing him on the chest. Rolling off the bed, I slip on my robe. As I belt it, I glance back and see that he’s rolled to his side, his head resting on his arm, staring at me. He curves his lips up in a silent smile, and I give it back to him. “Be back in a second.”
When I walk out into the living room, I see a fire is roaring in the hearth. That’s weird… because we didn’t have one going when we went to bed. Maybe Gabby and Hunter have been up for some reason. I pad past it and head into the kitchen.
I find Gabby standing there, in her pajamas, with the refrigerator door open. She’s just staring inside, her back ramrod stiff.
“Gabby?”
She doesn’t move or even flinch, just stares.
“What’s wrong?” I ask as I walk up to her.
“Hunter asked me to get him something to drink,” she says vaguely… almost like a robot. “Woke me out of a sound sleep and said he was thirsty.”
When I reach her, I peek around her shoulder to see what she’s looking at. When I see it… see what she sees… my heart drops to my belly where it starts pulsing hard.
On the top shelf sits two black, velvet boxes. One has a small card in front of it that says, Gabby, and the other says, Alyssa.
We turn our heads slowly to look at each other, and I wonder if my face is registering the same blank and confused look that I see on Gabby’s face right now. We both turn back and stare at the boxes, neither one of us making a move to touch them.
I can’t speak for Gabby, but if what I think is in that box with my name on it is really what is in that box, I’m probably going to have a freak out. I know I’ve committed myself to Brody for the rest of my life, but to make it official… to become a Markham? My life would be utterly complete at that point.
“Are you two just going to stare at the fridge all night?” Brody asks from behind me.
We both turn around and see Brody and Hunter standing there. Brody has put on a pair of pajama pants and a white t-shirt. Hunter’s dressed about the same. Clearly those two coordinated this to get Gabby and me out here at the same time. Brody was just kind enough to wake me up a bit earlier and give me an orgasm first.
Gabby turns back to the fridge and just stares. I decide to take action though and reach out with a shaky hand. Grabbing the box with Gabby’s name first, I try to thrust it into her hands, not even bothering to look at her.
“Here,” I say as I hold it out, feeling her grab it from my hand. I think I hear Hunter… or maybe that was Brody… snort behind us.
Reaching out, I take the box that has my name on it and I pull it in close, holding it tight to my chest. I close my eyes, inhale deeply, and let it out slowly. When I turn to face Brody, he’s standing there looking at me intensely, not in question if I’ll accept it, but waiting to attack me once I do.
He knows me well. He knows I’ll say yes.
Hunter moves first, grabbing Gabby’s hand. “I call dibs on the romantic fire in the living room I took the time to start,” he says, starting to drag her in there.
Brody takes two slow, sensual steps toward me, his eyes never pulling away from mine. “No matter,” he says quietly, so only I can hear. “I’d rather have a bed close by.”
Without warning, he bends over and pushes his shoulder into my stomach, wrapping his arms around the back of my thighs, then hoists me up. I tilt upside down as he carries me out of the kitchen, the box still clutched tightly in my hands.
As I bob along against his back, I’m able to see Hunter and Gabby sitting on the floor in front of the fire, Hunter opening the box for her. I smile, but they don’t see it. They only have eyes for each other.
Brody walks into our room, kicking the door shut. He tosses me on the bed and I bounce once, never letting the box go. He follows me, crawling between my legs and up my body, pushing me back down into the mattress.
“So… identical twins doing identical proposals?” I muse with a sly grin. “Clever.”
“Hey,” he says affronted, but then kisses down my neck. “It took us forever to come up with this idea.”
I giggle and then wrap my arms around his neck, still holding the box tight in one hand. His lips travel across my collarbone and down the center of my chest. I sigh… because it feels so good, and I use my Jedi mind tricks to try to get him to go further south.
But his head lifts up, and he looks at me with soft eyes. “Don’t you want to open the box?”
I grin and nod my head, because I do… I really do. Brody rolls off me, arms wrapped tight, and pulls me on top of him. I push up and straddle his lower abdomen, his hands coming to rest on my thighs.
Lifting the top of the black velvet box, I slowly open it and peer inside. My breath hitches and I pull the box to my chest again, holding it tight while I look down at Brody. “It’s beautiful,” I sigh, and then look at it again.
It’s a single, teardrop solitaire, not overly large, but set in platinum. It’s simple… like me, because Brody knows I wouldn’t want anything ostentatious. He also knows I can’t wear jewelry at The Haven because I’d probably ruin it with all the rough work that needs done.
“There’s a chain in there,” he says as he nods toward the box. “For you to wear it around your neck during the day. At night though… it better be on your hand.”
Still staring at the ring, I smile, because my man is so thoughtful and pretty darn alpha, which just makes him all the hotter. I can’t seem to tear my eyes away from the ring, because it signifies the most monumental thing to happen in my young life so far. I know it will be surpassed one day… when we say our vows, when we have children… grandchildren.
But for now… this is the most beautiful moment of my existence.
Brody reaches up and pries the box from my fingers. I blink hard and look at him. He’s smirking at me as he takes the ring out and lays the box on the bed. Taking my left hand in his, he slips the ring over my fourth finger, and then covers my hand with his. “I know it’s not much,” he says with a sheepish smile, “because I don’t have a lot to my name. In fact… all I really have is my name to offer you. I hope you’ll take it, because I’d never offer it to anyone else.”
I sigh… I melt… I start crying. Nodding, I let the tears slide down my face. “Of course, I’ll take it. I love you so much.”
Brody reaches up and wipes the wetness away. Brushing his thumb over my lower lip, he pulls me down to kiss me. It’s filled with so much love and tenderness that my heart stops… memorizes the moment, and then starts a strong, responsive beat again.
We kiss for a time, then I pull away and lay my head in the crook of his neck, stretching myself out on top of his body. Brody wraps his arms around me, and we just hold each other.
My perfect moment just got more perfect.
And the best thing?
I know we have more to come.