“You amaze me.” He opened her door.
“Because of the speech?” She chuckled.
“No. Because when everything and everyone in your life tried to drag you down, you didn’t stay there. You rose amidst the thorns.”
She spun around and hooked her arms over his neck, pulling him towards her mouth. She kissed him, pressing her lush curves against him. “I could say the same about you.”
Bently soaked in the sight, memorizing every line and curve of her light brown face. His bronze angel, glowing in a halo of sunlight. Love radiated through every atom. They were bound together by the energy that crackled between them.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.
“Like what?”
“Like I’m the only woman in the world.”
“Because to me, you are.” His lips descended on hers, soaking in her warmth and goodness. Happiness and gratitude tumbled and tangled in his chest, pressing against his rib cage. He’d found true joy after a lifetime of grief. Not the kind that fairy tales were made of, but the real, raw, love that was forged in fire and reborn in hope. The kind of partnership that he could count on. A wife who’d be by his side no matter what they faced. A woman who accepted him as he was while also pushing him to be better.
They were just two broken people, with jagged edges and sharp ridges, pieced together to make something whole—bound by the bonds of the truest love.
Epilogue
Another 8 months later
Belle
The spring breeze blew lightly against Belle’s skin as the sunshine warmed her, reminding her of TJ. She sipped her iced coffee and walked out to the back porch of the large house she and Bently had bought right after they were married. Her heart squeezed with a pang of sadness. She inhaled long and deep as she set the cup on the patio table. “My husband. My family. My friends.” The three things she was most grateful for.
“What, Aunty Belle?” Zoey asked from her side.
Belle turned and gasped.
Big gray almond-shaped eyes looked up at her guiltily. The little girl was covered in mud from head to toe.
“I gots the garden watered.” She smiled, her white teeth standing out even more against the brown splotches all over her face.
Did she take a mud bath?
Belle burst out laughing and Zoey’s sweet giggles were not far behind. “You certainly did. Looks like you need a shower.” Belle reached out and picked up a piece of dark hair caked in mud.
“I made a mud pie. Do you want some?” Zoey asked.
“Mmmm. Sounds delicious.”
“What does?” Bently’s deep voice asked from behind. She turned around, her heart stuttering at the sight of those brilliant blue eyes, amused and hungry and aimed at her. His uniform fit snugly showing off hard-earned muscles. He’d shaven his beard that he’d kept for the winter, leaving dark, rough stubble. She squeezed her thighs together, the rashes he’d left from said scruff tingling.
Will I ever get enough of my husband?
No.
“Uncle Bently! Do you want a mud pie?” Zoey asked, holding out a glob of dark brown sludge.
Bently wrapped his arms around Belle and kissed her cheek. “Hmm. That looks mighty tasty. You know what I really love?”
“What?” Zoey asked.
“Mud cupcakes. Those are my favorite.” Bently smiled.
“Oh! Great idea. I do it!” Zoey got to work, busily plopping mud in smaller piles on the green grass.
“I missed you,” Bently said next to Belle’s ear, his hot breath tickling the fine hair on her neck.
“Same here, Sheriff.”
His hands dropped to her waist, pulling her tighter against him as he peppered kisses down her neck, his scratchy chin making heat pool in her center. The tiniest whimper escaped from her.
He chuckled.
“Stop. Your niece is right over there.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just saying hello to my wife.” Bently’s deep voice reverberated through her.
“You know exactly what you’re doing.” He knew her body better than she did. He’d spent countless hours mapping every pleasure point.
“It’s all done!” Zoey proclaimed excitedly. She held out a small clump in her hand towards him.
“Yum!” Bently accepted the handful from her before bringing it to his lips.
Zoey made a face. “Don’t really eat it! It’s just pretend.”
“Now you tell me,” he teased, reaching out his other hand to tickle her. She giggled.
“You know what’s even more fun to do with mud cupcakes?” Bently asked.
Zoey shook her head.
“This,” Bently said before he raised the clump of sludge and sent it flying towards Belle.
Speckles of mud pelted her chest and splattered across her face as she gasped.
“What—oh you’re going to get it, mister!” Belle dove for a handful and sent it flying in his direction as he dodged and weaved.
Zoey giggled, grabbing two globs, and joined the chase.
“Let’s get him, Zoey!” Belle tackled Bently to the ground, rubbing her handful across his forehead as he smeared some over hers. She was out of breath from laughing so hard. Tiny clumps pelted them from the side as Zoey joined in.
“Do you surrender?” Belle asked.
Bently chuckled. “Only to you. Only ever to you.” He slanted his mouth over hers, kissing her as energy crackled between them.
“You’re lucky I love you.”
“I sure am.” He smirked.
She turned her head, checking on Zoey who’d gone quiet. Too quiet.
“Time to wash it off!” Zoey yelled as she aimed the hose at them.
Belle gasped as she was flipped to the ground, Bently hovering above her taking the brunt of the ice-cold spray of water as it dripped onto her. “Ahhh! Zoey! It’s too cold. Shut it off!”
The shower from the hose stopped as Bently got to his feet and reached out to help her up.
She examined her clothes—wet and muddy. Belle glanced at the two of them, Bently was even worse off than her. “Look at us.”
They all burst into
