Epilogue - One year later

***C.Rash***

I don't know who's more excited, me or the kid. Probably me. I glance to my right and see the reflection of the Christmas tree twinkling in his eyes. We're sitting on the last few steps of the stairs, staring at the tree with all the presents underneath. Sure, I know what's inside all of them, but Joshua doesn't. Well, he knows what's inside one of them because we just placed it underneath the tree together.

Maybe that's why I'm more excited or it's the nerves flaring up because the present we added contains a ring. The little man helped me pick it out. It's a white gold, diamond ring in the shape of a snowflake. According to Joshua it was the prettiest one in the store.

Sometimes I still can't believe how damn lucky I am to have these two in my life. I remember all too vividly when I was standing on their doorstep a year ago. No plans at all and ready to protect a friend of my sister I didn't even know at all. Yet now? I hope to make this woman my wife and around this time next year there will hopefully be two kids sitting right next to me on these steps.

That's right, Mags is pregnant. We found out three weeks ago. Best news ever. This because we've been trying for the last four months. Still fast, though, but I guess with everything in life the things you want most can't get here soon enough.

I glance up the stairs and my eyes lock with the woman who holds my heart. She's leaning on the banister while staring at us. It's the same spot she was in when we first saw this house almost a year ago.

She didn't want to live in the house where Peter burst into the living room and died. I completely understood and I have to say, building memories like buying a house together are the rays of the sun that warms your life. Like now, the way she's standing there with the smile on her face.

It's the same smile she had when she said, "This is it." And I didn't even have to ask if she was sure because of that very smile and besides, I instantly loved this house too. It's close to the clubhouse, closer to her parents, and even my sister lives two blocks away.

Not to mention it has an amazing garden. And that reminds me of the present we didn't wrap but is staying in our bedroom, sleeping in a box. Well, not any longer in our bedroom since I can see the box standing near her feet. A puppy. Yeah, the best presents aren't underneath the tree. They are alive and breathing and spread joy in my life every damn day. My old lady—and soon to be wife—along with my kid, and the peanut growing in my woman's belly.

"Mommy," Joshua squeaks and dashes up.

He heads straight for the Christmas tree as Mags descends the stairs.

"Look, there's a present for you. But it wasn't Santa who put it there. Go on, Mommy, open it," Joshua rambles and is bouncing on his feet.

This is not how we agreed to do this but the smile on my face is hurting my cheeks. It doesn't matter how this moment goes; the important thing is the answer falling from my woman's lips. She glances at me while fumbling with the tiny box. Her chest is rising and falling and I'm seriously getting turned on here.

Damn. It doesn't matter what this woman wears, even if she's all covered up by layers of clothing or like now in just a robe with pajamas underneath. I know her. Her body, her mind, every inch of this magnificent beauty standing in front of me while she's holding a box and staring at the ring we bought her with tears in her eyes.

"Daddy said I could ride the rings on the wedding day because I did good with picking out this ring. I did good, didn't I?" Joshua rambles some more.

"Ride the rings?" Mags asks, confused.

"On a dirt bike, Mom! Daddy said he'd get me a dirt bike."

Mags is now shooting a glare at me. Shit. I lean into Joshua's space and whisper, "Didn't we agree to wait with telling her until she said yes?"

Joshua's eyes grow big and his head swings to his mother. Her face softens at the pleading look he gives her. That's my boy. Not that I need any help winning her over because I know for a fact this woman loves me with the kind of ferocity that will last us a lifetime, because I feel the exact same way.

It's for this reason I sink to one knee and stare right at her. "Mags, you already hold my heart. I told you that the very day we met how your heart took a ride with mine. You and me? Us as a family? Best ride of my life, so you might as well take my ring and make it official."

Her eyebrow raises and I know the words I just gave her aren't the standard ones where a guy asks the woman to be his wife. But nothing is standard in our lives and you sometimes are thrown into situations where you don't have a choice, though you know deep down what road to take because you're strong enough to face anything. This because you find your strength holding on to good things. She is my good thing in life, along with our son and the family and friends we surround ourselves with.

Her gaze shifts slightly and out of the corner of my eye I see Joshua mimic my pose as he says fiercely, "Yeah, Mom. What Daddy said."

Mags is fighting a smile as she whispers, "How can I ever resist you two?" She reaches out and cups Joshua's face as she shoots a loving look my way. "Yes," she says and a jolt of utter pleasure shoots through my body.

I rise to my feet and say, "Joshua, go see what Santa brought you."

There's no need to check if he's heading for the tree with all the presents underneath because the squeals of happiness followed by the ripping of paper is enough. My eyes never leave Mags as I step closer and take her into my arms.

My mouth finds hers and I close my eyes to relish in her taste, in the way we connect and the righteousness of it all. The both of us finally come up for air and when she places her hand on my chest, the way the ring sparkles on her finger, it really hits me how truly blessed I am.

"I love you." The words she gives me are the subtitles of what's vividly displayed in her eyes.

My throat clogs up due to all the emotions ripping through me. "I love you so damn much. I…fuck, this is bad," I blurt.

Mags's eyes go wide and confusion hits her but I have to act quick. I move her to the side so I can rush up the stairs. Her laughter rings through the air as I barely manage to scoop up the moving present that's bound to tumble off the stairs. Dammit, that damn puppy is already a load of trouble.

When I'm at the final step both Joshua and Mags are standing next to each other. I place the box on the floor and Joshua sinks to his knees to open the top. A fluffy black head dashes up and the little fluff jumps out of the box and straight into Joshua's arms, licking his face all over. The little man's giggles bring a smile to my face and me and my future wife share a look.

Yeah. You can plan your life and the things you want to the T, but it's the unexpected turn of events that might lead to the best things life can give you. I'm always going to follow my instinct and give into the things that feel right. It has led me to this woman, the gift of our son, and everything else that we've welcomed into our lives.

"Thank you, Santa," Joshua squeals.

Mags and I share another look and I slowly shake my head while whispering underneath my breath, "Yep, there you have it…the old man with the beard and red suit stealing our thunder again."

"Not possible," Mags whispers back. "Wait till we get to the clubhouse where we can slip away for a few minutes so we can create some new thunder for ourselves."

"I knew there was a reason I loved you," I murmur and kiss the top of her head.

She laughs and steps away to pick up the remainders of the wrapping paper that's scattered all over the floor. "Just for the thunder, huh?"

"Among other things," I shoot back as I grab a garbage bag to stuff all the trash in.

I rip my gaze away from her heated one and focus on the task at hand and not the need to bend her over the couch and take her from behind. Shit. There are hours in between that prevent me from taking her. But I guess that's why they have the saying "all good things come to those who wait." And I know it will be good because it's Mags.

The woman who blew my mind many years ago; who I lost but somehow spiraled her way back to me around Christmas time. Shit. Maybe the old guy with the beard and red suit did have something to do with it. The thought makes me snort. Yeah, no way am I going to let the old fart take credit for that. It was all us. We connected and it shows each day we're together, growing stronger as we enrich our lives as a family.

Thankfully the hours pass quickly and before I know it, I'm placing the puppy—which Joshua named Thunder—in the backyard of the clubhouse while Ransom and Casey are standing there along with one of their kids, Zander and Luna. All of them are fawning over the little fluff and I clear my throat to catch Casey's attention.

I shoot him a look, and the smile and shaking of his head lets me know he can see the question I'm not asking out loud. He lifts his chin and that's my cue to snatch my woman's hand and lead her back into the clubhouse.

My room here at the clubhouse nowadays is mainly used as an escape for me and Mags. Four walls where we can put life on hold for a few minutes, knowing my brothers are taking care of our son while we take care of each other. Wow. That sounds dirty and a necessity.

Though on some level it is, but the speed of which my old lady's clothes hit the floor is a vivid reminder how badly we burn for each other. Shrugging out of my cut, I throw it on a nearby chair and grab the hem of my shirt. I close my eyes to pull it over my head but groan when I feel Mags' fingers slide over my naked chest.

Damn. Her touch always manages to spark fire. I quickly toe off my boots and let my jeans and underwear hit the floor; no time to waste when there's a gorgeous woman in front of me that's all mine. I grab her around the waist and throw her on the bed, quickly following her to cover her body with mine.

Her beautiful tits are right there for the taking. With our eyes connected I cover one tight peak and let my tongue swirl around it. She groans and lets her head tip back as her hands flash up to my head to keep me in place. As if I would ever stop what I'm doing. No. Damn. Way.

My dick has been hard for what seems like forever. I will never stop craving this woman and thank fuck I never have to. I switch to the other breast and let my fingers slide to her pussy. Drenched. So damn wet for me already. I draw tiny circles over her bundle of nerves and she starts to lift her hips off the mattress in an effort to chase her orgasm that's clearly threatening to boil over any damn minute.

My fingers leave her pussy and I reach down to fist my cock. I line up perfectly and slowly thrust inside the sweetest, tightest pussy that's all mine. When I'm rooted deep, I glance down to watch her face but her eyes are closed and the look of pleasure painting her face almost makes me blow my load.

I start to lazily slide in and out and watch how her lips slightly part as soft moans tumble out. Eventually she captures her bottom lip as her eyes flash open and both her hands capture my ass.

"Harder," she moans and my hips almost falter hearing the need in her voice.

I pull out completely and slide down her body before she can so much as utter a single word of complaint.

"Yessssss," she groans and rotates her hips when my tongue slides through her pussy.

I determine what I give her and even if she wants me to go harder, it's the soft way I lick her clit that drives her over the edge. Her body starts to shake the same time her taste intensifies and freely coats my tongue.

I wait for most of the waves of pleasure to fade before I flash up and grab her hips. I flip her over as I place her on her hands and knees. I cover her body with mine and lean in close to her ear. My dick slides home at the same time I sneak my arm around her to grip her shoulder and pin her in place.

"This hard enough for you?" I grunt and tunnel roughly in and out, the sound of skin slapping skin fills the air.

She doesn't have a spare breath to give me a reply because she needs it to scream through the orgasm that's blazing through her. The way her pussy is squeezing the life out of my dick gives me no other option but to follow her into the blinding pleasure we're wrapped in.

Utterly spent I crash down on top of her. She grunts and I could curse myself for putting my full weight on her. I let myself fall to the side and turn her, placing my head on her belly I murmur, "Sorry, little one."

Her body gently shakes underneath me and I know she's laughing at me, but I don't care. The way her fingers lazily slide into my hair makes me close my eyes and relish in our closeness. Fuck Santa and gifts underneath a tree, this right here is where we create our own magic. This woman is the biggest of gifts my life is ever graced with. One who freely gives and accepts my heart while in return gracing me with hers.

"What time did Tenley say dinner starts?" Mags says and tries to get up.

"Shhhh," I shush and throw my leg over hers to keep her in place.

"We're going to tell everyone about the pregnancy, right?" Mags questions, and I know she's right because we talked about it but now, I'm having second thoughts.

"Maybe we should wait," I tell her and lift my head to look at her. I can tell she's about to ask why so I let her know. "The little ones will think the old dude with the beard had something to do with knocking you up and I won't have that fucker stealing any more of my thunder."

Her laughter is the sweetest of sounds and I can't help but smile with my whole heart. Though, I'm dead serious. But in the end? Who cares about the thunder, or the darkness life is clouded with at times? Deep down we know how bright a day filled with sunshine can be. One look into the eyes of the woman I adore is enough to see my future is just as bright and filled with all the love my heart can hold. Because she's in it, along with our kids.