BONUS EPILOGUE

The arena buzzes with both excitement and energy as I take my seat among the crowd. I’ve never been more nervous in my life. Not even during my own championship games. I bite my nails as my gaze stays glued to the ice. If I know Ava, she’s cool, calm, and collected.

My wife has nerves of steel.

That, in and of itself, is a fucking turn on.

A few minutes later, the crowd applauds as she steps onto the ice and takes her position in the center of it. My in-laws are seated on one side of me, and my mom and siblings are on the other. They’re all munching on popcorn.

“She looks so pretty,” Kia says with a sigh. “All those sparkles.”

I grin at her. “Maybe figure skating isn’t so bad after all, huh?”

She presses her lips together, as if giving the question serious consideration. “I still like hockey. I get to knock the boys on their butts.”

“She’s savage. Some of the boys are actually afraid of her,” Ollie mutters.

Kia grins as a wicked light dances in her eyes.

I slide my arm around her slender shoulders and pull her close before pressing a kiss against the top of her blonde head. “That’s my girl. Keep giving them hell.”

When music fills the cavernous space, we all fall silent. More like the entire arena quiets as Ava glides effortlessly through her technical program, throwing in more jumps and tricks than I can count, each one more difficult than the previous. She’s a vision out there, the way she moves with such grace, like she was born to do this.

My mind tumbles back to the first time I saw her on the ice, all those years ago at Western. She looked so beautiful, so strong and poised, like every movement she made was an extension of her soul.

I knew then that she was special, but seeing her here at the Olympics, it’s like I’m watching her in a whole new light. She’s one of the best women’s figure skaters in the world, and I couldn’t be prouder.

Nadia, her coach, has taken her to an entirely new level. Every jump, every spin, every combination is perfectly executed. It’s not just her technical skills that make her stand out. It’s the way she lights up the ice and captivates the crowd. Skating has always been her passion, and you can see it in every polished movement, every flick of her wrist. This is her world, and she commands it with a kind of quiet power that’s impossible to look away from.

I can barely breathe as she nails her final jump, landing it so flawlessly it brings the entire arena to their feet. The crowd roars, and my heart swells with pride. Ava beams, grinning as she skates to the center of the ice, picking up the teddy bears and flowers fans throw in celebration.

She’s worked so hard for this moment, and now it’s hers. She glances up at the stands, right at me, and blows a kiss.

All I can say is that I’m the luckiest bastard alive.

As she and Nadia head over to the kiss and cry, a place where skaters and coaches wait for the scores to come in, I push my way through the crowd, clutching the bouquet of flowers I picked out earlier. My heart is still pounding, but this time, it’s not from nerves.

It’s from love.

Pure, overwhelming love for the woman who just took everyone’s breath away. A few years ago, I could never have imagined feeling these kinds of emotions.

Fast forward two years, and I can’t imagine not feeling them.

When I reach the televised area, Ava’s sitting next to Nadia, still catching her breath, her cheeks flushed with excitement. I step forward and offer her the flowers, grinning like an idiot. “You were amazing, Tink. Pure magic.”

Her face lights up when she sees me, and she stands on her skates, throwing her arms around me. I can feel her joy, her excitement radiating off her in heavy waves.

“Thank you. They’re gorgeous,” she says with a laugh, her voice muffled against my chest before she pulls away just enough to meet my gaze.

A spark fills her eyes. It’s the one that always makes me feel like I’m exactly where I belong.

Where I want to be.

With her.

“Hayes!” a reporter calls out, trying to shove the microphone in my face. “Any word on if you’ll be traded at the end of the season?”

“Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d much rather focus on my wife’s performance. She really smashed it out there, didn’t she?”

“She sure did!” he says, turning his attention back to her.

Over the last two years, we’ve become America’s sweethearts. The hockey player and the ice-skating queen. It still feels surreal sometimes, like it’s all a dream I’m afraid to wake up from.

But right now, at this moment, none of that matters.

As the scores come in, I hold her close, kissing her temple. “I’ve never seen you skate better. No matter what the judges say, your performance was perfect.”

She looks up at me, her eyes shimmering with emotion. “I couldn’t have done it without you. You’ve always been by my side. My biggest champion and supporter. I love you. More than anything.”

With a smile, I lean down to press my forehead against hers. “I love you too, baby girl. And I plan on proving it to you every day for the rest of our lives.”

Hours later, after celebrating her silver medal with our families and friends, I run a bath, knowing she’ll need to soak her exhausted muscles. She’s been training so hard for this moment.

Both physically and mentally.

And it paid off.

Pride fills me with everything my wife has accomplished. She’s become a force to be reckoned with in the competitive skating world.

When the tub is almost filled, and steam is rising from it, I turn off the taps and return to the bedroom where she’s waiting.

A smile curves my lips when I see she hasn’t moved a muscle.

“Such a good girl,” I say, offering my hand for her to take.

Her pupils dilate at the endearment as she places her fingers in mine, and I help her to her feet.

I press a kiss against her lips before turning her so her back is to me. After her performance, she cleaned off all the makeup and washed her hair. It hangs in loose waves around her shoulders. It’s carefully that I gather up the golden-blonde strands.

“Hold this up?”

Her arms rise to do as I’ve asked. I make quick work of the zipper, tugging it down the long line of her back. Once the material gapes open, she releases her hair so I can shove the material from one shoulder and then the other. The silky fabric puddles around her bare feet until she’s standing before me in nothing more than a black thong. After the tiny scrap of underwear gets stripped away, I sweep her hair aside and press a kiss against the delicate curve of her neck before reaching around and cupping the warm weight of her breasts. I can’t resist tugging at the little bars that pierce her nipples.

Fuck, but they’re sexy.

Her head falls back to rest on my chest as a soft sigh drifts from her lips. “That feels amazing.”

“Yes, it certainly does.” I continue stroking them because I know just how much she loves having her breasts played with.

Especially with the piercings.

Those were a surprise for our one-year anniversary.

I sweep her up into my arms and carry her into the bathroom before gently setting her on the marble counter. The room is steamy and warm from the bath. Unable to help myself, I take a step back to admire the pretty picture she makes sitting naked in front of the mirror with both sets of piercings on full display.

That’s all it takes for my cock to stiffen up.

I lean forward and kiss one breast before nipping at the hardened tip, sucking the little piercing into my mouth. Then I give the same treatment to the other one. A whimper falls from her lips as she arches into my touch.

I lick a hot trail down the middle of her ribcage to her bellybutton before sinking lower. My hands slide to her inner thighs, spreading them wide until my mouth can settle on her pussy.

When I swipe my tongue over her opening, circling the silver hoop, Ava groans and arches further. My hands slide from her thighs back up to her breasts to toy with the little bars.

When she’s dancing on the edge, I pull back, not wanting her to spiral out of control.

At least, not yet.

“Hayes, please don’t leave me hanging like this,” she says on a whimper.

A strained chuckle escapes from me as I press one last kiss against her pouty lower lips and tweak her nipples before rising to my feet. I might be tormenting her, but I’m doing the same damn thing to myself in the process.

“Be patient, Tink. I promise I’ll take care of you.”

She grumbles in response.

Before scooping her into my arms, I take another step back and admire just how gorgeous my wife is.

Both inside and out.

Her arms tangle around my neck as I sweep her up and carry her to the bath before gently lowering her into the warm water until she’s settled against the sloped porcelain. A sigh of contentment slips free as her body sinks into the steaming water. When she’s fully submerged, she widens her legs until she’s completely exposed. My gaze dips to her spread thighs before skimming up her body to settle on her face.

“Need more warm water added?”

“No.” With a shake of her head, her eyelids slide closed. “It’s perfect.”

My gaze roams over her naked body as I strip off my button-down and T-shirt. Her eyes crack open to watch me. I can practically feel the heat of her gaze licking over my chest. My fingers flick open the button of my khakis before lowering the zipper and shoving the material down my legs until I’m left in nothing but my boxers.

And then those get peeled away as well.

Her attention drops to my erection before she licks her lips and slants her gaze upward to meet mine. My guess is that the heat in her eyes is echoed tenfold within my own.

“Have I mentioned how hot my husband is?”

I smirk. “Nope, not lately.”

“Then I’ve been remiss.”

I fist my hard dick before stroking it. Her pupils dilate, and the black swallows up the blue. “I know the perfect way you can make it up to me.”

Her shoulders shake with laughter. “I’m sure you do.”

“Just saying.”

“Oh, I know exactly what you’re saying, and I’m happy to oblige.”

“Scoot up, baby.”

She scoots forward so I can step behind her before settling in the water and stretching out my legs on either side of her. My hands wrap around her ribcage before drawing her backside against me. When she’s positioned perfectly between my thighs, I press a kiss against her cheek. She turns her head until our lips can brush.

“I love you, baby. So fucking much it takes my breath away.”

The expression on her face softens. “I love you too. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

I squeeze her against me. “You’ll never have to.”

She twists in my arms until we’re facing one another. Only then does she rise and straddle my thighs. The piercing glints from between her spread lips as her fingers wrap around my cock before stroking the hard length. I can’t help but strain against her, loving the feel of her touch.

With her fingers still wrapped around my thick erection, she guides me to her entrance before slowly sliding down the length.

We both let out quiet sighs. Once she’s fully seated, her hands settle on my shoulders as she rocks against me until we fall into a steady rhythm. When her pussy spasms, it sets off my own orgasm. Our gazes stay locked as she takes me over the edge.

No matter what I experience in my life, nothing will ever feel as amazing as sliding inside her tight heat because it feels very much like coming home.

And that’s exactly what Ava will always be.

My home.

The End