Epilogue

BOAZ

One Year Later

E llery was my date for my father’s wedding. Oh, we drew some curious stares, but no one dared say anything, probably knowing neither of the grooms would tolerate it.

And when one of Ellery’s buddies from his days as a smokejumper died, I went with him to the funeral. There was some serious ribbing, but no one seemed to have a real issue with us being together.

We’d become a family. Somehow, I’d found what I’d wanted for so long…and I’d found it in the last place I would’ve expected.

I’d grown to love Forestville. Brianna—who ran Brianna’s Bakery and Coffee Shoppe—had the most amazing pastries I had quickly become addicted to. Collins Family Grocer sold everything one could need urgently, like the toilet paper I’d forgotten to buy once. Thank god for small-town grocery stores.

Billy’s General Store also functioned as the post office, and we did a lot of business with them once I’d built Ellery a decent website and had started selling his woodwork there. We’d even personally delivered a few big pieces, making a fun weekend trip out of it when it was out of state.

My own artwork was doing really well too. I’d even had to close commissions a few times because the backlog had become too much—and not because I wasn’t working hard. The structure Ellery provided did miracles for me in every way. I looked better, felt better, slept better, ate better, and got much more work done.

The regular and rather spectacular sex didn’t hurt either. Spankings were still part of the program, and on occasion, Ellery liked to tie me down with some soft ropes and drive me absolutely crazy. He was the perfect level of dominance for me, and I couldn’t love him more.

“You know what day it is today?” Ellery asked as he flipped a pancake.

We’d started the day with a quick, hard fuck—just the way I liked it. I frowned. “It’s a week till Christmas?”

Then it hit me. “Oh… It’s a year ago that we met.”

“It is.”

“Best year ever.”

“Yeah?”

I snorted. “If that’s news to you, you haven’t been paying attention, old man.”

He scratched his chin, grinning broadly. “I mean, the way you screamed my name this morning when I made you come was a good indication you like me.”

“Or that I like your cock.”

“True, but maybe it’s both?”

I waggled my hand. “A little of both?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Does someone need another spanking?”

“Dude, my ass is still red from the last one, so that would be a no.”

He slid the pancake onto a plate, which joined the three perfect others he’d already made, then shot me a concerned look. “Was I too rough?”

I wanted to make another joke, then thought better of it. Ellery’s protectiveness was not something to take lightly. “No, not at all. I loved it.”

“Okay.” He turned his attention back to the stove. “Just wanted to make sure.”

When he’d made six more pancakes—the man ate a lot—he turned off the stove and sat down too.

“Oh, I forgot to get the maple syrup,” I said, quickly getting up to grab it.

Walking back, I twisted off the cap to pour some over my pancakes, then came to a full stop. Something was on top of my pancakes. Something made of wood? A small…

Oh god.

Only then did I realize Ellery was on one knee. The maple syrup slid from my fingers, and Ellery caught it just before it crashed to the floor. He put it on the table, then looked up and met my eyes.

“Marry me.” He chuckled. “I had prepared this whole speech, but I can’t seem to remember a word of it right now. All I know is that I love you so much. You’re my sunshine, my happiness, my everything. And I want to make you mine officially. Please, will you marry me?”

I nodded, my eyes filling with tears as elation filled me. “Yes. God, yes. You had me at ‘Marry me.’”

He rose, then plain lifted me from the ground and kissed me. I wrapped my legs around him, and we kissed until we ran out of breath. He carefully set me down again, his eyes shining.

“When?” I asked, my voice squeaking a little.

“Next week, next month, I don’t care as long as it’s soon.”

I considered it. Did I want a big wedding? Nah, not really. I wanted my dad and Hawk there and maybe Jesse and Uncle Desmond and a handful of friends, but that was it. “Next month sounds really good.”

He cupped my face in his big hands. “I can’t wait, sweetheart.”

We kissed again, and only then did I hold out my hand so he could slide the beautiful wooden ring on my finger. “I’ll buy you a real one,” Ellery said. “But I wanted to do that with you.”

I held out my hand, admiring his handiwork. “If I knew this one would last a lifetime, I’d pick this one.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.” I studied it. “You think we could do something to it to make it a little more sturdy? I want to be able to wear it for special occasions.”

“I can come up with something,” he said hoarsely. “I love you so much.”

I leaned in for another kiss. “I love you too.”

Merry early Christmas to me.

Thank you for reading Celebrating the Season.