Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Jen

I jumped as arms wrapped around me from behind. It would take some getting used to, having Mark here with me in my home. He'd been true to his word and after we'd gotten home from deployment, he'd come out to Texas.

His voice was a deep rumble next to my ear. "Why are you up so early?"

I sucked in a deep breath, enjoying the cooler morning air mixing with the scent of the coffee I held. Mark's front was pressed to my back and the warmth from his body was spreading throughout mine. He was like a furnace and despite standing out here in sleep shorts and a tank top, I knew I could stay longer thanks to his heat.

"Just enjoying the sunrise," I told him.

"We're on vacation," he grumbled. "You're supposed to sleep in on vacation."

I laughed and swatted at him. We stood quietly and watched the sun coming up over the horizon. Snuggling back into him, I sighed.

"What's wrong?" When I shot him a curious look over my shoulder he asked, "Why are you sighing?"

"Oh. It's a happy sigh. It's...been really nice having you here." I frowned. "I sort of don't want you to leave," I admitted.

He chuckled and kissed my temple. "I'm glad you feel that way. There's something I need to talk to you about."

"Okay," I said. Wariness crept in, and I turned in his arms to face him.

"According to the Army we can't be together. Not to mention we live so far apart it isn't ideal." His dark eyes searched mine. He must have liked what he found there because he continued, "So I was thinking about retiring."

I gasped and my eyes widened. I'd have never asked him to do something like that for me, to end his career. The fact that he was offering it stunned me. "But you love flying."

He nodded. "I didn't say anything about not flying. I said I was thinking about retiring." He cupped my cheek.

"You love being a combat pilot, what on earth could you do that would compare?"

"Well, I have this friend…"

I cut him off, "Let me guess, you deployed together? Iraq?"

He laughed "Yup. Anyway, after that deployment he got out of the army, started his own hedge fund, became a big wig investor. Now he's investing in businesses all over the country. He wants to start a hunting business, charge people to hunt wild boar in Texas. Hunt them from helicopters."

"You have got to be joking."

"Nope, the wild boars are a big problem out here, and rich hunters from all over the world will pay big money to hunt from a helicopter. He's been asking me to take the lead on this for a while, and now seems like the perfect opportunity."

"Mark…you'd do that for me?"

"If this job wasn't available I'd find something else. The only thing that matters is being here with you. I've had my share of Army fun. Now it's your turn. I want every possible minute I can have with you. I love you Jen.

My heart beat picked up as we stood there silently while I gathered my wits. "I love you, Mark," I finally told him. "This is so much more than I could have asked for. More than I ever hoped.

His smile was wide and brilliant. "Thought you were going to leave me hanging there for a minute."

I laughed and shook my head. "I'm always a step behind you it seems. So that means you'll move here to Texas?" I asked, hope permeating every word.

"Yeah. We can live here or find a bigger place together. Whatever you'd like."

I squealed and flung myself into his arms. "That sounds perfect!"

"I'm glad you agree, because I already submitted my retirement packet."

"Pretty bold move," I teased him.

He hefted me up into his arms, and I wrapped my legs around his waist while peppering kisses on any patch of bare skin I could find. Mark sputtered indignantly, but the flash of pleasure in his eyes told me he enjoyed the attention and my exuberance at his plan.

When I finally stopped attacking him, he strode with me into the bedroom. "If you like that, you'll love what comes next."

I clung to him like a baby monkey while he searched through his bag in the closet. He held something up in front of my face. It was so close to my nose, I nearly went cross-eyed looking at the sparkling ring he was holding. I sucked in a breath and met his eyes.

"I want to be the husband that you walk backward on the flightline for when you're deployed." My throat tightened as tears threatened to fall. "I want to be the spouse that you can't wait to come home to. I want you to be my wife, so I can boast to everyone I know about what a badass helicopter pilot I'm married to." He leaned in and kissed me. It was hard to let him pull back so he could finish. "I want us to spend a life making memories together and eventually grow old together. Will you marry me, Jennifer?"

I cupped both his cheeks in my hands and looked him dead in the eye before saying in a serious tone, "Aw, Sweetie, you're already old." When he barked out a surprised laugh, I continued on, "But yes, I'll marry you. I love you so much."

He slid the ring on my finger and tossed me onto the bed. "Take it back."

"What?" I asked, all innocence.

"Calling me old. I'll show you who's old," he muttered, as he crawled over me on the bed. He laid his muscular body on top of mine and I sighed happily until he kissed the breath from my body. I couldn't wait to do this every day for the rest of our lives.

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