Epilogue

Tripp

"It's almost time. Are you ready?" Millie asks, her voice soft but full of excitement, a smile lighting up her face. Her pride in me is clear, and it sends a warmth through my chest that I never want to lose.

I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close until her body fits perfectly against mine. Her lips are soft, inviting, and I press a gentle kiss against them, savoring the moment. No matter how many times I kiss her, it’ll never be enough. That much I’m sure of.

"I’m ready, thanks to you," I whisper, resting my forehead against hers.

Her eyes sparkle, happiness dancing in them as they search mine. "All I did was support you, Tripp. This is your success. You wrote the book. You did the work."

I shake my head slightly, cupping her face with one hand. "Your support is what brings me success." My voice is low, but every word is heavy with the truth. Without her, without everything she’s given me. I wouldn’t have made it this far.

Her smile deepens, a small laugh escaping her lips. "I don’t think you realize how talented you are."

The love I feel for this woman overwhelms me, more powerful than anything I’ve ever imagined—even stronger than the love I’ve written between my characters. What we have, it's not something I could ever fully capture on the page. It's raw, intense, and so damn real. It’s the kind of love that shakes you to your core and makes you see the world differently.

With her by my side, I know I can take on anything.

“And I don’t think you realize how irresistible you are.” I pepper her neck with kisses as my hand slides down her body. “We have a half hour, I know what we could spend that time doing.”

A soft giggle mixed with a moan escapes her as she shakes her head. “You’re terrible.”

I lift my gaze to hers and toss her a wink, something I recently found out she finds very sexy when she reads about a guy doing it. “If by terrible you mean totally turned on by the love of my life, then I guess I’d have to agree.”

“Oh Tripp,” she says, pressing her lips against mine.

Just as the kiss becomes more heated, deepening with the kind of passion that always leaves me breathless, there’s a knock on the door of the bookstore. I groan, pulling away from Millie reluctantly, already annoyed by whoever had the nerve to interrupt us. But the moment I look up, ready to unleash my frustration, I realize that yelling isn’t going to be an option.

Through the glass, standing at the entrance with wide, proud smiles, are my mother, Anya, Hartford, and Willow. Each of them is holding a copy of my book, their eyes gleaming with pride.

I curse under my breath, my pulse still racing from the kiss. So much for getting lost in the moment.

Millie chuckles softly beside me, brushing a stray hair behind her ear as she waves toward my family, who are blissfully unaware of the heated moment they are interrupting. "Well, looks like we’re gonna need to postpone you being terrible," she says, her tone light but teasing, the sparkle in her eyes letting me know she’s just as frustrated by the interruption.

I smirk, leaning in close to her ear, my lips grazing the soft skin of her neck. "That’s fine," I whisper, "because I know exactly how much the anticipation drives you crazy. And knowing that when we finally are alone, you'll be screaming my name while I make you come, is enough for now, little bunny."

Her breath hitches, her body tensing ever so slightly in response to my words. She doesn’t move away, though. Instead, her eyes lock with mine, darkening with that familiar heat that never fails to drive us both wild. My grin widens. Even though we’ve been together for a while now, the fire between us hasn’t dimmed. If anything, it’s only gotten stronger, more intense.

The love we shared when we were hiding away in our own little world was incredible. But now that our relationship is out in the open? Now that everyone knows? It’s earth-shattering. It’s like all the barriers we once had to navigate are gone, and what we have now is raw, real, and unstoppable.

The intensity of everything we feel for each other… the love, the desire, the connection… has only grown. It’s a whole new level, and even though sometimes I miss the simplicity of our bubble, I wouldn’t trade this for anything. Now that everyone knows, it’s like we’re finally free to be ourselves, without holding anything back.

I give Millie one last lingering look, my eyes locking onto hers, promising everything I said and more. Her soft smile reflects back at me, a shared understanding between us that runs deeper than words. As I turn toward my family, waiting at the door with wide smiles and eager expressions, I feel her hand still resting on my arm, grounding me. It's a small gesture, but in this moment, it’s everything.

“I’ll let them in,” she says, her voice soft but sure. “You should go sit down and get ready for the line of people who are now out there.” With a teasing grin, she brushes past me, walking toward the door, and I watch her go for a second longer than I should.

This is my moment, but she’s the reason I’m here.

Taking a deep breath, I sit down at the table we’d meticulously arranged earlier. The stack of books in front of me feels heavier now, not in weight, but in meaning. My first signing. My name on these covers. It’s surreal, and the mixture of excitement and nerves continues to swirl inside me. I run my fingers over the glossy surface of the top book, the one that represents everything I’ve worked for, everything Millie helped me believe I could achieve.

It had to be here, at Millie’s bookstore. This place is more than just shelves of novels and pages bound together, it’s where I found my courage. Not just the courage to admit I’m in love with her, but the courage to finally share my writing with the world. It’s where we built our bubble, our little world hidden from everything, and where I felt safe enough to let her in on my biggest secret.

As I glance back toward the door, I see my family pouring into the shop. My mom’s eyes are practically shining with pride as she whispers something to Anya. Paxton is already cracking jokes with Brock, probably planning how to give me hell later. And Callum, stoic as always, gives me that subtle nod, a silent acknowledgment of everything I’ve been working toward.

I scan the room and catch Millie’s eye again. She’s busy greeting people, but she shoots me a smile, her eyes full of love and pride. That’s when the nerves start to settle. Because this, all of this—it’s not just about the book. It’s about the journey, the leap of faith, and the support I never knew I needed until I found it in Millie.

As the guests begin to line up by the table, my book in their hands and smiles on their faces, I realize I’m nervous, but I’m ready. Ready to own this moment, this success. Because for the first time in my life, I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

Millie walks over and slides her hand into mine. “You ready?” she asks, her eyes full of that same unwavering belief she’s had in me from the start.

“Yeah,” I say, squeezing her hand. “I’m ready.”

This isn’t just about the book or the signing. It’s about everything that led me here—the love, the risks, the late nights spent pouring my heart into every word. And now, with Millie by my side and my family in the crowd, I’m more than ready to see where this next chapter of my life takes me.

Thank you so much for reading Tripp and Millie. Want more? CLICK HERE to get this amazing bonus epilogue with Tripp and Millie. (Warning, it’s STEAMY)

ALSO…Millie has started a book blog called Shelf Indulgence, and you can read her posts over on my Patreon . Find out all the quirky happenings over at Book, Spine, and Sinker…AND read the first post by CLICKING HERE! (no need to be a member)

Paxton and Hartford started it all in Don’t Fall For Your Best Friend. CLICK HERE to read their fun, steamy story. Hartford’s tasked with learning everything about the BDSM lifestyle and enlists her bestie, Paxton, to help. Read about how everything goes oh so wrong before they start going right.

What you can expect:

- BDSM Spice

- One Bed

- Best Friends-to-Lovers

- Secret Crush

- Forced Proximity

- Small Town

- Big Family

CLICK HERE to read Hartford and Paxton’s story! Available with KU.

Anya and Griffin hide their secret love affair in Don’t Fall For Your Brother’s Best Friend. When Anya begs to be included in the brewery with her older brothers, she ends up spending lots of time with the head chef, Griffin.

Griffin’s always had a thing for Anya, and now you can read how this cinnamon-roll hero has a naughty secret in the bedroom in Don’t Fall For Your Brother’s Best Friend today by CLICKING HERE!

What you can expect:

- Older Brother’s Best Friend

- Cinnamon Roll Hero

- Determined

CLICK HERE to preorder Don’t Fall For Your Grumpy Husband.