Second Epilogue

Perry–nine months later

The cabin is quiet except for the soft coos of our two little girls as they settle into their new nursery. Violet and Lily, just days old, are swaddled in matching lavender blankets, their tiny hands peeking out from the soft folds. The nursery is everything I imagined—sunlight filters through the pale yellow curtains, casting a warm glow over the double wooden cribs that Knox built himself. It's filled with the scent of baby powder and fresh flowers—roses and peonies, the same ones that decorated our wedding truck and the very flowers that fill my shop every day.

Knox stands at the foot of the crib, his broad shoulders blocking most of the light, his face a mixture of awe and sheer panic. I can't help but smile. The man who once faced down threats in the military without blinking is now rendered speechless by two tiny humans.

He hasn't taken his eyes off them for more than a second since we walked through the door. He was so gentle when he carried them inside, his hands, normally rough and calloused, cradling them like the most delicate treasures. And now, as we finally settle them down for a nap, his brows are furrowed, and his lips press into a thin line, like he's expecting something to go wrong at any moment.

"You know, you don't have to stand guard over them like they're about to sprout wings and fly out of the crib," I tease softly, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind, leaning my head against his strong back. The smell of pine and the outdoors clings to him, mixing with the sweetness of the nursery.

Knox exhales, running a hand over his face before turning to face me. His green eyes are darker than usual, filled with a mixture of love, pride, and something deeper—something vulnerable. "I'm just…making sure," he mumbles, glancing back at the babies like he still can't believe they're real.

I press my lips to the space between his shoulder blades, grinning against his skin. "They're fine. We're fine. Everything's perfect, Knox."

He lets out a low chuckle, the sound rumbling through his chest. "You make it sound so easy."

I step around him, resting a hand on his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heart under my palm. "That's because it is," I say softly, my eyes locked on his. "At least when you're with me."

Knox's eyes soften, and for a moment, the tough, hardened man I first met melts away. He reaches for me, pulling me close, his lips brushing my forehead. "You've always been too good at calming me down, Petal. Even when I don't deserve it."

"You deserve everything," I whisper, standing on my toes to kiss him. He meets me halfway, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that starts soft, but quickly deepens into something more. Something raw.

I pull back, breathless. "Come on," I murmur, taking his hand and leading him away from the crib where Violet and Lily are finally sleeping peacefully. We step quietly out of the room, and as I close the door behind us, I glance back at our girls, my heart swelling with so much love it almost hurts.

Knox follows me to the living room, where we collapse onto the couch, the warmth of the fire from the hearth making the space feel cozy, intimate. I rest my head on his shoulder, and for a moment, we just sit there, basking in the quiet peace that has fallen over the cabin.

"You know," I start, my voice low and teasing, "I think you're going to spoil those girls rotten."

Knox chuckles, his arm wrapping around me, pulling me closer. "They deserve it."

"And what about me?" I ask, glancing up at him with a playful smirk. "Do I get to be spoiled too?"

Knox's eyes darken, his expression shifting into something that sends a shiver down my spine. His hand trails up my arm, then across my collarbone, his touch light but deliberate. "Oh, Petal," he murmurs, his voice rough with desire, "you'll be spoiled for the rest of your life."

I shiver at his words, my pulse quickening as he leans down, his lips finding the sensitive skin just below my ear. He kisses me there, slow and reverent, before trailing his mouth lower, across my neck, down to the hollow of my throat.

"Knox…" My voice comes out in a whisper, and I tilt my head back, giving him more access as his lips move over my skin, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.

"I'll spend a lifetime making you happy," he murmurs between kisses, his voice husky, filled with a deep intensity that makes my breath catch. "I swear to you, Perry. I'll never stop loving you, never stop showing you how much you mean to me."

His hands move to the hem of my shirt, and he tugs it up and over my head, tossing it aside without a second thought. I gasp when his mouth covers one of my breasts, his lips teasing the sensitive peak, while his hand slips around my back, pulling me flush against him.

Every touch, every kiss, is a promise—one he makes with his body, his words, his soul.

"Knox," I whisper, threading my fingers through his hair, tugging gently. "I love you."

He growls softly against my skin, lifting me up with ease and settling me across his lap, his hands gripping my hips as he looks up at me, his eyes filled with nothing but love and adoration.

"Say it again," he rumbles, his hands sliding under the waistband of my leggings, pulling them down slowly, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. "Say it, Perry."

I bite my lip, the anticipation building between us, the air thick with heat and tension. "I love you, Knox. I love you more than anything."

His hands move to cup my face, pulling me down for a kiss that is both tender and urgent, his lips molding against mine in a way that leaves no room for doubt. Knox has always kissed me like he's trying to memorize me, like he's afraid this moment could slip through his fingers. Tonight is no different. But now, there's a new softness to his touch, a reverence that comes from the life we've built together, the family we've created.

He lowers me onto the couch, his body covering mine as his mouth continues to explore, his hands worshiping every inch of me. "You're my everything," he whispers against my skin, his breath hot as he moves lower, pressing kisses to my stomach, my hips, down to the tops of my thighs. "You've given me everything, Petal."

I arch into him, my body responding to his words, his touch, the way he makes me feel cherished, loved. He's always been like this—fierce and tender all at once. And now, with our girls asleep in the next room, I can feel that fierceness softening into something even deeper.

"Knox," I moan softly, my hands fisting in the fabric of the couch as he moves between my legs, his mouth finding places that make me lose all sense of reality. He takes his time, savoring every moment, every reaction, until I'm trembling beneath him, lost in the overwhelming pleasure only he can give me.

When he finally pulls me back up to straddle his lap, his hands gripping my hips, his eyes lock onto mine, and I see it—the future we've built, the love we've shared, the family we've created. It's all there, shining in his gaze, and I know, without a doubt, that I've found my forever.

He presses a kiss to my forehead, then my lips, before whispering, "I'll spend the rest of my life making sure you know how much I love you. You and our girls."

I smile through the haze of desire, my heart swelling with so much love for this man that it feels like I could burst. "I know you will," I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion. "Because I love you too, Knox Steele. Always."

And as we sit there, wrapped in each other's arms, the fire crackling softly in the fireplace, the weight of our new life settling over us, I know that everything we've been through has led us to this moment.

This love. This family. This home.

The End.

Read the next book in the Men of Copper Mountain series here.