Epilogue

Six Months Later

Jesse

I shift in my seat as the Uber weaves through the late afternoon traffic, my knee bouncing with a mix of exhaustion and excitement. After a grueling week of meetings, I'm finally headed home to Encinitas—and more importantly, to Martin. I can't wait to see him.

Digging my phone out of my pocket, I quickly tap out a text.

Me: Just left the airport. Be home soon, love.

His reply is almost instantaneous, making me smile.

Martin: Just drop your bags at home and meet me at Moonlight instead.

I raise an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. Moonlight Beach is still our favorite spot, the place we take our nightly walks together to watch the sun dip below the horizon in a blaze of oranges and reds.

Me: Everything okay?

Martin: Everything's perfect. Just thought we could take an evening stroll before heading back. I've missed you.

A warmth blooms in my chest. God, I've missed him too—his laugh, his sarcasm, the way his eyes crinkle when he smiles. This past week apart has seemed long. It's the longest we've been apart from each other since we officially decided to be together six months ago.

Me: Sounds amazing. I'll see you soon.

Pocketing my phone, I lean back and gaze out the window, watching the familiar sights pass by. My body may be drained from long flights and endless meetings, but my heart is light with anticipation of seeing my love.

These last six months of living together have been the happiest of my life. After the pain of my divorce and the initial fear of opening myself up again, Martin helped me rediscover joy, passion, and the courage to love wholeheartedly. He's become my safe harbor, my best friend, my everything.

I can't wait to see him.

After a short pit-stop at the house so I can ditch my suitcase inside, the Uber pulls up along the beachfront, and I quickly thank my driver before hopping out. The salty ocean breeze caresses my face as I start down the path.

My eyes immediately find Martin sitting on our favorite rock, just beside the main lifeguard office. The setting sun bathes him in a warm, golden glow, as he gazes out at the endless waves rolling in, and my breath catches at how beautiful he looks.

As if sensing my presence, he turns and meets my stare. A slow smile spreads across his face, crinkling those laugh lines I love so much. Rising from the bench, he opens his arms to me.

I break into a jog, the week's tension melting away with each step.

I pull him flush against me, breathing him in—that warm, earthy scent that's uniquely his. "God, I missed you so much," I murmur into the crook of his neck, my lips brushing his skin.

He shivers in my embrace. "Not half as much as I missed you, love." His fingers thread through my hair, sending tingles down my spine.

We stand there for endless moments, just holding each other close, our hearts beating in sync. The crashing of the waves fades into the background as I lose myself in the solidity of his arms around me, the comforting familiarity of his touch.

After so many years of closing myself off, of putting up walls to guard my battered heart, Martin broke through every one of my defenses. He saw me at my most vulnerable and loved me anyway. With him, I don't have to hide or pretend - I can simply be myself, flaws and all.

Pulling back, I gaze into those warm brown eyes that never fail to take my breath away. "I love you," I whisper, meaning it with every fiber of my being. "You've made me happier than I ever dreamed possible."

Martin's eyes shine with tenderness and a hint of mischief. "I love you too, mo ghrá." His lips quirk. "But as much as I'd love to ravish you right here on this beach, I've a surprise first."

He chuckles at my raised eyebrow and extracts himself from my arms. Taking my hand, he tugs me further down the shore. "Come on, you."

I follow him, curiosity bubbling inside me. He pulls me toward an outcropping of rocks jutting out from the cliffside which create a small alcove, sheltered from the wind. I stop in my tracks, my breath catching at the sight before me.

"What is all this?" I whisper, awe coloring my voice.

He's transformed the secluded patch of sand into a magical oasis. A plush beach blanket is spread out, inviting us to sink into its softness. Surrounding it are wooden posts stuck into the sand, draped with twinkling fairy lights that cast a warm, ethereal glow over everything.

A small Bluetooth speaker plays soft jazz, the mellow tones drifting on the ocean breeze. The centerpiece of this enchanted setting is a wicker picnic basket.

He tugs me toward the blanket, a shy smile playing on his lips. "I wanted to welcome you home properly."

We settle onto the blanket, and Martin begins unpacking the basket. He pulls out a bottle of my favorite Cabernet Sauvignon, two stemless wine glasses, and an array of mouthwatering goodies.

There's a charcuterie board laden with an assortment of cured meats, artisanal cheeses, and dried fruit. Crusty bread and crackers accompany olives and sun-dried tomatoes. My stomach growls appreciatively.

"And for dessert, we have your favorite truffles from that little shop downtown," he says, producing a small box of gourmet chocolates.

I'm overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness. This man, who once convinced himself he was too set in his ways for love, has created the most romantic setting I've ever seen.

"Martin, this is... incredible," I manage, my voice thick with emotion. "I love it. Thank you."

He reaches out, cupping my cheek in his hand. "You're worth every bit of effort."

A while later, I lean back against his chest, savoring the warmth of his body and the gentle rise and fall of his breathing. I'm pleasantly full and relaxed. The wine has left a pleasant buzz humming through my veins, making everything feel soft and dreamy. The sun has long since dipped below the horizon, leaving us bathed in the soft glow of the fairy lights. It's like we're in our own private universe, the two of us wrapped up in a cocoon of contentment.

His fingers trace lazy patterns along my arm as we listen to the waves roll in. The rhythmic sound blends with the soft jazz still playing from the speaker, and I simply can't imagine a more perfect moment.

"Jesse," he murmurs, his breath warm against my ear. "These past six months have been the best of my life, you know."

I turn to look up at him, my heart swelling at the emotion I see in his eyes. "For me too," I agree, reaching up to brush my fingers along his jawline.

He catches my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm. "I never thought I'd have this again," he continues, his voice thick. "After Richard... I convinced myself I was done with love. That I was too old, too set in my ways."

I stay quiet, giving him space to gather his thoughts. Martin's not usually one for grand declarations, so I can tell this means a lot to him.

"But you," he says, shaking his head with a soft laugh. "You came crashing into my life like a bloody hurricane. Turned everything upside down in the best possible way."

"Careful," I tease gently. "You're dangerously close to being romantic."

He rolls his eyes, but his smile is fond. "Cheeky bastard," he mutters, before his expression turns serious again. "I mean it, Jess. You make me happier than I ever thought I could be again. I love you so fecking much."

My heart skips a beat as he gently nudges me to lean forward. I shift, curious and a little confused, until he reaches into his back pocket. Time seems to slow as he pulls out a small velvet box, and suddenly, I can't breathe.

Martin's eyes, usually so confident and full of mischief, are wide with vulnerability. His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows hard while he shifts onto one knee in front of me.

"Jesse," he begins, his voice uncharacteristically shaky. "I never thought I'd be doing this again. But you... you've changed everything for me."

I'm frozen, my mind racing to catch up with what's happening. Is this real? Is Martin really about to...?

He takes a deep breath, steadying himself. "You've shown me it's never too late for love, that my heart still has room to grow. You've become my home, my safe harbor, my greatest adventure."

Martin opens the velvet box, revealing a simple, elegant platinum band. The fairy lights dance off its polished surface, and I feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

"Jesse Greenwood," Martin continues, his voice growing stronger even as it trembles with emotion. "Would you do me the incredible honor of becoming my husband?"

The world narrows to just this moment - the soft sand beneath us, the gentle crash of waves, the twinkling lights, and Martin's earnest, hopeful face. My heart feels like it might burst.

Martin

My heart pounds against my ribs like a wild animal trying to escape its cage. Sweat beads on my forehead despite the cool ocean breeze, and my palms are so clammy I have to wipe them on my jeans. I can barely breathe as I watch Jesse's face.

My legs tremble, and I'm grateful I'm already on one knee. If I were standing, I might collapse from the sheer intensity of this moment. The ring box in my hand feels impossibly heavy, as if it contains all my hopes and dreams for our future together.

"Yes," Jesse breathes, his voice thick with emotion. "God, yes, Martin. Of course yes!."

My heart explodes with joy. I surge to my feet, nearly dropping the ring in my rush to rip it out of the box and put it on his finger. Jesse's arms are around me in an instant, crushing me against his chest. I bury my face in his neck, inhaling his scent as tears of happiness stream down my cheeks.

His body shakes against mine, and I realize he's crying too. But when I pull back to look at him, he's grinning so wide I'm concerned his face might split right apart. A laugh bubbles up from my chest.

"I love you," I choke out. "So feckin' much. Christ on a bike, look what you do to me!"

Jesse laughs, and cups my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away my tears even as his own continue to fall. "I love you too, Marty-love. More than I ever thought possible."

I gaze at this man. This love of my life, his face radiant with joy, and I'm struck by how far I've come. Only one year ago, I was convinced I'd spend the rest of my life alone, clinging to Richard's memory like a lifeline. But now, here I am, engaged to this incredible man who's brought light back into my world.

It took me a while to learn it, but Jesse, together with some help from Celeste, helped me truly understand that loving him doesn't diminish the love I had for Richard. In fact, it's the exact opposite: it honors that love.

I can almost hear Richard's voice, teasing me for taking so long to open my heart again. He'd be thrilled to see me now - happy, in love, building a future with someone who cherishes me.

I can barely contain my excitement as we hastily gather up our things and pack away the trash from our romantic dinner. We stumble across the sand, giggling and stealing kisses like lovesick teenagers as my heart races, desire coursing through my veins.

We practically sprint home, our hunger for each other thick in the air. I fumble with the house keys when we reach the front door as he ghosts his hot breath across the back of my neck. My cock surges to attention in my pants, making it nearly impossible to focus on the damn door lock.

Finally, the door swings open. We tumble inside, dropping our beach gear unceremoniously on the floor. Before I can catch my breath, Jesse pushes me up against the door, his body pressing into mine.

"God, I need you," he growls, grinding his hips against me.

I moan, my head falling back against the door as his lips find my throat. My fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him closer, and his hard length presses into my leg, ramping up my desperation for him.

He slides his hands under my shirt, splays his fingers across my back, and pulls me more tightly against him. My breath catches. There's almost nothing hotter than when Jesse gets desperate and feral like this.

With a fierce growl, he lifts me off my feet, pressing me harder against the door, so I wrap my legs around his waist. His taste drives me half mad and his tongue tangles with mine, stroking and teasing and sending shivers down my spine. My head spins and my body begs for more as we press into each other, every gasp and moan spinning us up even higher.

I thread my hands through his hair, holding onto him like I'll never let him go—because I don't plan to. He teases the skin just above the waistband of my jeans with his fingertips, and I rock my hips against him in search of more friction.

My heart is galloping, my skin on fire. With a sharp tug, I put just enough distance between us to yank his shirt over his head, breaking kiss just long enough to admire his gorgeous, bare chest. But then his lips are on my neck, his teeth grazing my pulse point right above my own t-shirt, and I rasp out a low groan.

His mouth travels downward, lips and teeth grazing my collarbone. My head falls back, letting out another wanton moan. All I can do is cling to him, my fingers digging into his muscled back, trying to pull him even closer.

"You feel so damn good," he murmurs, his voice husky and filled with need. His hands slide lower, cupping my ass and hitching me higher against him.

He bends his head to tease my nipples through the material of my shirt, biting and nipping at them until I'm a writhing, panting mess.

"Jesse," I groan, my voice hoarse with need. "Bedroom. Now."

With one last scorching kiss, he tears himself away and sets me down, his eyes dark with desire. My legs are wobbly, but somehow I manage to stay upright as he grabs my hand and pulls me up the stairs to our room.

A familiar thrill sparks in my chest as we stumble to our bed, both ripping off our remaining clothes as we go. God, I love surrendering control to this man.

He pushes me onto the bed, and I sink into the mattress, my heart racing as he hovers over me, his eyes burning with raw desire. With another low growl, he captures my lips, kissing me deeply.

His mouth is demanding, possessing, and I can't get enough. I slide my hands over his broad shoulders, down the strong muscles of his back as I arch into him. I moan into his mouth, my body burning everywhere we touch.

He trails kisses down my neck, and I let out a whimper. When Jesse's like this, so controlling and fierce, I'm nothing but putty in his hands, powerless to resist as he explores my body with his lips and tongue. It's by far the most sensual, arousing, erotic thing I've ever experienced. The physical chemistry we share is something I've never known, and I'm completely addicted to it.

His mouth continues its scorching path, leaving me breathless and begging for more. Each touch sends more shocks of pleasure through me, and what little control I had left slips away. I'm his to command, and surrendering everything to him thrills me like nothing else.

"God, Jesse," I gasp as his lips find a particularly sensitive spot on my neck. "I need—"

"I know what you need," he growls, his eyes glittering.

My words are gone at this point. My senses are overwhelmed, my body alive with sensation. His bites and kisses brand me, claiming me for everyone to see. My world narrows to his touch as I let the outside world go and my entire focus is Jesse: his taste, his scent, the sound of his ragged breath mingling with mine.

Sitting back on his heels, he runs his palms over my thighs, teasingly close to where I ache for him. His eyes are dark and his touch is electric, sending sparks throughout my entire body.

He teases me, brushing my cock ever so lightly with the tips of his fingers. I gasp, and then groan painfully as he gives me a wicked smile. He knows exactly what he's doing, his soft, feather-like touches causing my hips to jerk involuntarily. I'm almost thrashing on the bed by now, but still, he merely teases, his touch maddeningly light, as he relishes my torment. God, the man knows how to make me beg.

"You're so beautiful," he murmurs before leaning back over me and running his tongue along my collarbone, his breath hot against my skin. "I could look at you forever."

I whimper again, desire pooling in my gut. "Jesse, please—"

My words turn into a sharp gasp as he shifts down my body suddenly, and quickly envelops my cockhead with the searing, wet heat of his mouth. Sensations explode through me, white-hot and electrifying. My back arches, my hips thrusting involuntarily.

A deep groan rumbles in his throat, the vibrations nearly sending me over the edge. I grab his hair, desperately needing to ground myself, even as I thrust roughly into his mouth, unable to hold back for even one more second.

Jesse's tongue swirls and flicks, driving me wild. My breath comes in short, sharp pants.

I close my eyes, unable to bear the erotic sight of his mouth stretched wide around my girth. Every muscle in my body is taut, coiled tightly like a spring ready to snap.

His mouth is scorching, his tongue a slick weapon as he works me over relentlessly. I can't think, can't breathe. I'm on fire, every nerve ending screaming for release as he takes me impossibly deeper, his cheeks hollowing out as he sucks hard. A strangled cry tears from my throat, my hips jerking helplessly.

And suddenly, right as I'm teetering on that knife-edge of release, he pulls off me. I let out a frustrated roar, snapping my eyes open to see that wicked glint in his eyes and an evil grin on his face.

"No. No! Please, please, Jesse," I beg shamelessly, but he just runs his palms slowly over my heaving chest, a smug smile on his lips.

"So eager," he murmurs, his voice thick and husky. His dark eyes never leave mine as he slowly and deliberately reaches to the nightstand for the lube, and just as slowly opens it and pours a generous amount onto his fingers.

Then, with a smirk, he pours a slick trail down my crack, making me shiver.

His touch is feathery light as he begins to tease me open, circling my entrance but not pressing inside. I groan, as he taunts and teases me.

"Please," I beg again, my voice hoarse. "Jesse, I need—"

He silences me with a deep, searing kiss, stealing my breath at the same time as he pushes one finger gently inside me.

A shudder runs through me at the intrusion, that pleasure-pain that makes my toes curl.

He breaks the kiss, his eyes dark and hooded as he sits back to watch his finger slide in and out of me. "You good?" he whispers.

"Yes," I hiss, my hips moving to meet his rhythm. " I need more."

Jesse takes pity on me, sliding a second finger inside me . He stretches me slowly, carefully, his gaze never leaving mine.

I clench around his fingers, and he chuckles darkly. "So damn tight, my love. God, you feel so good, Martin."

His words send a rush of heat through me. I love the way he says my name, the way he makes me feel wanted and cherished. I can't take my eyes off him as he prepares me, his fingers working gently but relentlessly.

"Jesse, please. I need you. Now."

He freezes, his eyes searching mine, as if confirming I'm sure. And I am. God, I am.

With a growl, he pulls his fingers out and lines his cock up with my hole. I hold the backs of my thighs, opening myself to him. My chest heaving with desire and anticipation of the pleasure I know is coming.

I feel the head of his cock at my entrance, and let out a slow, deep breath as he pushes inside my eager body.

We both groan as I take him in, and I shudder when his thighs press up against my ass as he gets fully seated. He falls forward onto me, our bodies fully fused together in every way they can. He rotates his hips, and I can feel him deeply inside me. I let out a sigh as happiness courses through me. We're exactly where we should be. This man was made for me. My body knows this as surely as it knows how to breathe. I look deeply into his eyes as our breaths mingle. I move so I can hold his face between my palms.

"God, I love you, Jesse. I love you so much." My voice breaks, and inexplicably I feel my eyes fill. Jesse and I have made love before, but this… This feels transcendent.

"I love you, Martin. More than I've ever loved anyone. Ever," he breathes out, his expression is raw as he moves inside me. "God, you feel so… I can't describe—"

"I know baby, I feel it too," I whisper as I reach up to press our mouths together. He wraps his arms around my head as he holds me close, only breaking our kiss to breathe.

Our bodies move together like we're one being, each of us knowing instinctively what the other needs. Slowly, what began as slow and infinitely gentle becomes faster and harder, but our connection, the intimacy only grows stronger as we stare into each other's eyes.

As our movements pick up speed, the room is filled with our soft gasps and sighs, murmurs of love flowing between us easily and without thought. the sound of our love and our passion filling the room.

We're both approaching the edge of our orgasms. Jesse's smooth thrusts start to stutter and he has to close his eyes for a moment. "Martin, I can't, I'm so close," he chokes out.

"Do it, come with me now, love. Now!" I shout as my own orgasm crests, my body tightening around him as he squeezes his eyes shut and thrusts into me hard, every muscle in his beautiful body tensing as he empties inside me at exactly the same moment I release, my orgasm lasting for what seems like forever.

He collapses onto me, our bodies slick with sweat, both of us gasping for breath. I hold him against me, not wanting to release him from my body, wishing he could simply stay in me forever.

He nuzzles into the crook of my neck as we come down from our high. I feel his heart hammering in his chest almost as clearly as I feel my own. His breath is warm across my sweaty skin as I run my fingertips gently through the sweaty tendrils of his hair at the base of his neck, savoring this perfect, dreamy afterglow.

Finally, our breathing slows to a steady rhythm, and our heartrates return to normal. His cock softens, and we both wince as he slides out of me.

"I love you so much, he says with a sweet smile, and my regular, gentle-natured Jesse is back. I love the way he gets feral and commanding during sex sometimes, but when Jesse is just being Jesse, he's pretty fucking amazing as well.

"I love you, too, my husband-to-be," I say with a grin as he moves to lie beside me, gathering me into his arms and pressing a kiss into my temple.

We share a chuckle as we lie tangled together. The silence stretches between us, comfortable and intimate. The peace I feel when we're together this way feeds my soul unlike anything else can.

Loving Jesse hasn't been easy every day. As with every relationship, there are plenty of ups and downs. Sometimes my fear that something will take him away from me gets out of control. And there are times Jesse still struggles with self-doubt.

But we both know that no matter what the future holds, we'll be there for each other, for as long as the universe will let us. We're willing to take that leap of faith that is love, again and again, for as long as we both shall live.

The End