Epilogue 1 - Luc

12 Months Later

Iwake up to the sound of soft snores and the warmth of Natalie"s body pressed against mine. A smile tugs at my lips as I look down at my wife—fuck, I don"t think I"ll ever get tired of calling her that. Even after being married for six months, I still sometimes can"t believe she"s mine.

Careful not to wake her, I slip out of bed and pad to the kitchen. Today"s a big day, and I want everything to be perfect. It"s the one-year anniversary of Natalie"s restaurant opening, and we"re hosting a big celebration tonight.

As I start the coffee and begin whipping up some of Natalie"s favorite blueberry pancakes, my mind drifts to the past year. It"s been a whirlwind, to say the least. After I proposed, everything kicked into high gear. We finished out the best season the team has ever had, and then Natalie and I had the wedding of our dreams, a beautiful ceremony right here in Sugar City with all our friends and family. Natalie was a stunning bride, and I"ll never forget the way she looked walking down the aisle toward me.

The team is looking great for this new season, and Natalie"s restaurant has gone from strength to strength too. She"s been featured in several national food magazines, and there"s even talk of her opening a second location. I couldn"t be prouder of her.

I"m just flipping the last pancake when I feel a pair of arms wrap around my waist.

"Morning, handsome," Natalie murmurs, pressing a kiss between my shoulder blades.

I turn in her arms, greeting her with a proper kiss. "Morning, beautiful. Happy restaurant anniversary."

She grins. "Gosh. I can"t believe it"s been a year."

"Best year of my life," I tell her honestly.

Her eyes soften. "Mine too. Turns out we don't argue anywhere near as much as I thought we would."

I chuckle. "True. But I have that's got to do with the fact we make up pretty well." I give her a wink, and she blushes as we share a knowing smile.

"Breakfast smells delicious," she says, changing the subject. "Blueberry pancakes?"

"Of course. I know how much you love them."

Natalie helps me carry everything to the table. "I do love them...almost as much as I love you."

"You better," I scoff, pouring us both a cup of coffee while she giggles.

Over breakfast, we reminisce about the past year: the good, the bad, the messy kitchen floors, and the even messier fights on the ice. But through it all, we"ve supported each other, and our love has only grown stronger.

As I"m clearing the plates, Natalie"s phone chimes with a message. She checks it and squeals.

"The bank approved my application! We're expanding, baby!"

I set the dishes down and spin her around in a hug. "That's my girl! I knew you"d do it!"

"I couldn"t have done it without you," she says, her eyes shining with happiness. "Luc Bouchard, you"re my rock."

"And you, Natalie DuPont, are my inspiration," I tell her, hiking her up in my arms. "Now, let"s celebrate. It's an anniversary and an even bigger future. What would you like to do?"

She grins, sliding her hands around my neck, pulling me close as she lifts on her toes to whisper in my ear. "How about we celebrate the best way we know how?" When she pulls back and meets my eyes, the lustiness in her gaze is one hundred percent clear.

With a low growl, I pull her against me. "I mean, there's no storage room nearby, but I'm open to hauling you back into that bedroom and not coming out until it's time for us to leave.

"Sounds like a plan to me, Mr. Bouchard," she murmurs as I reach down and lift her off the floor, her legs going around my waist.

"Oh, the things I'm going to do to you, Mrs. Bouchard."

I drop my face into her neck and rub my stubbled cheeks against the sensitive skin, causing to her fall into a fit of giggles as I practically run us back to the bedroom and lower her to the bed.

And as I climb over her, peeling off the layers of her clothes so I can worship the curves of this body I now know by heart, I'm struck by just how happy this woman makes me. Before Natalie, I was serious and focused on nothing but hockey. But ever since her, I've learned to laugh easily, enjoy being silly and the best part is, I've discovered a part of me I never knew existed.

The hopeless romantic who wants nothing more than to make her moan, who wants to see her eyes fill with so much pleasure she can't speak. The man who places her happiness above everything else.

Natalie DuPont may have been a thorn in my side in the beginning, but very quickly she became my blooming rose, my reason for being. And now, I can't imagine my life without her.

Yeah, that's how much I love my wife.