Epilogue

Six months later…

" T his is a farm ?" Inching as far forward in the passenger seat as the safety belt would allow, King stared through the windshield with his mouth hanging open. "Are you kidding me?"

To Storm, it was just home, but he could understand his mate's reaction. Cat's Cradle was a working cattle ranch situated on one hundred and eighty thousand acres. In his defense, they did use a portion of the land for greenhouses and hydroponics. Mostly for his sisters to sell at the local Farmers Market, but it still counted.

They also owned horses, goats, chickens, and one very fat pig named Clarabelle. She and the twins had taken first prize at the last FFA Stock Show.

"Oh, look!" King pointed excitedly as they reached the end of the gravel drive. "The scarecrows are so cute!"

They were pretty cute. And the pumpkins and gourds that littered the lawn were a nice touch for Thanksgiving as well. His mom had always gone all-in for the holidays, decorating both inside and out.

It had been a while since he'd really appreciated it, though.

Post-production for Checking In was complete, and the first episode of the drama was scheduled to air on Christmas Day. Storm and Damien had been making the promotional rounds, and he was definitely ready for a little R&R.

Maybe permanently.

The past few months had been hectic, and his grueling schedule hadn't left much time for his mate. King hadn't complained, and he never held it against him, but to Storm, it was unacceptable.

Which was why he had turned down the role for the new paranormal action series.

With his promotional tour taking him all over the country, King had stayed in Colorado to continue working at Blackhaven Manor. There, he had Arlo, his other friends at the hotel, and his relationship with his siblings was growing stronger all the time.

Still, it wasn't exactly how Storm had pictured mated life.

Sleeping in hotel rooms—or not sleeping, as it were—had given him a lot of time for self-reflection. During those restless nights, he'd taken stock of what he most valued, with his mate and his family being right at the top of that list. So, he had a decision to make, and honestly, it wasn't even a hard one.

He couldn't live without his heart, and his heart wasn't in New York or the film industry.

Slowing to a stop in front of his parents' ranch-style home, he caught King by the elbow to stop him from exiting the SUV. "Hold up a minute. I wanted to ask you something."

Confused but accepting, his mate waited patiently for him to find the words.

There was no easy way to say it, though. He just had to rip the bandage off and hope for the best. "I turned down the new role."

"I know."

Storm blinked. "How?"

"Damien told Arlo, and Arlo told…well, everybody."

Yeah, that added up. Damien and Arlo had become fast friends, and they still kept in contact almost daily. It was a shame there wasn't a romantic attraction there because they'd make a hell of a couple.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

King shrugged. "I figured you'd tell me when you were ready to talk about it. I'm guessing you're ready now."

There wasn't really anything to talk about since he'd already made up his mind, but he did want to know how King felt about it. "What do you think?"

"I think you should do what makes you happy. I told you in the beginning, I'll support whatever you want to do."

"And if I wanted to quit acting altogether and take over the farm?"

"First, this is not a farm ." King reached across the console to take his hand and cradle it between both of his own. "Secondly, I always knew we'd end up here eventually. It's in your blood, Tex."

It was a corny nickname, but like everything else about his mate, he adored it. "You'd be okay with living here?"

For the first time, King showed a hint of reluctance. "With your parents?"

Ah, now he understood. "Not in the same house. We could build our own place. Mom and Dad set aside ten acres for me and the girls, or if you don't like that, we can look for property nearby."

"I don't have a problem living at Cat's Cradle, but Storm, I don't know the first thing about ranching."

"That's okay. I'll teach you." The twins would love the chance to show him the ropes around the barn. "Or you could help Mom in the greenhouses. Or, hell, if you don't want anything to do with it, you can get a job in town."

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell him that he didn't have to work at all if he didn't want to, but he knew King would never go for that.

"It's not too far from Colorado," he added. "Only a four-hour drive, so you can see your brother and sisters whenever you want. Of course, they're always welcome here, too."

"Storm, stop." With a gentle smile, he lifted Storm's hand and pressed a kiss to the knuckles. "You don't have to convince me. You're right. I'll learn, and if I decide it's not for me, there are plenty of hotels nearby." Dropping his hand, he hopped up on the console and grabbed Storm's face. "As long as we're together, that's enough for me."

"You mean it? You're just saying that because—"

"I mean it."

Grasping the back of his mate's neck, Storm slanted their mouths together, pouring every ounce of love and gratitude he could into the mating of their lips. Their tongues slid together in an intimate dance, twining and tangling as they lost themselves in exploration.

Storm groaned as the scent of dark chocolate and cinnamon filled his senses, and he shifted in his seat when his cock swelled to fill his Wranglers. Unfortunately, he was so lost in his mate, he had completely forgotten where they were.

The loud banging on the passenger window was like a deluge of icy water to his libido.

"Gross!" Bailey yelled through the glass. "Stop slobbering on each other and get in here."

"I want to show King pictures from the homecoming dance," Bridget added. "Stop hogging him."

"What about me?" Storm teased. "Don't I get to see the pictures?"

"No," the twins chorused.

Tired of waiting, they opened the door and practically dragged King out of the cab. To be fair, he went willingly, laughing as he allowed himself to be led up the walkway by the two chattering hyenas. In fact, he looked to be enjoying the attention.

It really was a crime that he'd been born the youngest of his family. Patient, indulgent, and genuinely interested in what they had to say, the guy made one hell of a big brother.

Storm watched them go and sighed contentedly. He'd missed this. The bright lights and fancy parties had nothing on the blue skies and open plains of Texas.

This was where he belonged, and he'd known it all along. It had just taken a little while to figure it out.

Of course, if King had wanted to stay in Colorado, he would have done so gladly. Home wasn't a place. It wasn't a house. It wasn't where he'd been born.

It was a feeling that couldn't be described with words but needed to be experienced. It was something many people searched for but never found because it couldn't be defined. It just…was. If you know, you know , as his sisters would say.

Home was people.

Home was family.

Home was King.