Page 94 of Eden's Joker

I hug her tighter. “That you did.”

“And what we had was never a lie, not from the very beginning,” she adds. “Just a truth you took forever to acknowledge.”

I grin. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“You’ll find that I often am,” she says then kisses me, her body melting into mine as our lips meet.

She was right and she is right. And now I have forever to enjoy her, because I listened to her and because she loved me even when I was still a bloodthirsty monster.

I did nothing to truly deserve her. Yet here she is anyway. Mine. Willingly. Forever.

EPILOGUE

About two and a half years later…

Eden

Since meeting Tyler, I’ve had more adventure crammed into my life than I ever imagined would be mine. More adventure than even the heroines in my books ever got. We’ve travelled clear across the country. Swam in all the oceans bordering this country, soaked in hot springs, and made love under the stars in the desert, the northern forest and everywhere in between. I’ve been home too, but not all that much.

Tyler’s not stopping me from seeing my family, but he refuses to have anything to do with them. I don’t ask him to change his mind. I can’t. The peace is holding, we can live worry free again and that’s the most important thing.

We’ve left the town of Justice behind, settling in another small town called Dawnrise near Pleasantville and I’m grateful for that, because it makes visiting my family and running my bookstore easier.

But I’ll be moving my bookstore here soon. That and the rest of my life. I hope.

We’ve just returned from a lovely summer ride along the California coast and if I concentrate, I can still smell the sweet ocean’s brine and feel the sea breeze on my face. A part of me wanted to just stay by the ocean forever. And a part of me is happy to be back, settled, making our two-story house with a picket fence and a backyard that faces the rising sun a home.

I have some news for Tyler. News that I’ve been sitting on for days now, trying to find the perfect moment to give it to him. But between unpacking and getting settled back in, which for him always involves a lot of hanging out with his MC, it just hasn’t come.

The sun is starting to set, and the sky is a wonderful blend of gold and lilac. Perhaps tonight is the perfect night. Over dinner in the backyard, under this perfect golden sky.

Too bad he’s not home yet.

Just as I think it, I hear the front door open. A moment later he calls out my name.

I walk to him and the adoration in his dawn blue eyes as he watches me approach is something I will never tire of. And which I hope will never fade. It makes me feel like I’m the only woman in the world forhim and the only one he’ll ever love. I slow my step, just to bask in all that a little longer.

But the kiss we share isn’t the slow, sensual kind that would complete this homecoming perfectly. It’s good, but also hurried. Like he wants to get it out of the way.

“Good, you’re dressed,” he says. “Let’s go.”

He takes my hand and starts pulling me to the door.

“Where?” I ask.

He grins at me over his shoulder. “I’m in the mood for some pie. But we gotta hurry before they close.”

“I’m always up for some pie,” I say and finally let him lead me to his bike.

A glorious, but very fast ride into the sunset later, we’re sitting in the park in the town of Starling, sharing a warm cherry pie that smells like angels made it. Our first date ended right here. That time, we were stuffed so full of pie because I insisted we order every flavor. And I never got the good night kiss I know I’m getting tonight.

“You know, cherry pie is my favorite too,” he says.

“Yeah?” I say in between bites. “I thought you were rather partial to the chocolate ones last time.”

“They’re all good,” he says. “Just like you.”

I swallow my bite and give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Not super romantic, but I’ll take it. You’re all good too.”

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