Page 100 of Unveiled

“Yes!” I squeal.

Cain looks at me with disbelief, not believing what his ears just heard. After leading him on for so long, why would he think I would say yes now? But as he looks between my outstretched hand and the tears forming in my eyes, realization dawns on his face, and he stands up. He grabs my face between both hands and pulls me in until our lips crash together.

We melt into each other, celebrating our private little moment.

“You mean it?” he asks after reluctantly pulling away. “You’ll marry me? Be Mrs. Ainsley Ryker?”

I have to admit, the name I’ll claim once we’re married has a nice ring to it. I nod my head as I hold out my hand again, and this time, Cain pulls the ring from the box and slips it onto my finger.

Between kisses, we laugh together as we try to wrap our heads around finally being engaged. It feels like such a small step, especially since we’re so much more to each other, but it’s a step that those around us will understand. Carving our names into each other, on the other hand, was not a step that people would understand.

“Was that my surprise?” Cain asks, disbelief still coloring his voice. He pulls my hand off his cheek and inspects the ring, watching as the black diamond twinkles from the lights surrounding the maze.

Pulling my hand from his grip, I take a step back so he can see me. My hand now heavy with my engagement ring lands on my abdomen, just below my wrists, and slowly trails down until it stops over the words I wrote in sharpie. Once my hand stops, it cups the belly that hasn’t started growing yet as I look down at it lovingly.

With a radiant smile, I look up to Cain to see his reaction. He’s standing in front of me, looking down at my hand resting on my stomach with a furrowed brow. I can see him lost in his thoughts, trying to decide if I’m telling him what he thinks I’m telling him.

“Cain,” I call to him, but his eyes remain on my flat stomach. “Cain.”

His eyes snap up, a question he’s not ready to ask already formed in them.

“There’s a little monster in there,” I tell him with an encouraging smile.

His mouth opens, forming multiple questions that never come out. As an answer, I grab his hand and pull it toward me so I can replace my own with his on my stomach.

“We’re pregnant?” he finally asks as his eyes focus back on my stomach, his gaze turning soft and loving as he lets himself believe.

“We’re pregnant,” I confirm. He pulls me back into him, wrapping me in a tight hug as we both laugh with the joy we’re feeling.

“You know I’m taking you home now, right?”

I laugh at him and nod my head against his shoulder, not wanting anything else. Going home and going to bed with my fiancé sounds perfect.

Epilogue Two

The Monster

Eighteen Years Later

Leaning against the doorframe, I make sure to be as quiet as possible as I watch my beautiful wife sitting at her desk. She’s typing away on her laptop with her legs pulled into her chair, crossed like a pretzel as she leans forward over her keyboard.

As I look at her in this position, so lost in her work, I understand why she’s always asking me for back rubs. After she graduated from school, she decided she wanted to stay home with the kids and pursue her dream of becoming a published author.

It kept her safe, and she’s always here when I get home, so I couldn’t complain. It’s nice seeing her happy, too.

As she straightens her back and pauses her typing to rub out a kink in her neck, I move into the room and walk up behind her. My hands replace hers, rubbing her muscles until I feel them relaxing from my touch.

She moans as my fingers work her muscles, making my cock harden as I remember why I snuck up here.

“You’re home early,” she comments as her head falls back so she can look at me.

“Figured I could come give you some inspiration for your book.”

My hand slips from her neck around to her throat, where I apply just enough pressure to make it hard for her to breathe as I lean down and press my lips to hers. After all these years, I still can’t get enough of Ainsley.

“The kids are home,” Ainsley tells me as she breaks the kiss and tries to pull my hand from her throat.

“They’re old enough to know not to come into our bedroom when the door is closed,” I reassure her, not willing to let them being home ruin my time with her. They ruined it for years, but now they’re both fully grown and I know at least one of them has been active for a few years.

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