He laughed and kissed my forehead, gently pulling me from the fray. We passed by the smokers huddled outside, and Wes and I sat on the stoop of the building next to the shop. I leaned on his shoulder, watching people walk by and stare at our lively party, wondering what we were celebrating.
We were both silent for a moment.
Wes released a breath before he spoke. “You’ve immortalized our love.”
I lifted my head. “I think you’ll be in everything I write forever.”
He gripped my face and stared me hard in the eyes. “I’d fucking better.” He leaned in closer, thumbing the discreet silver ring around my neck, the symbol of his ownership. “Who do you belong to?”
I smiled as laughter and music billowed through the frigid night. “You.”
Just before our lips met, Wes said, “Foreverhas a nice ring to it.”
Warm and safe in his strong grip, my lips melted against his. Our future flitted across my mind’s eye, as if it had already been written in the stars.
“You think?” I asked when he pulled back. I searched his stormy eyes, finding comfort in their intensity.
“Oh, baby, I know.I’ve always known.”
He tugged on my collar.
“You and I will never be free of each other.”
EPILOGUE
NOVA
Texts flew across my screen, one after the other.
Delilah
97 BAYBEEEEE! Congrats!
Lorelei
You did itttt! I’ve been refreshing the page all day long!
Ruby
Yayyy go Nova!
Ella
LET’S FUCKING GOOOOO
Hudson
Looks like dinner’s on YOU Saturday.
I rapidly texted Hudson back.
Hey hey hey. Amazon is on a two-month payment delay. Dinner is on me 60 days from now.
Hudson
Putting it in my Google calendar. I am so fucking proud of you. You better celebrate tonight!!
I tossed my phone on the bed—ourbed—and burst into Wes’s office. He hung up his call with a few words. Before I could apologize for interrupting him, he’d closed the distance, grabbed my face, and kissed me.
