Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 14489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 72(@200wpm)___ 58(@250wpm)___ 48(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 14489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 72(@200wpm)___ 58(@250wpm)___ 48(@300wpm)
EPILOGUE
STEFAN
A year and a half later
The fact of the matter was, the whole fucking world could disintegrate around me, and I wouldn’t care—not as long as I had Holly.
There was just something in me that was irrevocably drawn to her on a molecular level.
She was mine. Entirely and forever.
The sun dipped low on the horizon, and to say this was a beautiful sight was an understatement. We’d traveled to Portugal and now stood by rows of grapevines that stretched into the distance. The scent was heady and earthy, but even with the beauty surrounding us, it didn’t compare to the sight of my soon-to-be wife beside me.
Not only was this the perfect setting, but it was also Holly’s dream, one she told me she'd had since she was young.
To get married in her ancestral home of Portugal. So I sure as fuck made that a reality for my girl.
And today was the day I’d officially make her mine forever.
I stood at the altar set up under a grapevine archway and watched as Holly walked toward me. We’d hired a violist to play something sweet and soft and classical, and aside from the musician and the officiant, it was just the two of us.
God, she was beautiful. She’d chosen a dress that, although it was simple, was utterly elegant as it hugged her curves in white lace. Her hair was pinned up but with loose strands framing her face, and the smile she had trained right on me was the kind that made me forget how to breathe and had my heart stuttering.
When she reached me, I couldn't help myself. I pulled her in and kissed her long and deep. The officiant cleared his throat, and Holly chuckled, whispering, “You’re supposed to wait until afterward to do that.”
Fuck formalities. I needed that kiss like I needed to breathe.
We faced forward, and as the officiant spoke, I barely heard the words. My focus was entirely on Holly. Damn, I was one lucky bastard.
We said our vows, ones that were simple but from the heart. I meant every single fucking word that I said and hoped that when she looked into my eyes, she knew how much I loved her. And would until the end of time.
A tear slipped down her cheek, and I gently wiped it away as she finished her vows.
And then the officiant declared us husband and wife, and I pulled her in close and really kissed her with every single ounce of strength and love I had in me. As it always did when I was with her, everything else faded into the background.
“I love you,” I whispered against her lips and pulled back, brushing away another tear that fell down her perfect face.
“I love you too,” she replied, her voice shaky from her emotions but full of conviction.
I felt an overwhelming sense of rightness, like this was exactly why I’d been born. To be this woman’s husband.
We didn’t have a reception, not the traditional kind at which newlyweds had guests. It was just the two of us, sharing an intimate evening in our private cottage overlooking the Portuguese countryside. It was fucking magnificent.
After dinner, I held her to me—her back to my chest—as we stood on our stone balcony and stared out at the night sky and vast vineyard.
“Mrs. Stefan Huntington,” I murmured into her ear, loving the way she shivered against me.
“I love how that sounds,” she whispered, and I heard her smile laced through her words. She tilted her head back to look up at me.
“It’s fucking perfect,” I agreed wholeheartedly, kissing her temple. “Just like you.”
In that moment, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.
With her.
The End.