I gaped at the monster cushion cut diamond on my left hand. It must have been at least eight carats and was so shiny, it blinded me.
“Eeep.”
“I hope that’s a yes.”
I was speechless as I met Jake’s eyes. Was that nervousness I saw?
My heart overflowed with love.
“Will you marry me, Cora Branton, and make me the happiest man in the world?”
There could only be one answer.
“YES! YES!” I screamed and threw myself at him. “I love you!”
“I love you more.” He tumbled me onto my back and kissed me tenderly.
Epilogue: Jake
“Tyrone Welles.”
Applause.
“Cynthia Wellington.”
Applause.
“There she is!” whispered Marcus. “Get ready.”
He didn’t need to point her out. I was aware of where she was at all times. When she wasn’t by my side, I felt her absence like a lost limb.
“Cora Weston. Summa cum laude.”
I stood up and roared and clapped and whistled. My parents, Troy, and Marcus made just as much obnoxious noise.
Cora looked to our section and beamed. We had prime seats, thanks to our connections with the president of the university. I could see her beautiful caramel eyes glowing with love as she stared at us.
I was so fucking proud, my heart was about to burst out of my chest.
After the case with Tom Wexler wrapped up, Cora resigned as my assistant to attend school. All her fears about us not lasting had vanished.
As her replacement, she asked me to hire her friend, Jamie Parker. I was concerned about her reputation for gossip, but to my surprise, Jamie became as tight-lipped as a CIA operative. She was an excellent assistant.
I liked to tease Cora that Jamie was her spy, but I knew she trusted me completely. There was nobody else in the world for me but her. And I knew it was the same for her. I still got insanely jealous, especially when she was in a study group with a man, but I knew she would never betray me. Of course, putting my ring on her finger helped to keep the wolves at bay.
Instead of moving to another apartment, Marcus and Cora moved into my penthouse. Before the semester started, I closed on a house midway between her school and work. It was only a twenty-minute commute on the El for Marcus. It was a sprawling five-bedroom, two-story home with a huge yard. We could always upgrade when we outgrew it.
My mom had been like a giddy schoolgirl when we broke the news of our engagement. She was already planning a big society wedding that could take over a year to organize. I put my foot down and told her I wanted to be married within three months. Cora and I had already talked about it and neither of us wanted to make a big splash.
In the end, my mom pulled off an amazing feat in the short period of time. She somehow managed to book the most beautiful church and reception hall. All of the who’s who in Illinois society was there, including the governor of the state. It wasn’t the small affair Cora and I wanted, but both of us had a hard time telling my mom no.
Neither Cora nor I remembered much about the wedding except that we were both incredibly happy. We finally belonged to each other, in every sense of the word. The guests assured me that everything was beautiful, but I only had eyes for my gorgeous bride, who was incandescent with joy.
We had a honeymoon in Paris in the summer while Marcus stayed with my parents.
Married life was amazing. When I decided to win her body, heart and soul, I never realized she would end up owning me utterly and completely. She made me want to be a better man every day. Of course, I still managed to infuriate her every now and then, but I was learning to like the making up part.
Cora finished her math degree in two years, a year ahead of schedule. She was going to take some time to think about whether she wanted to pursue a graduate degree. In the meantime, she was going to work as an analyst at the company.
She didn’t know it yet, but I was going to keep her busy with babies for a little while. I’d been more than patient, waiting for her to finish her degree, but I wanted a brown-eyed little girl. And two little boys. My cock twitched, thinking about making babies with her.
A sharp elbow dug into my side.
“Pay attention, doofus” said Troy, clapping loudly.
I realized the ceremony was over and all the graduates were throwing their caps in the air.
“Let’s go outside and meet her. Ooh…I’m so proud of her!” My mom was already walking ahead of us. In the last couple of years, my favorite girls had gotten close. Cora had become the daughter my mom had always wanted and my mom became a mother figure to both Cora and Marcus.
Marcus was thriving in school. He was advanced enough to skip another grade and would be graduating high school next year. He had won a number of science and technology awards and competitions over the years. Already, scholarship offers were pouring in from the top schools in the country.
The crowd was chaotic, but I had no trouble finding my stunning wife. As soon as she spotted me, she picked up her gown and ran full pelt at me. I was ready when she flung herself into my arms. I held her close to my heart. Fuck, she was my heart.
“I’m so proud of you, baby. I love you.”
Her eyes were brimming with happiness. “I love you.”
I only got to sneak in a quick kiss before our family demanded her attention.
The afternoon and evening were spent celebrating. We booked a table at her favorite French restaurant. We drank and ate and laughed.
But I was happy to have her to myself at the end of the night. As soon as our bedroom door was closed, I had us naked in record time. I pushed her onto her back and pressed my face between her thighs. I gave myself a pat on the back for having the foresight to soundproof our bedroom because Cora was a screamer.
I made her come twice before I joined our bodies. My cock was ready to come as soon as he got into her tight pussy. “Damn, baby. You always feel so good.”
She was too far gone to respond as she bucked against me. I rode her gently at first, but she was so hot and wet that I was pounding her in no time. Even after two years, I still struggled with my self-control.
Just when I felt her tighten around me, I bent down and whispered, “It’s time to make a baby.”
She howled and clamped down so hard that I went off like a rocket. Her eyes were glazed with lust as I shot my load into her womb.
I bent down and whispered into her ears, “I love you, baby.”
She could only manage a sigh, but I knew what was in her heart.
It was love.
The End
Note from Author
Thank you for reading my book. I’m a new independent author and I need your help to spread the word. If you liked Cora and Jake’s story, please tell your friends and review my book on the site where you bought this. If you didn’t enjoy it, I welcome your constructive feedback. Your honest reviews can help new readers find me and keep me writing!
I know. I know. Who does this bitch think she is, asking me to market for her?!
The truth is I’d much rather spend my time writing more stories than marketing my work. I have long accepted the realities of being an introvert. God bless the extroverts out there!
I live in California. I am a voracious reader of all genres. Put an instruction pamphlet in front of me and I’ll read it. But I love, love, love romance, especially romance with a lot of heat.
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www.ccsnowblog@wordpress.com.
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