Epilogue – Kyle

Roxy walks around our apartment, her eyes calculating every inch of space. It’s not the biggest place, but it’s the perfect size for two people. She managed to get a job in a café downtown before we left Oregon. I told her we’d be fine until after Christmas between our savings, but she insisted she’d go crazy sitting here by herself all day, so I let her get on with it. Besides, it’ll be good for her to meet some of the people round here.

Here.

I still can’t believe she’s here. In California. With me.

Being mine.

“I think we need to paint, but other than that, it’s cool.”

I walk up to her and wrap my arms around her waist. “Is that your expert opinion?”

She nods with a small smile on her face. “The color on walls here doesn’t match the furniture, and the bedroom could do with a repaint. And a bit of color in the bathroom would be nice. White is boring.”

“Is that right?”

“Yep. Some photos too, and some other little bits, and it’ll be perfect.”

“You sound like you’re staying here for the long haul.”

“How do you know I’m not?” She raises her eyebrows at me and puts her hands on my chest.

I bend my face toward hers. “I was under the impression you were moving to LA next year.”

“Don’t be a dick,” she mutters, sliding her hands up and around my neck. “We both know I’m staying in Berkeley. Someone needs to wash your socks.”

“And someone needs to keep your ass in check.”

“You know, I like the way you keep my ass in check.”

I touch my lips to hers and smile. My hand slides down to her body, cups her ass, and I pull her hips to mine. “I think it needs keeping in check now. In our bedroom.”

She laughs and kisses me, her lips soft against mine. I walk backward, tugging her with me, and kiss her more firmly. Her tongue snakes against my mouth, and she nips my bottom lip, making me grow hard. I move to pick her up and…

The fucking buzzer goes.

I sigh and push the button. “Yes?”

“Let us in!” Megan yells through the intercom. Roxy raises an eyebrow.

“Who’s us?”

“Me and Maddie!”

“Do you have to come up right now? Can’t you come back later?”

“We want to meet your girlfriend!” Maddie shouts. “Let us up now, Kyle, or we’ll ring all these buzzers until someone does!”

“I have no doubt about it,” I mutter dryly. “Okay, come up.”

I release the button and look at Roxy.

“Rabid fan base?” she asks.

“Two of the girls who have attitudes to rival yours. This should be fun,” I finish when there’s a knock at the door. I open it. “Roxy, meet Megan and Maddie.”

“Um, hi?” Roxy says uncertainly.

“She’s real pretty,” Megan says.

“Yeah.” Maddie looks at me. “How did you manage that one, Kyle?”

Here we go. “She’s smart and clever.”

“I don’t doubt it,” she says. “I’m wondering what she’s doing with you, though. That’s definitely a blip in the intelligence.”

I give her a gentle shove with my elbow. “Be nice, you two.”

“We’ll be nice to her.” Megan grins. “You’re a different story.”

Roxy smiles at her from her position leaning against the wall. “That happens a lot, huh?”

I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Yeah, you girls are always mean to me. Especially you.” I poke her side and she slaps my stomach.

“You make it too easy,” she replies. “Taking candy from a baby would be harder.”

“I like her!” Maddie announces. “She’s gonna fit in well here.”

“Hey, are you going to Berkeley?” Megan asks her.

“Next year,” Roxy answers. “I got dragged down here by Kyle this year. I was hoping for another year of peace before I got stuck with him again, but no such luck.”

“Oh, you know each other from before then?” Megan looks between us.

“Yeah, she’s crushed on me since she was fourteen,” I offer.

“Not that it means anything,” Roxy adds. “Because he’s crushed on himself since he was about ten.”

My lips twist. Damn girl.

“You know, I was worried about taking your girl into a frat house,” Maddie admits. “But I think she’ll handle herself just fine.”

“Hell, if she can deal with Kyle, she can take our guys.” Megan grins.

“I’m nowhere near as bad as Braden and Aston!” I argue. They both give me a look. “Okay, only on Saturdays.”

“And its Saturday today,” she reminds me. “So shut it. Hey, why don’t you guys come to the frat house tonight?”

“I don’t know…”

“Come on, you know no one will believe us if we say you have a girlfriend,” Maddie teases.

“Oh, ha ha ha.”

“Let’s go.” Roxy looks up at me. “We have nothing else to do.”

I can think of plenty of other things we could do.

“Sure?” I pull her closer to me, and she nods.

“We don’t have to stay long, do we? We’ve still got unpacking to do.”

“Hey! I have an idea.” Maddie’s eyes twinkle. Oh no. I know her ideas. “We’ll take Roxy for coffee and you can unpack!”

“I hope you like Starbucks,” I murmur to Roxy and kiss her before the girls grab her from me.

“Love it,” she whispers back. “Be good and unpack for me.”

“It’s not the thing I was planning to unpack, but whatever.” I kiss her again and Megan whisks her off.

“We’ll bring her back in one piece!” Maddie yells over her shoulder.

“And with a whole new impression of you!” Megan giggles.

Roxy smiles at me and shrugs as they lead her down the stairs.

I watch her go with a smile on her face. If anyone had to turn up and take her away, I’m glad it was those two. They’re crazy as hell but have the sweetest hearts, and even though I know they’ll tell her everything they know about me that she doesn’t, I don’t care.

I just want her to be happy here.

I walk past the bathroom and see our toothbrushes on the side, and my face breaks into a grin.

Yep. She’ll be happy here, if only because I’ll bend over backward to make it so. My eyes are drawn to the picture of me, her, and Cam after a football game, and I nod to the picture.

“Promised you I’d look after her, didn’t I?”

THE END.