Epilogue
January
2 years later
“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Cassidy says for at least the fourth time. “I’m going to kill Wyatt for opening a Scarlet Toys there.”
“It’s freezing cold all the time. Who needs sex toys more than people who spend so much time indoors? Besides, I can take classes while Noble works. It’s not forever.” I lean down to brush my hand over her daughter’s hair.
“She’s going to miss you, too.”
Yeah, moving to Alaska isn’t going to be easy. I’m leaving everyone I know and love, except Noble. I’m terrified and more excited than I’ve ever been in my life. It’s an adventure, an opportunity I never thought I’d get. When Noble was offered a research position at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, we were faced with a serious decision. He was tempted to pass it up and accept a lesser job somewhere else because of me, and I couldn’t let him do that.
I’ve spent the last two years paying off all my debt and saving money. With just myself to take care of and the well-paying position at Scarlet Toys, I got ahead quickly. Noble and I had plans to move in together after his graduation, but the Alaska thing came out of the blue.
I had already decided to go with him, and take the business classes I’ve been saving for, when Wyatt announced he’d been considering a few small towns in Alaska, and Fairbanks would be a perfect location to open his next store.
So, here we are, all packed up, ready to catch a plane tomorrow. Violent Circle has come together to throw us both a going away party tonight. I have one more night with all my friends before I move over thirty-five hundred miles away.
“You’d better video chat with me every day,” I warn Cass, before bending to talk to her two year old daughter. “You too, Kiera. Do you want to talk to aunt Jani on the computer?”
Her little face lights up with a smile. “Yes! I like the computer!”
I know she doesn’t really understand, but I’m going to stay in touch as much as I can. She looks up at me. “Aunt Jani, Alaska has polar bears.”
“I know they do.”
“Don’t get eat by a polar bear, k?”
Cass smiles and holds back a giggle. “Nope, I’ll stay far away from the polar bears.”
Kiera thinks for a moment, her chubby finger tapping her chin. “Are there frickin elephants there?”
My gaze jumps to Cass, who stares down at her little clone. “Kiera, don’t say frickin. It’s not a nice word.”
Kiera’s little forehead rumples and she runs off toward her bedroom, returning with a picture book of animals. Jumping on my lap, she opens the book and points to a page. “See, it’s a frickin elephant, Mommy. That’s not a bad word.”
Cass and I follow her finger to the picture in question, and I can’t stop the giggles from pouring out of me. Kiera stares at us both as we try to stop laughing, her expression growing indignant. “What? It is! Daddy told me! It’s a frickin elephant!”
Cass composes herself first, and hugs her daughter. “African elephant, hun.” She sounds out the word, and Kiera echoes her.
“No, there aren’t any elephants there,” I assure her.
I’m going to miss this kid.
Cass needs to put Kiera down for her nap, so I head back to my now empty apartment. There’s nothing there but an inflatable mattress, since all our stuff has been shipped to our new home. Since tonight is going to be a late one, partying with the whole neighborhood, I take the opportunity for a quick nap.
Noble wakes me, his hand brushing through my hair. “Hey, the party is starting. Are you going to sleep all night?”
Shit. I guess all the excitement of the last week caught up with me.
“Mmm, I’m awake. Did you get everything taken care of at WFUK?”
“Yep. They had a little going away thing. Got me a cake and everything.”
“That’s sweet.”
Noble looks down at me and it strikes me how much he’s changed. His eyes are the same bright blue, and the same blond hair hangs long over his forehead, but his jaw has become more defined. He’s lost the last of that baby-faced look and somehow transformed into this rugged, perfect male specimen.
“I never get tired of seeing that look,” he murmurs, kissing my neck.
“What look?”
“The one that says you’re thinking about my cock.”
I tilt my head, ignoring the obnoxious squeak of the mattress. “I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but I wasn’t thinking of Lord Farquad at all.”
His teeth nip my neck. “Are those little dick jokes ever going to get old?”
“You spent six years being known as Porn Penis. I don’t want your ego to get too big.”
“You’ll be happy to have a nice big porn penis to keep you warm once we get to our igloo.”
Giggling, I push him off of me. “We aren’t moving to an igloo. Fairbanks is a modern city.”
He gives me the same grin that grabbed my heart two years ago. “Next you’ll tell me that we don’t need the tennis racket snow shoes I ordered.”
Giggling, I lean my forehead against his. “We’re really doing this.”
His breath is soft on my face. “We really are. Are you scared?”
“Terrified? You?”
“A little nervous, but with you by my side, I can do anything.”
“Together, we can do anything,” I correct.
“Oh, before I forget, keep an eye on Trey tonight. I found the tube of capsaicin he used on my toilet the first night you stayed with me, and I rubbed it into every pair of underwear he owns.”
I get to my feet. “You’re the best boyfriend ever. Let’s go. We have one more night of crazy.”
“I’m going to miss this place.”
“Me too, but maybe our new neighborhood will have people who throw dildoes into the yard, or run around naked.” I slip on my shoes, and grab my jacket.
“It won’t be the same.” He wraps his arm around me, and we head for the door.
Flipping off the light for the last time, I take one final look back.
“No, there’s no place like Violent Circle.”
THE END
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