Epilogue

SIX MONTHS LATER

Quinn tucked his chin into Kiera’s neck, gently kissing her jaw and cheek and letting her hair fall over his face. Cuddled against each other in bed, his chest to her back, he had one arm wrapped around her. “Wake up, Keeks,” he said softly.

She groaned, pushing against him as she rolled over. “It’s too early.”

Quinn grinned, looking down at her as he propped his head on one hand, his elbow against the mattress. “It’s almost ten.”

“Saturdays are for sleeping,” she countered, keeping her eyes shut and pulling the blankets up higher over the two of them.

“You’re a doctor,” Quinn reminded her with a laugh. “This is your first Saturday off in like…weeks.”

“Even more reason why you should let me sleep!”

Quinn slid his hand down her stomach and over the top of her pajama bottoms, dipping between her legs for one quick moment before he pulled away. “Fine, I’ll let you sleep.”

Kiera grabbed his arm to hold him to her. “Well, I mean, I don’t have to sleep right now.”

Grinning, Quinn let his hand drop back between her legs, this time sliding beneath the fabric of her clothes. His lips pressed to hers, and she gasped against his mouth when his fingers slid between her folds.

Moaning, Kiera wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, lifting her hips in rhythm to each press of fingers inside her. His tongue danced with hers, soft noises that made his body respond. When she began to shake and shiver beneath him, he pressed harder and moved his fingers faster until she came apart against his hand.

Her breath was still fast, her chest still heaving as she recovered when, moments later, Quinn gripped the hem of her pants and slid them down her legs. Reaching into the nightstand, he grabbed protection and disrobed, rolling it on before climbing between her legs.

His injuries were entirely healed, except for a few lifelong aches and pains. His strength was almost back to normal, and being on his knees between his woman’s legs was no longer a problem. She’d healed him in many ways, and he’d healed himself just the same.

“Quinn,” she said, curling her arms around his neck and kissing him softly on the lips as he pushed against her entrance. “I love you.”

He smiled, one hand on the back of her neck as he held her to him. “I love you, Keeks.”

“Let’s do it for real then,” she said, as he pressed his length inside her. Kiera moaned, arching her back off the bed as he filled her completely.

“Do what?” he said, barely concentrating on her words because the feeling of being inside her was incredible—something he’d never get enough of. He loved Kiera with every part of himself, and when they were together he felt a sort of bliss he’d never thought possible. Her body wrapped around his…it was all he could do not to beg her to stay in bed with him all day, every day.

“Marry me,” she breathed, just as he slid out and plunged right back in.

Quinn froze, still buried inside her. Did she just propose? “What?”

Kiera was all smiles, a light dancing in her eyes that told him she was completely serious. “We’ve talked about it before, and I know I said I wanted to wait until school is done—and I still don’t want kids until then—but a small wedding? I could do that.”

“Keeks, I love you, but the timing.” He looked down between their bodies, his length still inside her. “It’s a little weird.”

“So? You’re always telling me I’m weird,” she replied, wiggling her hips and eliciting a groan from him at the feeling. “Are you changing your mind or something?”

Quinn chuckled, leaning to the side to reach into the nightstand again. He fumbled around until he found the small box he was looking for and pulled it out. “I’m definitely not changing my mind, but damn it, woman. I was going to do a whole romantic proposal.”

Kiera laughed and clapped her hands together. “Tell me that is not a ring.”

He shrugged and separated their bodies, getting up on one knee on the bed. She sat up, grinning like mad as he opened the box and showed her the diamond engagement ring inside. “I bought this for you when I was still in New York. Just been waiting for you to finish school like you wanted. But if you’re still asking, my answer is yes, Kiera Finley, I’ll marry you.”

She smiled as he slid the ring on her finger. Glancing down at it, her eyes bulged and she pulled her hand closer to her face to examine it. “Holy shit, this is a serious ring, Quinn.”

“You’re a serious girl,” he said with a laugh.

Kiera laughed, then her eyes trailed down his torso. “Is it hard to be on one knee with an erection?”

“Jesus Christ, Keeks,” Quinn said, growling as he pushed her back down to the mattress, his body over hers. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

“You’re going to marry me,” she replied, grazing her lips against his in slow motion.

“Fuck, yes, I am.” He pushed back inside her, then captured her mouth with his.

She moaned, trembling against him and lifting her hips to meet his. Their kiss deepened with each thrust, taking more, giving more, wanting more. Moving in rhythm together, he gave her every part of himself, and she returned the favor.

Minutes later, she was clenching around him, deliciously quivering with the intensity of her climax, calling out his name. It sent a thrill through him, and soon he was doing the same. Spent and satiated, he collapsed against the bed, taking care not to crush her.

Her chest still heaving with the aftershocks, Kiera curled into his side and threw an arm over his chest. “I love you, Q.”

Quinn smoothed the hair off her face, cuddling her to him. “I love you, Keeks.”

“We should call your mom and tell her we’re engaged,” Kiera mused a little later as he was standing and pulling on a pair of jeans.

“What about your mom?” he asked, watching her get up from the bed, still naked. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her most days, but when she walked around naked, he was glued to her.

“My mom’s a bit more laid back. I think she’d be fine with knowing second,” Kiera said, sliding a sweatshirt on over her bare skin. “Your mom, however, will be pissed if she doesn’t know immediately.”

Quinn laughed. “You have a point. Let’s video-chat her so she can see the ring.”

“Perfect.” Kiera finished getting dressed, and he pulled on a shirt to go with the jeans. They sat on the edge of the bed, Quinn’s phone out in front of them, and dialed Dee for a video call.

“THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!” a woman’s voice screamed through the phone, a blurry image on the screen. As the camera pulled away, they realized it was Clare—sweaty, angry, and screaming Clare—with Rory next to her in what looked like a hospital room.

Suddenly Dee’s face popped in front of the camera. “Quinny, look! Clare’s in labor!”

“Oh, my God!” Kiera shrieked, while Quinn’s mouth just fell open. “Congratulations, Clare!”

“Oh, hi, Kiera! How are you? Do you want to see the baby? She’s about to crown any moment!” Dee asked. “Let me just pan down the camera.”

“Ma! No!” Quinn quickly jumped in. “Do not pan down!”

Kiera laughed, collapsing against Quinn’s side. “Dee, we’re fine with waiting to see the baby until she’s…out.”

Dee shrugged into the camera, before bringing it way closer to her face than she needed to. “Suit yourself, but the miracle of life is a wonderful thing. Oh, and did you hear the other news?”

“No?” Quinn furrowed his brow. “IS IT TWINS?”

“What!” Dee squawked. “No, Quinny. You don’t get surprised by twins—do you know anything about pregnancy? Jesus Christ, like that wouldn’t have shown up on the ultrasound. No, I’m talking about Flynn.”

Quinn let out a small growl. He still didn’t really love the guy. “What about him?”

“His fiancée left him high and dry at the altar. Terrible tragedy, but we still went to the reception—the all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet could not be missed,” Dee rambled as Kiera and Quinn exchanged glances. “Anyway, Casey’s over there helping him ship back everyone’s gifts. Such a shame.”

“Casey’s ‘helping him ship back’ gifts,” Kiera snorted, putting air quotes around her words with her fingers. “Suuuuuure.”

Quinn groaned. “I don’t want to even think about that.”

“Speak up, kids,” Dee said through the phone. “I can’t hear you. What was that about Casey?”

“Nothing, Ma. We actually have some news for you,” Quinn said, badly wanting to change the topic, even though this felt like a weird moment what with all the screaming in the background.

“Oh, my gosh, are you pregnant, Kiera?” Dee asked. “Because you know Fiona is, too. You guys could be pregnant together! Now I just need Kane and Nora to get their act together, or Jimmy and his new partner, Sophie—they’re secretly dating, you know. They think I don’t know, but I’m no rookie. Soon I could have grandkids from all my kids!”

“Dee, I’m not pregnant,” Kiera said, still laughing.

They’d heard the news of Fiona’s pregnancy months ago, but with all the commotion, Dee must have forgotten they knew. Jimmy dating his partner was surprising information, though, but Quinn filed it away in the back of his mind for later.

“The big news is…we’re getting married!” Kiera held the back of her hand up to the phone so Dee could see her ring.

“Holy Mother of God, look at that ring!” Dee exclaimed. “You did great, Quinny! I’m so happy! Hey, Clare, Quinn and Kiera got engaged!”

“I DON’T FUCKING CARE!” Clare screamed from the background.

Dee came back on the screen. “Well, she’ll care tomorrow when there isn’t a human trying to rip her hoo-ha in half.”

“Ma! Jesus!” Groaning, he tried to shake the mental image from his head. “Maybe we should just call back later.”

“Congrats, bro!” Rory’s voice could be heard in the background.

“Yes, I’ll call you as soon as the baby is here—a little girl named Bronte!” Dee told them, giving them a close-up of the bottom of her nose with the camera.

“Not right when the baby is here, Ma,” Quinn clarified. “Like when she’s in the nursery. In a blanket.”

“Fine, fine, yes,” Dee agreed. “Love you, guys! Bye!”

The screen went black when she hung up.

“You see that insanity?” Quinn turned to Kiera, tossing his phone onto the bed. “That’s what you want to marry into?”

Kiera laughed and fell back onto the bed. “No regrets.”

Quinn looked at the woman of his dreams, the woman he’d loved since he’d first laid eyes on her over two decades earlier, and he didn’t have a single regret, either.