CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Epilogue
One year later
With a deep breath in and my hands secured tightly around Sasha’s waist, I firmly brought her down to the ground, and softened her blow by positioning her body towards the centre of the mat.
“Brilliant Maya. Nicely executed!” complimented Gavin; our KravMaga instructor.
With rock hard muscles and buns of steel, he really was the type of man you’d want to procreate with, but given he was as gay as the day was long, the chances of that happening were very slim.
“Thanks!” I panted, tightening my hair bobble as it became loose around my ponytail.
“You’re getting good, babe!” ensured Sasha, taking a little longer than usual to get up.
“Really? You think?” I asked, pleased to be making progress.
Having badgered me long enough, I finally gave in and agreed to attend weekly classes; her annoying insistence eventually getting the better of me. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d grow to actually enjoy it, let alone be any good.
“Definitely! You’re a natural.”
I smiled against her praise and flashed a cheeky wink, attempting poise.
“That’s it for tonight, ladies and gents. Great job everyone! Don’t forget to stretch it out.”
Gavin removed himself and his tight arse from the studio, leaving us amateurs to quietly cool down before taking to the communal showers.
“What time we on?” asked Sasha, stretching her calf muscle out by holding onto her foot from behind.
Copying her actions, I too took to stretching my legs and sighed through the excruciating pain of doing so.
“Luke’s picking you up at seven, isn’t he?” she added, switching legs.
Seeing as it was our one year anniversary, Luke was whisking me away to Cumbria’s Lake District again, stating, “It’ll be nice to return to where it all started.” In all honesty, it had taken me a while to realise he wasn’t referring to Hoes & Bros. I’d been more than relieved to learn we wouldn’t be spending the night pissed on jäger bombs. Don’t get me wrong, Hoes & Bros was still our go-to place for a night out but a romantic getaway; not so much.
“Yeah, seven. It’s only half six so I’ve got plenty of time to shower,” I replied, checking my watch.
“Girl, you better had. No one likes a sweaty vagina,” she insisted, offering up a knowing smirk.
“You’re insufferable.”
“Yet you love me anyway.”
"Hmm,” I replied, checking my phone to find I had a text from Luke.
<Outside. Don’t rush, I’m early. xx>
“Is Jace still spending the weekend with you?” I questioned, not liking the thought of her being alone for three days.
Sasha was a big girl, but I made it clear from the get-go that she should never have to feel like the third wheel between Luke and me.
“Yeah, he’s stopping until Monday,” she replied, shooting me a huge smile to accompany it.
The pair had been discussing moving in together and I was somewhat saddened by the thought. I’d miss living with her, but at the same time, couldn’t have been happier for the two. It was no secret she was head over heels in love with Jace, and having become something of a best friend to Luke and me, he was often around ours in his spare time. The four of us were always going out together, and in just a few months’ time, we’d all be jetting off to Spain for an all-inclusive holiday that was too good an opportunity to miss.
Free unlimited cocktails by the pool? Yes, please!
“That’s good. You know I hate leaving you alone,” I insisted, heading towards the ladies changing rooms.
“I know you do but I’ll be fine. You and Luke deserve this break. You’ve both had a stressful couple of months,” she ensured, pulling her towel out from the locker.
July had been the monster of all months for Luke and me in regards to work. I had been put in charge of organising a press event for our winter range and Luke finally got the job offer he’d been waiting for. Though for the small price of working his bollocks off. As it turned out, one of Garret’s work associates had met Luke the night of last year’s awards ceremony and was impressed by his sheer passion and commitment alone. He’d got in touch shortly after the whole Dan fiasco and offered Luke an entry-level position with the promise to further progress. Just last week he was offered a permanent role.
“Hmm, I must admit, the idea of relaxing in that hot tub with a glass of wine does sound perfect right now,” I admitted, giddy at just the thought.
“I bet. Have you packed your bikini?”
“Nope,” I replied, smirk in tow.
“That’s my girl. I’ve taught you well.”
~~~
It was late by the time we arrived at the B&B. The train journey up here took a little over three hours, but I couldn’t have been any more awake. I was excited about our weekend getaway and wanted to submerge myself into some hot, bubbly water.
“Oh wow,” I gasped, taking in the magnificent view before me. “Did you organise all this?”
Spread out across our bed was what appeared to be thousands of rose petals. Beside it, chilling nicely was a bottle of champagne, resting on ice. The patio doors were locked shut but just beyond the thin curtains were twinkling fairy lights winking at me in the distance.
“I did. Happy anniversary baby,” whispered Luke, sneaking up on me from behind.
He took me by the waist and inflicted a sweet kiss on my neck, limiting me to moans of pleasure. Then, like the true pleaser he was, he slowly started stripping me of my clothes, knowing how eager I was to get into the hot tub.
“Did you bring a swimming costume?” he asked, lightly tracing my bare shoulder with his soft lips.
“No.”
“Good,” he smiled, turning me around in my stance. “I love you. I know I tell you that every day, but it’s special this time because we’ve been together a full year now,” he explained. “I’ve officially done everything with you as your boyfriend. Christmas, birthdays, Easter.”
“Halloween,” I inputted, remembering the occasion with blushing cheeks.
He’d gone as Danny Zuko and I couldn’t keep my bloody hands off him.
I got chills, alright and they were certainly multiplying.
“And Halloween,” he confirmed, smirking. “We’ve reached every milestone together, and I’m proud of you, I’m proud of us,” he concluded, slowly peeling the layers off himself.
Once naked, he lovingly pecked me on the lips before pouring us each a glass of champagne, prompting me to grab a few towels from the bathroom cabinet. We then both braved the cold outdoors in order to plunge ourselves into the relaxing water and just about managed it without freezing to death.
“I love this, I think we should get one at home,” I sighed, enjoying the power jets on my back.
“What? A hot tub?” he asked, once again positioning me so that I straddled his hips.
I swore it was his favourite way to look at me, seeing as I was often made to sit that way. I supposed it enabled him a perfect view of my face and those eyes he was so set on seeing all the damn time.
I’d finally gotten to the bottom of why he insisted I look at him during sex. Though, whilst expressing his odd reasonings, I’d been a little disturbed to say the least. As it turned out, back when we were teenagers, he’d often think of me whilst engaging in the act of masturbation, but was unable to get the eyes just right. He knew what colour and shape they were but could never piece together the missing bits. So, upon finally getting the ‘real’ me, he’d asked for my eyes to remain open as a way of ultimately experiencing the whole shebang.
“Yeah, can you imagine getting in from work every night and going for a dip in one of these. It would perfect,” I admitted, absentmindedly sipping on my fruity drink.
“Hmm, maybe I’ll buy you one for our next anniversary,” he smirked, landing a kiss on my cheek. “I’ve already got you something for this one.”
“What? I thought we said no presents,” I scorned, only half attempting seriousness.
“We did and I assumed that roughly translated to ‘you better get me something or I won’t be happy’,” he laughed, perfectly summarising it.
“Look at you becoming the relationship expert,” I smiled, lighting up at the thought.
“I know right? Who’d have thought?”
“Certainly not me.”
He pulled me closer to his body and slipped his free hand along my lower back, marvelling in the feel of my wet, naked skin.
“Do you wanna go ahead and open it?” he asked, pointing towards a small gift bag resting on the side.
How I didn’t notice it before was beyond me.
“Yes please!”
I eagerly peaked inside the silver bag and pulled out a velvet box; square in shape, wide in width. He thankfully helped me with the catch, seeing as my hands were relatively full and upon opening the lid, I was met with the most beautiful pair of crystal earrings ever.
Real silver; none of that plastic shit that turned my skin green.
“Oh my God, Luke! They’re gorgeous,” I expressed, bewitched by them.
“Do you like them?”
“Like them? I love them!” I ensured, lightly tracing the delicate detailing.
Their teardrop shape was truly transfixing and had I not been in a chlorine-filled bath, I would’ve put them on straight away. I’d never been gifted anything like that before. Whilst modest in design, they were without a doubt the most elegant thing I now owned.
“I think they’ll go really nice with that ring I got you,” he replied, confusing me slightly.
To the best of my knowledge, he had never gotten me a ring.
“What ring?”
“Oh, that’s right, I haven’t given it to you yet,” he smirked, still holding me tight. “Look in your glass,”
I did as instructed and found a glimmering diamond ring at the bottom of my drink, hidden in its own choke-hazard way. I stared at it for a few moments, unsure of what to make of its incredible beauty.
“Luke…”
“Maya?”
“Is this a ring or the ring?” I questioned, still in shock.
I continued to evaluate its glistening form and momentarily wondered if my entire life was about to change for the better.
“Baby?”
“Yeah?”
I looked up to find his gaze fixated on mine.
“Will you marry me?”
Oh my God!
I choked down my dramatic sob and quickly fished out the ring, no longer caring if I got chlorine in the fizzy liquid.
“Yes!” I cried, confident in my reply.
I may have been reluctant to express my true feelings for Luke in the beginning, but if there was one thing I now knew for sure, it was that I wanted to be Mrs Maya Anderson.
“Yes, please!” I continued, wailing through my insistence to do so.
Luke took the ring from my shaking hand and gently slipped it on my marriage finger, grinning like an idiot the entire time. Heat claimed my own smiling cheeks, and whilst admiring the oval-shaped stone consisting of a transparent, pale blue colouring, I couldn’t express how perfectly happy I was. My best friend just asked me to be his wife and I could think of no greater achievement. Spending the rest of my life with Luke was as good as it got.
“It’s beautiful,” I told him. “So, so beautiful.”
“Just like you then,” he smiled, pulling on my left hand.
He kissed each knuckle before lingering slightly on my ring finger, paying special attention to that particular area.
“I can’t believe we’re engaged!” I informed, unable to pry my eyes away from my very new, very expensive looking piece of jewellery. “Sometimes I still can’t believe I fell in love with you and now here we are, planning on getting married.”
“I know, how lucky am I?” he replied, pulling me further to his chest.
I lightly traced the area on his left pec by drawing the outline of a love heart over my name. I payed special attention to the way his heartbeat picked up its pace from underneath my fingertips and smiled against its insistence to do so.
“When we have kids, will you get their names tattooed on you too?” I asked, softly kissing his hot skin afterwards.
“Hmm, I’ll have a list the length of my arm,” he smiled, gauging my reaction.
“Bloody hell! How many are we having?” I questioned, growing curious.
“I’d like a lot,” he admitted, caressing my jaw. “The more babies we have, the more sex we have,” he reasoned, naïvely so.
I refrained from telling him that the more babies we had, the less sex he’d likely get.
“Alright, well we can’t have any more than five, otherwise our Mum’s plan to recreate Westlife will go to shit,” I laughed, reminding him of their absurd request. “And we can’t have that, can we?” I added, moulding my lips onto his mouth.
“We certainly can’t,” he chuckled, catching my kiss.
His bold actions soon saw me in a state of tranquillity, and had I not been so aware of my surroundings, I may well have fallen into a deep, satisfied sleep right in the middle of my fiancé’s arms. Every day with Luke was like experiencing the holidays all at once. Christmas, Easter, Halloween; all rolled into one happy lifetime spent with the most amazing man ever. I’d never known a life without Luke and finally agreeing to being his wife meant I’d never have to. Thoughts of our future together and memories of our past was what made us so strong as a couple. I was all for living life in the moment, but couldn’t deny how influential he had been so far and how effective he’d no doubt be in the years to come.
I often wondered what would’ve happened had I not gone back with him that very first night. Perhaps we would’ve ended up together another way, or maybe life would’ve taken us both down a different path entirely. Either way, I asked him a question that night and as my mind was brought back to the present, I looked into the glistening blue eyes of my future husband and found myself answering that very same question, truthfully so.
‘On a scale of one to ten, how likely are we going to regret this?’
Never.
THE END