Epilogue: Heather
Leaving the cabin was the hardest thing I had ever done. I was head over heels in absolute love with Shane Black. I didn’t know how I was going to tell my family that I was planning to move to the mountains and live with him after graduation. It would be difficult to explain the emotional connection I had with him.
He was more than my rescuer and more than the man who took my virginity. He was my destiny, my soul mate, and my forever. I felt tears in my eyes as I drove, a stark sense of despair creeping in my heart, and a crushing feeling in my chest. I felt like school was just motions I had to go through to get back to him.
***
I VISITED SHANE EVERY time I could, even making random weekend trips when my schoolwork would allow it. As my final semester came calling, my last winter break was threatened by another storm. I wanted to visit Shane, but my parents were insistent I return home before the storm began.
I agreed out of respect, but my heart ached when I drove in the opposite direction of my beloved. I arrived at their house as a few flakes of snow fell, and quickly walked inside. The living room was decorated for the holidays like I remembered from my childhood and that brought a smile to my face.
“Welcome home, honey.” I heard my father’s voice.
“Daddy!” I ran over and gave him a hug.
“I know you’re not a big fan of Christmas with the family, but I’m happy you decided to come home this year.” He leaned back and smiled at me. “Your mother and I didn’t like the idea of you being away during a storm.”
“Yeah...” I still hadn’t told them the truth, but the time was approaching. There was no reason to ruin the holidays though, so I just nodded.
“We did get you an early present though.” He stepped to the side and I flushed red with surprise.
“Shane!?” I stared in disbelief. He was literally standing in my living room.
“Hello, Heather.” His face stretched to a grin beneath his beard.
“Daddy? Shane?” I looked between them. “What is going on here?”
“Do you think we didn’t know where you were spending all of your time?” My father asked. “You have been a ghost for the last couple of years and it took me some time to put it together, but I’m no fool.”
“You told them?” I asked Shane.
“I wasn’t going to lie to your parents.” Shane shrugged. “They deserve to know I love their daughter.”
“Daddy... I...” I stumbled over my words.
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Heather.” My father’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a grown woman. Shane and I had a long talk today. I’d be proud to call him my son-in-law.”
“Son-in-law?” I looked over at Shane. He approached and knelt.
“Heather Westbrook.” His hand reached into his pocket.
Is this happening? Is this for real?
“Oh my God!” I practically jumped out of my shoes as he took my hand.
“Will you marry me?” He pulled out a wooden box and opened it—a gorgeous diamond sparkled on top of a gold band.
“Of course, I will!” I nodded furiously as he removed the ring and slipped it on my finger.
“Yay!” I heard my mother’s voice. She ran into the room and hugged me.
I burst into tears as I hugged my mother and my father, but I cried even harder when Shane took me into his arms. He had made everything right without me even asking. I no longer had to figure out how to tell them. They knew everything and they had given their blessing.
I looked at my father over Shane’s shoulder and he was beaming with pride. Knowing they approved made it even better. I was ready to spend my life with Shane and all the guilt I expected to feel over abandoning what I thought was my future to live in the mountains with him was instantly evaporated.
I was going to be his wife. I was going to be his wife! The words tumbled around in my head several times before I finally managed to settle down. He took me by the hand led me out to the screened in porch. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. Once we were out of view of my parents, he planted much a longer, much more passionate kiss on my lips and I melted in his arms.
I had so many questions, but they could wait for a moment. The kiss lasted for so long my head spun and when it ended, I had to sit down from the rush of emotions flowing through me.
“How did this happen?” I finally regained my computer enough to speak.
“I wanted to make you my wife and I’m an old-fashioned guy. I needed your father’s blessing.” He sat down beside me.
“Well that had to be quite a shock for him...” I muttered.
“He knew. He knew why I was here the moment he opened the door. Like he said, he’s no fool. He knew where you were going.” Shane put an arm around me.
“This is perfect.” I leaned against him and felt a wave of emotions sweep through me.
***
WE DECIDED TO GET MARRIED in Wolf Creek after I graduated from college. It wasn’t a huge ceremony, but the entire town showed up to see us say our vows. Several major media outlets came to cover the ceremony so they could show the nation that the couple they drooled over actually did end up together in the end. It was a heartwarming story, even if they got most of the details wrong since neither of us were willing to give an interview. It was the conclusion of the story for them, but it was just the beginning for the two of us.
I finally got to meet Shane’s family and they welcomed me with open arms. His mother called me the daughter she never had and his father insisted on grandchildren the first time he gave me a hug—someone had to carry on the legacy and Shane was their only son. It made me blush, but I couldn’t deny that I had had already thought about it.
The reception went well into the night with lots of dancing and music. When the crowd finally started to disperse, I was exhausted. We said goodbye to our families, promised to call everyone, and then climbed into his truck. I slid close to him and held his hand as we drove up the mountain towards our future. There was no reason for a honeymoon—the cabin was the only place either of us wanted to be.
It felt amazing to know I didn’t have to leave, to know that it was more than a vacation for once. He picked me up when we arrived and walked me across the threshold, just like he did the first time I saw the new cabin. I was tired, but the energy between us was still simmering and we went straight to the bedroom without a moment of hesitation.
“Today was perfect...” I said as I slipped out of the clothes I had changed into after the wedding.
“You’ll never get me in a tuxedo again.” He growled.
“That’s okay.” I smiled. “Once was enough.”
“I might even burn it for good measure.” He slid off a shoe and stretched out his foot.
“Don’t you dare...” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Fine...” He tossed his shirt on the chair. “Now, I think we have a marriage to consummate. I’ve been waiting all day to have you to myself. Everyone was so stingy today, wanting photographs and all that bullshit.”
“I don’t know if I’m up for sex tonight.” I grinned at him. “I have a headache. You should get used to that. Now that we’re married, we can just go to bed and sleep.”
“Don’t even try that shit.” He walked over and wrapped his arms around me.
“So tired...” I faked a yawn.
“I’ll wake you up.” He turned me around and gave me a firm smack on the seat of my panties.
“You’ll have to do better than that.” I shook my head and wiggled my ass at him.
“Will I now?” He slid my panties down and gave me a harder one.
“Yeah, that’s a little better. Still tired though...” I faked another yawn.
“Now you’re really going to get it.” He took me by the arm and sat down on the bed, pulling me across his knee.
“What kind of man spanks his wife on their wedding night?” I teased.
“Your man.” He gave me several firm smacks.
“I’m awake now.” I laughed.
“Yeah, I bet you are.” He spanked me several more times, a little bit harder than the others. “How about that headache?”
“All gone!” I said quickly.
“So, you’re not going to try and hold out on me?” He delivered two more in the center of my bottom.
“No!” I squeaked. “I’m ready!”
“I’m glad we had this talk.” He gave me a few more for good measure before he finally lifted me off of his lap.
Shane stood up from the bed and removed his pants as I finished undressing. He climbed into bed with his cock already hard and ready for action. He slid between my thighs like he had so many times before, but it felt different knowing he was my husband.
His cock pressed against the wetness between my legs and then he entered me. I slid my hips forward against him, welcoming my husband for the first time as his wife. He slid in a little more with each thrust and I was almost in orgasmic bliss as soon as he was all the way inside. I could sense the same intensity in his eyes.
The exhaustion I felt was washed away quickly when my body reacted to his touch. He picked up the pace and I moaned with pleasure, thankful it was something I would feel for the rest of my life. I closed my eyes when he started kissing my neck and slid his hands along the side of my ribs.
“You’re mine.” He whispered.
“Forever.” I replied with a moan.
It didn’t take either of us long to reach the climax of our pleasure. We had been apart for a while until I finished school, and neither of us wanted to wait long for our release. Perhaps it was the comfort of being there, the knowledge we didn’t have to rush anything, or the fact we could enjoy it anytime we wanted that let us relax so easily.
My pussy clenched on his cock as an orgasm swept over me and he started to cum inside of me. He drove himself deep one final time and his cum exploded with several hard streams. I sank into his arms and felt a calmness sweep across me—one that I had never really felt before because I always knew the moment would come when I had to leave.
There was no deadline approaching and no need to worry that someone would be concerned that I didn’t check in. He held me and kissed me lightly, letting his tongue move along my body as I sighed with excitement. We finally let the exhaustion overtake us as we closed our eyes with sleep teasing the edge of our minds.
The fire roared in the background, crackling in the otherwise dark cabin. I knew I was where I belonged, exactly where I wanted to be. I leaned against him and pulled his arms around me tighter. He squeezed lightly and ran his hand down my arm.
“I love you, Shane.” I said softly.
“I love you too, Heather.” He whispered back.
***
FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, the tale of the heroic man who saved me circulated around the world, complete with pictures of our wedding. The things he had done in the past were only mentioned briefly and mostly glossed over as a misunderstanding. That was a direct quote from his ex-wife, who was likely less than thrilled to once again get caught up in a story.
Things settled down in the world and we were an afterthought once again to them, but our passion had never burned brighter. Several months after we were married, I felt an uneasiness in my stomach, but a sense of excitement rushed over me when I realized what it meant. I had actually begun to worry that nothing had happened considering the number of times we had sex without protection, but just like our love, it seemed that our child had waited for the perfect time to greet us.
Shane practically wept when he heard the news and within a few days, he had already turned one of the rooms into the beginnings of a nursery. If it was a boy, he would get Shane’s grandfather’s name, Luke. If it was a girl, she would get my grandmother’s name, Iris. We would be excited either way.
As the months passed, my stomach grew and the doctors had news we didn’t expect—twins. Luke and Iris would arrive together. Shane immediately went to work adding a second handcrafted crib to the nursery and both of us prepared for our lives to change dramatically. We were nervous and excited at the same time, but I knew Shane would provide for us.
If we had our love, we could weather any storm.