Bonus Epilogue
Hunter opened his eyes as the first rays of sunlight shone through the gap in the drapes. The golden, early morning light turned Bailey’s hair to spun gold and he felt like the luckiest man on earth. She was perfect.
In the months that had followed their reunion, they had fallen into an easy routine – not boring, mind you, because things with Bailey could never be boring – but easy, like they were meant to be, like they’d done it before. He’d never known a relationship to be so immediately compatible. That didn’t mean that there hadn’t been some knock down, drag out fights, just that they had both been able to reach an amicable resolution. And making up was the best bit.
He rolled onto his side and looked down at the woman he had given his heart to. He knew every line, every curve, every freckle on her body, but each day when he looked at her, he found something else, something more to love about her. He imagined that for the rest of his life, he would be forever learning more about her and that suited him just fine. He had never thought that it was possible to love someone more everyday, but each day, each moment he was with his Blue, he found his heart filling even more.
He picked up a tendril of her hair and let the silky strands sift through his fingers. She lived up to the fiery red head stereotype with her quick temper and sassy mouth, but the pay off for that was her passion. Bailey threw herself into everything she did and always went above and beyond in everything she did. He’d offered her a job as Green Aviation’s in house PR person, but she had turned him down. He respected that. He respected that she had her own mind about things and that she loved her career and her firm.
He tucked the curl of hair behind her ear and then traced the shell of her ear with his fingertip, following the curve of it down her neck. Her skin was soft and he loved the feel of it against his. He loved that he could touch her whenever he wanted. He smiled to himself. He had this primal urge whenever they were out in public together to stake his claim on her. It was a bullshit caveman response, but he wanted every man who laid his eyes on her to know that she was attached and he’d perfected the stare-down when they didn’t get the hint.
Bailey had yelled at him about it, but he refused to back down and later that night after they’d reached a resolution between the sheets, she’d admitted that she liked that possessive side of him. She liked that someone cared enough about her to want to make a public statement about their relationship. He was more than ready to go beyond just making a public statement.
He’d bought a ring, had it specially designed. He’d picked it up yesterday and was planning a big evening for them where he would wine her and dine her and shower her with his love before proposing to her. He just didn’t know when to do it. He wasn’t nervous, not in the slightest, but he wanted to have the perfect moment with her and finding time in their schedules was challenging. Between work and renovating his house, they didn’t seem to have a spare minute.
Thankfully the renovations were done and today they would move in. They had been staying in The Mayfair penthouse suite, where they had spent their first night, for the last few weeks as the final renovations were done. He had asked her to move in with him and she had readily agreed. Already his house was beginning to feel like home again and he knew it was only because of her. So today was moving day and he couldn’t wait to get a start on their life together.
Bailey shifted in her sleep and the sheet slipped down, exposing a creamy breast. He dipped his head and placed delicate kisses along her throat and across her chest before lavishing the delicious globe. Her hand came up and threaded through his hair, holding him in place and he smiled. This was bliss, waking up next to Bailey, knowing that they would be doing this for the rest of their lives. He couldn’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be.
“I like your beard,” she whispered in her sleep-husky voice.
He lifted his head and smiled down at her. Her eyes were soft and her mouth beckoned him.
“Would you like to know how it feels when I kiss you?” he asked. It had become their thing, their little inside joke.
“God, yes,” she said.
He captured her lips with his in a long, slow kiss. This was heaven. The soft glow of dawn, a beautiful woman in his arms and the knowledge that she loved him as much as he loved her.
“I love you Blue,” he whispered, caressing her cheek.
“I love you too Irish,” she replied and then reached up to seal her lips over his once more.
Bailey flopped onto the couch beside Hunter and sighed contentedly. It was moving day and they’d spent most of the day packing up her apartment so that she could move in to Hunter’s house with him. He’d finally finished the renovations on his Carlton home and together they’d picked out appliances and new furniture.
“I’m beat,” she moaned, laying her head on Hunter’s shoulder.
“But happy?” he asked and she smiled up at him.
“Definitely.”
He dropped a kiss on her lips and she smiled.
They’d been together for a couple of months now and Bailey was the happiest she’d ever been. It wasn’t perfect, they had their little fights like every couple did, but they always made up and make up sex was the best. Bailey was tempted to pick a fight sometimes just for the make up sex.
Hunter had reorganised his business so that he didn’t need to spend so much time in Canberra, much to Madeline’s delight. She got to stay in Melbourne, with her husband, and Hunter had hired someone to do her job in Canberra. In fact, he no longer dragged any of his core team across the country with him, which they were mostly grateful for. The luxury domestic flights had taken off (no pun intended) and he’d had to employ more staff to fill the need. Again, much to Madeline’s delight.
“When is Peyton moving in?” Hunter asked.
Peyton was Bailey’s sister and she’d taken over Bailey’s lease so that her roommate wasn’t left high and dry.
“Tomorrow,” she said, “She’s pretty excited.” Peyton had moved to Melbourne and landed on her feet. She’d even found her own Hunter, although his name was Dale.
Bailey and her parents had also mended some fences. After hearing her mother’s story about how she and Bailey’s dad had gotten together, she sort of understood them a little better now and they had come to understand her too. It was still early days, but they were making progress. It helped that her father loved Hunter and her mother had a thing for Jonathon and his chocolates.
“Bailey,” Hunter said, his voice soft, “I’m really glad you moved in.”
She reached up and caressed his beard, “I am too,” she said.
He kissed her deeply, tenderly, and Bailey couldn’t wish for anything more than what she had right now. Hunter had shown her time and again how much he treasured her and she hoped he knew that she felt the same.
“I love you Hunter,” she said when he lifted his head. She searched his gaze and felt her heart melt at the soft look in his eyes.
“I love you too Blue,” he murmured, nuzzling her neck.
They slipped down on the couch so they were spooning and Bailey closed her eyes and leant back against his hard chest. She was kind of grateful for Nick, if he hadn’t decided to marry Ainsley, then she never would’ve met Hunter and she would never have known what it felt like to really be in love.
Nick and Ainsley were still married, from what Hunter’s mother told them, but things weren’t all sunshine and roses. Ainsley seemed to have grown a backbone and had him dancing to a whole new tune.
“Bailey?”
“Mmm,” she replied, feeling sleepy and relaxed.
“I wasn’t going to do this now, but…”
Bailey opened her eyes slowly and looked up at the beautiful man who held her. His green eyes sparkled and the edges crinkled with his smile.
“Do what?” she asked.
His arm moved to reveal a small box in his hand.
“I had big plans,” he said, “A fancy dinner, candlelight, violins, moonlight, but…” he flipped the box open to show her the gorgeous solitaire diamond set in a rose gold band. “Will you marry me?”
She rolled over to look at him properly. “Really?” she asked, “You want to marry me?”
He chuckled, “I want to spend the rest of my life with you Blue,” he said, “I want to have children with you and take vacations with you and grow old together with you.”
“Oh Hunter,” she said, tears filling her eyes, “I want that too.”
He took the ring and slipped it on her finger and then cupped her face, wiping away the tears that had overflowed from her eyes and had started to roll down her cheeks.
“Is that a yes?” he asked, his voice gruff.
“That’s a hell yes,” Bailey replied and then she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down to kiss him.
