The Hardest Fall by Ella Maise

Epilogue

Six years later

“Oh,” Zoe gasped as her body tensed for a quick second then relaxed against my chest. I circled my arms around her waist before she could get away from me. “It’s you. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Were you expecting someone else?”

I stared down at her as her head fell back against my chest and she looked up at me. “Nope.”

“Good answer.” I leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on her forehead.

When our eyes met, she smiled at me, and my arms involuntarily tightened around her. Years had passed since she’d first told me she loved me, and I still couldn’t get enough of seeing how much she loved me in her eyes without her having to say it.

“You don’t get to use that smile on me,” I said, my heart warming just at the sight of that sweet expression on her face.

“What? Why?”

“I still haven’t forgotten about John, Flash. You still haven’t made up for that.”

She snorted and her smile got bigger. I loved it, loved seeing her face light up, seeing her eyes sparkle when she looked at me with such open, endless love.

“He gave me his wife’s phone number. You were there, right next to me.”

“Yeah and thank God I was. I’ve never seen you smile that big at someone other than me or your dad.”

“Oh, shut up.” Her arms started running over my forearms, caressing, seducing without even noticing what she was doing. “I was just trying to be nice.”

“You don’t have to be nice to my teammates. Be nice to your husband.”

“I’m always nice to my husband, and that teammate just gave me his wife’s number so we could talk about a cute little shoot I’ll do for them when their baby is born.”

Husband—every time the word left her mouth, my chest puffed up, and I couldn’t help but feel proud. She was mine, my Flash, and I was the luckiest bastard to walk this earth.

Leaning down, I ran my nose along her neck and breathed in her scent. “Still doesn’t change the fact that you smiled at him like that. Admit it—I know you checked his ass out.”

“Are you kidding me? Have you seen your own ass in those tight pants? I mean, of course you have, but…do you know what I mean? It’s just hard to take your eyes away when someone walks right in front of you. I didn’t know where else to look.”

I stopped and lifted my head from her neck. “That’s not funny at all, Zoe.”

She laughed. Her body shook in my arms as she turned and pulled my head down for a quick kiss. “Then don’t ask me funny questions. Now go away so I can finish cooking, and don’t open the fridge—you don’t get to see the cakes.”

There was no way she could get rid of me that easily. Instead of getting out of her hair, I pushed her back against the kitchen island and trapped her between my arms.

“I like where I am.”

I tried to go for another kiss, but she arched away from me. “Everyone will be here soon and nothing is ready yet.”

“Relax. Everything is ready. I can barely walk into the living room with all the balloons,” I murmured against her throat.

“How was your workout?”

We were off-season, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t training. I was working every day to stay at the top and be the best I could. After New York, we had moved once, but it’d been three years with the new team and I was happy with the move. I’d be happy as long as I played, and that was the truth. We were happy.

I ignored Zoe’s question and sucked the skin on her neck to make her go crazy.

“Dylan,” she groaned, her tone a dead giveaway as to how close she was to giving in to me, but then again, she always gave in to me.

I stole another kiss, this one longer and filthier as I tasted every inch of her mouth and took her breath away. By the time I gave her a break, she was already standing on her tiptoes and reaching up for seconds.

Her eyes still closed, she swallowed hard and licked her lips. I pushed my hands under her silk shirt and caressed her back, smiling when I felt goose bumps break out over her skin.

“Did you get the Nutella?” she murmured.

I buried my face in her neck and grazed her skin with my teeth. “All four of them.”

“And did you get all the Reese’s, too? And M&Ms?”

I let my hands travel all the way up her back and couldn’t hold back my grin when she shivered and tried to plaster the lower part of her body against mine. I gave her what we both desperately needed—always—and lifted her up on the counter, pushed her skirt higher on her thighs, and pulled her legs around me until I could feel the heat radiating from her core through my pants.

“I got everything. Do we have enough time?”

“They—”

Before my beautiful wife could give me an answer, we heard footsteps rushing toward us, then my gorgeous little girl appeared around the corner. Her eyes got bigger when she saw me and her little feet quickened.

“Daddy!” she shrieked, arms open, ready for me to catch her. “Snuggles!”

Zoe unwrapped her legs from my back and I took a step back from her. The little monster aiming for me was the only thing that could distract me from my wife.

I crouched down and caught my little baby, Sophia, in my arms. “Oooff,” I groaned when she crashed into me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“Daddy,” she whispered as she laid her face on my shoulder, and my heart just melted. I straightened and saw Zoe watching us with a smile on her face. I couldn’t get enough of them, never would, not till the day I died. Leaning toward her, I gave Zoe a small kiss on her lips as she closed her legs and focused on our daughter.

“I missed you like crazy,” she whispered when she was done hugging me and looked at my face.

“I know, I missed you like crazy, too.”

“It’s only been a few hours you two,” Zoe said, cutting into our usual lovefest as she jumped down from the counter. I’d have to wait until everyone went to bed before I gave her all my attention.

Small hands turned my head, and I looked into my daughter’s happy little face, her clear blue eyes just like mine.

“Mommy is jealous,” she whispered loudly, and Zoe snorted.

“I know, she is always jealous of us.”

Sophia nodded eagerly then a grin touched her face. “Your face looks happy, Daddy. Is it because it’s my birthday?”

“It’s my birthday, too, you know,” I replied. While my baby was a little mini version of Zoe with all her quirks and looks, she had been born on my birthday—the best present Zoe could ever give me.

“Happy birthday, Daddy. But your face is happy because it’s my birthday, right?”

I laughed. “Yeah, I think that’s why my face is happy.”

“See, told ya. Did you buy my Riri’s?”

“Yes, I got your Reese’s.”

“My Nutella?”

“Got that, too.”

“Show me.”

She was the bossiest little thing in the house, and I loved her for it.

“Let’s check them out.” I winked at Zoe as she stood barefoot next to the stove and stirred the meat sauce for the lasagna she was preparing. She shook her head, but I knew how much she enjoyed seeing me with Sophia. Marriage hadn’t killed our love or sex life—not at all. We still couldn’t keep our hands off of each other, and I hoped it’d stay that way till we were wrinkly and old.

I took Sophia to the counter and showed her everything I’d gotten one by one. To say both my daughter and wife had a sweet tooth would have been an understatement.

“Good, good. You did good, Daddy. Now put them all in my closet so I can see them every day.”

I threw my head back and laughed. She was the funniest little thing, repeating everything she heard from the adults around her, and just like her mommy, she loved gazing at her prized possessions.

“Where is your grandpa, Soph?” Zoe asked, and she turned her attention to her mom.

“Outside.”

“Yeah? What’s he doing outside?”

She lifted her little shoulder in a shrug until it touched her ear. “I dunno.”

“Sophia?”

“My favorite ball went missing and he is helping me look for it.”

My chest shook with silent laughter. “Did you hide it, Soph?”

She turned her big, innocent eyes to me and gave another shrug. “I dunno.”

Gently, I put her down and righted her frilly white birthday dress. “Come on, go get Grandpa Ron—everyone will be here soon.”

“For my birthday, right?”

“Yes, everyone is coming to see you. Now go get him.”

Happy with everything she was hearing, she dashed out of the kitchen after giving Zoe’s leg a quick hug and a quick “Love you, Mommy,” all the while yelling for her grandpa.

“Granpa, everyone is coming! We’re gonna have cakes and I’m gonna get pressies!”

I went back to Zoe and she shrieked when my hands went up toward her boobs. She slapped my arms and forced my hands out of her shirt.

“My dad is coming inside, what are you doing?”

“You weren’t worried about your dad a minute ago.”

“Yeah, because I knew they were outside. Now Sophia will get him in faster than you can give me a kiss.”

Ignoring her protests, I hugged her and rested my chin on top of her head. “We could’ve gotten pizza—why are you cooking so much food?”

“Don’t say pizza. I want one so bad. Everyone will stay for the weekend, so we’ll order some tomorrow, and your dad loves my lasagna.”

“And you love him.”

“Well…yeah…”

I pressed a kiss against her cheek. She loved my family, and they loved her in return. My mom had taken her side on more than a few occasions, and I couldn’t have been prouder of my parents with the way they had welcomed her into the fold.

“Did they land? Did they call you? Amelia texted me before they boarded, but I haven’t checked my phone since then.”

“They did. I just talked to them before coming inside. They’re waiting for JP and his wife then they’ll head here together.” I reached forward and stole a piece of cheese before she could stop me. “JP will probably land at any moment.”

“Is he happy now?” Zoe asked before turning off the stove.

“Yeah, he’s happy with the assistant coaching job for his old high school, and we have more ideas. It’ll be okay.” My best friend had struggled with the outcome of his injury, but he’d never given up on anything in his life. A shift of career wasn’t going to change that. Just a different road now, he’d said. Just a different dream. “When is Chris coming?”

“He should be here any minute, and Kayla should be here not too long after him.”

“Good.” I nuzzled her neck. “Are you happy to live just an hour away from your friend? She’s doing better, right?”

She tilted her head to give me more access and dropped the wooden spoon on the counter.

“Yeah,” she murmured. “She’s not dating seriously, not after that Tyron guy, but she is at least dating. Dylan, my dad is gonna come inside any minute—Dylan! Don’t do that.”

“I can hear them, and Soph is asking him what pressies he got her.” I chuckled and gently bit Zoe’s neck as she melted into me. “Just in case you didn’t know, we’re raising a monster. I don’t want her to grow up. This size is perfect.”

“You’re just now noticing that? Mmmm, that feels good. Jared can’t make it by the way. He’s busy with work, but he said he’d call you later.”

I nodded and kept brushing small kisses on her skin.

The doorbell rang and we both froze. A second later we could hear Sophia’s shriek as she ran through the house to get the door.

“Uncle Chrissy is here!”

Zoe chuckled. “Chrissy—he’s gonna get you back for that, you know,” she mumbled as we reluctantly let go of each other.

I sighed and yelled at my daughter. “You’re not allowed to answer the door, Soph! Wait for me.”

“Hurry up, Daddy. Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!”

I saw Ronald come into the kitchen with a smile on his face and left Zoe with him so I could go open the door for my best friend, Sophia’s Uncle Chrissy.

Zoe and Chris’s relationship had definitely evolved. They were much closer than they had been six years before during those first few months after he learned about everything, but it had taken them a long time to get where they were. There were still moments where you could see them holding back, but Zoe was happy she got to see him as often as she did since we were playing for the same team and were pretty much unbeatable.

And Sophia…well, Chris was her favorite human in the world, and we were pretty sure her feelings were reciprocated, which was probably why he came to our house for dinner three or four times a week.

As I walked through the corridor that held my talented wife’s beautiful photographs and made it to the front door, Sophia was talking to her favorite uncle through the door.

“I missed you, Uncle Chrissy. Where were you? Did you bring my presents with you? It’s my birthday today.”

Laughing, I opened the door and Sophia threw herself at Chris, shouting joyfully when he lifted her up in his arms.

“Who is this beautiful girl?” Chris asked, and my daughter beamed at my best friend.

“It’s me, silly.”

Chris drowned her in kisses and her laughter echoed throughout our house, as it continued to do for the rest of the day.

* * *

It waseleven PM and my parents had gone to sleep when I found Zoe sitting on our bed.

“Where did you disappear to?” I asked as I opened the door wider and stepped inside.

She looked at me over her shoulder and smiled. “I’ll be down in a minute. Where is Sophia?”

I grinned. “Sleeping in Chris’s lap.” I sat down beside her and grasped her hand in mine. “Is everything okay? Did Chris say something about…?”

“What? No, no. They haven’t talked in years, if that’s what you’re asking. As far as I know, he only talks to his mom, and they’ve divorced, although—I don’t want to talk about him. You don’t have to ask anymore.”

“Okay, Flash, whatever you want. Are you just tired then? You barely sat down today.”

She sighed and rested her shoulder against mine, eyes on our hands.

“It’s a good tired. It was the best day.” She glanced at me and our eyes met as she whispered, “Happy birthday, Dylan. Don’t think I forgot you. I’ll give you your present after everyone goes to sleep.”

“Thank you, Flash.” My smiling lips touched hers and we broke apart too soon for my liking. “What are you doing in here?”

“I came up to get my laptop. I was gonna show Kayla the shoot I did for that couple I mentioned at dinner. And the other two I decided to send out to the gallery in New York. I just sat down for a minute.”

“You okay?”

She touched my cheek and smiled. “Yes.”

“Are you happy, Zoe?”

She laughed. “It’s your birthday—I should be the one asking you that.”

I just continued with my questioning. “Do I make you happy? Does our life make you happy?”

Her brows drew together and then she was climbing onto my lap, holding my face in her hands.

“Where is this coming from?”

“Just want to make sure.”

Her hands moved to my shoulders and she settled down more comfortably on top of me, earning a small grunt and groan from me.

“I never thought I could be this happy,” she whispered.

“Do I give you everything you want?”

“Yes, you idiot, and so much more. I would’ve been happy with just you—”

I cut her off. “Deliriously happy.”

“Yes, deliriously happy, but look at everything you’ve given me. I love our family so much. I love you so much, Dylan Reed. I’m so happy I barged in on you in that bathroom and saw your glorious cock.”

“Glorious, yes—good word choice.” We laughed together as I caressed her back. “And your little family loves you back, especially me. I love you the most, baby. I’m your biggest fan. However, you missed our breakfast this morning, so clearly I’ve been worrying. I could barely do my push-ups without your eyes on me. Don’t make it a habit, my little pervert.”

My dick was already hardening under her, and with the smile she gave me, I lost the battle.

“I was getting our daughter ready.”

“And that’s the only reason I didn’t come get you so you could stare at me.”

Holding my neck, she rested her forehead against mine, our lips almost touching.

“Am I too weird for you? You always make fun of my quirks.”

“Quirks? Oh, is that what we’re calling them now?”

I held her butt in my palms and pulled her a little forward then pushed a little back. Thanks to her short skirt, she could feel all of me. Her eyes closed on their own and she bit her bottom lip.

“I’m stuck with you so…I guess I’ll make do?” I smirked and she chuckled.

Ever since the first day I met her, she’d never seen her own perfect, but that was okay. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere; I’d be right next to her to show her every day for the rest of our lives.

It’s hard to explain what draws you to a person, what it is about them that makes them so special that you give them your heart. I believe it’s all about who you are together, how you are together. It’s simple, what I feel for her—simple, and the most powerful thing in the world.

We chose each other, and we’d keep choosing each other long after we took our last breaths on this earth.

Zoe Clarke was my forever, the love of my life, and I was hers.

THE END.

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