Coming Home to the Mountain: Complete Edition

Epilogue 2

Epilogue 2

MERIT

FIVE YEARS LATER

It’s a bit of a throwback looking out into the fields. It’s what my father probably wanted for me, at least at first before he fell into a horrible conspiracy rabbit hole. Something that wouldn’t look out of place in the 1800s.

Except, well, not. Automated sprinklers, cell phones, and the blaring television in the background remind me that this is the modern age.

A blend of the old and new, the best of everything. The Rough family built this farmhouse with their bare hands, pure passion and dedication to love and family.

I rock my one-year-old son, MacIntyre. Mac Jr., as some of our family have suggested. I learned of the naming convention that the whole family uses, to do with their pregnancy cravings. While I did have a hankering for apples, it may have been a fib that they were macintyre apples in particular. I’ve always been more of a golden delicious girl myself, but I’m going to keep that my little secret.

Then there’s the twins. Chasing one another happily through the fields, Apple and Cinna are too precious for this world. Their names are definitely more true to the theme. When I was pregnant with them, I couldn’t get enough of anything that was apple cinnamon flavored – cereal, oatmeal, muffins, and whatever else a company decided to throw that delicious blend on.

The kitchen timer goes off and I carry Mac Jr. back into the house. A hearty and meaty lasagna is ready, a wonderful meal for the entire family. Setting my child down, I pull the dish out to cool so it doesn’t burn any precious little mouths.

It’s a charmed life, I know. Being able to expand my cooking skills and make such wonderful meals for my family, and having such love all around me seemed like such an impossibility all those years ago.

The rumbling of a truck enters my ears, the excited cheers of “Daddy!” follow. Mac has returned, and meets his overly excited twin daughters by scooping them up, embracing them, and carrying them inside. “You two are getting so big so fast. It’s really going to be hard for me to pick both of you up soon, you know that?”

“But you’re so strong, Daddy, you can always pick us up,” Cinna says.

“I’m hoping that’s true. At least for as long as you’ll let me.”

“Why wouldn’t we want you to pick us up, Daddy?” Apple asks.

So innocent. They won’t be forever, but that’s just life. I’ll cherish this now, and prepare myself to be a good parent when they need more guidance than just a reminder to eat their vegetables.

Mac comes to me. He’s covered in sweat and dirt after another hard day of busting his ass with his father and brothers in construction. His face is clean-shaven though, and always has been since I mentioned I liked it shortly after our wedding. “Good evening, gorgeous. Kids manageable for you today?”

I smile back at him. “Always are. Missed you.”

“And I missed you too.” He sniffs the air. “Is that lasagna? It smells delicious.”

“That it is.” I look him over, and I still can’t help but blush when I lay eyes on him. He’s still hot and sexy as hell, even covered with the soot and dirt that his job brings. “But you, my darling husband, should go clean up before dinner.”

I’m not actually such a stickler about these things but I have to set a good example for the kids.

He just laughs, sets down the twins, and obeys my orders.

After family dinner, I watch from afar as Mac plays with the kids. He’s such a dedicated father, I can’t help but adore him and love him even more.

We put the kids to bed, and we’re once again left to ourselves.

Or so I think, because I’m alone in bed. I cock an eyebrow. Usually Mac comes right into our bedroom after reading the kids a bedtime story.

I’m about to get up to look for him, but he comes through the door, a bouquet of roses in one hand, and a box in the other. “Meant to bring this in with me when I got home, but you know how the twins are. They’re attached to my arms as long as they’re awake.”

I giggle, and accept his roses. “They’re beautiful. What’s the occasion?”

“In celebration of you being voted the most gorgeous woman on the planet.”

“By who?”

“The only person whose opinion actually matters. Mine.”

More laughter. “You’re relentless.”

“And it comes with a prize. Cookies from the Sugar Sweet Bakery.”

I shake my head, my face so incredibly red. “You really didn’t have to do all this, Mac.”

“I wanted to. Because I want you to remember how special you are to me. You’re worth everything in the world to me. And I’m always thinking of you.”

It may be overly sentimental and cheesy, but Mac means each and every word.

He sets the box down, and plops down on the bed beside me. “You know, I was especially hungry all day today.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Don’t you usually get a good lunch at the diner?”

“Oh, no, not that kind of hunger. Just thinking of you here. The hunger pangs of not being able to have you, Merit, are the nastiest things in the world that I have to deal with. I feel like I’m starving every second you’re not in my arms, every moment I don’t get to see your gorgeous body, and feel your tightness around my cock.”

“So romantic,” I reply, shaking my head.

“Are you saying you don’t feel the same?”

“Of course not. Go on. Satisfy that hunger of yours, Mac. Seize everything and enjoy all of it.”

He chuckles, very pleased with himself. He’s on top of me, throwing open my blouse and tossing off his clothes. It’s such a frantic, needy storm, and soon our naked bodies are entwined again, his cock throbbing against my clit, ready to take me.

“You being like this is exactly why I’m pregnant again.”

He stops, and raises an eyebrow. “Again?”

“Got the news early this afternoon, I was waiting for a good time to tell you.”

“And when I’m about to fuck you is the best time, you decide?”

I giggle. “I know how you reacted the last two times, Mac Rough. Me telling you I’m pregnant is basically dirty talk.”

He shrugs, not denying my words one bit, and thrusting himself right into me, the intense and blissful sensation hitting me suddenly and so wonderfully. I melodically moan in tribute to him.

My hero and the man of my dreams. I couldn’t imagine a finer life for me than growing old alongside Mac, and enjoying every single second of it.