Page 24 of Code Mages & Empty Pages (Frostfire #2)

Epilogue

Dawn

“ I t’s here!” I squealed when the postwoman handed me a heavy cardboard box. I kicked the door shut and carried it into the living room. It took up almost half the coffee table and held that familiar, new book smell.

“Come on, open the box, Roe! Aren’t you excited to see it?” Luc called from the kitchen, sounding more eager than I felt.

He entered a moment later with two bottles of our favourite cider and a pair of scissors.

“Yeah, I am,” I said, a little late, as I sank onto the cushion beside him. He rested his hand on my back when I leaned into his side for comfort.

He’d been my anchor all through writing this book, and I wanted to share this moment with him. But experience told me that actually opening the box and finally seeing the book—that piece of my soul I’d poured so much of myself into—for the first time would unbalance me.

“You worked so hard for this. Go on, open the box,” he prompted me gently. “I’m here.”

“Okay, here goes.” I cut open the tape with shaking fingers and slowly folded back the lid. A crumpled sheet of packing paper protected my author copies. I lifted it up and out and there it was: the book I never thought I’d write.

It was the first book under my new pen name, too. My old name, like my old house, belonged to another life. Roe Sterling was a fresh start, and a quiet nod to the man who made me feel seen.

“Oh, shit.” I sniffed. “This never gets old.”

Luc flung an arm around my hip and snuggled his face into my neck. We both had a weird obsession with each other’s necks.

“You did it, Roe,” he muttered.

“Here.” I handed him the first, pristine copy. Julian, the Dragon with the nerdy glasses, grinned up at us from the cover, his FMC, Iris, pressed to his thick chest. My cover artist had outdone themselves this time. “Check out the dedication.”

Luc sat up, flipped it open to the second page, and read it. I kept my eyes on his face as his own flitted over the page. I knew what it said; I needed to see his reaction.

A slow smile spread on his face. “For The Count Who Saved Me. I love you.”

“I’m so proud of you, Roe. And I love you, too. But I still think it was you and Ruffles who saved me, not the other way around.”

Luc kissed me softly and smiled against my lips. “I’m still a bit disappointed you picked a Dragon over another Wolfman.”

I chuckled, wiping away the happy tears that spilled down my cheeks. “Maybe next time you’ll be on the cover, Code Mage.”

“I can’t wait. But only if the woman looks like you.” He grinned, and I leaned in for another kiss.

“We’ll see. I always said I’d never write a self-insert.”

“You’ve never had your own Code Mage to inspire you before,” he said, a little too pleased with himself. “He could be a colleague of Julian, maybe étienne. He’s a hot Wolfman and loves eating out his colleague right on his desk,” Luc improvised wildly.

“étienne?”

“That’s my middle name,” he told me with a sly smile.

I snorted. “And let me guess, you’re about to offer your services for the research?”

A wolfish grin stretched his muzzle. He closed the distance between us and then gently traced my curves with his hands. “Forever, Roe.”

“Not now, though,” I groaned. I wanted to celebrate the new book naked, horizontal, and thoroughly ruined by my man. “We have to go. The feast…” I lost my train of thought when his thumb grazed my nipple through my shirt.

“Are you sure we have to go?” Luc purred in my ear.

“We promised!” The shelter’s first autumn festival was today, and we’d signed up to volunteer.

He sighed, still trying to keep me close. “That was before I knew how much I’d want you.”

I pressed my hands to his chest and nudged him back. “Liar. You always want me.”

He grinned. “So cocky, Roe.”

I extracted myself from his hold and got up. Luc stood and shot me his best kicked-puppy pout. “Fine, I’m coming.”

“Come on. We can’t miss Ed trying to talk Aspen into fostering a whole litter of puppies.” I went up on tiptoe for a quick kiss. “We can get frisky when we get home, okay?”

“Okay,” he drawled, following me to the door.

Just before we stepped out, I pulled him close. “I’ll tell you a secret, Comte. I want you all the time, too. I rolled a nat 20 with you.”

THE END