Page 18

Epilogue

Andy

Arna said if you and Winter aren’t at Grey Petal within the hour she is coming to your place and hauling arse.

She has also threatened me with a month of no sex if I don’t convince you, so get your sorry fucking arses down here.

Ha. Blue balls never was your colour. Be there soon.

“We’ve been summoned,” I spoke into her hair as she gave herself another once over in the ensuite mirror.

“Are you sure I look okay?” We hadn’t left my place in a week and while I would be content tospend a year locked up with Win, my friends were relentless in their desperation to meet her.

“Win, you will be the most stunning woman in the entire city, let alone the bar. You are perfect.” I answered truthfully. Her uncertainty was baffling given how naturally beautiful she was and always had been. Tonight, she wore a black dress which hugged her in all the best places and was tight enough that she chose not to wear underwear. Meaning we would be at Seb’s new bar, but mentally, I would already be home with my face between her thighs.

“I love you,” She said, for probably the fiftieth time today.

“Thank fucking god,” I replied with a kiss on her nose, the same thing I said on the day she came to Sydney. “And I love you more.”

“Okay, let’s leave because that look you’re wearing,” she pointed her finger towards my face, “Is only leading to one place.”

Her giggle bounced around the house as we half-jogged, half-wiggled our way to the front door, my hands greedily doing their best to get underneath her dress while she slapped my wandering hands with startled laughter.

“It really is a magical place in the city at night.” She said as we walked the final block to Sebatian’s Jazz and Whiskey Bar.

“I usually take an Uber,” I answered honestly. It was only a ten minute walk from my apartment but I often jumped in a ride or one of the boys swung by on their way. “But I’m glad you like it here.”

We hadn’t discussed what things would look like after her leave ended in three weeks. We were taking things slowly and enjoying this new chapter, day by day. I headed back into the club from tomorrow so she would have time on her own to decide if this really was the place for her, even for the short term. Of course, I was doing everything humanly possible to make sure that happened – the thought of her back in Willow Bay without me too much to bear now we’d finally been honest with each other and ourselves.

“I am worried about my waistline though. The pizza place next to your building will be the death of me.” She said and I wrapped an arm around her shoulder, grinning as she laced her fingers through my own.

“See, you have no choice. How can you leave a pizza place and your morning eggs, à la Grant.”

The disgust on her face evoked a belly laugh from deep within and I held my stomach.

“You have a breeding kink, sie. Fertilised is not how I want my eggs right now, thank you.” Her words only made me laugh harder.

“You are the best.” I answered honestly with a kiss to the top of her head.

“And you are a pest. But you’re my pest.” She quipped.

“Yes, I am. This is it.” I gestured to the door which led down a set of stairs. You might miss it if you weren’t actively looking or aware, and that was in line with Seb’s obfuscated character. A small square plaque sat at eye level with the words Grey Petal illuminated by the small lights above, the stairs margined with the same discrete lighting.

“This is really nice.” Win breathed, her voice immediately lowering as it did when we joined others. Never wanting to draw attention to herself, my girl was not one for social gatherings. “There aren’t many people here,” she observed.

“Nope. It’s a closed event.” I said. There were no secrets once Arna got wind of them and Andy had unknowingly opened a can of worms when he told her Winter hated crowds. It apparently resulted in a call to Marlee which ended with Sebastian closing his bar for the night so Winter wouldn’t feel anything but comfortable. A gesture which was both incredibly kind and an example of why I liked Arna and Marlee so much.

“You did this?” She asked, her feet frozen.

“Not me. These two.” I said quietly just before the women in question came over, clearly unable to wait.

“I’m so sorry, but we can’t wait any longer. I’m Marlee.” Marls said, leaning in to kiss a clearly befuddled Winter.

“And I’m Arna, Andy’s fiancé. We are so excited to finally meet you. Andy says speaks about you alllll the time but we all kinda thought you were made up and then we wanted to meet you but the caveman over here, ran away.” She said with a quick glance over to me. “Oh, hey .”

“I feel very welcomed,” I laughed as Marlee moved in to greet me.

“She is gorgeous.” She whispered before turning back to Win who was listening to Arna talk about how she and Andy met.

“Come and meet our other halves.” Marls said, walking over to where Sebastian was and sitting on his lap.

“Win, this is Sebastian. That’s Cooper and you know Jay and Andy. Guys, this is Winter.” Winter smiled at each in turn and before anyone else could speak, Arna was taking her and Marlee by the hand.

“Felicity and Eva are devastated they couldn’t be here tonight…” Marlee’s voice faded as they stole Winter for whatever conversation they were going to force her to have and I shook hands with each of the boys before retrieving the glass Cooper slid over to me.

“New one?” I asked, picking up the bottle in the middle of the table.

“Yeah. Too smoky for your captain, tell me what you think though.” He said, and I swirled the drink before having a sip.

It wasn’t bad but whiskey wasn’t really my thing. “Tastes the same as the other eight you’ve made me try.”

“You have no taste buds.” Coop quipped and the boys laughed.

“I’ll get you a beer.” Seb said and I nodded appreciatively.

“So you finally got the girl.” Jay stated, nodding his head in the direction the girls went.

“It appears so.”

“Reckon she will stay in Sydney?” Andy asked. He knew how much I wanted her here after he accosted me at the club the other day and practically forced me to tell him everything. Probably at the threat of harm from his fiancé.

“I really hope so.”

“I’m not sure those two will let her go.” He said as the trio of women returned each with a drink and matching surreptitious grins.

“What did they say?” I prodded, pulling Win onto my lap, already missing her in the few short minutes she was gone.

“Nothing you need to know, s.”

“Since when?”

“Since she became one of us, .” Arna said, ending any more questioning and Win turned to glance my way, a soft smile on her face and I kissed her on the temple.

“Love you,” I whispered against her cheek and she turned, grazing her lips against my own.

“Love you more.” She replied, before leaning back against me, tracing circles on my pants as she listened to the conversation around the table.

I couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips as I watched her seamlessly enter my world, her usual social hesitations visible only by the slight touch of her thumb grazing my own. With little effort, Arna and Marlee had her laughing, at my expense of course, but I could not have cared in the slightest. Because she was here. With me, as not only my friend, but my love.

There was no lighter feeling than falling in love with your best-friend. Regardless of time, space and distance the strength of our feelings was always going to bring us here.

I pressed a kiss to her cheek telling her I was going to grab us some water and gave her a light tap on those thighs I loved so much. It was with a comforting pull on the heart that I joined the boys at the bar where Seb was handing each of us a glass with the night’s special.

I glanced back, making sure Win was still good and the reassuring smile she sent my way cemented every feeling I had ever had. While I wished I would have realised earlier that she was my gravitational force, it was the paths we took to get here which made our story so unique. And honestly, I would walk the same path and feel the same longing and anticipation for her over and over, because Winter Lennox was worth the wait.