Page 20 of Rugged Mountain Man
His grin softens into something deeper, more tender, as he cradles my face in his hands. “Permanent, huh?”
“Yeah,” I whisper, my fingers tangling in his hair. “You think you can handle me?”
His forehead rests against mine as he closes his eyes, his breath warm against my lips. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.”
“You saved me,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “You showed me what life could be like, what it should be like.”
“And you made my life whole,” he replies, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ve been waiting for you, Sadie. I didn’t know it, but I’ve been waiting for you.”
He kisses me then, slow and sweet, like he’s savouring every second. My heart feels like it’s going to burst as I hold onto him, knowing that this is it. This is home.
As he carries me toward the bedroom, still wrapped up in each other, I smile against his lips. “Guess I’ll need a pair of new boots.”
He laughs, the sound rich and warm. “And maybe a hat, too. You’re my mountain girl now.”
“Damn right I am,” I say, pulling him in for another kiss.
“Sadie?”
“Yes, Cole…”
“I love you, more than these mountains.”
My heart bursts and overflows hearing those words.
“I love you too, Cole, more than anything in this world.”
And in that moment, everything feels exactly as it should be.
I’m home.
Epilogue
Cole
A Few Months Later
The cabin smells like woodsmoke and wildflowers, and somewhere in the background, the faint sound of wind chimes drifts in from the porch. But all I can focus on is her. Sadie. My wife. My pregnant, glowing, perfect wife.
She’s standing at the kitchen counter, barefoot and beautiful, slicing strawberries for something. But I don’t care about the strawberries. I care about her. The way her soft hair falls over her shoulder. The curve of her belly beneath my T-shirt. The gold band on her finger that matches mine.
It was just a mere two weeks after she decided to stay and never go back to the city that I made her my wife. We didn’t want anything big. And just had a small ceremony with a few friends and family. Sadie did make a sale after all, when she sold her apartment in the city.
Sadie is the heartbeat of this outfitter’s camp now. Watching her lead pack trips, guiding clients through the wild trails, fills me with pride every time. She’s got this way of making people fall in love with the mountains the same way I fell in love with her—completely, and without looking back.
And then there’s how she’s taken charge of the business. She handles all the ads, the bookings, the sales—things I neverhad the patience or knack for. She’s put this camp on the map, and because of her, we’re booked months in advance. Her drive, her creativity, her passion—it’s transformed everything.
She’s not just thriving here in the mountains—she’s building something, with me. And right now, I’m extending our cabin, making it bigger. Because we want it filled with kids.
I lean in the doorway, arms crossed, watching her with a grin. She notices me and narrows her eyes. “What?” she asks, that sassy edge in her voice that drives me crazy.
“You,” I say, pushing off the doorframe and walking toward her. “You’re my everything.”
She rolls her eyes, but her cheeks flush. She still hasn’t figured out how to hide how much she loves it when I tell her things like that. I come up behind her and slide my arms around her waist, my hands spreading over her belly. She leans into me, soft and warm, and I press my lips to the curve of her neck.
“Cole,” she whispers, her voice shaky as I kiss my way up to her ear.
“Mm-hmm,” I hum, my hands sliding lower, tracing the curve of her hips.
