Recluse: the Epilogue

Here is a little epilogue for those of you who read "Recluse" and wanted some more closure. Enjoy!

--T.

*

I stepped outside into the warm May sunshine after my last final exam, feeling like a weight had been lifted off of me. I was graduating from college on Saturday but this was the last time I would have to set foot in a classroom. It was a good feeling. My mood lifted even more when I saw Gabriel waiting for me in the parking lot. He was leaning against his motorcycle looking cooler than anyone's boyfriend had a right to look.

I skipped over to him and he caught me in his arms and kissed me breathless. A few other students walking by were staring but we both ignored them. "What are you doing here?" I asked when he put me down. "I thought you had a shift at the restaurant today."

"Tony gave me the day off," he replied with a grin. "You know how much that guy loves me." The manager of 'Anthony's Italian Eatery' couldn't get enough of Gabriel's cooking ever since he hired him last fall.

"So what should we do," I asked, slipping my arms around Gabriel's waist and looking up into his dark eyes. "Now that I'm a free woman and all."

Gabriel brushed a few strands of blond hair away from my ear and whispered, "I have a surprise for you." I grinned and his eyes twinkled with a secret.

With the sleek motorcycle growling between our legs, Gabriel drove us a few miles outside of town. I'd never been here before but Gabriel seemed to know where he was going. We parked in a little pull off by the road that I would never even have noticed. He took my hand and led me up a narrow path in the woods.

The birds were singing in the warm sunshine and new green leaves covered every bush and tree branch, bathing out path in a clear emerald light. After walking for a few minutes the path opened up into a small grassy clearing. There was a blanket spread out in the sunshine and a picnic basket sitting next to it.

"Aww! You made me a picnic!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around Gabriel's neck. He smiled and kissed me, suddenly lifting me into his arms he carried me over to the blanket. He sat down and we feasted on grapes, cheese and crackers; he'd even brought a bottle of wine and we drank it out of plastic cups.

When we'd finished eating Gabriel and I lay together on the blanket, watching the trees sway above us. I snuggled up to his side, feeling content and a little buzzed from the wine. He turned to take me in his arms and kissed me deeply, framing my face with his big hands. I kissed him back, my tongue darting out to taste him, making him moan and press against me.

Gabriel sneaked a hand up under my shirt, running his rough palm over the smooth skin of my stomach. I gasped moaned at his touch, feeling myself becoming aroused. Gabriel kissed my neck and traced his tongue along my collarbone, pulling down the strap of my tank top to expose more of my skin to his insatiable mouth.

Gabriel pulled his t-shirt off and tossed it aside. While he licked and caressed my breasts I ran my fingers over every familiar curve of him. My fingers knew his scars like old friends now but I never got tired of touching them.

He kissed his way down my body, smoothly unbuttoning my shorts and slipping them off my legs. The man was an artist at undressing me. I lay back and looked at the sky, shuddering and gasping when he kissed my sex, stroking me with his tongue and fingers.

When I was trembling with the need to come Gabriel stopped. I tore his pants off almost savagely, giggling when I couldn't get his zipper undone and finally, finally he was sinking inside me. I moaned and wrapped my arms around him. It felt so right, like coming home.

He kissed my neck, testing my skin with his teeth. I shuddered as he stroked smoothly in and out of me, his thick cock stretching me exquisitely. He pounded against me harder and faster and I felt my orgasm building as he brushed against my g-spot over and over again.

Gabriel grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled, tugging my head back as he slammed into me. I cried out as my orgasm hit me like a wave and I clung to him, squeezing his cock inside me and throbbing like a heart.

When we were finished we got dressed and I lay with my head in Gabriel's lap, looking up at the lacy pattern of the leaves against the sky. Gabriel played with my hair, winding strands of it around his thick fingers. "This was a nice surprise, Babe. Thank you," I said. He smiled and bent forward to kiss me upside down.

"This wasn't the surprise," he rumbled. I sat up, wondering what he was talking about. Gabriel reached into his pocket and sat up on one knee, holding a small black velvet box. I brought my hands up to cover my mouth, tears suddenly springing to my eyes.

"Jen," he began, meeting my surprised blue eyes with his steady brown ones. "I know I've only known you for a year but this has been the happiest year of my life. Before I met you I was a different person. My world was a dark and lonely place and you burst into it like a ray of sunshine. You pulled me out into the light and I'm not sure how I would have survived if you hadn't."

The tears were flowing down my cheeks now and when Gabriel opened the box I could barely see the sparkle of the ring inside through my tears. He continued, "If you do me the honor of being my wife, I promise to spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you make me. Jen," he cupped my face in his hand, wiping my tears away with his thumb. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," I choked out, wiping my tears away with the backs of my hands so I could see his adoring face looking down at me. "Yes, of course I'll marry you!" he slipped the ring onto my finger and I held it up to the light, watching the diamond sparkle in the sunshine streaming through the trees.