BONUS EPILOGUE FOR JACK: ALASKAN MOUNTAIN MEN

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Jack

Five Years Later

Nova lights a match and moves the flame onto the wick of an oil lantern. It’s been a rough winter with too many nights at thirty below. That’s thirty degrees below zero. And if you’ve never felt it in the raw, untamed wilderness before, than you don’t know how absolutely harrowing it can be. The tall pines surrounding us do a fair enough job blocking the wind, but we still catch the northerly gusts come evening.

Tonight is no exception, and the last few months it’s been evident that the cold and isolation is wearing on Nova.

“And the princess and the frog lived happily ever after…” she says the words sweetly to the children as she tucks them into their beds beneath layers of blankets and furs, we’ve collected over the years.

Cass is nearly five and has been homeschooling for the past two years. And Bryan turns two next month. The two-bedroom cabin is shrinking, there’s no way around it.

“Get right to sleep, I have a surprise for morning.” I say to the kids as I grab the lantern and close the heavy door to their room. I hear their excitement bubble behind the door. I shouldn’t have said anything so close to bed.

Nova looks towards me with wide eyes. “A surprise? What kind of surprise?”

It’s the first time I’ve seen her eyes light in weeks.

I grip her hand and take her into the bedroom, pulling out a blueprint from behind the dresser.

Her eyes narrow, “What’s this?”

I lay the paper flat out on the bed and grip her hips from behind, rocking her in place as I whisper in her ear.

“I’ve been building us a house.”

She twists towards me, her hand on my bicep, her long hair draped down over her shoulders. “What do you mean you’ve been building us a house? You’ve been here with me every day.”

“I know this cold weather, with both the kids, in this small cabin has been too much. So, when I went to town last month, I made a few calls. Next month at this time we’ll be in the warm sunshine talking to rainforest monkeys.”

Her eyebrows lift and a wide smile spreads onto her face. “What do you mean? How? We’re still laying low, right? I mean—”

“We are, but we can lay low somewhere warm. A guy I knew from Skagway can get us by seaplane to the mainland. Then he’s got a guy who can get us to Venezuela.”

She glances down at the blueprints, her voice excited. “Jack, is this a treehouse?”

I settle on the edge of the bed and point to the blueprints, showing her the different areas of the home as I talk. “It’s four bedrooms, three baths, and it sits up in the trees. There’s even a swing in each of the kids' rooms. They're going to go crazy, right?”

“I don’t know what to say. Does Dad know?”

“I told him last night. He’s excited as hell, Nova. The best part is there’s a little community of people there. A community with kids Bryan and Cassie’s age. A community with people your dad’s age. Maybe he can meet someone.”

“What about your family? Won’t they catch wind of us if we start moving? I don’t want to ris—”

I pull her into my arms and wrap her tight against my chest. “I promised I wouldn’t do anything that put us at risk. We need this Nova. You need this. The kids need this. I need this. I’ve taken every precaution. This is our time. It’s our time to be warm, happy, and finally break free from this tundra..”

She takes a deep breath, looks away, then back again. A soft shimmer in her gaze as tears peak onto her cheek. “Really? You really think we can do this?”

I brush her hair way from her face and take her hands in mine. “I think we can’t afford not to do this, Nova. I think this is our chance to find a new life.”

She studies my face long and hard and I can’t quite tell if she’s excited or scared.

“Okay. Let’s do it,” she finally says, a half-smile on her face. “Let’s do it Jack. The kids will be happy to stretch their legs. The sun will do us all good. And having more people around… you know how worried I’ve been about the kid’s socialization.”

I smile. “Well then, set your calendar. Because twenty-nine days from now we’re leaving this snow and ice for something a hell of a lot better.”

Nova

One Year Later

Listening to monkey’s howl, crickets chirp, and birds sing is a far cry from the sound of wolves and silence as snow falls heavy and cold around our small cabin. Here, Bryan and Cass can stretch their legs and run all day through the jungle with friends. And Jack and I are learning from locals how to cultivate medicinal herbs, and where to gather fresh fruit. Heck, even Dad has found a nice woman to spend his time with.

There’s a sense of normalcy that goes along with having a community of people on your side. A sense of belonging I’d been missing. And Jack has done whatever he can to make this life imperfect life, perfect for me.

I lean on the rail of the treehouse porch and watch as the kids play Trompo with the other children in camp. Bryan tries to spin his top as fast as Cass, but eventually she helps him as they attempt to knock down the other kids spinning tops.

A large hand grips the back of my neck and another sweeps me off my feet. “You look like you could use a massage, Mrs. Nolan.”

“Is that right?” I say, wrapping my arms around Jack’s neck as he walks us into the bedroom. He’s been out working most of the day, but he’s showered now and wearing only board shorts. His bare chest solid and exposed. This is the number one reason constant warmth is better than cold—Jack wears less.

He lays me on the massage table he had made for us closes the blinds and lifts off my sundress. Exposing my bare skin. “Flip onto your back sweetheart. I want to take care of you.”

I hesitate to listen. I never feel deserving of a break, but he moves my body gently into place. Jack spoils me. He always has. I try to return the kindness and do things for him that he loves. Like making fresh mango hand pies every day and keeping the house in order. But he goes above and beyond, and I can’t keep up.

“Relax,” he says. “Mrs. Ablalos and your dad have an eye on the kids this afternoon. Tomorrow you’ll be busy as hell. Use this time to unwind.” He runs his oiled hand up the small of my back towards my shoulders. His large hand like a rolling pin of warmth and steady pressure working its way over my muscles. Slowly, he moves along my shoulder blades and down again toward the small of my back. Working in small circles down further over my butt and onto my thighs, down my calves and feet. With both hands he sweeps upwards, spreading my legs slightly as the tips of his oiled fingers graze the satin lips of my cunt just slightly.

He ignores the graze as though he didn’t mean it, continuing again with my back up towards my shoulders. Moving my hair from the back of my neck to rub the tiny muscles that seize up when I’m in the garden or leaning over the kids. Back and forth he works his hands with smooth pressure, before working his way back down to the small of my back, onto my ass, down my legs and back up. Gently brushing the crease again with the tips of his fingers.

The touch is slight, but enough that I can’t help but want more. I twist onto my back and pull him towards me. Kissing his lips as his hand runs up and over my shoulder. Massaging me as we kiss. Continuing to knead the back of my neck, he runs his tongue down onto my pointed nipples. Taking each one into his suction one by one.

Reaching down, I push beneath his shorts, grip his hard cock and pump.

Jack traces the curves of my body with his tongue as he moves down, pulling my ass to the bottom edge of the massage table as he moves his hand back up over my stomach and onto my breasts.

I look up at him, and push his shorts down with my feet, feeling resistance from his hard cock as they slide.

“Are you sure you want all this? You could’ve just enjoyed a nice long massage…” He runs the tip of his cock over the smooth lips of my pussy as he talks. His dark eyes focused on mine.

I push down towards him, anxious to feel him spread me apart. Eager for him to fill me up. Excited for the sounds he makes as my warmth wraps him up.

“I’m sure, Jack. Fuck me. Please. Fuck me hard.”

Slowly, he pushes inside of me. His long, wide cock spreading me, filling me, soaking me as I arch away from the massage table and sigh.

When he’s in all the way, he takes hold of my hips and thrusts against me. Faster then slower. Harder then softer. Methodically moving against me as he keeps one hand against my clit, rubbing in circular motions.

“You’re so fucking beautiful Nova,” he says, grinding faster.

I close my eyes and lean back, enjoying the pressure as it builds, forcing me to squirm against his hand, desperate for reprieve.

He pushes into my clit harder, my juices heighted to his touch until shots of energy surge through my body as I grip the edge of the table. Come spilling out over his cock as I scream out in pleasure.

Jack pumps faster, his grip on my hips leaving impressions on my skin as he pumps faster again. His gaze on mine until he explodes inside of me and finally, his body relaxes.

I sit up from the table and wrap my arms and legs around him as he holds me in his arms.

“Thank you for everything Jack. For you, for this life, for those beautiful children.” I say, kissing his warm shoulder softly.

He looks down still panting and lifts my chin until my lips are on his. “You should never be thankful to me, sweetheart. It’s me who’s the lucky one.”

When I met Jack back in Skagway, nearly seven years ago I never thought I’d be living in Venezuela with him, raising our children in a rainforest treehouse. But here we are, happy as hell I wouldn’t change it for the world.

THE END

Next up in this series: Mason! He's moved to the mountains to escape life after coming home from war. But an escape is the last thing he finds after the woman of his dreams goes missing.