Above the Law

Epilogue

Seven Years Later

Parker was half asleep, a content smile pulling his lips slightly up.

Until he heard her scream.

His eyes opened wide, his heart racing. Bear barked loudly, pawing at their door. Parker jumped out of bed, frantic. "Eden? Eden, what's wrong?"

She opened the bathroom door, the light blinding him. Her face was blank, and then it was her smile blinding him. She squealed again, louder, happier. "Parker." She bit down on her lip, still beaming, Bear still barking, Parker still holding his breath.

Parker glanced down at her hand, at the two white tests held tightly in her fist. He exhaled slowly, a grin forming on his own lips. "Eden?" But there wasn't panic in his voice, not even close, there was delirious longing and hope.

"Parker," she said it again, laughing, this time like an answer to his question.

Before she could even let out another laugh, Parker wrapped his bare arms firmly around her waist, lifting her into the air and spinning her around and around until her laugh turned to giggles and Parker was breathless with his own laughter.

And Bear was still barking.

And Parker was still holding Eden to his naked chest.

And they both couldn't keep the laughter from bubbling into their throats.

Eden kissed him, full on the lips. He kissed her back.

"You can put me down now," Eden whispered into his mouth.

"Never," he said breathlessly.

She laughed and he carried her back to the bedroom, opened the door so Bear could see that they were in fact alive and more than okay, and then gently sat on the bed, Eden still clinging to him, straddling him.

He kissed her again, hand resting on her ass. She smiled and wove her hands in his hair, pulling him closer. Bear barked, muzzle nudging Eden's thigh. Eden pulled back only slightly, one hand intertwining with Parker's and the other petting Bear's head. They held each other's gaze.

"Remember when you purposed?"

"I remember," Parker said fondly. "I thought maybe it was a stupid idea, and I was paranoid as hell that it would fall off his collar."

Eden and Parker both looked at Bear then, and Eden leaned over, scratching behind his ears. It was the fall after she graduated college that Parker proposed. They we walking Bear around their block, it was cold outside, the leaves crisp and colorful. She could see Parker's breath whenever she glanced over at him. He got down on his knee as soon as they stopped in front of the park and the frozen pond. Parker always let Bear run around, she didn't think anything of him crouching down and unleashing Bear's leash.

But then he looked up at her, a smile so wide, so happy and sure. "Eden Elizabeth Summers." And the way he said it, the seriousness, the love, made Eden hold her breath. "Eden, when we first met we both had so much pain, so much rage, and I wanted you then because I knew we needed each other in that way. It was twisted and cruel, and I regretted it even as I did it. I don't deserve you. I didn't then, and I don't now, but Eden, I am in love with you. All of you. And there... there is not a single day I don't want to be beside you. Eden." He paused, eyes searching her face. "Eden, will you marry me?"

"Yes. Parker yes!" she had said immediately. Breathlessly.

Eden smiled at the memory, and poked Parker gently in the chest. "You were so nervous."