I know. I said The Desert Yes was the penultimate chapter. Then I told you The Stillness After was the final pause. But this—this—is the real ending.
(Okay, technically there’s still a short coda tomorrow. But let’s let this one have its moment.)
Today, we reach the summit.
In Chapter 12 of Afterglow, Ginger and Coco lace up their boots and head into New Zealand’s wild. One year after that alley, they return to the trail—but this time, they arrive not with chaos, but with clarity. It’s the culmination of a year of trust-building, of learning when to push, when to wait, when to stay.
This isn’t just another sex scene. It’s about a different kind of surrender. A conscious one. A vulnerable one. Coco offers Ginger the last door she’s kept closed—not because she owes him, but because she wants to. And Ginger meets her there, not as a conqueror, but as a partner.
Now, while I’ve written steamy scenes before, Afterglow was the first time I tried to weave emotional exposure in so explicitly. Let's face it, it's not too difficult to write a raunchy orgy (like yesterday's A Mother's Day Ablaze), but I struggle with writing about the emotional connection.
That’s where you come in.
I’d love your feedback.
Did the ending land for you? Was it the right mix of heat and heart? Did it feel earned, or did I drift too close to sentimental? Be honest—I’m listening. And I’m learning.
Read Chapter 12 now: The Summit
Eric
P.S. And join me tomorrow for the final final final (really final) word.