I clenched my jaw. What the fuck did my mother think she was doing? I started toward her, but Evie’s hand slid against my palm.

“Don’t,” she whispered. “Ignore her. Don’t play into whatever this is.”

I looked at my wife. She was the complete opposite of the woman who raised me. She was also right. My mother wasn’t here to bestow her blessings on our marriage. She was here to sow chaos and upheaval. Walking out of here as if she had thrown a match on gasoline would make her sleep better tonight. I couldn’t give her that kind of satisfaction.

I wouldn’t let her ruin this for the Rossis. I had no doubt they had good intentions when they asked her to attend, but they didn’t know that woman like I did.

I tugged Evie’s hand. “I think it’s time we finally have our first dance.”

She nodded. “I’d love to.”

I twirled my gorgeous wife on the dancefloor. The tables that were usually in the middle of Bella’s dining room had been cleared out of the restaurant. There was plenty of space to dance on the hardwood floor.

I held Evie’s body next to mine as we moved to the music.

“Did we dance at prom?” I asked.

“You know very well you never asked me to dance with you.”

“I should have asked you. Prom night would have been fun.”

She giggled. “I graduated high school a virgin, you jerk.”

I spun her out and brought her back to my chest. “Don’t say things like that,” I warned. “It makes me want to christen other virgin parts of your body.”

The embarrassment was all over her face. I pulled her hand to my heart and rocked slower.

“Jer.” She bit her lower lip.

“Come on, it’s keeping me distracted from the grenade that just walked in here. Play along, Evie. Talk dirty to me so I forget what’s at the door.”

She nodded. “Ok. I want to help you. I’ll distract you however you want. You do like your games.”

“If they involve what we’re talking about, I fucking love them.” I nipped at her ear. I had to be careful or I was going to put on display just how hard she made me. I couldn’t tame my cock like this. Not with the idea of taking Evie’s sweet rosebud tonight.

“So if I did agree to this. To losing the last strand of my virginity. Hypothetically. Only hypothetically. You think I’m ready for it?”

My lungs were almost crushed from the question. My one hand strayed below her waist, coasting over her round ass. “Yes. You’re definitely ready back here.” I moved my hand before anyone saw me. Luckily, the dance floor was more crowded once we had started dancing.

“Ready for all of it?” she teased, sucking her lip against her teeth. “Every inch?”

This game was fucking hot, but it was also dangerous. My cock was another pulse away from being at full attention.

“Do you want the full ride?” I taunted.

Her eyes locked on mine. “Yes,” she whispered.

I wanted to throw her over my shoulder and storm down the cellar steps. We could fuck each other senseless. We could fuck until her dress was tattered. Fuck until tomorrow. Until the jet was ready to take off.

“You are killing me.” I dug my fingers into her hips. “Do you feel how hard I am?”

Her innocent eyes widened. “That’s for me?”

“You realize when we get out of here tonight I’m going to fuck you like it’s our wedding night. You remember our wedding night, don’t you?”

She gulped. “I do.”

This wasn’t like the last time I was in Bella’s. I couldn’t pay the band to stop playing or bribe the guests to leave with a wad of cash. We couldn’t shut the place down and find solace in each other’s bodies. We had to be a respectable pair of newlyweds. For Evie, I’d attempt patience.

I had to wait for everyone to leave before I could take my bride home.

The song ended and the crowd dispersed while a new set of dancers walked onto the floor.

I looked over, noticing Mrs. Rossi speaking to my mother. I hated to think of the web of lies being spun over there.

“I think I need to step in.” I motioned to Evie. “Maybe I can convince her to leave.”

“I’m going with you.” She was on my heels. “I don’t want it to get ugly, Jer.”

“Mother, what brings you to this part of town?” I greeted her, letting Mrs. Rossi finish her conversation before she walked to another guest.

“I’d never miss my only son’s wedding reception.” She held her pearls and looked around. “It isn’t where I would have held it, but—”

“Shut up.” I dared her to say something nasty about Bella’s.

Evie wiggled closer to me. “Hi, Mrs. Hartwell.”

“Evelyn is it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I should congratulate you on joining the family. Being a Hartwell is prestigious in Newton Hills. Our family name means something here.”

“Mother, stop it. Evie’s parents are trying to do something nice for her. For us.”

Her eyes landed on Evie’s flat belly. “No babies, yet?”

If she had been a man, she’d be flat on her back by now after I pummeled her with my fist, but I’d never hit her, no matter how vicious she was.

“Jeremy and I are looking forward to starting a family soon.” Evie’s voice was sugary sweet. “But we’ve been trying to come up with grandparent names. What do you think? Should the kids call you Nana? Or would you like something more downhome and fitting with our little town? MeeMaw? You could definitely pull off MeeMaw. Let’s call that a decision made.”

Mrs. Rossi returned. “Did I hear talk about grandchildren? You know that’s my favorite topic. What did I miss?”

Evie smiled at her mother. “Mom, we were saying one day. One day, we’ll have kids. No announcements tonight.”

“It’s never too soon to have a family. Don’t you agree Sylvia? Grandchildren are the best. Marco and I have so much fun spoiling them. I bet they would love visiting you at the Hartwell House.”

It took a lot to shut my mother up. Somehow the Rossi women had managed to do it. I was impressed. Who knew babies scared the hell out of her? She had a lot of reasons to fear my heir, but this exchange highlighted more than a financial loss. There was something wrong with her. I’d known it my entire life. Could it be she truly despised children?

“Lucinda, it was kind of you to invite me. I think I’ll tell Marco goodnight and head out.”

“But you just got here,” Mrs. Rossi protested.

She shook her head. “It looks like the dancing has begun and I’m short a partner. I don’t think I could sit like a wallflower or dance. Either case would be unpleasant.”

Well played, Mother. Acting like a grieving widow was always a reliable out.

“Oh of course. We are so sorry about Eric. I’m sure it’s hard for you to be here without him. It has to bring up a lot of memories.” Lucinda Rossi was a much kinder woman on every level. “I’ll find Marco for you. I’ll be right back.”

Evie’s mom hurried away.

“Nicely done.” I nodded. “You can slither back to the mansion now and no one will realize what a complete first-class bitch you are. Your secret is safe for another day.”

“I don’t slither,” she hissed. Her back straightened when the Rossis appeared.

“Marco, thank you for the lovely party.” She kissed him lightly on the cheek.

“These two gave us a big shock.” He slapped me on the back. “But your son is a special man. I think they’re going to be ok.”

I didn’t know how I earned Marco Rossi’s approval, but I was damn proud I had. There was a lot of work to do, including some more time drinking Italian wines and learning how to use a wood router, but I could do that. We could golf. We could find things in common. After all, we both loved Evie.

The same couldn’t be said for my mother.

“Lovely.” She pressed her lips together. The band made an announcement for Evie and me to rejoin the dancers.

“We need to go.” I led Evie to the dance floor without turning back. I didn’t owe my mother anything.

We fell into a quiet rhythm during the slow song.

“Why do I feel like that could have been much worse?” she asked.

“Because it could have. I don’t know why she was here.”

“Probably because my parents backed her into a corner.” She paused. “She’s not going to drop the lawsuit, is she? She’s going to fight us.”

“Of course she will. She has all the money she could possibly spend, and that’s not enough. She’s coming for ours.”

Evie looped her hands together behind my neck. “She can try, but we are a team.”

I laughed. “Everything in my life comes back to sports. I hope you know that.”

“I’m starting to see it very clearly. I’m even talking like I know what half this stuff means.”

We swayed until the last song played.

“I have to get out of these shoes,” Evie whined as the band started to pack up. Her friends had left, and Frannie and Marcus had to get home to pay the sitter.

“I have to get you out of that dress.”

“Take me home?”

“Finally.”

We found our coats and I helped Evie into hers. The snow was thick outside. It was eerily similar to our first night together under this roof.

I was trying to race her out the door, when the Rossis stepped in front of us.

“Leaving, honey?” Her mom pulled her in for a kiss.

“It was a great party, Mama. Thank you. I’ll call Frannie before we leave tomorrow and thank her again. The whole weekend was great.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Rossi, thank you. This was a nice celebration.”

“We’re glad you’re in the family, son.” I was shocked into silence when Marco pulled me into a bear hug.

“Uh. M-me too.”

Evie giggled. I knew exactly what she was thinking.

“Come here. Come here.” Lucinda reached up on her tiptoes to hug me.

“Good night,” we called as we walked to the car.

“No more interruptions for the night. Agreed?”

Evie nodded. “Agreed. Wedding night 2.0 has begun.”

Our driver had the car running. I opened the door for Evie before walking around to the other side. As soon as I was in, I pulled her onto my lap.

“This is what you’ve done to me all night,” I growled, letting her grind into my cock.

“I won’t apologize for that,” she teased. “This is what you’ve done to me.” She led my fingers under her dress and I grazed the edge of her panties. She was soaking wet. I moved the fabric and she moaned through her teeth.

I couldn’t believe how hot and ready she was. I would fuck her in the car, except it was only a five-minute drive. We needed this night. I knew we did.

A lot had happened since we returned to Newton Hills. I’d never been through intense emotional shit like I had with Evie. It fucking terrified me to think I could destroy her. It scared me more to try to live without her. Tonight was about putting everything back together. It was about defining who we were now.

“I need you tonight, Jer,” she whispered in my ear. Her pussy called to my fingers. I pushed them inside her. “Oh God,” she groaned. “Yes.”

I smiled. My wife was so fucking perfect.

I saw the driver’s eyes dart to the mirror. Evie was ripe with lust. It was spilling from her body. I wanted to devour her. I kissed her roughly, while she clenched my fingers with her powerful walls. Fuck. She was going to be needy tonight. That was ok. I was in an overly generous mood. I wanted to make her more satisfied than she had ever been. I wanted her to wake up feeling like I had filled her so completely, she’d never forget our night together.

“You’re not waking up a virgin,” I whispered in her ear.

“I know.” She bit my lip.

The car came to a halt. The upstairs lights were on in the townhouse.

I tipped the driver. “Thanks, man.”

I pulled Evie from the car and we walked inside. I kicked the boxes out of our way as we tore up the stairs. I threw my tie on the banister and my vest somewhere on the floor. Evie kicked off her high heels and shimmied the panties down her legs.

She stopped in front of the bed. “I need help with the zipper.” She breathed.

I shook my head. “Oh no.” I curled my hand under the beading, cupping her wet heat. “I take it off, when I want it off.”

She bit her lip. “I think I need more wine,” she whimpered.

“I bought a bottle of Malbec just for this. You know how much I loved drinking it from your pussy.”

“Will you?” she whispered.

“I’ll be right back with the wine. We don’t need glasses.” I jogged down the stairs.

I searched the kitchen for a wine opener. All the utensils were packed, and I didn’t have time to search the boxes. My cock was hard as steel. I wasn’t about to break the end of the bottle off and risk shards of glass ruining the wine. Fuck. I looked around, opening and closing drawers.

I remembered Evie kept candles in the hall bath. Maybe she had something I could use for the cork. I flipped on the light and looked under the sink. I pulled on the drawer. It was stupid, but could I burn the cork off? She had at least five lighters in here.

And then my heart stopped. It fucking stopped beating in my chest.

I dropped the Malbec. It rolled on the rug next to my feet.

“Evie!” I shouted.

I ran. I sprinted up the stairs. I took them two and three at a time.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” She sat on the edge of the bed.

I swallowed hard. My heart hammered. I could hear my pulse thumping in my ears.

I held the white stick toward her.

“Evie, you’re pregnant.”