I wrung my hands together. I paced in front of the giant windows. Was my dress too tight? Not tight enough? I plucked at the V-dip between my breasts. Was I showing too much cleavage? I groaned. I had put my faith in the girl at the boutique, and now I wished I could go back and buy something else. Cream silk seemed too innocent and pure for what Jer and I had been planning and doing.

The door opened and I almost threw myself in his arms. He wore a scowl instead of a smile.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

He stood in front of the couch. The frown evaporated. “You look gorgeous.” He shifted my hair to one shoulder. “There. Just like that.”

“I tried on a hundred different outfits. You’re sure this is ok?”

“You look like a fitting newlywed. So sweet and virginal.” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Something upset you. Want to talk about it before we head downstairs?” I prodded.

He shook his head. “No. I have to change. The press is already in the lobby. The crowd is only going to get larger. I’ll be right back.”

I waited while he dressed in the bedroom. He returned a few minutes later, smelling incredibly delicious. I loved his cologne.

He held my hand as we descended to the lobby in the elevator. Jeremy leaned toward me. “I’ve got you. Ok?”

I nodded.

“Just smile and keep that left hand out front.” He winked and the doors retracted.

I wanted to hold my hand up to block the flashes from blinding me. It was overwhelming and scary. Jer squeezed my palm as we approached the podium. He wanted me to stand next to him. I was just to his left, so everyone could take pictures of the diamond he bought me.

I didn’t know how he fielded the questions so easily. Years in front of sports reporters and TV cameras helped. They wanted to know if we took classes together in high school. They asked how long we dated before Jeremy proposed. Someone wanted an answer about how we would split our time between Newton Hills and New York.

Jeremy seemed happy. He wasn’t as tense as when he first arrived home. There wasn’t a question he couldn’t answer.

Until the last one.

“Ok. I’ll take one more.” He grinned his million-dollar smile. “Jolene in the back. Haven’t seen you in a while. What do you have for me?”

The reporter smiled. “Where are you taking Mrs. Hartwell on your honeymoon?”

Jeremy froze. I looked at him. It was the first time I had seen him go pale. Every answer flowed off his tongue until now.

I squeezed his hand three times, tugging him back to the room. There were fifty people waiting for his response.

His eyes moved to mine. I shrugged. “Say something,” I whispered.

“She likes things very hot.” He smiled, facing the crowd. My eyes bulged. That seemed awfully personal to announce to a room full of strangers. “We’re leaving in the morning for Tahiti.”

I formed a huge O with my mouth, but Jeremy immediately kissed me, dipping me in his arms. He whispered, “Throw that rock around my neck.”

I nodded, drinking in his lips and flashing my ring for the cameras.

“Tahiti?” I whispered.

“I panicked,” he admitted. “We can pack tonight. It will be fun, right?”

“It will be perfect.” It was unexpected. My heart hammered under my ribs.

We turned toward the reporters together. I knew the press conference was for show. It was part of his plan to throw the investigative attorneys off our scent, but I couldn’t help feel like we were a team. It was us against them.

“Thanks for coming. We’re glad we could share the news with everyone.” He waved and shuffled me back toward the elevators. But before they closed, Jeremy held the button.

There was a tall curvy blonde in front of us.

“Sasha.”

I had only seen a picture of her on Jeremy’s phone. That picture didn’t begin to show how beautiful she was. I wanted to shrink in the corner of the elevator.

“I wanted to meet your wife.”

“Ride up?” he offered.

She stepped inside the elevator with us. Suddenly the space was claustrophobic. Her designer suit was flawless. So was her hair and skin. I could smell her expensive French perfume.

“I’ll introduce you,” Jeremy sputtered. “Evie this is Sasha, my business partner in everything. And Sasha, I’d like you to meet Evie.”

I extended my hand toward her. She shook it quickly.

“Nice to meet you.” I smiled.

“And you.”

The elevator emptied us on the top floor. “Would you like to come in for a drink?” Jeremy asked.

“No.” She shook her head. “I came by to let you know I’m on board with the project.”

He smiled slowly. “That’s good. Certainly worth celebrating.” He nodded toward the door. “Join us. It would be good for you and Evie.”

“Another time,” she argued. “It sounds like you’re taking off more time? Another surprise.”

It was my turn to come to the rescue. I wrapped my arms around my husband. “Jer needs time off. He never takes vacation days. And I’ve wanted this honeymoon.” I looked up at him. “I’ve always wanted to go to Tahiti. He’s romantic, don’t you think?” There were a lot of things I didn’t believe were happening right now. I could add defending Jer as one of them.

“I see.” Sasha looked at him. “He’s a lot of things, but I would never have used the word romantic.” She pressed her glossy red lips together. “I guess I can hold things down while you’re gone.”

“Thanks, Sasha. Maybe you can try out a vacation when I get back.”

“I don’t take vacations,” she stated.

“Crazy things have been happening lately,” he chuckled, opening the door. “Good-bye then?”

I had a feeling she wanted to say more. That there was something in her look, but she ducked into the elevator and was gone.

“She’s intense.”

He huffed. “You have no idea.”

We walked inside.

“Do you think it went ok?” I asked. “Is it what you wanted?”

He nodded. “You were perfect. Gorgeous. Sexy. Everything.”

“And Tahiti? That’s happening? You’re serious?”

He nodded. “Didn’t you tell me I needed to take a vacation?”

“I did, but I didn’t expect you to listen to me. Why Tahiti?”

He shook his head. “I have no fucking idea. It was the first place that popped in my head when I thought about the honeymoon magazines I saw at the Magnolia Inn.”

I giggled. “Jan Hughes would be so happy she helped with our wedding and our honeymoon.”

He squeezed my ass roughly. “You can send her a thank you note for me.”

He raked the silk dress I had spent hours agonizing over until it was at my hips. He traced my bare skin and I moaned. “We need to pack,” I warned. “If we’re really leaving.”

“I announced to the world I’m taking you to Tahiti in the morning, so if your social media account doesn’t show us in Tahiti by tomorrow night, drinking Mai Tais, then I’m going to have to answer to the world.” He grinned. “I already have one demanding person to deal with.”

“Me?” I taunted.

“You are more than I bargained for.”

I spun slyly in his arms. “So, should I pack the lingerie I bought today for the honeymoon?”

He swallowed. “What lingerie?”

“I think it qualifies as guaranteed baby-making lingerie.” I winked. “The kind you’ll want on and then off.”

“Don’t pack anything else.”

I laughed, clasping my hands around his neck. “Done.”

I saw a hint of worry in his eyes. It crept across like a shadow. “What is it?” I asked. Something was wrong. It had been since he arrived for the press conference.

“Nothing. We’re going to have to deal with some legal things when we return. It’s nothing I want you to worry about. I’ll handle it.”

I leaned forward on my toes. “Is it something I can help you with?”

“As a matter of fact. You can.”

“How?” I whispered. His lips hovered over mine.

“Have my baby, Evie.”

My heart did a somersault in my chest. I nodded. It was all I wanted. I was Mrs. Jeremy Hartwell. The world knew it, and soon we were going to complete this family with a baby. Our baby.

Our mouths moved together, drowning in each other. He kissed me harder, lifting me in his arms.

“Early start to the honeymoon,” he explained.

I nodded. “God, yes.”

He growled, taking my lips just before he kicked open the bedroom door.

* * *

Thank you all so much for reading Not Husband Material. I loved starting this series. I can’t wait for you to read the next part of Evie and Jer’s journey in: Not Daddy Material, available for pre-order NOW! Get your copy and it will be waiting for you on February 28.

XOXO,

Violet