Months later…

Morgan grabbed my leg. “Ma, get down!”

“Oh, honey. I’m having too much fun,” I said, looking down at him and laughing at the look on his face. My beautiful son was stressed out and embarrassed, but you know what? I didn’t give a shit.

“People are looking at you,” he begged.

I twirled in a circle, breaking free from his grip. The table moved with me, making it more like dancing on top of a pogo stick than a tabletop. “It’s my wedding day, goddamn it.”

“Leave her alone,” Maria said as she pulled out a chair and used Morgan’s shoulder as leverage to dance on the table with me. She grabbed my hands and started to jump up and down when Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” began to play.

“Old people,” Morgan muttered and rolled his eyes.

“Go find that pretty wife of yours!” I yelled over the music, holding on to Maria tightly so neither of us would fall off the wobbly table.

We danced like teenagers, pretending our almost arthritic knees didn’t ache. It didn’t hurt that we’d consumed a good percentage of our body weight in alcohol before we cut loose.

“I freaking love this song,” she said with the biggest smile.

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T!” we screamed together, making moves like we used to in the old days when we’d go to the discos.

Half the room was on their feet dancing and singing along. If I weren’t so hammered, I’d have tears in my eyes. Surrounded by my entire family, I felt so much love—more than I’d ever felt in my entire life.

The day Bear asked me to marry him, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. Never did I expect that man, the one who said he’d never settle down, to ask me that question. I mean, he always asked for anal sex, but I told him he hadn’t earned it yet. Maybe it was his way of staking his claim and earning the right to conquer all of me.

He was really kind of old-fashioned about some things. He even talked to Sal to ask for my hand in marriage because he was officially the patriarch of the family since our father wasn’t here to ask. I found it endearing and sweet, but Bear swore me to secrecy. He didn’t want his credibility as a badass to be ruined.

Not even Morgan knew how Bear popped the question. Hell, I didn’t even tell Maria because then everyone would know. I might as well have published it on the front page of the newspaper. We kept it our little secret and told the family that he asked me over dinner.

But the truth of it was much different. He took me to Honeymoon Island to watch the sunset, bringing a blanket and cooler filled with champagne, cheese, and fruit. He held me in his arms, whispering sweet things in my ear as we watched the sun fall below the edge of the ocean.

When the sky turned the most brilliant shades of red and orange, he said four magical words that stole my breath. I turned in his arms and straddled him before I said yes. I’d be lying if I said we didn’t get a bit frisky in public. It wasn’t something I’d done before, but Bear brought out that side of me—he made me want to do things I never thought I’d do.

“You did it!” Maria yelled, wrapping her arms around my neck when the song ended. “You’re Mrs. Fran North.”

“That sounds so weird,” I said and gripped her waist as the table started to shift underneath us.

“Ladies,” Bear, my husband, said from behind me. “You two better get down before that table breaks.”

“We got this,” Maria said over my shoulder and waved him off.

“I’d like my wife to be in perfect condition tonight for what I have planned.”

Maria’s eyes slid to mine, and her eyebrows shot up. “Is he talking about what I think he’s talking about?”

My lips twisted and I nodded, closing one eye as I thought about the pain and the promise I never should’ve made.

“Well, shit,” Maria said in my ear and laughed. “We better have more to drink.”

“Fucking hell,” I groaned.

When I turned around, Bear held out his hand—the one with the shiny new shiny gold wedding ring—and helped me down.

“Are my two favorite ladies having fun?” he asked when he reached for Maria and helped her down with just as much care as he did with me.

“I have a feeling you’re going to have more fun later.” Maria winked, and I wanted to crawl under the table out of embarrassment.

He just laughed and whisked me into his arms, placing his lips against my neck. “I won’t do anything you don’t want.”

My belly flipped as his words skidded across my skin. “I’m yours now, Bear. There’s nothing I want more than to give you a piece of me that I’ve never given to anyone.” Clearly, the alcohol made me answer him in that way.

That was Bear. My husband didn’t often show it, but when it came to family and friends, he had a soft spot.

If I were younger, I’d have little baby Bears running around the house. If he were given the chance to really be a father, I could almost imagine what he’d be like.

I’d been able to catch glimpses of it since Janice had her baby. When Bear walked into the room and saw the little girl for the first time, I thought he was going to turn into a puddle of goo. The man lost it and started to cry when Janice told him she had named her Jackie.

In all my life, I’d never seen a more involved grandfather. I thought Sal was bad, but Bear is a complete sucker for that little girl. He was probably overdoing it because of the time he lost with his kids, but it didn’t matter. After seeing him with a baby in his arms, it had me longing for the days of having a little one in the house.

“Well, I better go find Sal. I’m sure he’s getting into trouble somewhere.” Maria kissed Bear on the cheek before wrapping me in the biggest hug. “Use lots of lube and do at least three more shots before you go upstairs.”

“But I’ll black out,” I whispered in her ear.

“You want to be half unconscious your first time. Trust me. Or your ass is going to pucker up like no one’s business. Thank me tomorrow.”

I started to giggle, covering my mouth, and glanced back at my husband.

“I don’t know what you two are talking about, but are you ready to say good-bye to everyone?”

“Remember… Do more shots,” she called out over her shoulder as she started to walk away.

He quirked an eyebrow at me. “Sage advice from a pro?”

I nodded, still laughing as I looped my arm around his back. “Let’s have a drink with our boys, and then we can say good-bye to everyone else.”

“Just one?” He smiled and pushed on the small of my back, leading me through the crowd.

I shrugged. “However many it takes.”

“Are you sure about this? Before you get too shit-faced, Franny, I need to know this is what you want.” He looked so cute when he had that super serious, concerned face going on.

I nodded quickly as my hand slid lower before giving him a quick ass squeeze. “I’m completely sure.” I smiled up at him and sighed. “Bring on the tequila, baby!”

Morgan saw us first and nudged Ret with his elbow. They were handsome devils, especially dressed in tuxedos. “Hey, guys.” I smiled and looked back and forth between them.

“Ma,” Morgan said, leaning forward and kissing me on the cheek before shaking my husband’s hand. “Bear.”

“Morgan,” Bear replied, pulling him into a hug and lifting Morgan off his feet. Instead of being a stick in the mud, Morgan hugged him back.

As soon as his feet were back on the ground, Morgan punched Bear in the shoulder. “I’m so fuckin’ happy for you.”

“Fran, you’re a beautiful bride.” Ret kissed my cheek, making my toes curl a bit.

Down, girl. He’s your husband’s kid. Every time I saw Ret, I imagined a young Murray. Even in his fifties, Murray was sexy as sin, but in his youth… Meow.

“Thanks, Ret. I’m happy to have the entire family here,” I said as Janice approached from the other side of the bar.

“I brought a bottle,” she said, waving the tequila bottle in the air. “Who wants a shot? Jackie’s with a sitter all night, and I’m not letting this opportunity pass.”

“Well, damn. Let’s drink, mama,” I said, rubbing my hands together as I winked at Bear.

“Don’t drink too much, Franny.”

“Oh, shush it, buddy. Just two for the road.” I smiled and pressed my hand against his chest and motioned with my fingers for him to give me his ear. “You want ass, I get shots.”

“Mom!”

My head snapped to Morgan. “What?”

His eyes bulged out of his head. “You may not realize it, but you most certainly did not whisper that.”

I chuckled, feeling my cheeks turning pink. “Sorry.” I grimaced. “Let’s just drink until you all forget what you just heard.”

“Not enough liquor in the world for that,” Morgan muttered, looking like he was about to vomit while Ret and Janice laughed.

Bear poured the drinks and handed them out. We formed a tight circle, Morgan to my left and Bear along with his kids to the right. “To family,” Bear said and held his glass high in the air.

“That’s all ya got?” I asked.

“Does anything else matter?” he asked, peering down at me with an adorable smile.

“Not really. To our kids and the future,” I said, raising my glass too.

“Salute,” Morgan said, followed by Janice and Ret.

My entire body tingled as the tequila slid down my throat. Not just from the warmth of the liquor, but at being surrounded by my family. Our family. Over the last year, I’d grown to love Bear’s kids as much as I loved the man himself.

After years of loneliness, my life had become full.

“One more,” I said and held my glass in front of Bear, shaking it.

He just laughed and refilled all the glasses.

“To Fran and Bear,” Ret said and clinked his tequila to his father’s.

I quickly clinked my glass before downing the shot. My legs felt a little wobbly, and I knew I needed to get off my feet. “Love you, baby,” I said to Morgan before he put down his shot glass. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Bear wrapped his arm around my waist from behind.

Morgan narrowed his eyes. “I can still knock you out, old man.”

“Now, Morgan, let your mother enjoy herself and her new husband,” I told him.

He scrubbed his hands down his face. “Go. Have fun.”

“Bye,” I said, quickly hugging Ret and Janice.

Bear waved to everyone as we walked away. His arm was still looped behind my back, which I needed to give me support with my liquor-induced sway. I giggled most of the way up to the room—over what, I’m not sure.

Bear couldn’t wipe the smile off his face, kissing my neck and groping me as the elevator dinged with each floor.

The door to the honeymoon suite wasn’t even closed before Bear had me against the wall, hiking my dress up my body and feasting on me like a starving man.

“Bear,” I moaned and dug my fingers into his hair.

He didn’t stop. His hands slid down my body and groped my bare ass in his hands before lifting me off the floor. My feet dangled for a moment and then instinctively wrapped around his waist.

Sometimes, I wanted to pinch myself because I didn’t believe he was mine… But feeling our bodies pressed against each other reminded me that we were forever part of each other.

“You sure about this, Franny?” he asked as he paused in front of the bed and I climbed down his body.

“I’m sure,” I said, or at least, I think I did. It’s what I meant to say if I didn’t. My brain started to get fuzzy from the mass amounts of alcohol I’d consumed.

I stood still while Bear undressed me, kissing the skin he’d exposed until he knelt down in front of me as the dress hit the floor.

He pulled my body closer and leaned forward, placing his fur-covered lips against me. My body jolted from the warmth. I gripped his hair again, but this time to keep myself from falling backward. I closed my eyes and savored the feel of his mouth on my clit.

“I’m so close,” I said within minutes. When his mouth pulled away, I gasped. “What are you doing?”

“Just getting warmed up, sweetheart.” He smirked.

I blinked slowly, my lopsided grin growing wider. “Ravage me,” I proclaimed like I was part of some trashy romance novel.

His hands gripped the sides of my waist and held me tightly before tossing me onto the bed.

“You’re lucky I didn’t break a hip,” I said in the worst, slurred, drunk-off-my-ass tone.

He moved quickly, ripping off his tux in record time. “I wanna break you, Fran,” he said as he climbed on top of me. “But only in the most sinful way.”

I gasped when his huge erection settled between my legs. “I don’t think it’ll fit.” I wiggled underneath him.

“Baby, it’ll fit. I’ll go nice and slow. You’ve taken my fingers like a champ. My cock will be nothing.” There wasn’t a man on the planet who hadn’t used that line in some form to try to get into their girl’s ass.

I wasn’t stupid, but lucky for him, I was inebriated enough to say, “Yeah.” To which I got a smirk before he went down on me again.

My eyes grew heavy and even blinking became a struggle, but every time I started to feel the weight of sleep begin to pull me under, Bear would dig in harder or fuck me deeper.

But when he flipped me onto my stomach, I immediately woke up. “Oh, God,” I moaned. “This is going to hurt.”

I glanced over my shoulder, using one eye to try to focus as he lifted a bottle of lube in the air. He was nestled between my legs as he squeezed the bottle, letting the lube trickle down my ass crack.

When his finger touched my hole, I puckered, along with every muscle in my body going rigid. “You want this, sweetheart?” he asked as the tip of his finger glided across me.

Fuck, it felt amazing once I let myself relax. Bear had magical fingers, and he knew exactly what to do to get me going.

“Keep going,” I said, sealing my eyes shut. “Don’t stop.”

He growled and dipped the tip of one finger inside. My body melted into the bed, except my abdomen which stayed high from the pillow he’d placed underneath my belly.

Slowly, he worked his finger in and out, and once I adjusted, he added a second. “So good,” I moaned. With two fingers buried inside me, coldness slid down my ass. More lube…thank God. “You better lube that giant dick of yours,” I told him because Maria’s advice still played on repeat in my mind.

“I gotcha,” he whispered.

I could hear the mass amounts of lube he was coating his cock with. The sound of wetness filled the air along with my gasps as his other hand never stopped working me—driving me closer to climax.

When he pulled his fingers out, I grabbed on to the comforter as if my life depended on it and closed my eyes.

“Breathe, Fran. It’ll feel so good.”

Bullshit. I grunted as the tip of his cock pushed against my opening. At first, it felt like his finger when he’d rim my ass, looking for permission.

“Bear down,” he told me, and I did.

The first inch was the hardest and felt different than I’d imagined. I felt full. Not just a little full either. If he put any more inside of me, I thought my body might split in two.

“So fuckin’ tight,” he growled behind me and pushed in deeper. “Jesus, I’m not going to last.”

Bear had the most stamina out of any man I’d ever know. Maybe my list was short, but the man could fuck like a champ. He wasn’t known as a manwhore for no reason.

My mind grew fuzzy.

The darkness began to take me until he reached around and started to tweak my clit between his thumb and index finger. He’d spent at least an hour working me up, always denying me the orgasm I wanted, until now.

But my hand to God—he wasn’t inside of me for twenty-five seconds when he cried out. “I can’t stop it! You’re just too tight.”

I gasped for air. My mouth was open like a guppy, but nothing was getting in. It was like his cock had been jammed so far inside me that it punctured my lung, making it impossible for me to breathe.

Within seconds, my body started to tighten, even my ass around his cock clamped down, and I tumbled into the most wonderful darkness. Suddenly, explosions of colors filled the void as my body twitched through the most spectacular orgasm of my entire life.

“Franny,” I heard him say, but I couldn’t move. My body and mind were paralyzed from the aftershocks.

“Franny,” he said again.

I mumbled something, but I didn’t know what the fuck I said. When he pulled out, my body jolted—partly missing the fullness and the other part shocked by his size. My eyes were still closed, and I concentrated on my breathing after going so long without air.

The bed dipped, and his footsteps softened. “Here, baby,” he said before touching my bottom with a warm, wet washcloth and cleaning me up.

I’d never had a man who cared for me afterward. The first one…the one who shall not be named…was more of a wham, bam, thank you, ma’am kind of guy.

But my husband knew just how I wanted to be treated. “I love you,” I murmured into the plush comforter.

“I love you too, Fran.” The bed dipped again, but this time, he pulled me into his arms and pressed my back to his front. “Sleep, wife,” he whispered in my ear.

As I drifted off, I thought about how much my life had changed. I was no longer a divorced, tracksuit-wearing woman who sat home and played bridge. I was the wife of a badass biker man who looked more like a lumberjack than a private investigator. I felt loved, protected, and content for the first time in my entire life.

It was funny how things worked out. Sometimes good things happened when we least expected it. Especially when the person who came to my rescue was a sexy hunk of man who always kept me on my toes with his smart mouth—and satisfied in the bedroom with his glorious cock and talented tongue.

Tucked against his body and feeling like the sexual beast I knew I was—I slept in my husband’s arms for the first night after saying I do.