Charley watched as Hunter took Megan into his arms and closed his eyes. Then someone was tapping on her shoulder, and she looked up to find Tyler giving her the same sort of look Hunter had given Megan—needy, desperate, affectionate, loving. He conveyed so much with one heated stare.

“How you doing?” he asked.

“I’m good. You?”

“This is a great time. Your family is awesome.”

“I know.”

“And Hunter and Megan . . . They’re so happy.”

“They really are.” She crooked her finger at him, and he bent down so she could talk only to him. “I have a surprise for you.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“From what I’m told, there’re rooms upstairs. Megan gave me a key to one of them.”

“Really? Well . . .” He cleared his throat as he sank down into the chair next to hers. “And you had to tell me that when we’re surrounded by your family?”

She glanced at his crotch, found him fully erect and began to laugh.

“It’s not funny.”

“Yes, it really is.”

“How soon can we check out this room upstairs?”

Charley took a good look around, taking inventory of family and friends. “I’ll go to the ladies’ room and then go upstairs. You come in a few minutes.”

“I’ll come all right.”

“Tyler,” she said, laughing. “Stop.”

“That’s not what you’ll be saying in a few minutes.” He leaned in to kiss her neck. “Can you handle the stairs on your own?”

Flustered by his words and the kiss to her neck, she said, “I think so.”

“Take your time and don’t hurt anything.”

“I will. I mean I won’t. I mean . . . I don’t know what I mean.”

Her befuddlement made him laugh. “Go on then.”

She looked down at the keycard. “Room Three.”

“Got it.”

Charley got up and hobbled toward the lobby, feeling like everyone was watching her and knew what she was up to, when in fact only Megan and Tyler knew, and maybe Hunter. She started up the stairs, taking them one at a time, aware that with every step she took, she was becoming more involved with Tyler, not less.

And that was okay. She was safe with him. He’d do anything for her and had proven as much over the last few weeks. He would never do to her what Michael had done. He simply wasn’t made of that kind of stuff.

With each step she took, she felt lighter, less burdened by the pain of the past and more determined to face the future with an open heart. There was no place for her usual brand of skepticism in her relationship with Tyler. And yes, she was thinking of it now as a relationship rather than a situation to be managed before she extricated herself.

They were down to eleven days before their deal was up, and suddenly that wasn’t nearly enough. Her heart should’ve been beating fast and furious after the arduous climb up the stairs, but it beat slowly. Her blood felt hot and thick inside her veins, and the low throb between her legs required her full attention. The surface of her skin prickled and her nipples tightened in anticipation.

All that from knowing he’d be following her up those stairs, that he’d enter the room they were to share and put his hands on her. He’d touch her and kiss her and make love to her until they both were weak in the aftermath. By the time she reached the second-floor landing, she was fully aroused. The keycard didn’t want to work in the door, making her dread the idea of going back down to get it fixed.

Then the green light came on and the door swung open, revealing a gorgeous room with a king-sized bed covered in white eyelet, wide-plank wood floors, a fireplace and candles scattered throughout the room. “Oh my God,” she whispered, venturing deeper into the room as the door clicked shut behind her. The bathroom was huge and contained an enormous claw-foot tub. She opened the doors to the armoire and found a basket full of sensual products—condoms, massage oil, lubricant, toys in cellophane wrappers.

Next to the basket was a note from the management.

Welcome to our Fantasy Suite. We hope you’ll enjoy your evening with us and feel free to make use of any of the available products. In exchange, send your friends to the Pig’s Belly Tavern for dinner, dancing and pleasure.

“Holy shit,” she whispered.

A soft knock on the door startled her. Charley felt like she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar or something equally ridiculous. She limped to the door to open it.

Tyler stepped into the room. “Um, wow. Not at all what I expected for a place called the Pig’s Belly.”

“I know! Wait until you see the rest.” She took him by the hand and led him into the bathroom.

“This is awesome. Look at that tub.”

“It’s bigger than the one at your house, and that’s pretty big.” She released his hand. “Check out the armoire.”

As she watched him walk to the armoire and examine the contents, her heart finally began to beat hard and fast.

He looked over his shoulder at her before returning his attention to the basket, rifling through the items and making her body heat in anticipation. Holding up one of the cellophane packages, he said, “I’m liking this place more by the minute.”

Taking the item with him, he went over to sit on the bed, patting the spot next to him.

She went to him, wanting him as much as he seemed to want her. Charley lowered herself to the mattress, her leg brushing against his. Just that slight contact reignited the wildfire that burned so brightly in her when he was near. Though she’d begun to anticipate her reaction to him, nothing could prepare her for the reality of it—every damned time.

“Did I tell you how absolutely gorgeous you look tonight?” he asked.

She’d worn a cranberry-colored wrap dress in a knit fabric that clung to all her curves, such as they were, and she’d made an effort with her hair and makeup for the first time since the accident. “Um, I think you did. Before we left the house.”

“You’re stunning, Charley. All the time, but tonight . . .” His lips on her neck fanned and flamed the fire. “Tonight you take my breath away.” He tugged at the bow at her hip. “Is this the secret to unwrapping you from this sexy dress?”

“Uh-huh.” She began to unbutton his shirt as he untied her dress.

His lips found hers, sparking a frenzy of need to get rid of the clothes that stood between them and what they both wanted. She marveled at his ability to multitask, undressing them both while kissing her with deep thrusts of his tongue. When she was down to only the small black knee brace she’d “graduated” to, he broke the kiss, eased her down onto the bed and leaned over her, gorgeous and sexy with that lean, muscular body on full display.

She flattened her hand on his chest. “I like to look at you.”

His eyes flared, and he sucked in a sharp deep breath as his cock lengthened before her eyes. “I fucking love to look at you.” Cupping her breasts, he dragged his thumbs over her nipples, which were hard and tight and sensitive to his touch. “And I love to taste you.” He took her nipple into his mouth and laved at it with his tongue. “Put your hands over your head,” he said gruffly. “Keep them there. I want to feast on you.”

Charley trembled from head to toe as she followed his direction, eager to see what “feasting on her” entailed. Like he had the other night, he focused his attention exclusively on her breasts until she was to the point of begging him to do something to relieve the pressure that threatened to boil over at any minute. But like before, he refused to be rushed, even when she raised her hips, straining her good leg, to rub her sex against his cock.

“Stop trying to take over my seduction.”

“Your seduction has been successful. I’m thoroughly seduced. Now do something about it, will you?”

“Don’t rush me. I’m enjoying myself right here.” He squeezed her nipples between his fingers to make his point—literally.

“I’m going to start swearing at you in about two seconds.”

“Oh, please do. Swear at me, Charley.”

“You fucking bastard. I want your cock right now, and you’d better fucking give it to me.” She made herself laugh with the foolishness of the statement, but he didn’t laugh.

“God, that’s hot.” He sucked hard on her nipple. “Don’t stop. Keep talking.”

“Tyler . . . fucking hell.”

“Call me names. Tell me how much you hate me.”

She laughed again as she moaned from what he continued to do to her poor, abused nipples, which were enjoying every bit of sensual torture he doled out. “I don’t hate you yet, you rotten fiend. But I will soon.”

Rocking against her, his hard cock pressing against her clit, he said, “Tell me how you really feel, and I’ll give you what you want.”

Oh God, was he asking her for what she thought he was? She writhed on the bed, trying to get closer, but he backed off right when things were getting interesting. “Goddamn you.”

His low rumble of laughter infuriated her. “You had something you were going to tell me . . .”

“What do you want me to say?”

“I want you to admit you’re hot for me, that you’re falling for me the way I’m falling for you. I want you to tell me this time limit you’ve set for us is ridiculous because we’re not going to be nearly done with each other when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s. Tell me, Charley. Tell me what I want to hear.”

Again, his cock bumped against her clit, testing her resolve to keep her hands over her head. “That,” she whispered urgently. “What you said. All of it.”

“You are such a cheater,” he said, laughing softly even as he gazed at her with unabashed affection.

“It’s a big deal for me to give you that much.”

“I know, honey.” He pressed a kiss to her sternum and then rested his forehead on her chest, seeming to gather himself.

Charley couldn’t resist the need to offer comfort, so she lifted one of her hands and brought it down on the back of his head, sliding her fingers through his hair. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just a big deal to hear you admit that stuff. I wondered if you ever would.”

“I’m sorry if I’ve put you through hell. It’s not—”

“Me,” he said with a sweet grin. “It’s you, or so you say. But there’s absolutely nothing wrong with you that can’t be fixed with time and patience and perseverance.”

“You make me sound like a mountain to be climbed.”

With his chin still on her chest, he looked up at her, amused. “It’s a fitting metaphor when you think about how we came to be.”

She smiled because how could she not when he was so damned cute? “If I recall correctly, promises were made if I copped to certain confessions. I’m not saying you’re reneging on our deal or anything, but . . .”

As expected, he pounced, making her laugh when he went from somewhat relaxed to anything but in the scope of two seconds. But when she expected him to pick up right where they left off, he didn’t. He started all over again with potent kisses that drugged her senses and made her lips burn from the intense workout they were getting. Then his lips were on her neck and his hands cupped her ass as he opened her to his cock.

They’d had sex that morning, but she still felt like she’d been waiting forever for him by the time he slid into her. Maybe she had been. Maybe he was what she’d been waiting for without even knowing she’d been waiting. “I wish . . .” She stopped herself when she realized she’d said the words out loud when she hadn’t intended to.

“What do you wish for, Charley?”

“I wish I could be on top.”

“Hold on tight to me, and don’t let go.”

There was so much she could read into that, but for now, she put her arms around him and held on as tight as she could. He turned them so she was on top of him.

“Don’t move yet,” he said.

Her body burned from the effort to remain still as he throbbed and expanded inside her. “I take it you like this, too.”

“I love it all, baby. Every single thing we do.” With his hands on her waist, he lifted her, sliding out of her in the process and making her groan from the loss. “Easy. I’ll be right back. Bend your good leg. That’s it. Now keep this one straight and come down slowly so you don’t hurt anything.”

“Including you?” she asked dryly.

“Including me.” He bit his lip as she came down on him, taking him in slowly but surely.

“God, Charley, that’s so hot. Look at you. I’ve never seen anything sexier than you on top of me.”

With her hands flat against his chest, she moved as best she could with one leg sticking straight out. “All that time in the gym doing squats is coming in handy now.”

He grasped her ass and squeezed. “Yes, it certainly is.” Releasing his tight hold on her right cheek, he reached for the package he’d left on the bed. The crumple of cellophane was the only warning she got before a low hum filled the air.

“What the . . .” A vibrator pressed against her clit, nearly sending her into orbit. “Ahhhh.” Anticipating her reaction, he’d anchored an arm around her waist so she wouldn’t jar her leg with jerky movements. Being held still only made the vibrations more intense.

“Too much?” he asked.

She shook her head and rode the vibe and his cock until her body was racked with spasms that went on for what felt like an hour. When it was finally over, she fell forward onto his chest, and he caught her. He always caught her, and Charley was beginning to accept that he always would.

“I take it you like the vibe?”

“What was your first clue?”

His low chuckle rumbled through him. “I could feel it, too. I’d say that one’s a keeper.”

“Since we can hardly give it back now that we’ve used it, the least we could do is recycle and reuse.”

His hand caressed the back of her head, his fingers sliding through her hair. “I do like the way you think.”

The next night, as Charley stood with Tyler’s arm around her and watched Megan come toward Hunter, she remembered what Megan had told her about overcoming her fears to find love and happiness. After their night together at the Pig’s Belly, Charley had floated through the day drunk on sensual bliss. Tyler had been insatiable during the night, and they’d hardly slept at all until they got home to his house and crashed for hours.

Snuggled up against him now, it no longer felt weird to be “with” him in front of her friends and family. He’d worn a sharp-looking gray suit with a crisp white shirt, a festive red tie and those glasses that made her crazy. She wasn’t sure how he did it, but the more time they spent wrapped up in each other, the more she wanted him.

As if he knew what she was thinking, his arm dropped from her shoulders to encircle her waist, drawing her in tight against him.

Charley leaned back, letting him take the weight off her injured leg. She couldn’t wait to be able to wear heels again.

As Charley watched her grandfather escort Megan through her parents’ huge great room, her eyes filled with tears, the emotional reaction unexpected. But knowing what Megan had endured to get to this day filled her heart to overflowing. Her every emotion was hovering close to the surface these days, which was another thing to “blame” on Tyler.

Charley had never seen her oldest brother as overcome as he was the moment he extended his hand to Megan, offering her everything he had to give. The family and friends gathered around them sniffled as Hunter and Megan came together to join their lives. Megan was beautiful in a strapless cream-colored silk gown with a small train that pooled at her feet. She’d worn her long blond hair in an elaborate updo that made her look sweet and sophisticated at the same time. Judging by Hunter’s reaction, she’d scored a grand slam with her groom.

Her attendants, Nina and Hannah, wore red silk that matched the red silk tie Hunter wore with a charcoal suit. Standing beside him, Will served as his best man and Megan’s brother-in-law, Brett, was a groomsman.

Molly had gone all out with flowers, Christmas decorations and candles that gave the big room a cozy, intimate feel as Elmer led the bride and groom through the recitations of traditional vows and exchange of rings before declaring them husband and wife.

Hunter wrapped his arms around Megan and looked down at her for a long moment, cradled her face in his hands, and then kissed her while their guests applauded.

“It is my very great pleasure,” Elmer said, beaming, “to introduce for the first time, Hunter and Megan Abbott.”

Charley realized tears were spilling down her cheeks.

Tyler tightened his hold on her, his lips finding the sweet spot behind her ear that made her shiver every time.

Lucas and Landon, both wearing suits without ties, were in charge of the music and played “In My Life,” the song Hunter and Megan had chosen for their first dance as husband and wife.

Tyler sang along softly, squeezing Charley at the “I love you more” lyric.

His message was received loud and clear. And whereas her inclination a few weeks ago would have been to try to get free of his embrace, the overwhelming interest in her, the eyes that saw far too much, now . . . Now, things were different.

She wasn’t ready to make the kind of commitment Hunter had just made to Megan, but she was no longer actively planning her exit strategy either.

The caterers circulated with champagne, and when everyone had a glass, Will stepped up to toast his brother.

“Hunter, you and I go way back,” Will said to laughter. “One of my earliest memories is of sharing bunk beds with you and having flashlight wars when we were supposed to be sleeping.”

“Uh-huh,” Molly said. “No statute of limitations on these things.”

Will smiled at their mother. “Why did I know you were going to say that? Megan, you and I have had an interesting history as well . . .”

Megan laughed and blushed at his reference to the crush she’d once had on him. That seemed like a long time ago now that she and Hunter were so madly in love.

“But tonight we’re focused on the future, and I’d like to officially welcome you to the Abbott family. I’ve never seen my brother as happy as he’s been since you two got together, and I wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness. To Hunter and Megan.” After everyone had raised their glasses in toast, Will said, “Nina, your turn.”

Megan’s sister dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “I’m a disaster tonight. My baby sister is a bride—and a beautiful bride at that.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” Hunter said, pressing his lips to Megan’s temple.

“On this joyful occasion,” Nina said, “I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell my wonderful sister how proud our parents would be to see her married to a wonderful man who truly loves her. They wanted nothing more than our happiness, and they’d be thrilled with your choice of a husband, Meggie. Hunter, I want to thank you for making Megan so happy. I’ve never seen her smile more than she has recently, and that’s all thanks to you. Every so often two people get it exactly right, and I’m so very happy for both of you.”

As everyone raised their glasses again, a shout rang out from across the room.

Charley looked over to see Cameron fall to the floor in a dead faint.

Will dropped down next to her. “Cameron, baby, oh my God! Cameron!”

Patrick joined Will on the floor, caressing his daughter’s face. “Sweetheart, open your eyes.”

Cameron’s eyes fluttered open to find everyone looking down at her. “Oh Lord. What happened?”

“You fainted,” Will said. “Give her some room.”

Molly handed him a wet washcloth. “Bathe her face.”

“I’m so sorry, Megan,” Cameron said. “Stealing the bride’s thunder is a wedding felony.”

“I don’t care about that,” Megan said. “As long as you’re all right.”

Cameron looked up at Will, a small smile occupying her lips. “I’m all right, and I’m pregnant.”

As a cheer went through the gathering, Will helped her sit up, leaning her against him.

“A baby?” Patrick asked, his voice filled with wonder.

“So it seems, although this wasn’t how I’d planned to tell you.”

Patrick hugged her, holding her for a long moment. By the time he released her, some of the color had returned to Cameron’s pale cheeks.

Will and her dad helped her to her feet, and Will lifted her into his arms to carry her from the room, with Patrick, Mary, Molly and Lincoln following right behind them.

“Holy shit,” Charley said to Tyler.

“Congratulations. You’re going to be an aunt again.”

She glanced across the room to where Max was showing off Caden to some of their Coleman cousins. “It’s a regular baby boom.”

“I wonder who’ll be next,” Tyler said.

He was making conversation, but the innocuous comment struck a note of fear in her heart. He wanted a family. She didn’t think kids were in the cards for her. That was no small difference, and before things progressed any further with them, they needed to talk about that. Again.