‘Talking of kids,’ I point my bottle between Kate and Sam, and fail to maintain my seriousness when John’s body starts shaking, making the whole fucking house vibrate behind me with that deep, rolling laugh.

‘Jesse,’ she breathes, exhausted by the constant question. ‘I’ve told you. There is not a maternal bone in this body.’

‘You manage my babies all right.’ I point out. She’s great with them.

‘Yes, that is because I get to hand the adorable creatures back to you when I’m fed up of them.’ She grins, and I match it, raising my bottle for her to chink.

‘I’m going to find my wife.’ I stand back up, keen to locate her and advise her on what exactly I plan on doing to her later.

Where is she?

I find her in the kitchen with Cathy, who has taken over food preparations. ‘There’s my boy!’ My old housekeeper sings, reaching up to kiss my cheek before exiting the kitchen with a tray full of tiny sandwiches, crusts cut off. ‘I’ll tell Clive to gather the children. Wonderful day!’

Watching her leave, I turn slowly until my eyes find what they’re looking for. She’s watching me closely, and those eyes are smoking out. She’ll never get enough of me.

‘I’ve missed you.’ I stalk forward, placing my bottle on the worktop as I pass. The tea towel is dropped from her hands, and she’s leaning back on the counter, willing me on, the little temptress.

I’m not gentle. I grab her and pin her to the wall, my mouth falling to the sweet flesh of her neck. ‘Jesse, don’t.’ she exhales, arching herself into my chest.

‘Later, I’m ripping this dress off and I’m going to fuck you into next year.’

She moans, raising her bare knee and rubbing it lightly over my solid cock.

Control, control, control. Fucking control.

‘Deal.’ She wisely agrees, not that she has a choice. Wherever, whenever, she knows that. But not fucking now.

I growl my frustration and rip my body from hers. ‘I fucking love you.’

‘I know.’ She smiles, but it doesn’t make her eyes sparkle like usual.

‘What’s up, baby?’ I hunker down to get my face level with hers. ‘Tell me.’

She sighs and flicks me almost nervous eyes. ‘I wish Dan was here.’

It takes every ounce of my love for this woman, not to roll my eyes or growl in frustration. The bloke rubs me up the wrong way, I can’t help it. ‘Hey, you know he’s fine.’ I remind her. Fuck me, the prick’s cost me near on half a fucking million since I’ve known him, not that I will ever share that with Ava. She knows about the first bailout, but not the subsequent two. She’ll only get her knickers in a twist. He just can’t keep himself out of trouble. ‘It’s too hard for him,’ I say what I know will ease her. ‘With Kate and Sam, you know.’

‘I know.’ she agrees. ‘I’m being stupid.’

‘No, you’re not. Kiss me, wife.’ I need to distract her. She doesn’t waste any time. She’s on me immediately, moaning into my mouth and yanking at my hair. It always works. ‘You taste delicious.’ I’m growling. Fucking hell, I’m going to lose my fucking mind. I bite her lip and push my hips into the curves of her perfect body. ‘I’m getting rid of them.’ I declare. ‘Fucking imposters.’

She grins that fucking grin, hardening me further. ‘Stop being unreasonable.’ She laughs. ‘It’s your babies day.’

‘There is nothing unreasonable about me wanting you and my babies all to myself.’ I try to focus on cooling down my raging hard on, but with my body pushed up to hers, those eyes begging for me to claim her, it’s fucking impossible. ‘I can’t look at you.’ I mutter, stepping away and exiting the kitchen sharply before I bend her over the counter top.

I’m about to trample the party.

* * *

I virtually kick the last people out, which happen to be Ava’s parents and they’re taking my babies for the night, so I’m delicate-ish. I lean into the back of Joseph’s car, my heart pounding happily at the sound of my babies giggling when I take turns to smother them. ‘Be bad for nana.’ I wink, get another collective giggle and a scold from Elizabeth before shutting the door and sprinting back into the house on the prowl.

‘Ava?’ I shout, poking my head around the kitchen door. ‘Ava?’

‘You have to find me!’ She laughs, but I can’t figure out from which direction that silky voice came from.

Damn it, she’s playing fucking games. ‘Ava, don’t make me crazy mad.’ I warn. Where the fuck is she? ‘Ava?’ She’s silent now, and so copping it when I get my hands on that body. ‘For fuck sake!’ I yell, taking the stairs four at a time and crashing into our bedroom. ‘Ava?’

Nothing.

I stand in the middle of the bedroom contemplating my next move. It doesn’t take me long. ‘Three,’ I say it evenly and with optimum confidence. I am confident. She can’t resist me. ‘Two,’ I keep still, listening for any sign of movement. Nothing. ‘One,’ I say quietly, my cock twitching wildly. I know she’s near.

‘Zero, baby.’ she whispers from behind me, her seductive voice pulling the corners of my lips up. I turn and nearly stagger back at the sight of her standing before me, in just a small pair of lace knickers. Fuck me, she gets more beautiful every day. Despite my urgency, I take my time absorbing her in all of her flawlessness, my eyes dragging over her firm, perfectly formed breasts, over her ridiculously flat stomach and down those fabulous legs. I’m throbbing as I watch her slide her lace down her thighs, and I take my time unbuttoning my shirt and removing my jeans. She doesn’t seem to mind. Her big brown eyes are enthralled by my leanness. Nothing changes.

‘Do you like what you see?’ My voice is low and tempting, although this woman needs no tempting when it comes to me.

Her lips part and her tongue creeps along her full bottom lip. I’m rigid. Everywhere. ‘I’m used to it.’ she whispers, her eyes flicking across my chest.

I’m on her in a flash, my mouth attacking hers with brute force. She doesn’t stop me and she never will. Her legs wrap around my hips, her arms around my neck and she’s all mine again.

‘How loud do you think you’ll scream when I fuck you?’ I ask, ramming her up against the wall, breathing in her face.

‘I’d say quite loud?’ she pants, grappling at my hard back before shifting her hands into my hair and yanking, hard.

I smile, rear back and slam into her, my head falling back on a yell, my hearing being saturated by the sound of her screaming.

I don’t demand to see her eyes anymore. I don’t need to check she’s real.

As long as my heart keeps beating, I’ll know that she is.

End of.

Acknowledgments

I’ve thanked my family and friends repeatedly throughout this crazy ride, so this time it’s about the people who have come into my life since.

To Jenny and Gitte, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and again and again; Damn, I love you two hard, no ish about it!