“Finish the martinis, Sylas,” Rachel hissed, walking toward her husband.

“At your service,” he muttered, an edge to his tone, and he was heading back to the drinks cabinet.

Axl sensed that wasn’t about what just happened.

But what just happened didn’t help.

He was watching his parents when he felt Hattie’s fingers close around his.

So he tipped his head down to catch her gaze.

He then bent and kissed her neck so he’d be in position to whisper in her ear, “Proof, beautiful. You’re goddamned remarkable.”

She pulled her head back to look into his eyes.

And then she said out loud, “You are too.”

After that, she yanked him down on the couch so forcefully, another ounce of pressure, she’d dislocate his shoulder. And once they were down, she practically fused herself to his side, which made Axl’s stomach hurt from trying to fight laughter.

She then pinned her eyes on his mom.

“So, Rachel, Axl tells me you were a software wizard before he came into the world. Axl and I have a mutual friend, she’s studying to be an engineer. She knows everything about computers. I bet she’d love to chat with you about all things tech.”

His mother appeared startled, as she would be, seeing as nothing in this house was ever about her, before her face warmed. “I’d…well, I’d love that.”

Hattie smiled gorgeously at her.

“I’ll bet, when she finds a job, they won’t make her wear skirts and hose to work,” Rachel commented.

Hattie leaned slightly forward, and openly horror-struck, said, “No. They made you wear hose? Really? That’s almost barbaric.”

Both women burst out laughing.

Axl shifted back because his father’s arm was in his face, extending a martini toward Hattie.

She took it and spared him only a glance, saying, “Thanks, Sylas. You’re a doll.”

At once, she returned her attention to Rachel and started gabbing.

Axl watched her, settling into the couch, sliding an arm around her to settle her with him, feeling his lips twitch.

Yeah.

Hattie Yates was something.

And that something was fucking amazing.

*  *  *

She moved on top of him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, stroking his cock with her pussy, his mouth drawing at her nipple.

She was moving slow, like she wanted him to feel every centimeter of her as she took him.

And, oh yeah.

He felt it.

She was making love to him.

And after the things she said about him to his father, Axl was not down with that.

So he gripped her behind a knee, lifted it, released her sweet, tight nipple from his mouth and rolled them so she was on her back and he was the one on top doing the stroking.

Slow.

Making love to her.

His sweet Hattie who showed zero hesitation in taking on a hellcat.

For him.