She’s a gem. As much as I love her to death, I do not understand her mentality sometimes. Not that I have any knowledge of relationships, but surely you don’t always want to test the boundaries of your partner, right? I’ve never met a woman who can push for her own . . . opinions so consistently. Relentlessly.

I still love her, though.

One o’clock to seven is a blur of nothingness. As I walk up the path to Kate’s front door, I meet Sam on the doorstep. My eyebrows shoot up as he buttons the fly of his jeans. “What are you doing here?” he asks. “The girls are going out.”

“I know,” I grunt, pushing past him.

“Have you told her yet?”

“Won’t everyone just stop with that?”

“Easy.” He laughs. “So, what are you doing here?”

I peek up the stairs, hearing the whir of a hairdryer. She’s up there, making herself look even more celestial, ready to go out and dazzle every man in sight. And there’s fuck all I can do about it without causing a monumental shitstorm. Right now, that seems more appealing than the alternative.

“Exacting damage control,” I say to myself as Kate appears at the top of the stairs, her head a mass of Velcro round things.

She frowns. “Hey, what are you doing here? We’re going out.”

“Rub it in, why don’t you,” I mutter, taking the stairs two at a time, unfastening my jacket as I go. Kate moves back, allowing me to pass.

“Who’s pissed you off?” she asks, making Sam chuckle downstairs.

“I’m not pissed off.”

“You sure?”

“No.” I push my way into Ava’s room gingerly, finding her going through some drawers. Underwear. She’s looking for underwear. Lace? My dick punches against my trousers, wanting out. My thirty-seven-year-old ego pouts at the thought of this gorgeous, mid-twenties goddess finding better than what I have to offer. Ten years plus, history, secrets.

I’m moving across the carpet like a gazelle before any sense or reason can find me. Take her. Mark her. Make her mine.

She’s already yours.

“What—” Ava says over her shoulder as I grab her, tossing her onto the bed, relishing her gasps and yelps as I pin her down and seal our mouths. The sounds she’s making are sounds of both surprise and lust, and I turn her over fast, pulling her hips up to meet my groin, my hand slipping between her thighs. Wet. Ready. I make fast work of releasing myself and leveling up, pushing my way inside her on a restrained roar. She squeals in shock at my ruthless invasion, and my hand quickly finds her mouth.