“Ride me,” he commanded with a strained voice.

I shifted so my knees were balanced on the mattress, and Romeo lay flat, watching as I gently rolled my hips back and forth, creating a deep, sensual rhythm.

He’d never given me full control, ever. In our entire time together, he had always led our lovemaking, and I was distracted as to why he was doing this right now.

I bent forward and placed my hands on his broad chest, losing myself in the pleasure.

“You’re so f**kin’ beautiful, baby,” he said with a raspy voice, his cocoa eyes conveying his apprehensive feelings.

I bit my lip and tipped back my head. “Romeo…”

“I’m here, Mol. Just… just take control. Show me how much you want me.”

“I do want you. More than you’ll ever know.”

His fingers gripped my bare thighs as his tongue licked along his bottom lip.

“Why are you doing this?” I panted.

“What?”

“Me… on top… in control?”

“Because I wanted to know what it would feel like to give you all of me, completely. You own me, heart and soul. I just wanted to show you how much you mean to me, in the only way I know how.”

I pressed my chest against his and traced the seams of his lips with my tongue, building up speed with my hips, his beautiful words edging me to the brink.

Rome’s breath blew choppy and his hips lifted to meet mine, the force of our joining growing harder by the second.

“Romeo… Romeo…” I screamed as my stomach tightened and my orgasm surged, almost exploding from the inside out.

I locked eyes with Romeo as his eyes clenched shut and he, with one last thrust, poured himself into me. His mouth tightened as his hands relaxed on my legs and he exhaled, his heart thumping against mine.

A finger ran down my spine and I smiled against his neck.

“I’ve never felt anything like that, baby,” Romeo whispered.

“It was perfect.”

I lifted up and cast a look at my clock, my head flopping back to the crook of his neck. “Now we’re bloody late.”

“I don’t care. They can f**kin’ wait.”

“Come on, we’d better go.” I moved off his hips and walked to the bathroom to clean up.

When I came out, Rome was waiting for me against the wall, his hair tousled and sexy. “Last chance to back out,” he said hopefully.

I picked up my silver clutch and held out my hand. “Come, Romeo, let us go to the ball,” I teased in an old English Shakespearean-type accent.

Flashing me a reluctant smile, we left.

23

“Wow, they’ve really outdone themselves,” I announced as we climbed out of the Dodge to the waiting service of the valet. Twinkly Christmas lights glittered along the edge of the large white mansion and we crossed the threshold to the ornate foyer, both hyper aware, searching for his parents.

Remaining hand in hand, we walked out into the yard, where an impressive white marquee of equal opulence was full to the brim with Tide players, all in white. A string quartet sat to the side, elegantly playing “Canon in D.”

Cass, Lexi and Ally spotted us first through the packed crowd and waved us over to their table in the far corner. A tuxedo-wearing waiter passed by and offered us a glass of champagne. On a teasing nudge, Romeo picked one up as I politely declined and took an orange juice. I wished more than anything that I could have used alcohol to numb the stress of the night.

We went to stand with the girls, greeting the team as we passed. Within minutes, I was flanked on either side by Austin and Jimmy-Don, who I could tell were going to take their protection detail seriously.

Romeo whispered something to Ally as I made conversation with Cass, and she suddenly paled, tilting her chin behind me. We turned at her action and Romeo’s parents approached us with wide, fake smiles. Trailing behind them was Shelly, waving regally to the cream of Tuscaloosa society in a tight white dress, her long red hair pin-straight and falling to her large br**sts.

Romeo moved to stand behind me and grabbed my hand so hard it was almost restricting the blood flow to my fingers.

His mother, who, as usual, reeked of alcohol, threw her arms out in the direction of her son. “Rome, my darlin’! Well done on your big win.” She wrapped her arms around his rigid frame, air kissing his cheek, and moved along to me, the tightening of her mouth the only giveaway she was displeased with my presence.

“Molly! What a pleasure to see you again, and you look so stunning!” She practically sang as I stiffened at her embrace. “How are you both?”

I remained silent. She would get no showboating from me in front of her guests.

“Fine, Momma,” Romeo answered blandly.

Joseph Prince stepped forward and shook Romeo’s hand. “Son.”

“Daddy.”

He nodded to me in greeting. “Molly.”

I gave him a tight nod.

The air around us turned stagnant as we stood awkwardly, trying to maintain an air of happy civility for everyone else’s benefit. I noticed that the Princes ignored our friends and when Ally, their niece, tried to say hello, they blanked her too. By the amused look on her face, she wasn’t exactly bothered.

Shelly stepped forward with a bright smile and went to hug Romeo when he stepped back, a look of incredulity on his face. “Cut the shit, Shelly,” he spat viciously.

Her face dropped into a scowl and she retreated beside his mother, who was clearly pissed at his public rejection of the golden child. They all turned and walked off without another word.

“Whew! Awkward much?” Cass lilted from her seat at the table, causing the tense silence to break.

I pulled Romeo aside. “You okay, baby?”

He pressed a soft kiss to my cheek. “Yeah, I just can’t f**kin’ stand their falseness. And what the hell was that with Shelly?”

“I don’t know. Only a few hours left now, though. We’ll get through it.”

His eyebrows arched. “Famous last words, Shakespeare. Famous. Last. Words.”

* * *

The dinner lacked atmosphere and was predictably ostentatious and for the most part unnecessarily pompous, but we sat with our friends and tried to make the best out of a bad situation.

The speeches were horrendous. When Kathryn Prince talked of her beloved son and how proud she was of his achievements in football and her hope for his NFL career, I practically had to restrain Romeo from overturning the table and losing his shit again. I grasped his arm and leaned in close, convincing him to calm down, and told him how much I loved him over and over with his hand pressed against my stomach. It seemed to work.