I glanced at the clock on the fireplace mantel. Not really. I looked back at him. “If we’re really, really quick.”

I squealed as he threw me onto the couch on my stomach. The heat of his body covered mine. “Quick and dirty?” he murmured in my ear as he slid his hand under my dress and caressed my ass.

Lust fluttered low in my belly. I nodded, breathless with anticipation.

“Hands and knees, princess,” Vaughn demanded.

Following his instructions, my arms wobbled a little with tremors of excitement. The sound of him lowering the zip on his trousers sent white-hot arousal through me. My nipples peaked against my bra.

“Vaughn,” I whispered hoarsely as he pushed my dress up to my waist and peeled my underwear down my legs to the bend in my knees.

His words were like gravel as he caressed my naked ass. “I’ve dreamt about this. You. On your knees. On this couch. That ring on your finger.” He leaned over me, sliding his hands down and around my ribs to caress my breasts. His warm breath whispered over my ear. “Reality kicks my fantasy’s ass.”

Those words, mixed with his touch, excited me, and I felt that rush of excitement between my thighs. “Come inside me,” I pleaded. “Just give it to me.”

Understanding I was asking for the main course and no appetizer, Vaughn straightened and I felt the hot throb of him. His hands clasped my butt, his thumbs caressing the soft skin there.

“Anything you want, princess,” he avowed, and then he was pushing inside of me.

The pleasurable burn shot through my limbs and I dropped my head on a gasp as I accommodated his thick length. “Yes, yes, yes.”

I felt his deep answering groan in my nipples.

“Hard and fast or gentle and slow?”

“We only have time for option one,” I huffed out.

“We have time for anything you want.”

I smiled even though he couldn’t see it. “Option one.”

“Then I get to do it gentle and slow tonight.”

“Not arguing with that.”

Vaughn’s laughter caught on a groan as he slid slowly back out. My back arched and I whimpered as he slammed back in.

He hadn’t exaggerated.

It was fast and it was hard.

And all of it was fantastic.

The first thing I did when we walked into Cooper’s a little while later was head straight over to Jess. She saw me coming and jumped off her bar stool to hug me hard. Her dark blond hair had been lightened by the sun, her skin was more tan than usual, and she even had little freckles across her nose.

“It’s so good to see you.” I squeezed her tight. “I missed you.”

Jess pulled back and studied me with a knowing glint in her eye. “You just had sex,” she whispered.

Surprise made me stiffen. I’d made sure before leaving the house that I was cleaned up, my hair and makeup fixed, my dress smoothed into place. “How do you know that?”

“Because Vaughn is wearing this smug, possessive look on his face right now that says ‘I just got some.’”

I glanced behind me where Vaughn was hovering close to me and I laughed. She was right. He was.

“What?” He frowned.

“Nothing.” Jessica withdrew to embrace Vaughn.

Vaughn was taken aback by the embrace, and a little uncomfortable. I laughed as he patted between her shoulder blades, unsure how to deal with the hug.

Jess wasn’t the least bit bothered by his awkwardness, especially when he smiled at her. Her eyes widened. “You look happy.”

“I am,” he said. “So are you.”

“I am,” she agreed and shot a smile at Cooper, who was working behind the bar.

“Tremaine.” Cooper held out his hand across the bar top.

Vaughn took it. “Lawson. I assume you had a good honeymoon.”

He threw a heated look at his wife. “Great honeymoon.”

“No need for details!” Dahlia said from her stool. “No one needs to know that.”

“I don’t know. I’d quite like to hear about it.” Iris winked mischievously at Jess.

Jess rolled her eyes before focusing in on me again. “Everyone has been acting weird since we got here. They said you had something to tell us but they won’t tell us what.”

It hadn’t been easy telling everyone about my engagement to Vaughn. I knew some people would think it was way too fast. Dahlia was a little concerned as were Iris and Ira. Emery thought it was wonderful and even Charlie sounded happy for me. My mom and dad were worried, and that was what upset me most. I just wanted them to be happy I was happy.

But Jessica was not a friend I worried about telling. She met and fell in love with Cooper in record time. She’d so get it.

“There’s lots to tell you,” I said as Vaughn stepped up beside me to take my right hand. “But first there’s this.” I lifted my left hand.

My stunning engagement ring winked in the light.

Jessica’s lips parted in shock. And then she grinned. And then, “Oh. My. God!” She threw her arms around us both, making me laugh as Vaughn grumbled in discomfort.

“What?” Coop asked.

Jess let us go and grabbed my hand to turn it to him. “They’re engaged!”

Cooper shook his head, grinning at Vaughn. “You move fast once you pull your head out of your ass, huh?”

On my fiancé’s behalf I flipped Cooper the bird.

The laughter it caused in the bar among the regulars—who were of course watching us like we were an entertainment show, but I was used to it—died down quite abruptly. We all turned toward the door to see what had caused the room to quiet.