Okay. So, I don't have to ask if they're having s.e.x-not that I would anyway. "It certainly helps when it's good, doesn't it?"

"Oh yeah. No man has ever done to me the things he does. I just thought I was having good s.e.x before. But umm ... no. Is that how American men are?"

"I only had one s.e.xual relationship before Jack Henry, and it was terrible, so I think you lucked out with Ben being ... supremely f.u.c.klicious. It has nothing to do with him being American."

She's wearing a shocked expression. "Laurelyn. You only had one s.e.xual partner before my brother?" Her eyes are huge. "You were almost a virgin when you met him. I bet he f.u.c.king loved that."

"Actually, he hates it. He wishes I hadn't had the one."

"I can totally see that; he's a greedy b.a.s.t.a.r.d. But you're his wife so I guess he's supposed to feel that way."

Jack Henry comes into the kitchen to grab a beer. "Smells good in here, sis." We both go silent and he knows he's interrupted something. "What are you up to in here?"

"Nothing," we say simultaneously and then look at one another and burst into laughter.

"Girl talk?"

"Yeah. You could call it that."

He twists the cap off his beer and tosses it into the trash. "I like girl talk."

"You wouldn't like hearing this. It's not your flavor."

"Try me."

For a moment-like, a nanosecond-I consider telling him how supremely f.u.c.kable his sister finds Ben but then decide I can't do it; I don't want to sour his mood. "I love you too much to do that to you, cave man."

I'm the only one who didn't have a gift for Laurelyn at my parents' house on Friday night but she understood since it wasn't her actual birthday. However, today is. She's going into town for lunch with Addison and that couldn't work better for me since I'll be picking up her gift and driving it home. I want her new Cayenne here, but hidden, when she comes back from her day out in Wagga Wagga.

She comes into the office to say goodbye. "Ooh, I haven't seen Mr. good-looking suit in a while."

She's right. I haven't worn a business suit in quite some time. "You like?"

"Oh yes. It reminds me of the way you looked when we first met. You're still hotter than the devil's a.s.s."

"I have a business meeting in town with a new client. He has two hundred storefronts. Not huge but this guy has established these businesses in a ridiculously small amount of time, so I'd expect him to double it within the year. I think it's going to be big." I'm not obsessed with work like my dad was but I'll be pretty d.a.m.n happy to score this account.

"That's great news."

I sort of need to know what her plan is for the day. "How long will you and Addison be out?"

"I'm not sure. We're doing lunch at Alfredo's and I'm hoping I can talk her into doing some shopping. She really needs a pick-me-up. Hiding the pregnancy from Zac is wearing her down." That's just like Laurelyn to take her special day and turn it into a way to cheer up her friend. Sometimes I get mad at her for always putting others ahead of herself, but it's who she is.

Addison deserves to be worn down. It's no small thing, what's she's doing. That baby is Zac's too and he deserves to know it exists. "Maybe that should be a sign to her that she shouldn't be doing this."

"No argument there. You know I'm supporting her, not her decision, right?"

"I know. I guess I thought she'd come around in a day or two."

"I'd hoped for that as well but Addison's stubborn once she makes up her mind about something."

That's the pot calling the kettle black. "Sounds like someone else I know. Maybe you should take her vibrator shopping to get all this off her mind."

"I was thinking the same thing."

Is she serious? "I was kidding, L."

"I'm not. I think it would lift her spirits."

This could work out well for me if Laurelyn buys something fun for us. "Well, if you do, I don't want you coming home with one of those v.a.g.i.n.a pleasers that performs like a circus monkey."

"A circus monkey vibrator?" she laughs. "Really, McLachlan?"

"They have them in performing rabbits and dolphins. Why wouldn't they make a monkey?"

"Okay. Nothing in the form of an animal or anything that penetrates."

Good. She remembers. "Because?"

"Nothing goes inside me but you. Got it." She says it like a child reciting a rule to her teacher.

I roll my office chair toward her and reach out to grope her b.u.m under her light denim dress. I pull her between my legs, my face level with her stomach. I kiss it atop her clothes. She's wearing her boots. I haven't seen her in those in a while. I wonder if I can talk her into wearing them tonight. "Mmm ... now I'm a little excited about what you might bring home for us to try."

"Any requests?"

"Mmm ... choose something adventurous."

She giggles-very much like a child instead of the mature woman she is-and it makes me smile. She looks so innocent when she laughs that way, especially while wearing this little country sweetheart outfit. But I know better. There's very little this sweet girl enjoys more than a good ol' hard f.u.c.k. "Adventurous. I can do that."

She leans down and kisses my mouth. It's brief, just a sweet goodbye not intended to make my d.i.c.k stand up. "Don't forget we have dinner reservations at seven thirty."

"You never told me where you're taking me."

"And I'm still not." I want to see the surprise on her face when we return to Ash and sit at the same table where I propositioned her fourteen months ago. I wish I could've taken her there for the one-year anniversary but it wasn't possible, considering we were at Avalon becoming husband and wife. Our lives have been a little crazy since so this has been my first chance to get her back there.

"I'll be sure to return in time. Should I dress casually?"

"I have something in mind for you to wear so I'll have it laid out for you."

"You choosing my clothes is a little weird."

"It's not weird." Okay. It is strange but there's a reason. I want her in the dress she wore that night-the floral one with only one shoulder. I hope I'm able to find it. "It's something I haven't seen you wear in a while and I like the way you look in it."

"Now you have me wondering if you're a closet cross-dresser. Am I going to come in and find you wearing my lace panties one day?"

"I'm choosing something for you to wear, L, not me."

"Okay. I gotta go. Thanks for letting me drive the bullet."

She calls my Sunset that since it's so fast. She says it gets away from her because it's such a smooth drive. "Please be careful. And don't speed."

I stand at the window and watch her disappear down the drive before I phone Daniel. "She's gone. I'll be ready to leave in fifteen minutes."

I'm finishing some last-minute details on a new order when Bianca comes into my office, without knocking. She's traded her short skirt for short khaki shorts and her low-cut dress shirt for a thin, tight white T-shirt with a deep V neckline. I'm glad L isn't here to see this because she wouldn't like it at all. In fact, it makes me a little uncomfortable after the things she brought to my attention on the day she met Bianca. In light of that, I think it's best if I finish the paperwork later. "I'm going into town for a little while but I'm expecting a delivery and I'd really like it if you could take care of it for me."

She places her hand on my shoulder. "Anything for you." I lean away from her touch to reach into my drawer for nothing in particular. I really hope she isn't going to be a problem, but my gut is telling me otherwise. One wrong move and she's out of here. That's what L said. I definitely foresee that being a problem, but my business relationship with Brees means nothing if this girl causes a problem for L and me.

Please, Bianca. No wrong moves. It'll screw us both.

I get out of my chair and move around my desk in the opposite direction of her as I head toward the door. "I have a business meeting and I have to make a pickup, so I'll be out until this afternoon." L's new Porsche SUV had to be purchased at a dealership in Sydney and driven to Wagga Wagga, so it's waiting in the parking garage at the hotel where my business meeting will take place. It couldn't have worked out better.

I run into Harold on my way out to meet Daniel. "Glad I ran into you. I have a single bag of a new pota.s.sium-deficiency product coming in today. Bianca is going to be watching for it and will bring it out to you. I thought we could try it on that area in the southwest corner and see if it does a better job than the old product."

"Sure thing, boss."

When I finish landing my new client, I go into the parking garage to fetch L's sleek black SUV. It's sharp, even if it's a family vehicle. I could've gone with something flashier but she's chosen to become a mum, so this fits her. It's cla.s.sy without looking like a muscle man should be driving it. I hope she isn't disappointed I didn't buy her a sports car. I'm certain she'll understand that wasn't a sensible choice.

She isn't ovulating so tonight isn't about us trying. It's about us having fun and boy, do I have a little bit of naughty in store for her. I told her to buy something adventurous but the truth is I already have. I can't wait to see her in the s.e.xy lingerie I bought or try out some of our new toys. I have to adjust myself inside my pants. I'm getting hard thinking about it.

My meeting ran longer than expected so I'm a little later than I'd like when I get back to Avalon. Harold flags me down in the driveway from the edge of the vineyard, and I know something's up. "You told me Bianca was bringing the pota.s.sium today?"

"Yeah."

He shakes his head. "She never brought anything to me."

"Did you ask her about it?"

He shrugs. "I haven't seen her to ask."

Hmm ... that's not right. I told her to accept the package and take care of it and she agreed. "I don't know what happened with her, but don't worry about it. We'll get it out tomorrow."

Harold steps back to admire L's new vehicle and whistles. "That's one good-looking ride, Mr. McLachlan."

"It's Laurelyn's birthday present. You think she'll be happy?"

"I don't doubt it for a second."

I pull the Cayenne around back to a spot where L won't see it when she comes home. I'm going to blindfold her when I bring her out to see it, the same way I did with the house in Maui. And I'm going to do it again later tonight as part of the fun I have planned.

I go into the house and check the spot where Mrs. Porcelli leaves my mail. f.u.c.k! It didn't come. The expected delivery date is supposed to be today, so I take out my phone to track it. Hmm ... says it was delivered. I relax, a.s.suming Mrs. Porcelli placed it in a different spot, but I have to find it before L gets home.

I leave the kitchen and go out to my office to see if her gift arrived in my business mail by accident. I find a package on the desk but it's the pota.s.sium, returning my thoughts to Bianca and why she wouldn't have taken this to Harold like I asked.

"Crash Into Me" begins playing on my phone. It's still Laurelyn's ringtone more than a year later. The song still makes me think of her on that stage every time I hear it. "h.e.l.lo, love."

"Hey. I was calling-just in case-to let you know I'm on my way back a little early."

"Just in case of what?" I ask.

"I don't know. It's my birthday and you're being all secretive about tonight so I don't want to walk in and ruin anything you might be up to."

"You're safe. I've already taken care of everything." Except finding that package of naughty goodies.

"All right, Mr. Organized. I'll see you in fifteen."

Fifteen minutes does not give me long to find that package, so I decide to call Mrs. Porcelli. She has no idea what I'm talking about so I check the front door. And the back. Nothing. f.u.c.k, I really want L to dance for me in that outfit tonight since her pole days are limited. Once she's pregnant, there'll be no more of that for a while.

I still haven't found L's naughty surprise and she'll be here any minute, so I give up and decide to search for her floral one-shouldered dress instead. I hope I have better luck finding that.

I enter our bedroom and go motionless, the blood draining from my face. What the f.u.c.k is going on in here?

Bianca's lying across the bed dressed in L's new red metallic pole outfit and has all of our new kinky toys spread around her. "You are a very bad boy, Jack McLachlan."

f.u.c.k! She got L's package and thought it was the one I intended for her to receive. "I'm afraid there's been a terrible misunderstanding."

She moves to her knees and motions for me to come to her. The top barely covers her b.r.e.a.s.t.s so I quickly look at the floor. "I get it, Jack. You were afraid to approach me so you had these things sent to me. Well, I get the message and I accept your invitation."

I'm walking around the room looking for her clothes. "You were supposed to open the package with the pota.s.sium in it, not this one. These things aren't for you."

"What?" She sounds terribly confused.

f.u.c.k! L is going to kill us both if she walks in and sees this. "My wife is on her way home. You've got to get your clothes on and get the h.e.l.l out of here."

I hear a sound so I stop to listen. Too late. I hear L coming into the house. "Oh h.e.l.l. She's home. Get your motherf.u.c.king clothes on while I try to explain this s.h.i.t."

Of course she heads straight for our bedroom because she needs to get ready for our dinner reservation, so I try to head her off before she can see Bianca in her outfit. "Hey, you. How was ..."

I interrupt her. "Stop, babe. Don't go in there."

She laughs. "What are you up to? Some kind of birthday surprise?"

Of course she doesn't suspect there's a near-naked woman in our bedroom. She trusts me but I swallow hard as I prepare to tell her what's happened. There isn't a way to present this that isn't going to look heinous so basically, I'm f.u.c.ked. Thanks a lot, Bianca. "L, hear me out before you totally lose it."

"You're scaring me. What's happened?" I look toward our bedroom door, dreading-yet hoping-a fully dressed Bianca will appear at any moment. I really don't want L walking in and seeing her without her clothes on. "Why are you acting so weird? And why are you watching the door?"

"There's been a misunderstanding."

She knows something has gone awry-I see it all over her face-as she pushes past me into the bedroom. "Well, let's not make it two."

I enter behind her and it looks really f.u.c.king bad for me because Bianca is topless and pulling on her shorts.

Laurelyn gapes as she stands in the doorway, I'm sure unable to believe her eyes. "What the f.u.c.k?" she yells before she charges Bianca and punches her. I go after her but she hits her a second and third time in the face with her fist before I'm able to restrain her.

I pin her arms behind her back and she uses my hold on her as an opportunity to lift her legs up and kick Bianca in the a.r.s.e with her boots.

I've never seen Laurelyn like this-she's a total sc.r.a.pper-and I'm surprised at how stout she is for her pet.i.te size. "You need to get out of here."

Bianca's nose is bleeding and the blood smears down the front of her white shirt as she pulls it over her head. "I know you're p.i.s.sed off but please don't think Jack had any part of this. It was all a misunderstanding on my part and I'm so terribly sorry. And embarra.s.sed. This will never happen again."