"Viper, happy doesn't begin to explain how I feel right now."

He lifted her up to kiss her. "Good enough to give me a b.l.o.w.j.o.b like the one last night?" he teased her, nuzzling her neck.

"This house makes me so happy I'm going to give you a b.l.o.w.j.o.b every night."

Her husband was obviously so anxious to hold her to her word that he started to carry her back upstairs. But then a knock on the back door had him putting her back down on her feet.

When he opened the back door, dozens of smiling faces swarmed inside. Train and Knox came in, carrying twenty-four-packs of beer on their shoulders. Rider came in with an exaggerated limp, while Willa, Rachel, Diamond, Evie, and all the Last Riders followed. She hugged each of them, thanking them for helping Viper build her dream home.

"It was so hard not to tell you," Beth confessed, hugging her before moving aside so her aunt could hug her next.

"Viper's convinced me to move in with you both if you're sure."

"Aunt Shay, if you don't move in with us, then we're just going to move in with you permanently."

Her eyes twinkled. "I guess I'm moving in, then. I'm going to donate my furniture to the church store. Well, everything except that mattress in the room over mine. It's too loud."

Winter wanted to sink through the floor. Viper laughing his head off like a fool didn't help matters.

"I was right about you making up with Viper before I was asleep."

"Aunt Shay!"

"We need to have a long talk before you move in with us," Viper told her. "Winter told me you told her to wait a year before sleeping with me again."

"She did?" Her aunt stared at her, expecting her to confess.

"I... need to go thank Sasha," Winter excused herself, hurrying away.

Seeing the two talking conspiratorially, she knew she was busted.

Sasha was standing by the door, poised as if she were ready to fly out of it. Winter could tell from the look on her face that she expected to be run out of the house. She had taken a step back before Winter could catch her hand, pulling her into a heartfelt hug.

"Thank you, Sasha. My home is beautiful. I couldn't have done it better myself. I would have never been able to match everything the way you did."

"If there's anything you want changed, I can-"

Winter shook her head. "I wouldn't change a thing... except for the way I treated you. I'm sorry."

"I was trying to make you hate me," Sasha confessed. "I wanted you to leave the clubhouse so Viper could get the house built. I expected you to go to the Bahamas or Vegas, but I didn't expect your aunt to become sick. I'm glad she's better. I was afraid I would get arrested before I could get it done. Diamond came through. Now the charges are dropped, and I can go back to Ohio."

"Do you want to go back to Ohio, or do you want to stay here?"

"Ohio. None of the women knew what Viper was planning because he was afraid one of them would tell you, so I didn't make a good first impression on them. I guess I do a good job of making people hate me."

"Yes, you did. But you're still welcome here until you really want to leave."

"You sure?"

"I'm positive. You can help me decorate the baby's room as soon as we know if it's a boy or a girl."

Her excited expression made Winter feel terrible about the mistake she had made in judging the woman. "Thank you," she said again sincerely.

"You should start your own business."

"Do you really think so? It's a compet.i.tive business and I've never taken any decorating cla.s.ses."

"You can use Viper and me as references. As soon as they see the work you're capable of, they'll hire you."

"I'll think about it. Did Viper show you the bathroom upstairs?"

Sasha grinned in satisfaction when Winter told her he had.

The women moved to the stools at the kitchen counter, where Rider, Willa, and Lucky were sitting. Sasha and the couple laughed about Rider's reaction when Viper had texted her last night about the bathtub.

"He can be such a girl sometimes," Winter said.

Rider lifted a brow at her comment, yelling across the room to her husband, "Viper!"

Winter winced when Viper yelled out, "Yeah?"

"How does Winter feel about pirates?"

17.

"You look handsome tonight," Winter complimented Viper, as she straightened his tie.

"Thank you." He took her hand, twirling her in her long, multi-blue formal dress. "All the husbands are going to be jealous of me."

"I doubt that. I have some stiff compet.i.tion from Beth and Lily."

Both of the women were going to look lovely that evening. Lily would be wearing a lilac sheath that made her look s.e.xy, highlighting her purple eyes. Beth would be wearing a white and gold gown that emphasized the golden tan she had worked on the entire summer while lying out with her by Aunt Shay's pool.

Winter and Beth had spent the summer packing up years of Aunt Shay's possessions. They had moved into the house Viper had built them within a week, but it had taken the entire summer to pack and give away what she didn't want.

Viper b.u.t.toned his jacket. "We need to leave. The dinner is getting ready to start."

"I'm ready." She picked up her small purse, following Viper to the top of the steps.

He lifted her into his arms, carrying her down the steps then setting her on her feet at the bottom.

Aunt Shay turned the television down. "You both look so elegant."

Winter kissed her aunt on the cheek. "Are you sure you don't want to go with us?"

"No, dear. You two go have some fun. Ton and I are going to finish this movie. Then, after he leaves, I'll go to bed. You can tell me about Drake's party in the morning. Don't forget to take the bottle of wine Ton and I picked out to congratulate him."

"I'm sure he will appreciate it."

Was Viper's father sitting a little too close to her aunt?

Winter gave him a warning glance when she noticed he was wearing cologne.

Viper took her hand then went to the counter to pick up the wine. "Make sure she locks the door when you leave, and set the alarm."

Ton bristled, shooting his son a glare. "I was the one who taught you how to take care of a woman, so I don't need to be reminded to make sure Shay is safe before I leave."

Winter scrutinized how close Ton was sitting next to her aunt again, seeing his arm resting on the back of the couch behind her.

"I didn't think you did. I was going to remind you of the code for the alarm. It's loud enough to wake the dead if you key it in wrong," Viper cautioned.

"Oh... You two have a nice time." Ton leaned toward the television.

They went out the back door.

"I hope he doesn't remember everything he taught me about women," Viper joked as they walked slowly down the path.

Winter didn't think it was funny. "I'm not letting s.e.x Piston do Aunt Shay's hair or take us shopping ever again."

"It's too late for that. She hit a homerun when she got Aunt Shay to loosen up and stop dressing like she's from the fifties. I can't complain. She helped you pick out that dress, didn't she?"

"Yes, and Lily's and Beth's. That woman has a knack for knowing what will look good on a chick."

Viper opened her car door, and Winter carefully lowered herself into the seat, holding his arm as she slowly turned to face forward.

"Okay?"

"Yes."

She was at the end of her seventh month of pregnancy, and so far, it was going fine. Her pregnancy was showing, but it was barely noticeable. When she had gone shopping in Lexington, strangers hadn't realized she was pregnant until they'd seen her from the side.

Dr. Price told her last week to stop exercising when she had said the pain was starting. Aunt Shay's pool had become her only way to keep herself in excellent condition. She missed her workouts with Viper. Since they had increased the orders at the factory, they hadn't been able to see each other during the day.

She had taken the new school year off at Dr. Price's suggestion, and boredom was driving her nuts. She had finished Aunt Shay's puzzle book and been forced to buy more to keep herself busy.

Viper settled himself behind the steering wheel. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look?"

"You're not going to distract me. You need to have a talk with Ton."

"h.e.l.l no. He stopped drinking. He even let Beth clean his house so Aunt Shay would come over and see his garden. Aunt Shay has never looked better. They're good for each other."

"He's nothing like Uncle Dennis."

"That's for sure," Viper scoffed. "I don't see Ton waiting a f.u.c.king year to share her bed."

Winter stiffened, shooting him an angry glance. "That's my aunt we're talking about."

"She's still a woman. Even Dr. Matthews said her depression is gone. I think it's time we told her." Viper pulled the car into the parking lot of King's restaurant.

"I know. Every time I start to do it, I just can't bring myself to. How do I tell her she's broke? That Vincent stole her money? He worked in a bank. If he hadn't let Beth handle her bills, we wouldn't have known until the bank put a foreclosure notice on the door. The son of a b.i.t.c.h did such a good job of doctoring her accounts that we didn't find the discrepancies until Beth couldn't find the money to fix the roof and let us know." Vincent was Aunt Shay's son-in-law. Because he was so highly respected in town, and a president of the largest bank, no one suspected he had been stealing from accounts that his mother-in-law and Viper's brother had trusted him with. Gavin had figured it out, and had lost his life for trusting Vincent. Aunt Shay still didn't know. Beth, Winter, and Viper had protected her from the truth, but now had the dilemma of continuing to spare her feelings or telling her the truth.

"We've been paying all her bills for years, and I'm not complaining. I only want to tell her, because she wants to put the money from the sale of her house in a trust for our baby. If you don't want to tell her, we won't. I'll buy the house and give her the money she thinks she's getting from the sale."

Winter shook her head. "You'd be paying for the house twice. You already bought it from the bank three years ago."

Viper reached out, cupping her cheek. "It'll make her think she's still independent. I don't want her to think she needs to stay with us because she has nowhere else to go. Besides, she wants to leave the majority of the money to our baby, and I'm planning a trust for him anyway, so it will all work out in the end."

"Lucky isn't the only Last Rider who is lucky. How in the world did I luck out when you fell in love with me?"

Viper gave her a lingering kiss before getting out of the car and opening the door for her. He put one hand on the roof of the car, leaning down to give her his other hand. "I guess it was just your lucky day."

"Yes, it was." Taking his hand, she maneuvered to the side so he could help lift her slowly to her feet.

Locking the car, he escorted her into King's restaurant, which had been closed for the night to other customers.

Winter was in awe of how King decked out the restaurant to celebrate Drake's victory. The restaurant had been transformed into an elegant gathering, with expensive linens, candlelight, and music playing in the background.

Drake and Bliss were standing at the door to greet their friends as they arrived.

"You look amazing, Bliss." Marriage was definitely agreeing with the pet.i.te woman.

"You do, too. I'm jealous of that dress." Bliss hugged her then hugged Viper before taking the wine he carried inside.

Winter smoothed her hands over the chiffon, loving the feel of it against her skin. "s.e.x Piston picked it out."

"Mine, too! I've been keeping her busy since Drake decided to run for mayor."

The town had elected Drake after a special election was called for after Knox had found enough evidence to remove the former mayor due to embezzlement. He had pocketed the town's money for his personal use.

Bliss had always been the s.e.xiest of the Last Riders' women, but s.e.x Piston had toned it down to make her look more sophisticated, giving her a chic style that drew everyone's gaze even more than before. Her elegant black gown was demure until she moved to place the wine on the bar, showing a slit that came up to just above her knees.

Winter and Viper sat down at one of the tables with Lily, Shade, Beth, and Razer. Willa, s.e.x Piston, and her friends were sitting at the table next to theirs. The conversation flowed back and forth between the tables as Viper and Shade talked to Stud and Cade, while s.e.x Piston nitpicked every woman who hadn't taken her advice on what to wear.

When a familiar face came to fill her water gla.s.s, Winter was stunned by Megan's appearance. The girl had put on thirty pounds since she became pregnant, and her once curly hair was lank and listless.

"Megan, I didn't know you worked here."

Her former student gave her an overly bright smile. "h.e.l.lo, Winter, Willa. I started last week." She filled the water gla.s.ses before taking everyone's drink order then disappearing into the kitchen.

Winter turned to Willa, who was sitting at the table next to her. "I thought she was working for you?"