Virgin Next Door

Neither of them had written any vows other than to say they loved each other and promised their lives to one another. When it came to saying I do, he was fast losing his patience.

“I can now pronounce you man and wife,” the priest said.

Pulling Ann into his arms, he sealed the deal with a kiss. His ring on her finger, his kid inside her—this was what he’d been wanting and never really thought was possible.

After kissing her again to the round of applause, he pulled away. Her eyes were still closed, and he hugged her tight.

“I love you,” he said.

Her smile brightened his whole world. “I love you too.”

“I love you three,” Katie said, throwing her arms around the two of them.

They burst out laughing.

His father hugged Ann, followed by his mother. Elizabeth came to them then, holding them both and promising the power of the houses was to thank.

Music started up, and Eli wouldn’t let his wife go. He held her against him, even as people wanted them to cut the cake. He kept one arm around her and didn’t share her, not once.

“What do we do now?” she asked. “We’ve got two houses and I know you still have your doubts, but can we really stay in the two of them?”

“There’s a place I’ve found. It’s out of town, about twenty minutes away. Katie can still come to school here. You can still work for, Mr. Graves. I haven’t bought it, but I wanted you to see it.”

She leaned back in his arms. “Do you believe in the houses, Eli?”

“I believe in love, Ann Bruce. Not the houses, and I don’t want to think about you being a bedroom away from me, let alone a house away.”

“Okay, so now that you have me, what are you doing to do with me?” she asked.

He spun her away from their guests, sliding his hands down to cup her ass. “With Katie staying at my parents for the next couple of nights, I was thinking I would show you what being my woman, at my beck and call, wearing my ring, is really like. What do you say?” he asked.

He saw the heat in her eyes and smiled. Their passion hadn’t subsided, not even a speck.

“I say I can’t wait for us to finally be alone.”

“Right, everyone, out. I want time with my wife,” Eli said.

Ann gasped, pressing a hand to her face as he ordered everyone out of his house, because he was done waiting. He wanted to make love, fuck, and hold his wife, and he was willing to be rude to get what he wanted.

Epilogue

Ten months later

“I don’t see it myself,” Eli said.

Ann stood beside her husband, watching the new occupants of their homes. It hadn’t been an easy decision to put her house on the market, even though Eli paid for it, but keeping them felt selfish.

Holding their son in her arms, with Katie standing between them while Eli held the lead on their cocker spaniel pup, who was only a couple months old, but so boisterous, her little family, she watched as the heavily inked biker came out. His group of men was with him. She didn’t catch sight of the MC logo, but Eli wouldn’t let her be alone with him either.

Eli had taken care of the sale of their homes.

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” Ann asked, turning to her husband.

“What? What is it you think I did?” Eli asked.

“You’re testing the houses.”

“Come on, I’m doing no such thing.”

“Seriously, a biker living next door to a … what was she again?” Ann asked.

“Does it really matter what she does? She’s an accountant.”

“A biker and an accountant,” Ann said. “Yep, you’re totally testing everyone’s theory about the houses. Just because she’s an accountant doesn’t mean that the biker isn’t going to be the one for her.”

“Look, if they become a couple, I will believe it, but you have to admit, it’s a little farfetched,” he said.

“You’re still having your doubts,” Elizabeth said, coming to stand with them with her six dogs all around her.

Ann smiled over at the older woman and moved so she could see her little boy.

“He’s going to be trouble when he’s older,” Elizabeth said.

Katie came too. She liked being a big sister.

Ann didn’t need to see the next couple moving into their old houses. She didn’t care if it was true or not.

She had the love of her life, a family, and that was all the proof she needed for her.

Eli took their son, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her head.

“I don’t care what will come, Ann. I know I’m happy, and if the curse is true, so be it. I wish them all the success. Elizabeth, are you coming for dinner?” Eli asked, opening up the trunk of the car.