The Marriage Merger

“How’s married life treating you?” Max asked.

The loaded question gave him pause. “Good.”

His friend raised a brow. “Why do I think there’s something deeper going on here? you’re not the type to rush into a wedding, since the word commitment used to give you a nasty rash. Love at first sight?”

He wished he could confess the truth. He was one hot mess. Making love to his wife last night had transcended their usual bedroom games. Things were changing, fast, and the slippery slope kept inclining in a mad rush to toss him off. Sawyer took another sip of beer. “Something like that.”

His friend stared at him long and hard. “you know you can talk to me, right? I know Julietta is Carina’s sister, but if I thought you were a piece of shit I would’ve boarded the plane ASAP to break it up. I saw you together. She’s the one.”

Sawyer raised his gaze, startled. “What makes you say that after a few hours?”

Max shrugged. “A connection. The way you look at each other. And you seem different. Less—”

“What?”

“Haunted.”

Sawyer jerked. He opened his mouth to respond, but Michael and Nick slid into the booth with their beers.

“What are we talking about?” Michael interjected.

Max rolled his eyes. “Women. What else?”

“Bunch of pansies,” Nick muttered. “Hey, speaking of women, aren’t we running late? We’re supposed to pick them up at five, right? Who has a watch?”

The other two men glanced at their designer Zannetti watches. “yeah, we’ll finish our beers and head back,”

Michael noted. “I never go out anymore. Do you?”

Max and Nick shook their heads. “Nope. Not that I partied hard before, but after the kids came, it’s too crazy. I’m lucky to have some quality time with Alexa.”

“Same thing with Maggie. Those boys are a hell of a lot of work. Worth everything, though. How about you, Max?

I bet you’re still hitting fabulous parties and living high.”

Max snorted. “Are you kidding me? We’re not planning to have kids till next year, and we’re already exhausted. our work schedules are insane, and we tire out at ten. Pathetic.”

Sawyer grunted. “Look at you. Finally out for a few drinks with the guys, and you’re whining. Let’s enjoy it. Live it up a bit. Hell, for my excitement, I’m looking forward to a Rocky marathon with Julietta and Wolfe.”

“I love Balboa. Italian Stallion. Never gets old,” Nick said.

“Nah, anyone see Road House? Now that’s a quality movie,” Max ventured.

Sawyer bobbed his head and drained his beer. Put up a finger for another. “Women don’t get the real gist behind that movie. A shame.”

“I’m a Tarantino convert,” Michael said. “He’s a genius.

Reservoir Dogs. Django.”

“Alexa gives me a hard time. Says he’s too violent.”

The men all groaned in agreement. And ordered another round.

When they finally got to Mama Conte’s house, Sawyer sensed trouble. He knew they were late but figured the women would be flexible. After all, how often did their husbands get out for some quality male conversation?

Michael paused before opening the door. He blinked and swayed a bit on his feet. “How late are we really?”

Nick laughed. Seemed like Nick was laughing a lot lately, and the guy wasn’t the giggly type. “Just an hour.

or two. I lost track after the third extra round. That damn funicular should have a warning sign. I almost got killed.”

Sawyer did a quick body scan. Definitely a bit off, but not drunk. No one was really drunk. Why was Michael just standing there? “Dude, aren’t you going to open the door?”

Nick pressed his ears to the heavy wood. “I don’t hear anything. How come the kids aren’t screaming?”

Max rubbed his forehead. “I have a bad feeling about this. This stinks of a setup. Do you think they’ll be unrea-sonable because we’re a little late?”

Michael groaned. “Maggie’s probably stirring them up.”

Sawyer let out a breath. “Guys, get it together. Let’s go in, tell them we lost track of time, and then take them to dinner. Are you afraid of your own wives?”

The looks on their faces screamed yes, but male pride forced them to grunt. Michael pushed open the door.

The scene was not good.

Maggie, Carina, Alexa, and Julietta all sat in the living room facing the open hallway, dressed in killer heels and little black dresses. The sweet scent of musk and spice drifted in the air along with another, fainter smell.

Female rage.

Their expressions all matched. Accusation peppered the men like ammo from a paintball gun, stinging and re-minding them that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

or a woman waiting to be fed. Sawyer glanced at the male crew. The magnitude of their error seemed to hit them all at once. He stepped forward to try and smooth things out.

Julietta met him halfway. The long naked length of her legs got him dizzy. Her hair swung in a rich cloud of dark waves over her bare shoulders. The tiny scrap of fabric hugging her hips and stopping midthigh was an intricate mixture of black lace that played a wicked game of hide-and-go-seek that he desperately wanted to win. She wore a deep red lipstick that plumped her lush mouth and gleamed moist and wet under the light.

“Don’t.” She put up a hand. “We’ve been waiting for three hours. Max’s mother finally left. Mama finally got the kids settled, but the twins keep waking up because it’s a strange place, and Lily peed the bed and we had to refix our hair and makeup at least three times.”

Alexa narrowed her eyes and pinned Nick to the wall.

“you’re drunk.”

“No not.”

Sawyer closed his eyes. He guessed the man was not used to eight beers in three hours. “Do you know much I was looking forward to this? All of us going out for a real adult evening? Why are you so late?” Alexa asked.

“Not no,” Nick said.

Michael stepped up to the plate and directed his words to his wife. “I’m so sorry, cara. We ended up having a drink, and our watches stopped and we lost track of time.”

Maggie pointed to the piece of expensive jewelry on his wrist. “That watch? The one that never loses power, works underwater while scuba diving, and is as strong as James Bond’s? The one I bought you for your birthday after you lusted after Max’s? That thing cost a fortune and resembles a spy unit. It stopped?”

Out at first base.

Max raised his hands, his gaze roving over Carina’s low-cut top with blurred lust. “you look beautiful, baby. I’m sorry. Let’s go now, and we’ll make it up to you. Look, we’re ready. The kids are asleep. It’s early.”

Carina pursed her lips. “We ate already, Max. We were starving, so Mama made us dinner. We can’t leave her alone with the kids at this point; she’s resting in her room after a long day of serving her family and babysitting her grandchildren.

So, no, I’m not going to do that to my mother at this point.”

Out at second.

Nick gave a hearty laugh. “We’re all together now. Let’s open a bottle of wine, start the fire, and spend a relaxing evening in. We haven’t done that in a while.”

Alexa glared. “We do that every Friday night. After we cook and clean up and take care of the kids.”

Out at third.

“What do you want us to do then?” Sawyer asked.

Four women shared glances. Smiles eased onto their lips and he nodded with relief. Good, they’d salvage the evening, and he’d be able to drag Julietta out early so he could show her the many ways her outfit could be used for bondage purposes.

They all stood in one uniformed mass, grabbed their beaded bags, and dragged on their coats.

Alexa said, “Maria needs to be fed within the hour. Bottle’s in the fridge. Check on Lily, she’s been up a few times. Bye.”

Maggie grinned. “The twins should pop back up in a few. Good luck.”

Carina and Julietta didn’t speak. Just gave their men a look and eased past them toward the front door.

Sawyer glanced around, not understanding. “Wait.

Where are you going?”

Julietta winked. “out. Don’t wait up.”

In a cloud of sensuality and mystery and pissed-off hor-mones, they shut the door behind them.

Out at home.

…

“Stood up by our own husbands.” Maggie ran a finger over the rim of her glass and sucked the salt off her finger. “Pathetic.”

Alexa sighed and stared moodily into her chocolate martini. “I shaved. Waxed. Bikini wax!”

Carina clucked in sympathy. “you know how men are when they get together. Probably talking stupid violent movies and sports. remembering the good old days when they were young and free and drunk.”

Julietta looked at the depressed women in front of her.

She took charge and spoke in a crisp tone. “enough. yes, we missed out on romantic dinners, but when was the last time any of you went out for ladies’ night?”

Maggie shrugged. “Too long.”

“exactly. So let’s stop whining about our husbands and enjoy ourselves.”

Alexa perked up. “Julietta’s right. This is just as good.

Shopping at Marc Jacobs and eating at the café is a dream.

Promise no more complaining. Look at this place!”

Julietta glanced around the familiar café. She’d stopped many times along the way to grab a drink or do some shop-ping, but seeing it through Alexa’s eyes made her appreci-ate the sleek design of illuminated glass, sprawling bar, and tiered ceiling. The bar hopped, music blared, and their table looked out over all the action.

“Agreed,” Maggie said. “ But we have to stick together on one point. They need to be taught a lesson.”

“Absolutely. What do you think we should do?” Carina asked.

Her sister-in-law grinned. “It’s what we don’t do. No sex tonight.”

Silence.

Julietta knew how they felt. Sure, she was mad at Sawyer, but she still looked forward to climbing into bed with him after girls’ night out.

Alexa sank back into gloom. “Good-bye painful bikini wax.”

Carina pursed her lips. “Couldn’t we just torture them a lot in bed?”

Maggie shook her head firmly. “No. It will drive the lesson home. Just tonight. Hell, by the time we all get home, we’ll be exhausted, and they’ll be sleeping anyway. We won’t suffer at all. But this needs to be a united agreement.”

Julietta rallied. After all, it would be the easiest for her.

And a night alone might be the best thing for both of them.

“Agreed.”

Carina and Alexa chimed in.

Maggie rubbed her palms together, green eyes sparkling. “Great. They have music starting in a few, so we can dance. Now that we’re not having sex, let’s talk about sex.”

Her gaze swung around like a radar. “Starting with Julietta.

Spill.”

“Me?” She ducked her head to fight the color in her cheeks and took a sip of her Kahlúa. “Uh, it’s good. We’re good.”