ok the phone and pres

ng from the couch in the dead of night, moving lik

his eyes, his voice heavy with

t all went downhill. She yanked off Cole's pajama shirt, hugged his waist like a stuffed animal, press

at the wedding banquet, she had given in and taken a tiny glass of wine, mo

le drink seemed harmless at the time, but apparently, the effects had kicked in during the night. Trying to explain that "darling" was once the name

her breath trying to explain. "Let's say I was sleep

ith mischief as he nudged the phone back toward

ach. Still, she tapped on

nd him like some lovesick octopus. From the bed, his voice came through the

acked his rear and said, "One more

iana sat motionless, cheeks blazi

her. "You're adorably fierce. Throwing threat

tore off the covers and sprinted out of

r diving under the covers and faking sleep last night, he had waited for the inevitable scoldin

nd tugged at her hair like she could wring the embarrassment out. She muttered a string of cu

the door. Cole's voice drifted in, light and teasing. "Honey, tim

ortant came the morning after the wedding, when the newweds were expected to greet the elders pr

en, determined not to react to the humor dancing in Cole

overed." He han

got to work. Shower. Outfit change. A

made a move to her. Maybe her makeup hadn't been terrible enough. So tod

the door open. Spotting Cole just waitin

composure. A twitch of the lip, barely suppres

. Elliana slammed the tousled wig o

to give my grandpa a heart attack. M

d back, Cole grabbed her hand an

prim and polished, every

e Jarrett Evans-Cole's father-sat stiffly at his right. The rest of

the moment Cole and Elliana stepped in-hands clasped togethe

the idea that Cole would lay a finger on a woman they thought was beneath him. Whispers leaned more toward violence than intimacy. They were expect

ad the couple actually had sex? The tension deepened. No one had seen this coming-the p

rd without hesitation, gently guiding Elliana

t limbs, with three sons and one daughter,

ader, had stepped back from leadersh

en Emmanuel Evans, and fina

received the first greetings, Jarrett the second. Neither looked thrilled to be served

done, the whole family mov

tares felt sharp-some merely curious, others full of judgment or thinly veiled ridicule. Not

t and said in a smug, cutting voice, "Elliana, do you realize the entire