Page 73 of The Mirage Guild

As I watched our daughter toddle around the reception, my heart swelled with an indescribable mix of pride and joy. Ava, with my wild brown curls and deep brown eyes that mirrored Max’s, was a constant reminder of the life we had built together. And how exciting the years ahead would be.

Max and I had opened up our reception to more people, giving our moms the chance to invite the people they wanted even if it was to just brag about how beautiful their granddaughter was. WanderLand Events had been able to design and plan the entire thing, with me serving as creative director of our, now, team of four full-time employees. Emma had lent her design expertise, infusing the day with touches of elegance and whimsy that perfectly complemented the vineyard’s natural beauty.

My eyes found Max’s from across the lawn, and he raised his champagne glass as a toast to me from a distance. His eyes didn’t leave mine as he made his way through the crowd, ignoring a few people who called his name.

“Tell me I can sneak you away now,” he said as his arm snaked around my waist, his hands gliding over the emerald-colored silk of my simple gown. “I promise I can be quick, and I won’t even mess up your hair. I’ll just slide up your dress and slip into you from behind . . .”

Heat immediately shot to my core, and I swore I could feel my pulse in between my legs. “The evening is almost over,” I said with a smirk.

“My mom is taking Ava tonight,” he reminded me. “And I booked us a surprise for tonight,” he said.

I raised my eyebrows as I pressed my chest against his.

“But I’d love to get you ready for later,” he continued. “I could just slip my fingers into your wet pussy, have you coming on my hand, before we try for baby number two later?”

I chuckled and sipped my Champagne. “Let’s say good night to Ava, then I’ll let you take me wherever you want, Max Kingsley.” I stepped closer to him and stood on my toes so I could whisper in his ear. “You can slip whatever you want inside me later.”

Max’s groan made me chuckle as I walked away to find our daughter. The reception area glowed around me as I walked through the space. Tables adorned with delicate floral arrangements and vintage lanterns dotted the landscape, while strings of fairy lights cast a warm glow over the guests as the sun set.

I walked through the small dance floor as one of the final songs played. It was a slow number and there were just a few quests left lingering, swaying to the music. My eyes paused as I caught sight of Dominic dancing with Jessie. Her cheek rested on his chest and his face had such a warmth to it that it made my stomach flip.

It always seemed like they were playing a game of cat and mouse, but I never could tell who was the cat and who was the mouse. Dominic had never been one to commit to a relationship or settle down. He lived his life on his terms with zero apology or explanation, but Jessie was a character who had stuck around despite it.

I made my way over to where Ava sat in her Gigi’s lap, sleepiness overtaking her. I knelt down to place a kiss on her forehead and say good night. “Thank you for taking her tonight,” I told Max’s mom, now lovingly referred to as Gigi.

“Of course, dear, we’re going to have so much fun, just us girls,” Gigi said with a smile. Our parents had been a godsend throughout our transition from barely dating, to homeowners, to parents, and now finally husband and wife. They’d stepped in, without judgment, to help whenever they could, each of them equally obsessed with Ava.

Max joined us to say good night as he reached for my hand. Our things were already loaded in the car, so we slipped out through the small crowd to sneak away. The band was packing up now and guests were milling out to the parking lot. Max and I walked through the sloping lawn to where he had parked on the other side of the main building.

My eyes caught sight of a couple in the throes of making out on the edge of the reception tent and my eyes furrowed in recognition. I shook my head to clear my focus because I was surprised to see that one of the people was Jessie. And the person she was hugging tight and kissing wasn’t Dominic, but rather a woman I thought I recognized.

“Is that, Reagan?” I asked Max quietly.

Max chuckled, tugging me to his side. I don’t know what sort of situation Dominic had gotten himself into, I just hoped he knew there were other players involved.

“I’m not even going to try and dissect your brother’s love life tonight, Isabella,” Max said. “I have way more fun things on my mind.”

I grinned up at him. “Oh, yeah? Like baby number two?” I asked.

We’d decided after Ava, that we’d start trying right away for number two. With the surprise that my first pregnancy had been, we’d expected it to happen quickly.

The idea of getting pregnant had turned us a little ravenous for each other. I was perfectly content with our little family, but I was certainly into the idea of Max trying to put a baby in me as much as he wanted to.

“Like pounding into you as much as you’ll let me and filling you up with everything I have over and over and over . . .” he said as his hand squeezed my backside firmly.

God, his dirty talk immediately sent signals to the space between my legs.

“Are you going to tell me where you’re taking me tonight?” I asked as we finally made it to the car. “Do I need to change?”

“Nope, you’re dressed perfectly. Your event team planned something cool and timed it perfectly,” he said with a wink.

I furrowed my eyebrows trying to think of all the events we had on our calendar. But with the wedding, I hadn’t been in the office as much as normal the last few weeks. I slid into the passenger seat as Max settled in and led the car out of the parking lot.

His hand rested on my thigh as we made our way back into the city, the traffic lights glowing through the windshield. I turned to him in surprise as we pulled up outside of Vinifera, the wine bar that masked the hidden underbelly of the Mirage Guild.

“Tonight, there’s a masquerade party,” Max said as he pulled out a small sack from the backseat. “So, we’ll wear these and blend in with everyone else. Only your assistant knows we’re on the guest list tonight, under different names, obviously.” He handed me the mask meant for me.

My fingers traced over the large golden crystal headpiece. It featured an elaborate frontal masklike structure, heavily adorned with a rich tapestry of crystals and beads, creating a dazzling array of sparkles as light caught each facet. The central motif showcased a symmetrical arrangement of larger, marquise-cut crystals, surrounded by clusters of smaller gemstones and beads, giving the illusion of a luxuriant, jeweled crown.

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