Watching Joseph walk off, Mason scampered after him toward where Stanley was seated.Meanwhile, Neil was busy carving and distributing the roast lamb. There were plenty of other dishes at the banquet, but the aroma of the lamb drew every eye and nose. He had the helpers portion the meat onto plates first, then passed them out one by one.Soon everyone had a share and began to taste.“Fragrant—so fragrant! Smells amazing, tastes even better!”“My goodness—my appetite’s been off these past few days, but one bite of this lamb and I’m ravenous.”“Heavens, what kind of divine roast is this? How can it be this good? Better than the city master’s roast lamb!”The first bites left people stunned, praise spilling over. The four whole lambs became the star of the feast in an instant.Joseph arrived at Stanley and Madeline’s table carrying a large lamb leg. Seated with them were Stanley’s drinking buddies, each with their own bottle, all of them steady drinkers by the look of it. Alongside them

“When did you get so polite?”Joseph shot Mason Alvarez a teasing side-eye.“In that case, I won’t be.”She leaned in and claimed his mouth with a fierce kiss.As she pressed close, her fragrance wrapped around him—something heady and feral beneath the sweetness. The brash woman before him suddenly felt wild, and that domineering wildness sparked a primal desire to conquer.He gave in and kissed her back, catching her soft lips with his, tasting the warm, slick sweetness that left him reluctant to come up for air.Sensing his response, Mason only grew bolder. She swung a leg over and settled astride him, greedily drawing heat from his body.“Ms. Alvarez, we’re in the open,” Joseph murmured, feeling her slip past reason.After these last two days together, he’d realized how perfectly matched they were in certain ways. A little affection between them and self-control evaporated—like lightning striking dry tinder.“So what if we are?”Her cheeks flushed as her gaze traced the sharp plane

Joseph was quick in the shower—ten minutes, give or take.When he stepped out and towel-dried his hair, Mason Alvarez beckoned impatiently.“You. Over here,” she ordered, patting the empty space beside her while the quilt cloaked her pale, delicate curves.He had no choice but to climb into bed.“Ms. Alvarez, what are you plotting now?”Her smile put him on alert. He might be formidable, but this woman was no soft touch—always crying that she couldn’t take it, yet always luring and resisting by turns.A more fragile woman would have needed a day or two to recover after such storms. But Ms. Alvarez, it seemed, needed little rest at all.“What, you’re wary of me?”“I’m not going to devour you. I’m only going to treat you well—and make it sweet.”The moment he settled, she pressed herself against him, all warmth and fragrance.He was getting used to it—used to her fearless affection, to that singular scent on her skin that he couldn’t quit.There was something enchantingly dangerous abou

“I told you yesterday, didn’t I? A double blessing—so it’s two!”Joseph explained with a laugh.“You mean… twins?”“When you said ‘double blessing’ yesterday, were you talking about my sister-in-law being pregnant with twins?”Mason Alvarez sounded surprised.“Exactly. You just didn’t catch my meaning. I was going to explain, but you never gave me the chance.”Joseph added.“So that’s how it is.”“You’re something else, you rascal. Just one pulse reading and you figured out she’s carrying twins?”Mason couldn’t help but marvel.“What’s so difficult about that? If you actually study the craft, anyone can make the diagnosis.”Joseph replied with modest calm.“Please. Don’t be so fake. Why don’t you take my pulse and see if I’m pregnant?”Mason teased suddenly.Hearing that, Joseph reached out and gently took Mason’s wrist, checking her pulse.“Professor Wilson, are you serious? I was only joking. How could I be pregnant? We’ve been… very careful.”Seeing how earnest Joseph looked, Mason

“Um, Mom, Dad—I’m full. I’m going to lie down for a bit,” Mason said, seizing the chance to slip away.“Uncle, Aunt, I’ll head to my room to read,” Joseph added, not about to be left behind. If Mason bolted and he didn’t, all the fire would be trained on him.“These two!” Madeline huffed, half exasperated, half amused, as she watched them flee.“What’s the point of pushing them?” Stanley said. “Even if you nag, it won’t make a baby appear overnight.”“And you weren’t just egging me on?” Madeline shot back, rolling her eyes.“I was backing you up—as always,” Stanley protested.“Forget it. It really comes down to them, doesn’t it? They’re at a good age for marriage, but having a child is another matter—it has to be weighed against their careers, and handled with care. We’re the old ones here; this isn’t something we can rush.”She took a breath and let the envy go. Seeing others cradle grandbabies stirred something in her, but that was that. Her daughter and son-in-law weren’t like most