“When are you going to surprise Anna?” I ask him, taking the seat next to him.
“You think with everything that’s happened I’ve had time to think about that?” he rumbles in that gruff tone of his. “I’m just happy you’re fuckin’ okay. Let’s let that settle in before I spoil Anna and give her a date she’s never going to forget.”
“Someone sounds confident,” I tease, nudging him. “That’s the spirit.”
He makes a sound in his throat, then stands. “We’re leaving now. Stay out of fuckin’ trouble while we’re gone.”
“I will,” I say, smirking. “What trouble can I possibly get into? We’re not leaving the clubhouse, and the kids are with us.”
“I’m sure you’ll find something,” he mutters, exiting the room. When he’s at the door he turns and says, “By the way, you have what looks like quiche in your hair,” then leaves. Speaking of quiche, I dust my hair off, then open the oven and pull one out, taking a huge bite. I’m a little jealous I won’t be going on the ride tonight, but the men should have their bonding time, or whatever they want to call it. Maybe I’ll ask Dex to take me on a ride tomorrow.
Just the two of us.
Maybe we can fuck on his bike afterward.
“Why are you making your sex face?” Dex asks as he wanders in, taking the rest of the quiche from my hands and popping it into his mouth. “Ohhh,” he groans. “That’s why. These are amazing.”
“Well, yes they are, but I was thinking about us going for a ride tomorrow and then fucking on your bike somewhere.”
He stills, smiles, then pulls me up against him. “That sounds fuckin’ perfect. How did I get so lucky?”
A quick kiss, and then he’s gone.
Lucky indeed.
I’m like Lagertha.
TWELVE
Faye
“DID you pin Steph down yet?” I ask Ronan as we watch the kids play outside the next day. “Maybe you should knock her up. Then she’d have to stay.”
When he looks like he’s actually considering it, I feel the need to add, “Ronan, that was a joke.”
“I don’t know what her deal is,” he says, glancing at me. “Maybe all of this is too much for her, you know? When she heard you were missing, she freaked out. She was probably imagining herself being next.”
“Yeah, you probably shouldn’t have told her that,” I say, sighing. “You have to ease her into the crazy, Ronan; you can’t just dump it on her. That’s overwhelming for anyone.”
“Ease her into the crazy? Where do you come up with this shit?” he asks, laughing. “Fuck, but you’re right. Definitely should have eased her in. I guess it was too much for her to handle. This life isn’t for everyone.”
“If you break up, do you want me to beat her up?”
“Is that a joke too?”
“Do you want it to be?” I ask, grinning.
He laughs and shakes his head. “Maybe she’ll come around? Who knows.”
“Do you want her?” I find myself asking him. “I mean really want her? As your old lady, forever, no-other-woman-will-ever-do want her?”
“Fuck. Pressure much?”
“Yes or no, Ronan. Say the first thing that comes to your head.”
“That’s terrible advice,” he grumbles. “That’s going with your head over your heart.”
“Well?” I fire back.
“Yes,” he says softly, so softly I almost don’t hear it.
“Really?” I say, surprised. I make a mental note to have a talk with Steph when I see her next, just to see where her head is at. I do like her. I think she would fit in with us too, so I wonder why she’s giving Ronan the hot-and-cold treatment.
“Mama, look at this!” Clover yells, spinning the hula hoop around her hips. She’s actually really great at it, surprising even me.
“You’re so good,” I call out to her, then cheer Cara on as she does the same. Little champions, the both of them. Rhett walks over to supervise but doesn’t join in on the fun. Maybe it’s too girlie for him. Do boys hula hoop? I’m sure they can. Genders should have no boundaries. I look at Ranger, who just sat down in the seat next to me. “Can you hula hoop?”
He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “The fuck?”
“Come on, I bet that I’m better than you at it,” I say, standing up.
“I should hope so,” he mutters, but also stands and follows me to the grass where the kids are playing.
I take one of the hoops from the ground, a pink one with green stripes, and step into it, lifting it around my hips, then moving them in a circular motion. I haven’t done this since I was a little kid, and it actually feels fun. Free.
“Come on, Ranger!”
Ranger looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, then just walks away. I smile though when I see Dex watching me, leaning against the wall, a look on his face that I’ll never tire of seeing. When a man looks at you like Dex looks at me, you feel like there’s nothing you can’t do. And in his eyes, there probably isn’t.
“Daddy, look how good she is!” Clover, always my biggest fan, beams. Dex approaches, grabs the hoop, and uses it to bring me closer to him.
“Do you know how beautiful you look right now?” Dex murmurs.
“Yes,” I reply, winking at him. The hoop falls to the floor, and he takes my hand, then looks at the children. “Cara and Rhett, your mothers are looking for you. Time for us to go home.”