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“I hurt everywhere.”
“How’s our little bean?” Trinity asks.
“Well, the bean doesn’t like olives anymore.” Lunch had given me a wicked case of heartburn. I lean against Trinity, and she wraps an arm around me. “I think I’m too old for this.”
Wrath—the jerk—lets out a loud rumble of laughter. “You’ll be fine, Cinderella.”
The war room door opens, and Z steps out, followed by Murphy, Teller, and finally Rock.
The four of them stop to stare at Trinity and me for a second. Rock’s mouth curves into a genuine smile.
At first.
Then his eyes gleam with amusement as if he’s remembering all the dirty details of my dream he ended up working out of me last night.
I narrow my eyes, silently warning him not to betray my dream-orgy.
He gives me a subtle nod and focuses his attention on Wrath. “What the fuck you doing out here?”
Wrath shrugs. “Tired of going in circles about the same issue.” He lifts his chin at Z. “You figure out what we’re doing with the driveway or not?”
“You know how much work that’s gonna be?” Z answers.
“Expensive too,” Teller adds.
“So hire someone if you don’t want to do the work, but it’s eroding more and more every year,” Wrath says.
“Look at you with the big words,” Teller mutters.
Wrath growls. “Watch it, welterweight.”
“Play nice, boys,” I warn.
Murphy stuffs his hands in his pockets and tips his head toward the open window. “Weather’s perfect for that project. We wait much longer, it’ll be too hot. Before you know it, it’ll be winter again and the road’s gonna be even worse.”
Z steps back, putting space between his brothers and himself. “You’re RC, why isn’t this your job?”
Wrath sits up. “Quit being such a baby. It’s your fucking job because you wanted control over the grounds.”
Unruffled by Z challenging him, Murphy tries again. “I’ll do it if you’ve got too much going on.” He jerks his thumb toward the woods. “I want to extend the driveway out to the houses anyway. Now’s a good time, since we already got guys coming and going, working on my house.”
“Actually, it’d be better if we do it once your house is finished,” Z says.
Murphy nods at me. “It’d be best if we get it done before she goes into labor, you selfish dick.”
Rock sweeps his gaze over Murphy with approval, but holds up his hands. “Simmer down. We’ll take a vote at the table.”
“Fine,” Z grumbles.
Heidi pokes her head around the corner of the living room. “Is it safe to join you guys?”
“No,” Wrath answers at the same time Murphy waves at her.
Ravage, Stash, and Sparky follow. Murphy’s eyes narrow. “Why you three creeps trailing my girl?”
Heidi presses her finger over his lips and kisses his cheek. “Be nice. They helped me carry a bunch of boxes into the kitchen.” She gestures toward the hallway. “Alexa’s ‘helping’ Swan make cookies.”
“Hey,” Trinity protests. “That’s my job.”
“Trust me,” Heidi laughs. “Alexa’s happy to help with cookie-making any time.”
“Why’s the energy so tense in here?” Sparky asks, staring up at the ceiling and then down at the floor. “The plants can’t have all this disharmony.”
“We’ll try to cheer things up, Sparky.” Rock’s tone straddles the line between serious and sarcastic.
“Z still bitching about the driveway?” Ravage asks.
Z throws his hands in the air and glares at Rock. “You have any idea what a pain in the ass it is to deal with so many fuckwits?”
Rock levels a completely straight face at him. “Yes. I do.”
Everyone cracks up.
“I mean—”
“I know what you mean,” Rock says. “My answer remains the same.”
Heidi shakes her head at the guys and drops down next to me, cuddling up against my side. “How do you feel today, Hope?”
“Just tired.” My gaze strays to Rock. “Not sleeping well.”
Heidi’s eyes sparkle with mischief for a brief moment before she shakes it off.
“What?” Trinity asks.
“Nothing.” She lowers her voice. “I remember lots of vivid sex dreams around this time.”
Of course, there’s a lull in the guys’ conversation, so they all hear the last few words.
“Whoa!” Ravage howls. “Which one of you lucky ladies has been blessed with me in their vivid sex dreams?”
“I think you meant cursed,” Murphy says.
“Come on.” Ravage’s mischievous gaze skips over Trinity, me, and then Heidi.
“Nobody,” Wrath and Z answer at the same time.
Rock seems to be having trouble keeping his straight face. I glare at him, and he shakes his head.
Stash zeroes in on us immediately. “Aw, Prez.” His gaze ping-pongs between the two of us. “Come on. Spill it.”
“It’s a pregnancy thing,” Heidi jumps to my defense.
“Thanks so much, Heidi,” I mutter.
“Prez, you can’t allow your woman to have sex dreams about other men,” Ravage says.
“Allow? Did you say allow?” Heidi gasps and sits up. “It’s not something you can control. Don’t be a jerk.”
Ravage’s jaw drops and he stares Murphy’s way. “Did your woman just call me a jerk?”
“Yup.” Murphy sits back and puts his arm around Heidi’s shoulders. “Like I always say, smartest girl I know.”
The guys crack up and heckle Ravage. He throws a wink my way. “Hope knows I’m messing with her, right?”
“Uh-huh. I’m not in a joking mood.”
“The dream must’ve been about you,” Stash says. “That’d put any sane woman in a foul mood.”
Even I can’t help laughing at that.
Z smirks and taps his chest. “If she’s dreaming about anyone, it’s gonna be the best-looking brother.”
Trinity glares at him. “Really, Z? I expect better from you.”
“Why?” Wrath deadpans.
Rock casually leans over and shoves Z off the end of the couch.
“Ow, what the fuck, Rock? You know we’re just messing around. Hope doesn’t mind.”
I turn, catching Wrath’s eye and the worst possible thing happens. A flash of last night’s dream fires in my brain. Wrath staring up at me, licking his lip.
My cheeks turn red-hot. Naturally, something Wrath doesn’t miss.
Great. I can’t wait for him to tease me too.
