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Everyone else has moved on but I still stand there sipping my wine and watching them bicker. Just then Sienna passes to catch up with the crowd. She waves at them and Berke snorts.
“You want to fuck her so bad,” Mikonos goads him.
“Shut up. I’m not thinking about her nosy ass.”
“I’ll fuck her then.”
“You wouldn’t.”
Mikonos tilts his head. “I hope you’re not about to threaten me. No. I want you to do it.”
“Is that what turns you on you sick fuck? You wouldn’t fuck Sienna because you’d have to put your phone down to do it.”
Mikonos nods and shakes his head. “I saw the motorcycle Imala got you. She should have gotten the red one that was next to it. That one was nice.”
How in the hell did he know a red one was next to it?
“She’s nosy as hell, too.” He turns his clear green eyes to me for probably the first time ever. He has to look down because he’s so fucking big. “May we help you, Imala?”
“Leave her alone,” Berke says and pulls him toward the door. “Are you ready for the flight?”
Flight? Mikonos is going.
A bolder person would have followed but one look from Mikonos and I’m good. I head towards the party while wondering what affairs Berke has in Manchester.
Caerwyn
Dallas the country boy wants us to stay through dinner and make smores on the firepit. Berke and Mikonos disappeared to do God knows what, one of Delgado’s patients went into labor, Jagger and Ainslee had to go get the twins, and Sienna had a date. Xerxes is with the LeClaires and has plenty of milk according to Oran.
Karessa comes out of the house and thanks Dallas for allowing her to use one of his rooms to pump.
“No problem, sis,” he chirps happily.
Okay, I can see how my constant smiling was tiring to Oran. Since he found out that we didn’t know who he was and have now accepted him, Dallas is one happy bastard. I’m assuming this is his normal disposition.
“Dig in guys! I have everything you need to make a kick ass roasted marshmallow treat!” He looks around at us, with content hazel eyes. “Only thing that would have made today better is if Berke and Marin were here for us to take a family photo at the firepit.”
“Who’s Marin?” I ask as I tick off people in my head.
Dallas looks at me like I’ve committed some kind of sin. “Your future cousin-in-law, Dr. Delgado.”
“Ugh. Don’t remind me,” Esme complains.
“Heh? I’m so used to calling him Delgado,” I admit.
Imala is in my lap putting something sticky and rich together. She squeezes the graham crackers together and has to stretch her mouth to fit all the sugary nonsense inside. She giggles when marshmallow sticks to her nose. I can’t take my eyes off her because she looks so happy and carefree. No school work. No pregnancy concerns. No fear. And no being pulled into eight different directions. She is in the moment and enjoying life. Her joy bounces off her and lifts me as well. I love her so much that her happiness brings me satisfaction.
A year ago, everything was so divided. I was in the states, Oran was practically a recluse who only had time for Jagger and an occasional call from me, we didn’t know Dallas existed, and Berke was a lost cause. Now, all of that seems like a bad dream. Oran laughs with a brother he didn’t know he had after trying a ridiculous dessert that was shoved into his mouth by a wife I thought he’d ever have, and the big grump is happy. I’m happy. Berke is his version of happy. And Dallas is happy.
Funny enough our wives were the glue we needed to get the Hale men back in order. Imala squeals when I pull her back. I dip her and grab her face to suck the sticky substance off. That one taste turns into a lingering kiss. She softens in my arms and pulls my face closer to deepen the kiss. Forgetting everyone else, I slide my tongue into her mouth. She tastes like everything sweet: chocolate, marshmallow, caramel, cinnamon, and her. Shit. I’m back in the lustful space I keep falling into when she’s in my arms.
Esme clears her throat and I look up to find Oran and Karessa also enjoying their own firelit kiss while Dallas tries to ignore us and keep the conversation going with just her. Dallas pats the open seat next to him to invite her over so she’s not sitting off to the side by herself. She takes the invitation and joins him.
“Have you made one of these before?” he asks while he grabs the materials.
He talks her through making her own dessert while distracting her for us. She may pretend to be annoyed by Delgado but I know if we pressed she’d admit she misses him. I pull away, right Imala, then throw a marshmallow at Oran to bring him back to the present. Dallas' good natured-ness has done its job and Esme is giggling in no time.
We fall back into comfortable conversation with all six of us participating. Oran laughs as he tells a childhood story about the time he and I tried to sneak out and steal the yacht when Imala looks up at me.
