I grunted because there was nothing else to say.

“I can get you more hashish,” he said, dropping his voice, even though no one else in the house could understand him. “From my brother-in-law. Good quality. Good price for my friend Sebastian. Very good for pain.”

“Yeah, man, that would be great. How much this time?”

“He sells for $25, but for you, $15.”

I nodded and pulled out my wallet and paid the man for four small bags. I’d have liked more, but I didn’t have the cash on me, and I knew that Caro definitely wouldn’t approve. But it helped—made me calmer, as well.

Atash grinned as he pocketed the money, then looked puzzled as I set the kettle to boil water for some of that fuck-awful sweet tea he liked.

“Sebastian, why are you making the tea when you have four wives to do it for you?”

I gaped at him then started laughing. I laughed so hard, I nearly bust a gut, and I definitely strained something in my bad shoulder, but fuck me! That was the funniest thing I’d heard in a long time. I mean yeah, I’d had some threesomes in the past, even a foursome once, but thinking of bedding Caro’s friends made my balls shrivel.

Atash stared at me as I tried to catch a breath.

“You are funny man,” he said, shaking his head.

“Back at ya,” I choked out, rubbing my chest.

He sighed and muttered, “American humor. Come by for the hashish tomorrow.”

I walked him out, still chuckling to myself.

“What was all that about?” Caro asked as soon as I shut the front door.

“Atash wanted to know if I needed some hashish,” I said casually, unable to resist pushing her buttons.

Jenna and Alice looked slightly shocked, and Nicole frowned.

“Excuse me?” Caro said sharply. “I hope you said no.”

I shrugged, not answering the question. “He said it’s good for pain.”

Caro stared at me, and I knew we’d be having a conversation about that in private.

“And what else?” she asked. “What aren’t you telling me, Hunter?”

I couldn’t help grinning at her when I answered.

“He was wondering why I was making the tea when I’ve got four wives to do it.”

Nicole snorted with laughter, and Caro’s mouth dropped open.

“Well, I hope you straightened him out! Sebastian?”

I grinned and winked at her. “I’ll put him straight, Caro. Eventually.”

Jenna started to laugh and then Nicole joined in. Soon all of them were laughing their asses off. Damn, it felt good to see Caro happy. I wanted to see her like that a lot more. Surely things would get better for us now? Wasn’t it our turn?

“You and I will have words later, Hunter,” Caro said, trying hard to sound mad. It wasn’t working.

“Looking forward to it, baby,” I replied, still grinning at her.

After Atash’s visit, we moved outside to sit in Caro’s backyard, enjoying the sun. I guess it was our backyard now, and I’d promised to plant some of that bougain— bougain— purple shit that we’d seen in Italy. I’d get around to it one day and surprise her.

We sat in plastic chairs, and my eyes automatically settled on Caro’s legs as she hitched her dress slightly higher and raised an eyebrow at me. Oh yeah, she knew just what I was thinking, and as soon as her friends left, I’d make her dreams come true.

I couldn’t help licking my lips.

“Oh, just stop it, you two,” Nicole groaned. “I haven’t been laid in months and you’re wafting all this sexual tension around. It’s so unfair.”

Alice laughed at her. “Lee got lucky—and it isn’t like she hasn’t put in more than her fair share of waiting over the years,” she pointed out. “Besides, I’ve decided to give up on men: I’m going down the B.O.B. route.”

I had no idea what she was talking about.

“Battery-operated boyfriend,” Caro whispered in my ear.

Well, why the fuck didn’t she just call it a vibrator?

I’d had a lot of fun using those on women in the past. I looked at Caro speculatively. I wondered if she’d like that? Hell, for all I knew, maybe she already had one. I made a mental note to ask her later.

It was interesting seeing her relax with her friends, seeing a different side to her. I kind of got what she meant now about wanting to spend time with them. I wanted to be her everything, but that wasn’t realistic. Probably.

“No offence, Sebastian,” continued Alice, “but men just take up too much energy. Or maybe it’s just the men I meet. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been at dinner parties and listened to them droning on about football, or fishing, or how damn important they are at work. One even gave me a blow-by-blow description of building a model airplane. I mean, come on!”

Jenna agreed.

“Although maybe it’s just men our age. We should do what Lee has done and find ourselves some younger guys.”

“I’d definitely recommend it,” Caro said, winking at me.

I smiled back. Worked for us.

“Well, I’m a bit out of practice now,” continued Alice, “I admit it, but food has some serious advantages over sex,”.

Caro laughed out loud, and Nicole told her she was talking bullshit.

“I’m serious!” she said, ticking off the points on her fingers. “Eating: you can do it every day, at least three times a day, with snacks in between; you can do it with as many people as you want, of any gender, and you don’t have to worry about their sexual orientation; there are more good recipes and restaurants than hot, available men around—and believe me, I’ve done some research on this; I’m not going to get pregnant or STDs by eating ice cream; and, best of all, even if you gorge yourself with different people every time, no one calls you a slut.”

“You’re just a food slut!” yelled Jenna.

“We should ask Sebastian’s opinion,” said Nicole. “Where do you stand on the whole food versus sex thing?”

“Nic,” said Caro in a warning voice.

I appreciated it, but I didn’t need Caro’s help to know how to handle women like Nicole.

“Caro’s a great cook,” I said, smiling at her suggestively. Then I whispered in her ear so no one else could hear, “but I think you feed me well because you know I’ll need my energy later.”

“Ugh!” shouted Jenna. “I know you just said something really hot. It’s so mean of him, Lee! Come on, you could at least tell us what he said.”

Caro shook her head. “Need to know basis, Jenna, and you don’t need to know.”

I grinned, enjoying Caro’s mild embarrassment. But I could also tell that she was relieved they didn’t get to me. They were kind of irritating, but they cared about Caro. I could live with that.

When Caro and Jenna went to bring out the food, Nicole sat down next to me, and I tensed up, waiting for the inquisition.

“So, how are you liking Long Beach?”

“Yeah, what I’ve seen of it. I like it.”

“Caro says you’re from the West Coast?”

“Yeah. I was brought up in San Diego.”

“I’ve been to California, but I never went that far south.”

She paused, and I wondered what she wanted me to say. I’d never had much tolerance for small talk, but now less than ever.

“Lee looks happy.” Her voice carried no emotion, and I couldn’t tell what she thought about that. “You, too.”

I shrugged, uncomfortable with the turn of conversation.

She smiled. At least I think it was a smile; maybe she had gas.

“Well, I’m glad for you. You’ve been through a lot—you both have.” Then she pinned me with a gaze. “But if you ever make her unhappy again, I’ll go Lorena Bobbit on your ass.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Noted.”

She grinned and winked at me. “I think we understand each other.”

Caro looked at her suspiciously when she returned, but Nicole started talking about a new café that had opened and how they should all visit it—girls day out. Guess I wasn’t invited.

After a couple of hours, I was getting tired. I was moving awkwardly and sitting on hard chairs for so long was fucking up my thigh. In fact, my entire leg felt like it was on fire.