"What'cha got?" he murmured into my ear. He twisted my hair around his fingers in tight, messy knots.

I showed him my plate.

Dex plucked a piece of watermelon off of it with his other hand. A low rumble of approval resonated through his throat after licking his fingertips clean.

I think I shuddered a little when he picked up a grape afterward with those long graceful fingers.

We ate silently. I finished the quinoa patty in three bites while Dex picked pieces of fruit off, wrapping and unwrapping my hair from his fist over and over again. His chest was warm on my back while we sat there huddled. The rest of the Widows talked about a trip some of them were thinking about taking along the west coast.

"It sounds longer than it is," Luther agreed to whatever specific aspect they were talking about.

I choked on the piece of apple I'd been in the middle of eating. The joke bit at my tongue. Wrong people to say that in front of.

"I've done it. It's not hard, but it’s long," an older man I'd only seen in passing, agreed.

Yep. I choked again. The that's what she said stuck in my throat right alongside that same damn piece of apple.

"Bunch of pussies. It's doable."

Dex slapped my back as he dipped his face down, his cheek nuzzling my own as I swallowed the fruit with a savage gulp. His breathing sounded strangled, and it took me a second to realize that he was trying his hardest not to burst out laughing.

"Knock it off," he snickered, digging a finger into my ribs with a puff of air against my ear.

I snorted loud and clear.

Dex jabbed me in the rib even harder, his chest rumbling loud, loud, loud. I had to face away from him and shove my nose and mouth into his thigh to stifle the laugh that wanted to desperately come out.

"What's so damn funny?" Luther asked.

"Nothin'," Dex answered a little too quickly.

I buried my entire face tighter against the thick muscle of his quadriceps.

Someone made a noise like they didn't entirely believe him but whatever. It took me a lot longer than it should have to get it under control but by the time I did, there were a couple of women sitting on some of the guys' laps.

But I only zeroed in on one. That damn Becky.

If I had hackles I'm sure they'd be up to the stars when I spotted her. I must have stiffened because Dex squeezed my shoulders.

"What's wrong?" he whispered into my ear.

It was immature, I knew it, but I couldn't help but want to pull away from him. It wasn't fair, I know that. But seriously? Seriously?

"Nothing important," I managed to mumble, my fingers suddenly feeling a little less than stable holding the plate.

"I'm askin' for the truth, babe."

Hadn't I just told him the night before that I promised to tell him the truth? I looked over to see her looking at Luther with dreamy eyes. Oh lord. Sonny's words about her lack of intelligence rang through my brain. "You've been with her, right?" I didn't need to be specific about who I was talking about, he'd know.

Dex didn't miss a beat. "Yeah."

Well. Hell. He'd answered that without even thinking about it.

I wanted to puke.

"Why?" he asked in a low voice so that only I could hear.

Why? It was only the urge to punch him in the face that kept me from throwing up. "And the blonde inside?" I was an immature asshole. I knew that and yet, I didn't give a crap in that moment.

"Which one?"

Holy shit. My entire body tensed up.

"Never mind, Dex," I hissed. I didn't want to hiss but it came so naturally, it didn't matter.

"Ritz." The tip of his nose touched my cheek. "Jealous?"

He was out of his mind if I was going to answer that question when he sounded way too pleased.

"Most these girls have been around the Club for a while," he explained like that was a reasonable excuse I'd want to friggin' hear. "It's nothin'."

Nothing. It was nothing.

It probably wasn't. That tiny logical part of me accepted that as the truth, but the other part—the hormonal one—craved castration.

God, I hoped my period wasn't coming sooner than it should.

I didn't need to sit there and stew over the fact that I'd probably be stuck facing women that he'd slept with at these sort of gatherings. I was nauseous. And an idiot. What else would I expect? I needed to get away from the reminder of where Dex's pubic piercing had been, and as I looked down at my lap, where it hadn't been.

Forcing a nod, I came to my feet slowly so that I wouldn't accidentally hit him in the face. It wasn't his fault that he had a history while I practically had a negative one. But wouldn't he at least understand that I wouldn't want to face stuff like that? Even if the girl seemed to hang on to whatever man gave her any attention.

Okay, that was rude. For all I knew she was probably a nice girl that had daddy issues I couldn't hold a flame to. I needed to quit being a jerk.

"I think I'm gonna take a dip for a little bit," I said, averting my gaze to the kids around the oval shaped pool. If I looked at Dex, he'd be able to tell that something was bothering me.

With my luck, he already did.

He grabbed onto my wrist, tugging at it. "Iris." My name came out as a grumble.

I touched the top of his head with my other hand, still unable to look at him. "It's fine. I'll be back."

Dex would make a scene if he wanted, but luckily he didn't. His grip loosened enough until I was able to slip out of it, plate in one hand, my pride wounded and clinging to the other. I threw my trash into the nearest can and went to grab my bag from the pile of stuff on one of the tables closest to the back door.

With my towel in one hand, I made my way to the pool, smiling at some of the women that I recognized with enough enthusiasm that I hopefully didn't look like a raging, jealous bitch in a bad mood.

I needed to calm down.

Chill out.

Relax—

Someone smacked my ass.

I didn't even have to turn around to see the little boy, probably around five, zipping passed me like there was no tomorrow. "Booty!" he shrieked.

I must have stood there for at least a couple minutes digesting the fact that I'd just gotten fondled by a kid who more than likely still peed in his bed at night.

And the laugh that burst out of me kind of hurt.

It was only natural that I took off running after the little turd.

~ * ~ *

"Uncle! Uncle! UNCLE!" Dean wailed at the top of his lungs, thrashing carefully enough not to kick me. Well, kick me again. He'd already got me in the stomach at least three other times but that was the risk you took when you were tickling the crap out of a little kid. Getting smacked and peed on. I'd take a smack over pee any day.

I dug my fingers into his sides even harder. "What'd you say?"

"RIS! Ris is the master!" he gasped.

"Who's the master?" I laughed, tickling him even more.

Dean thrust his head back, his blonde hair going everywhere. "You! You!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" he shrieked.

"All right," I laughed, loosening my grip on his sides.

The poor little guy's face was all red but when he managed to get his breathing somewhat under control, he shot me a big, goofy smile. After chasing him around for a couple of minutes, I'd finally grabbed him and spent the next hour playing with him in the pool. I learned after dunking him in once that apparently, he had an obsession with booties in general.

What the hell do you say to that?

Nothing, that's what.