Page 96 of Fractured Frets

“Just one piece. Please?”

Damn. It looked delicious. How many calories are in that? One won’t hurt, will it? “Fine.” I ate the pasta off his fork and chewed. The garlic, buttery flavor combined with the fluffy ricotta cheese and soft pasta exploded in my mouth. If heaven had a taste, that would be it. My stomach cramped and ached. I was so hungry all the fucking time. But the never-ending voices of my mother and entertainment reporters filled my head. “You’re fat.” “Is she pregnant?” “Is that a bulge?” “OMG! Does she know the camera adds ten pounds?”

They never switched off. I kept reprimanding myself, telling myself not to listen, but some daysit was hard not to. “Mmmm.” I covered my mouth with my hand, forcing myself to swallow and keep the food down. “That’s amazing. Thank you, but that’s enough.”

“Is your salad better than this?” He swooped in and kissed me. With a flick of his tongue, he dove inside my mouth. My head spun with the combination of salad and pasta exploding across every taste bud. Smiling against his lips, I dug my fingers into his hair and kissed him back. This was one way to enjoy the food. But Slip didn’t stop. Luckily I was sitting, or my knees would’ve buckled. A low groan rumbled deep in his throat, sending jolts of heat through me, and pooled between my legs.

He pulled back, grinned, and licked his lips. “Now that was delicious.”

Sutton, sitting next to Harper, fanned her face with her hand. “Damn. Take it easy at the table.”

Harper raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t Maddy satisfy you enough in the bedroom? We don’t need to see that while we eat.”

“Oh, Mads satisfies me in every way. I just want more and more.” Slip kept his hot gaze on me. Owning it.

Harper pushed her plate away and tossed her napkin beside it. “Looks like she’s not giving you enough. You never had that problem when we were together.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Harps.” Slip smirked at her, then lazed back in his chair. “Mads and I haven’t had a honeymoon yet, so everyone can just deal with it.”

“No, thanks.” Harper pushed her chair back and stood. “I’ll go play with the kids. Enjoy the rest of your dinner.”

I wasn’t upset she’d left.

After dessert, which I didn’t touch, and more wine, Sutton, Tia, Ava, and I sat by the pool as the guys played with the kids in the water. Harper sat on the pool step as they zipped and zoomed Charlotte and Josh around on pool noodles or played with the big beach balls. It was tough watching four of the hottest guys on the planet splash around in the water, or jump out of the pool showing off their saturated, ripped bodies when they retrieved a lost ball...not! But I glanced at my watch. It was getting late. Slip kept catching my gaze. Yep. We needed to talk.

Just as I nodded at him, Tia spun on her sun lounger toward me and the girls.

“Guess what?” Excitement flitted through Tia’s bright green eyes as she glanced from Sutton to Ava, then to me. “Lewis and I have made it no secret we want to have kids one day...but...we’re actually trying.”

“Oh, my God!” Sutton shrieked. “That is amazing. Do the guys know?”

Smiling, she shook her head. “No. But I’m sure you’ll tell Flint before the day is out.”

“Is now okay?” Sutton squealed and clapped.

“Sure.” Tia shrugged.

Sutton cupped her hands around her mouth and called out to Flint, swimming in the pool. “Flint? Lewis and Tia are trying to get pregnant.”

I giggled. Nothing subtle about that. Now everyone knew.

“What?” Cole leaped for Lewis and dunked him under the water. When Lewis came above the surface and laughed, Cole pointed at him. “You wanna knock up my sister for real?”

“Yep.” Beaming with a massive grin, Lewis shook his head, flicking water off his shoulder-length hair. “That’s the plan.”

“Fuck. That’s...fucking cool.” Cole hugged Lewis. “You’re a Flintlock. I love ya, man.”

“Thanks. Now get off me.” Lewis pushed him away, chuckling.

“Get ready for your life to change.” Ava raised her glass toward Tia. “But having a child is awesome. I live for Josh...and now Charlotte feels like mine too.”

“You and Cole seem very happy.”

“We are. Cole is amazing.” Her gaze softened as she watched Josh stand on Cole’s shoulders, then jump, flipping backward into the water. “Our kids get along. I love working for the band. But I’m scared. Scared I’m gonna wake up from this dream and everything will disappear.”

After the ugly hell and awful custody battle she’d gone through with her ex, I could relate to being nervous about entering a new relationship. But Cole was smitten. So was she.

“Don’t be. You deserve to be happy. This is your reality now.” I sighed, fidgeting with the edge of my beach towel. “I’m envious you get to spend every day together.”

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