“I’m fine,” Nat insists. “It’s growing pains, that’s all. Trust me, I’ve done this before.”
“Hey, ace, how about I jump in there and show you how it’s done?” Jules calls out to Nate when he misses the ball.
“You’re not playing, Julianne, and that’s that,” he replies.
“I can swim while pregnant,” she reminds him with a pout. “We have a long road ahead of us, ace. Don’t start putting limits on me now.”
“You can swim,” Isaac agrees. “But you can’t play contact sports, brat.”
“You could get hit with an elbow,” Matt agrees. “We don’t want you to get hurt, bean.”
“Now you’re all ganging up on me?” Jules asks incredulously. “C’mon, girls, help me out here.”
“Sorry,” Meg responds with a smile. “I agree.”
“You all suck.”
We all laugh at her, and I feel the panic from earlier start to recede. I just need to keep my eye on the ball. This is fun, nothing more.
Yeah, right.
“Back to your tats,” Nat begins and takes a sip of water. “I like them.”
“Thanks.” I grin.
“You’re pierced and tatted. You fit in well around here.” Meg laughs. “I think it might be a prerequisite to be a part of this group.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask with a laugh.
“Well, most of us have tats,” Jules replies. “Meg’s clit is pierced…”
“Hey!” Leo calls from the pool. “I thought we decided we weren’t going to discuss my sister’s privates anymore!”
“Yes, let’s discuss all the girls’ privates,” Mark interrupts with a mischievous grin. “Except Sam.”
“And Nate has a very interesting piercing,” Sam adds, ignoring her brother and pointing to Nate’s dick.
“Seriously.” Nate scowls. “You all need to stop talking about the piercings.”
“Dude.” Dominic stares at Nate in shock. “Seriously?”
Nate shakes his head and sighs. “Just serve the ball, man.”
“Well, my navel is as adventurous as I’ve been in the piercing arena.” I eye Meg speculatively. “Does the clit piercing do fun things for you?”
“Oh, it’s really the clitoral hood, and yes.” She grins widely.
“It’s fucking awesome,” Will agrees and gets slapped on the back of the head by Leo. “What the fuck?”
“Stop talking about Meg’s junk,” Leo demands.
“You’re not piercing your clit,” Matt whispers in my ear.
“Why?” I ask and look up into his eyes.
“Because then I wouldn’t be able to touch it, and I can’t go even one day without it,” he whispers for only me to hear, making me blush. “And speaking of touching you”—his voice drops even lower—“do you know what I want to do with this string bikini you’re wearing? I could have you tied up and be inside you in roughly thirty seconds.”
Holy fucking hell, this man is hot.
“God, get a room.” Jules smirks and sips on a bottle of water.
“I want another cupcake,” Stacy announces and bounces out of her seat. “Can I get one for anyone else?”
“All the pregnant chicks need cupcakes,” Jules confirms and sits in a chaise next to Natalie.
“I’ll bring the whole box,” Stacy decides and runs inside to fetch them.
“Will you please design and bake the wedding cake for my wedding?” Meg asks me with a wide smile.
My eyes widen in surprise. “Have you set a date?”
“No,” she responds with a laugh. “But no matter when it is, we’ll want you to do the cake. Seriously, you’re the best.”
Stacy makes a circle with the box, and most everyone takes one of the salted caramel treats with little cameras on top.
“These are the best gift ever,” Natalie announces with a smile. “Thank you again.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Right. Not that cupcakes aren’t fantastic, but your husband got you a car for your birthday. A freaking Porsche.”
Nat smirks and gazes lovingly at her handsome husband. “He is good to me.”
“I’d love to do your cake, Meg. We’ll talk about the details later.”
“Yes!” she exclaims. “Hey, babe, Nic’s gonna make our wedding cake!” she calls to Will in the pool.
“Awesome! Do we need to do some taste testing?”
“Ignore him and his bottomless stomach.” Meg shakes her head and bites into her cake.
“How do you stay so thin?” Jules asks me. “I swear, if I was around these every day, I’d be as big as a house.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” Brynna replies with a roll of her eyes. “You have the best genes on the planet.”
“I don’t eat them,” I reply with a shrug.
Everyone stops what they’re doing and looks at me in surprise.
“Why not?” Dominic asks as he pulls himself out of the pool.
“It’s a lot of sugar,” I reply.
Meg tilts her head, watching me closely, but I shrug. “I just sample the ones that are new to make sure they’re okay.”
Matt’s lips are planted on my temple. He pulls in a deep breath, kisses my cheek and then my shoulder.
God, I love it when his lips are on me.
“That’s some fantastic willpower,” Isaac murmurs as he also joins his wife from the pool.
“We’re taking a break,” Leo announces and sits next to Sam as Nate pulls Jules into his arms and kisses her sweetly.
“I’d better keep you with me,” he murmurs to her. “Keep you out of trouble.”
“You’re all wet, ace.”
“So?”
“So this is a new suit.” She pouts prettily.
“Uh, swimsuits are designed to get wet, Julianne.” Nate laughs and plants his lips on her shoulder.
“Speaking of willpower.” Meg snickers at Will. “You guys should see this coworker of mine, Marla.”
“Meg works at the Children’s Hospital,” Matt informs me.
“Yes, and Marla is a new nurse.” Will scowls as he takes a bite of cupcake, making Meg laugh harder. “And, boy, does she have a thing for our Will.”
“Most women do,” Stacy responds, patting her own husband’s back. “It’s a Montgomery curse.”
“Well, let’s just say that Marla isn’t coy about it.”