Chapter Seventeen Wade

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Wade

" W hat the fuck is this?" I ask as I pull the front door open to the three Not Angels on my porch.

"What does it look like? It's a party, Sergeant." Ginger Danforth pats me on the chest as she breezes by me with two bottles of wine in one hand.

"Fuck me," I grumble as CeCe and Olivia Sutton pile in behind her carrying brandy and more snacks than the grocery store has on its shelves.

"Ivy couldn't come to Sangria Sunday so we brought Sangria Sunday to her." Ginger smirks as she starts unloading all the mixings of sangria onto my counter. "Even brought our own bartender, and we're putting a Camilla Danforth twist on it tonight—coconut rum, the way my mama makes it." She gestures to the door and I see Nash coming through it with a look of sorry, bud on his face.

Ivy stands from the couch where we were just having dinner, smiling wide at the girls like she's really fucking happy to see them, and why wouldn't she be? The only person she's really seen in four days is me. I try not to appear annoyed that our quiet dinner and Ocean's Eleven is over as I gather my plate.

"Is this alright?" Ivy asks me. Her blue eyes taking in my shift in mood immediately.

I soften my gaze. It's not her fault they came barging in.

"Totally fine, Trouble. You could use a fun night." I pat her shoulder.

She's healing up just fine. Even walking around on her ankle a little, she says it rarely hurts unless she puts a lot of pressure on it. I've been doing a good job of keeping her fed, keeping her ankle iced and keeping her company as much as I can, especially every night around three or four a.m. when she appears in my living room in search of ice cream and action movies. After the third night I was just ready for her, ice cream in hand and The Equalizer ready to play.

Mercifully, she's been wearing actual clothes, unlike the first night when it took every inch of my willpower not to fuck her ten ways from Sunday on my sofa, but you can bet your ass I burned every inch of her into my mind. The way her silky soft skin begged me to lick every bit of it, the way her chest rose and fell with every breath, her pebbled nipples begging for my touch as her pouty lips fell open and the pink of her tongue darted out to wet her bottom lip when I stood over her. I've never been so overcome with an urge to take a woman in my life. I don't even know how I sobered myself up. Sheer fucking strength that should've earned me a goddamn medal.

"Y'all are so sweet!" Ivy squeals.

"Way to give me a warning," I say to Nash as I re-enter the kitchen.

"I didn't even know what we were doing until I got in the truck," he says, holding his hands up in surprise.

He gets out a knife to slice lemons while CeCe gives him a kiss on the cheek and Ginger and Olivia pour snacks into bowls to bring to the living room.

"Besides, you could use a guys' night anyway, a break from playing house nurse. We're gonna go to the big house to watch the Titans game with Pop when I'm done making the sangria. Got some of that craft beer from the brewery on 21."

"Sorry I'm late, y'all. Fucking Gemma can never be on time," Cole grunts as he bounds through the front door.

"Someone needs to remind her that her daughter should be her damn priority," Ginger pipes up instantly from the living room, a heated look on her face.

"Maybe you could, I've tried fifteen hundred times," Cole grumbles.

I pat him on the back—thank God Mabel has one reliable parent.

"I have half a mind to smack her around a little bit," Ginger says as she turns and grins at CeCe and Olivia. "Like CeCe tried to in the summer."

Cole shakes his head at Ginger. "Fuck, that is not the answer." His gaze moves to Ginger's and his brow furrows.

"Maybe not, but seems like the one that would be the most fun." Ginger giggles, the other girls chiming in with her.

Cole scowls at her. "Every damn time the pot needs stirring, there you are in the middle of it with a paddle trying to lure in your army." Cole doesn't miss a beat as he acts out stirring a giant paddle, while pointing at Ginger.

"I'm glad I can keep things exciting for you, Mr. Ashby," Ginger retorts, winking before turning her gaze to Nash. "Better make us a few pitchers if you're leaving, Nashby," she adds as she pops a raspberry into her mouth.

Cole turns to grab her arm. "If I have to drive your ass home tonight, I'm not stopping for pizza or whatever food you're craving when you're drinking, so you best be on good behavior tonight, woman," he says to her as her grin grows wide.

"Aw, honey." Ginger looks at him with a who are you fucking kidding? face, then frees her arm and pats him on his jaw. "Of course you will, but don't worry, I'll only call you if the other men in town on my call list are unavailable." She shrugs with a sweet smile then heads into the living room.

"Fucking little vixen," Cole says as he shakes his head and pours himself a drink.

How these two can go from having each other's backs to bickering like an old married couple in one second flat, I'll never know.

Nash and I have been telling Cole for years they need to fight out their aggression between the sheets. It's obvious everything Ginger Danforth does is just to get a rise out of Cole, because she basks in his attention like a cat lying in the sun when he gives it to her.

I chuckle at them and run a hand through my hair as I turn back to the kitchen.

Suddenly everything in the room goes quiet and all eyes are on me.

"Did Sarge just fucking laugh?" Nash asks, his eyes wide. "I haven't heard that since 2009. Swear to Christ."

"Fuck off," I retort.

"Been since high school for me." Cole grins, raising a hand as he searches through the snacks, finally settling on some Twizzlers.

"I didn't even know he had dimples until last week," Ivy chides.

"He has dimples?" CeCe chuckles, everyone else following suit.

For some reason, just this once, I can't help but give up and laugh with them. Maybe I do need to loosen the fuck up a little.

Nah, fuck that.