Craving Rose (The Aces' Sons 5)

“You’d be into anything as long as I was naked,” I retorted.

“Fair point.”

“It’s cool,” I said wrapping my arm around his waist. “I’d be into anything with you, too.”

“Yeah?” he said, his eyes growing wide as his lips twitched.

“We’re not doing any butt stuff while we’re here,” I replied quietly, pointing at him. “There’s nowhere to clean up.”

Mack’s laughter filled the yard. “Noted.”

We grabbed some drinks while the grills heated up, and I found myself in a group of old ladies, listening to my mom tell a story about when my brothers were little. I’d heard it all before, but I loved listening to my mom. From things she’d said over the years, I knew that in the beginning, she hadn’t been too excited about my dad’s affiliation with the Aces—I couldn’t blame her really, since she’d had my brother Will while my dad was locked up—but for as long as I’d known her, she’d fit right in with all the other old ladies.

“How you doin’, kid?” my Aunt Farrah asked, running her hand down my hair. “Having fun yet?”

“This is only my first drink,” I said, lifting my beer in the air. “Ask me again in about an hour.”

“Shit,” she said with a chuckle. “I still can’t believe you’re old enough to drink.”

“Hey,” I replied. “I’ve been drinking for years.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she said. “You make me feel old.”

“You have grandchildren,” I said, trying to keep my expression neutral. “I’m not the one making you feel old.”

Aunt Farrah smiled. “Grandchildren are life’s reward for raising your own assholes.”

“I’m telling Lily you called her an asshole,” I said, jumping away as she swatted at me. “Cam, too!”

“You say that like they’ll be surprised,” she called as I walked away. “They won’t.”

“You runnin’ from Farrah?”

I scoffed. “I’m not afraid of her.”

Mack just looked at me.

“Okay, yeah, that was an outright lie,” I admitted.

“Come on,” he said, leaning down to kiss me as he grabbed my hand. “I want you to meet some people.”

I’d been to plenty of parties at the club, and I’d had fun at almost all of them—but that night outside Seattle was so much better. Mack and I had never really partied together, and I was almost giddy as his cheeks grew ruddy and his smile grew wider with every drink he had. My man was serious most of the time, and it was amazing to see him let loose a bit.

The music was loud and the laughter in the yard was even louder. I glanced around the crowd and got a warm feeling in my belly. I was a part of the group of old ladies now, and it was weird, but also pretty cool. My mom sat on my dad’s lap like she’d never seen a chair before, Aunt Farrah shook her ass to anything coming out of the speakers while my uncle egged her on, Brenna stood with our President, Dragon, drinking beer and laughing with her hand in his back pocket, Hawk was kicking Tommy’s ass at a game of quarters, and Lily… where was Lily? I searched the crowd curiously, and just as I’d almost given up, she and Leo came out of the woods, both of them swaying slightly with huge grins on their faces.

It was a good night, and everyone knew it. No fights had broken out. There’d been no drama. It was just a bunch of people hanging out and catching up with a little help from a kickass sound system and a shitload of alcohol.

“Hey, Mack?” I leaned down and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. “Let’s go back to the tent.”

“Really?” he asked glancing up at me. The moment our eyes met, I knew I had him.

“I mean, if you want to stay,” I trailed off with a shrug.

He turned away for only a second. “Boys,” he said with a nod. He immediately finished the last of his beer and stood up.

I had to practically run to keep up with Mack as he led us around the side of the house toward our tent.

“I’m gonna trip,” I yelped as I stumbled over a few rocks in the dark.

“Can’t have that,” Mack replied. He turned and threw me over his shoulder like I was nothing, then kept going as I laughed.

“You have the best ass,” I told him, running my hands over it. I tugged his t-shirt up a little so I could push my fingers underneath his jeans.

“Ditto,” he replied, smacking my ass.

By the time we reached the tent and he set me back on the ground, I was giggling and pulling at his clothes.

“Shit,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “New box of condoms is in my saddlebags.”

I groaned.

“I’ll run back and get ’em,” he said, kissing me. “I’ll be right back.”

I thought about telling him we could go without, but I knew that wasn’t a conversation we should have while we were both drinking, so I kept my mouth shut and nodded instead. “Hurry.”