Mace laughed. “A whole turkey? Just for me?”

“You’re a growing boy. You need to eat. My daughter will learn.” Then she shoved him into a chair.

Cool. He had her mother and he’d win over the father. Now he simply had to convince Dez. And he would. All he had to do was purr. She practically came simply from the sound of it.

“And someone named Smitty called for you. I invited him over for dessert.”

Mace scratched his head to stop from laughing. “Um…you invited him for dessert—here?”

“Yes. Him and his family. Was that okay?”

“Mrs. MacDermot…that was wonderful.”

“Oh good.”

Dez’s mother bustled back into the kitchen as Dez walked into the room and sat down next to him.

“I can’t believe those bitches are still fighting.”

“My sister shouldn’t have messed with you in front of Rachel and Lonnie.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know how it is. It’s one thing if they pick on you. It’s another if some stranger does.”

Dez shrugged, her wet hair and sudden shyness reminding him of the girl she used to be. “I guess.”

Dez’s mother moved back into the room. She smiled sweetly, then bellowed out the door. “Dinner!”

Mace blinked. For a tiny woman, she sure had a set of lungs.

Dez’s father walked in, four children with him. He helped them get in their seats as Dez’s sisters and his sisters stormed in. Still arguing.

“How can you believe for two seconds that will help the deficit?”

“I can’t believe a federal prosecutor is a bleeding-heart liberal.”

“I am not a liberal. I’m just not a Nazi.”

Mace leaned over to Dez. “How long will this last,” he whispered in her ear, enjoying the shudder that rippled through her body.

They watched the women and the rest of the family. The fighting women ignored Lonnie and Rachel’s husbands. The men were helping their kids settle in instead. Even helping with Missy and Allie’s cubs. His sisters ignored everyone else in the room except Lonnie and Rachel.

“At least through second helpings. But I don’t think it will last through pie.” Her eyes widened. “Oh God. I forgot pie.”

Her mother came out with more side dishes. “Don’t worry. I bought pie. I knew you’d forget.”

Dez glared at her mother. He knew that look. Any second now she’d say something that would upset her mother and ruin his Christmas dinner. So to prevent that, he slipped his hand between her thighs under the table.

She squeaked, causing everyone to look at her. Then, to play it off, she coughed. “Sorry. I’m getting a bit of a cold.”

“I keep telling you,you don’t dress warmly enough,” her mother chided as Dez desperately tried to pry his hands off her crotch. But he wasn’t letting go. At least, not until the turkey arrived. For good measure, he slid his middle finger against her sweatpants right where her clit would be. Her coughing became worse.

“Dear God,” Missy snapped. “Would someone give that girl water before she breaks a blood vessel?”

Wow. It was humanly possible for six women to argue for two hours straight. Dez had no idea. She didn’t argue that long with people. If she got that upset, she usually ended up hitting them or arresting them. But her sisters and Mace’s were still at it. They’d moved on to other topics, but you would have thought they were arguing over things they could actually control.

Smitty and his Pack showed up just in time for pie and more arguing. Apparently invited by her mother. At that point, things got really interesting when Sissy Mae and her girls joined in. Still, not being the focus of attention for her sisters did make that pecan pie go down real easy.

When she thought the night couldn’t get any more interesting, Sal, Jim, and Vinny showed up. She forgot she invited them over days earlier to get their gifts, but they were also smart enough to apologize and look slightly ashamed. Eventually Bukowski, his wife, and their kids showed up. Apparently still feeling pretty guilty about crashing her and Mace’s party the previous day, he had wine for both of them. She was really proud Mace didn’t comment on the vintage. Although she saw his opinion in his gold eyes.

Suddenly Dez’s house had filled up with a bunch of people and Mace. A week ago, Dez had every intention of working all day and making herself a frozen turkey potpie for dinner. She smiled. She’d never admit it out loud, but this was way better.

From the kitchen, she watched the crazy bitches while she and Mace washed the dishes so her mother didn’t have to. As her sisters squared off with Mace’s, who was in the middle of it? Sissy Mae. No wonder Dez liked her. She was a fellow instigator.

“Wow, Missy. Are you going to let her talk to you like that?” Sissy pushed. “I mean unless you’re scared of her or something…”

“I am not scared of anyone!”

Dez wondered how long she should wait before she stepped in when Mace’s hand slid across hers in the water. He kept doing that. Whenever her mother turned her back, Mace found a way to touch her or outright kiss her. Something so cute and innocent about his actions. Especially since just yesterday the man had fucked her senseless on her dining room table.

“All right you two,” her mother cheerily chastised. “Cut that out.”

Mace pulled away from Dez. He was so adorable around her mother. Always treating her with the utmost respect.