BULL

After an exhaustive six hours of sleep, we rouse due to our growling bellies, and head straight for the shower to clean the previous night's carnal rendezvous from our skin. We’re both a sticky, sweaty colossal mess from the countless times we made love throughout the evening. Through the entirety of the night, we each reached for and sought out the other like moths do to a flame.

Underneath the shower’s spray, we gently touch, caress, and scrub each other clean from top to bottom. I want to show her how much I treasure her, so as soon as she unravels the towel from her head, I guide her to the dressing table, sit her down, and grab her large toothed comb. As I glide it through the wet strands, a purr elicits from her chest and her eyes close in total bliss.

“Your hair is thick,” I comment, gently working through the tangles so I don’t hurt her. “Fucking gorgeous, though.”

“It is. Sometimes it’s a blessing and other times it’s a curse,” she reveals. “But I love it when someone does what you’re doing right now.”

“Anytime you think it’s anything other than spectacular, let me know and I’ll show you why I think so.” Looking up and back at her through the mirror, I wiggle my eyebrows letting her know where my thoughts on this topic are.

“Okay, Bull,” she says breathlessly as a light blush coats her cheeks, turning them a beautiful shade of cotton candy pink.

* * *

“Thanksgiving is in two days,” Stella sighs. “Do we have a community center where we can get together and celebrate?”

“There’s only one way to find out. We go exploring,” Cameron suggests.

“That sounds like fun,” Dottie exclaims, excitement blanketing her face.

“Why can’t we eat right here?” Kruger asks. Currently, we’re all sitting on benches in the center of this underground town.

“Was Pops making plans for the apocalypse or something?” Texas questions. “Cause this place is something else altogether. I’d have never considered our family needing to be some place like this.”

“This was Ma’s idea,” Charlee whispers, lost in memories from the past. “She wanted a safe haven for her children and grandchildren should a war ever break out between the factions. In Pops’ world, women and children aren’t considered as being hands off, it’s always a bloodbath and nobody is deemed safe, not even innocent bystanders. Pops built this to assuage her fears.”

“What a scary way to live,” Dot whispers beneath her breath. “If I were born into that life, and I had the funds, I’d build a place like this too. Your ma sounds like she was a wonderful woman who always put her family above everything else.”

“She was,” Charlee hums.

Wanting to change us back to our previous topic, because I don’t want us to travel down an emotional pit, I state, “If I get a vote, I think this would be the perfect place for us to come together and eat. There’s plenty of space for the kids to run about and us still be able to keep an eye on them at all times.”

“If memory serves, Pops said something when we got here about a restaurant that’d been built in the midst of this town. One that was meant to be a place for large scale cooking and so everyone could come together as a unit in one place,” Gunner recalls.

“That would be a great space for us to cook the meal. I wonder if there are any rolling carts so that we can move the food here,” Star contemplates.

“If not, us men can carry the dishes here,” I say, nominating us so that the women don’t have to struggle with the weight of the platters or have to make several trips. If they’re gonna slave over a stove making us a holiday meal made with their love, blood, sweat, and tears—the very least we men can do is do all of the heavy lifting for them.

“We aren’t gonna find this kitchen sitting on our asses and twiddling our thumbs. Plus, I’m hungry as fuck and wouldn’t mind raiding this place’s cupboards and finding me some grub,” Shamus inserts, rubbing his growling stomach.

When we all stand, I toss my arm across Dottie’s neck and clear my throat. “Got something to say.” The guys pause in their steps and give me their attention. “My Polka Dot and I, we’re making shit official. She’s agreed to be my old lady.” My words are met with catcalls, whistles, and women squealing excitedly seeing as I just added another sister to their trouble-making crew of old ladies.

“Let’s go see what we can find,” Charlee shouts.

As a group, we begin meandering through the center of town’s paved walkways and I’m fucking impressed at the details that have gone into everything. There’s a small barber shop as well as a salon for the ladies and I suspect Pops or Luca will bring in someone who owes them a favor but it’s highly unlikely we’ll see the same folks twice.

“Look, it’s a grocery store,” Dot exclaims, pointing to the right. Almost as if we practiced it, we all turn and head inside.

“May as well grab some groceries,” Gunner announces, snagging a cart.

“The key word there is groceries, babe, not snacks,” Cameron retorts, taking the cart away from him. “I like real food, not chips and dip, and if you’re in charge, that’s what we’ll have.”

“Mane likes chips and dip,” Gunner defends.

Cam throws her hands in the air and says, “C’mon, ladies, let’s grab what we’re gonna need for Thanksgiving dinner so we can keep exploring.”

Dot looks up at me and asks, “Anything in particular you don’t want me to get?”

“No brussels sprouts or liver, but other than that, I’m easy,” I reply, kissing her. “I figure we’ll probably be getting what we want for our place too, right?” I question since she looks confused. “Not just stuff for our Thanksgiving meal.”

“Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Cameron, should we divide and conquer the menu?” she calls out.

Within minutes, each old lady has her assignment and us men are left following behind with the extra carts. Gunner and Texas are gathering the beer, wine, and alcohol for mixed drinks, as well as the sodas and juice for the kids.

Stella is in charge of the meats.

Star and Dottie are grabbing sides.

Cameron and Charlee are in charge of finding desserts.

I’m dutifully standing behind Star and Dot as they toss items in the cart then exchanging it for an empty one once it’s filled.

This is the life I’ve always envisioned for myself. This is what I’ve been missing, what I’ve been longing for even though I never knew it was a void in my life.