Page 62 of Dr. Stone
Not exactly your average babysitter crowd,I thought as I inched past the bikes, careful not to brush against their gleaming chrome. I parked just beyond the bikes where Jake and Ash’s usual clean line of cars sat behind one of the doors.
Confused yet humored by what guests Jake and Ash had over, I walked up the steps to the private entrance of their Malibu beachfront mansion. Ash had the door unlocked since I arrived at their private gate and entered my code, which always alerted Ash through text that I was here.
God, I loved this house—glass walls open to the ocean, wood beams, Ash’s paintings splashing warmth against the concrete, rugs softening the edges. Modern, but lived in. A place with a soul.
Then I saw them. Four men outside on the terrace around the fire pit—and my breath stalled on one. Jace. Windswept hair. Black T-shirt clinging to every muscle. That grin—boyish, cocky, familiar. Beer dangling from his hand. He looked sexier than I remembered. And I remembered plenty.
“Andie,” I heard Ash say quietly. “The kids are all asleep.”
“Good,” I whispered back, covering my gawking. “Because I’ve apparently stumbled into your Sons of Anarchy phase.”
Ash smirked. “Please. They’re all more like the Sons of Bitches.”
I burst out laughing, hugging her. “I’ll just sneak Brandon and Duke out of your hair. Thank you again—were they okay?”
“JakelovesDuke,” she said with far too much humor. “I’m shocked he hasn’t run in here to beg you to leave him with us.”
“Was Duke a little shit?” I questioned with a laugh, knowing that Ash was being sarcastic.
“Here,” she said, eyes probing out to her terrace while taking my arm to guide me toward the living room sofas. “Let’s just say that if Jace is trying to get close to you, he’ll regret giving you Duke. But if it’s Titus who’s trying, and Duke’s there to block it? Jace will be grateful he gave you the dog.”
“Oh, shit,” I covered my mouth. “He’s possessive?”
“You could say that,” she chuckled as we sat on the sofa.
“Well, Titus and I realized we’re never going to be more than fun and games. I’ve been excited to see where Jace and I could go,” I chuckled when Ash’s eyes widened, “but after what you just told me about my dog, I think I’m up for a whole different challenge.”
“We’ll just babysit on the nights he comes over to be with you,” Ash said.
I laughed, “Ah, so, every time I have Jace over, you’re going to take my dog?”
“Shit,” she sighed. “Oh, who cares? You two can work this out of him. He was probably just being possessive because he was hungry, and Jake was taking my attention away from him,” she answered. “Now, tell me everything before the guys walk in. Or do you want to talk to Jace? He’s right outside.”
“Jace and I will talk soon. I’m not going to interrupt him when he’s with the guys. I need to get Brandon and Duke home anyway so I can be ready for work in the morning.” I stood up and smiled, “I’ll fill you in on everything at work tomorrow if Avery doesn’t beat me to it.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she smiled, stood up, and turned to follow me down to the room where Brandon stayed when he washere so he wouldn’t disturb their kids, Kaley and John, with his early bedtime.
“Well, well, well,” Jake hung onto that last well a little too long.
I turned and tried to remain focused solely on Jake’s humored expression and not the damn glistening blue eyes and sexy grin coming from Jace. I knew one of the two other men pretty well—Elena’s husband, Collin Brooks—but I couldn’t remember the other man’s name.
“Hey, Jake,” I glanced at Jace, unable to resist. “Hey, Jace,” I said, like a schoolgirl talking to her crush for the first time, completely forgetting the two others standing behind them.
“Andie, of course, you remember Jace,” Jake said with a knowing grin. “And Collin as well. This is Dr. John Aster; you’ve met his brother Sebastian a few times.”
“Very nice to meet you,” I said, not really wanting to do introductions. I much preferred a moment alone with Jace to get past this weirdness I was feeling. “You all are bikers now, I see?” My smile and eyes fell only on Jace because, quite honestly, he was the only one in the world I cared about right now.
Jace grinned, but the shy, more reserved side of him I’d become accustomed to wasn’t present tonight. He seemed sexier and fueled by desire, and it was forcing my body into some adrenaline response.
“We sort of got our asses all kicked at work this past week, so we decided to take it out on the bikes,” he licked his lips, my eyes following like a hungry animal. “You look stunning. Did you have an enjoyable trip?”
“I did,” I answered.
"We’re all going to just step aside," I heard Jake say… at least, I think it was Jake.
“Yeah, don’t let us interrupt anything,” another said.
“You should go get the dog, just for kicks, man,” another said.
