Tobias
"Fuck," I said. Jacine beat a retreat down the stairs leading to the hot tub and got lost in the night. My first instinct was to run after her, but knowing her, it would make her rabbit faster and harder. And that's not what I wanted her to do faster and harder. However, idiot Dys stepped onto the stair, and I jerked him back.
“Hey, get your hands off me.”
“If you follow her, you’ll lose her for all of us.”
“But—”
"Damn it, Jersey," said Rory. "He's right. We scared her off." He looked around for clothes to put on. Cole dragged his butt out of bed and pulled out sweats from his closet and tossed a pair to each of us.
“We were too much—” said Jersey.
“Stop it right there,” I said. “Nothing is too much for Jacine, but you must admit that you three have run her ragged since she got into town.”
Jersey crossed his arms and gave me a hard stare.
"We three?" he said. "I seem to remember it was you Jacine gave the right cross to."
“It was a slap, not a right cross.”
“Enough,” said Cole. “This is the sort of thing that ticks her off.”
While Kane was right, that wouldn't mend the problem of Jacine ditching us, and I had warmed to the idea of "us." I'm a conventional man, and taking to bed with three dudes and a woman wasn't my idea of fun. But my dear Lord, seeing how Jacine handled all of us gave me pause. How on earth could I keep up with a sweet, young, energetic woman like her? I began to see how having other players on the team would be an enormous benefit.
“Well, I’m getting my clothes,” said Jersey. “And someone needs to give her a ride home.”
“You better let me do that,” I said.
“Why you?”
“Because Franklin is less likely to take a poke at me than any of you, and I don’t want him stressed more than he is. He should be resting.”
“Damn it,” said Jersey. “I hate it when you make sense.”
"Curse of the profession," I said. Jersey, Cole, and Rory grumbled, and I supposed I don't blame them. But what do you expect from three rock stars who have people fawning over them? I'm surprised none received a phone call, especially after the Hollywood Bowl, but then I remembered that they still hadn't hired new management for their band. Arcane, Clash, and Obsidian were on hold, and they had to be chafing to get to work.
I headed out the door and down the stairs toward the hot tub. My clothes were there too, and I found Jacine hunting under the benches around the tub.
“Looking for something?” I said.
“Tobias,” she huffed. “Can’t find my underwear.” She slapped her hands on her thighs. “I guess I’ll chalk it up to idiocy and go on my way.” And then she sighed. “And how will I do that?”
“I’ll take you home.”
“Oh, no. And risk more nonsense?”
I scratched my head here because I had no clue what she’s talking about. Jacine bent over again, reaching under a bench which gave me a lovely view of her rear covered in Holmes’ silky bathrobe.
“Nonsense?”
Jacine closed her eyes and balled her hands into fists at her side. “How can I ever be alone with you again, or any of them? I’m supposed to be a goddamned professional. And what do I do? Fall into bed with my fantasies, all of them, at the first opportunity. How can any of you trust me again?”
I wanted to gather her into my arms and murmur away her concerns with sweet words but with her independent streak wider than an LA highway that would make things worse. And I can see that if I let her out of my sight without resolving this she'd shut herself away from us and that can't happen.
Because if it did, it would break my heart.
“I think you are right,” I said.
