I pull my hands back from where they’d been outstretched towards the fire and cover Jace’s hands with mine, trying to warm up his frozen digits.
Jace leans down, kissing the inside of my neck.
I bite my lip to keep from smiling widely.
I glance up and see the rest of the guys smiling, relaxed expressions on all their faces.
I still don’t know exactly what happened while I was gone but I know the guys are still wary of Jace. Like they’re stepping on eggshells around him, waiting for something to go wrong.
My leaving killed Jace and from what Idoknow…it wasn’t good.
We talk around the fire for a bit before Jace has to get up. Before I can sit back down, Dominic snags me. I sit on his knees and he pulls me flush against him.
“Hey, Sweetheart,” Dom’s southern accent calls to me like music to a songbird.
“Maverick!” Jace calls out from the house.
Mav rolls his eyes. “Coming!” He pulls off his own socks and goes to help Jace.
“Hey,” I whisper softly back to Dom. He dips his head, slowly capturing my lips in a sweet kiss that leaves me feeling dazed andhappy.
I turn back to face the fire, trying to clear my head and end up meeting Mason’s gaze. It seems he’s always giving me the ‘don’t stress’ look but this one…this one’s deeper. He’s smiling but his eyes are hooded, the heat I’m trying to banish dancing in his own.
“See what you’re doing to him, Sweetheart?” Dom drawls lowly in my ear. My toes curl at his gravelly, heat-stirring voice. His large hands on my waist keep me planted in his lap.
“That’s what you do to all of us, baby.” Dominic adopts Maverick’s nickname.
Mase smirks almost directly across from us, beside Alec who’s cottoned on to what Dom’s purring in my ear.
I turn my head into Dom’s neck, trailing my lips up to his ear. “You do this to me too,” I murmur breathlessly.
Dom growls, his chest rumbling against me. I resist the need to shift in his lap. Barely.
“You steal my girl, Dom?” Jace shuffles through the chairs with Maverick, lowering what looks like a grilling table, of some sort, over the fire.
“Ourgirl, fucker,” Dom responds lightly. I glance up at him, not seeing even a hint of jealousy or even annoyance at Jace’s playful question. His eyes flick down, sensing my gaze and they soften.
I can almost hear his thoughts.
We’re not going anywhere, Sweetheart.
I give him the smallest nod. I think I’m starting to believe them. A satisfied expression has Dom’s lips curling up.
Maverick hands Jace a plate, snagging my attention from Dom.
“Are those ribs?” I say hopefully, peeking at the meat Jace’s carefully placing on the grill over the fire.
“Dad’s honey, spicy and hickory ribs,” Jace looks over his shoulder with a grin.
“Together?” Mase scrunches his nose up.
“Three different flavours, three different sets of ribs,” Jace informs him.
“Fuck yes!” Mase and Maverick say unanimously, punching the air. The rest of us break down laughing.
Dominic leans his head on mine and I sigh, a feeling of absolute bliss washes over me. Looking around at the guys…I’d say I’m not the only one.
We eat dinner around the fire, after drooling over those ribs for half an hour. I insist on sitting in my own chair so the guys can eat but it doesn’t stop Maverick from stealing me away the second we’re both done. Not that I’m complaining.
