Page 120 of The Fire We Make

“I would ask if you enjoyed yourselves, but it appears so,” Ace said, his gaze swinging from April to a still grinning Joy who lowered into the seat opposite him.

“Don’t hate,” Joy smirked, leaning forward. “Maybe if you’re nice, we’ll invite you next time.”

Ace leaned forward too. “And what do I have to do to get a private invitation from you?”

Joy rolled her eyes but her smirk betrayed her.

“Was that all y'all wanted?” Ace asked his brothers, feeling their stares.

Jrue chuckled, pushing off the wall. “Yeah that was it.”

“Aight, ‘preciate y’all. Now if you’ll excuse us, Joy and I have work to do.”

“Oop, not we getting kicked out,” April snickered as she stood. “Come on y’all.” She waved for August and Von to stand as well.

Her long legs ate up the distance between her and Joy quickly. She leaned down to envelop Joy in a hug.

April likely didn’t feel it, but Ace saw Joy flinch, just slightly, before sinking into the embrace.

“We should do this more often,” April suggested.

“I’d love that,” Joy agreed.

After a few more brief goodbyes, the door clicked closed, and Ace was granted with what he’d wanted for the past two hours.

Alone time with Joy.

“So,” Ace stood and rounded the desk, resting against the edge of it beside Joy. “You and my sister are going to lunch now huh?”

Joy looked up at him with a grin. “Mhm. She seems to think we’d make good friends.”

“Interesting,” was all Ace said. He wasn’t sure why, but the thought of Joy becoming close with April made him smile.

“Yeah. She also seems to think that you want me,” she added with a sparkle in her eye.

“I didn’t think I was being subtle about that fact,” Ace shrugged with a chuckle.

“You haven’t been. And I don’t know how many times I have to tell you to let it go.”

Ace leaned forward until their faces were inches apart. “You can tell me until that pretty face turns blue but my desires won’t change.”

“You’re hard headed.”

“So are you.”

“No I’m not. Believe it or not, I’m trying to do you a favor.”

Ace licked his lips. “I’ve still yet to hear anything that will deter me from wanting to taste those lips and have you in my bed again.”

“You had me in your bed and you turned it down.”

“My reasoning still stands. As much as I wanna know if you feel as good as you taste, I want you to let me inside your mind even more and clearly you’re a flight risk.”

Joy huffed.

“That was some of the best sleep I’ve ever had in my life before you ran out of me too,”Ace chuckled.

Joy’s eyes softened and she opened her mouth to reply but was cut off when Jess rushed in.