Page 10 of Dr. Stone (Billionaires’ Club #9)

NINE

Andie

I finished using my flat iron, creating the final curl to complete the beach-wave look I was going for today. I stepped back from the mirror and smiled at the lively woman staring back at me.

Damn, it felt good to be myself again, to be happy, and most of all, to feel everything once more. It’d been a month since I’d had my little awakening thanks to that remarkably hot and amazing one-night hook-up with Jace, and I had no regrets.

Who knew? Maybe if I saw the man again, I’d thank him, but for now, I was merely grateful for him.

I took one last look in the mirror before I turned to leave and wake Brandon for his breakfast. My mornings used to start with Brandon babbling from his crib and waking me up, giving me barely enough time to get us both out the door on time, while I prayed that I had everything for Brandon’s sitter in his diaper bag.

Now, I was up at six every morning with a cup of coffee, watching early risers running along the shoreline as the sun came up.

It was the perfect way to start every day.

I was fortunate to have this beautiful view, which I hadn’t appreciated for too long, and I was thankful that my parents had helped me buy this small, two-bedroom apartment in the most beautiful part of Santa Monica.

One would look at me from the outside, and people might call me a spoiled little rich girl, and I suppose they’d be correct. However, I greatly appreciated that my parents were financially well off and generous with helping others, not just their daughter.

Every morning since I changed my patterns and routines, I woke up focusing on my blessings and steering clear of any negative thoughts that could threaten to bring down my positive mood.

As soon as I stepped into Brandon’s room, I smiled when I saw his deep blue eyes fixed on the delicate wooden biplanes gently dancing on their strings of the mobile hanging above his crib.

“Good morning, handsome,” I said in a gentle voice.

A large smile spread across his face, igniting the ocean blue color of his eyes.

I loved this part of coming in to wake him up.

Every time my dark, curly-haired boy made eye contact with me, he’d smile and get so excited that he’d flip over and push himself up to stand, take a step, and lean against the wooden crib with his arms out, practically demanding I pick him up for a warm, squishy hug.

“I love you,” I said with a giggle, kissing his chubby cheek before bringing him to my side and carrying him to his high chair.

“Mama,” he squealed when I bounced him through the house pretending to be a galloping horse on our way to his high chair.

Brandon giggled as I maneuvered him into his high chair.

I’d already smashed some bananas into his warm oatmeal, and though I knew that oatmeal breakfast days demanded that Brandon have a bath after eating, I didn’t care. I had plenty of time on the clock to freshen him up, get him to Julia’s, and get coffee for Ash and me before heading to the gallery.

I watched Brandon as he ate his favorite breakfast, smiling at me, then returning his attention to the spoon he gripped with purpose to scoop up his oatmeal.

How many times had I looked at him and felt a sharp pain when I saw how much he looked like his dad?

But for the past month, that knife in my stomach wasn’t there.

His dark curly hair, his olive-toned skin, and eyes that resembled the deep ocean on a dark, cloudy day…

that was all Jonathan. But his plump lips, vibrant smile, and cute little button nose?

Those he got from me. He was perfect, and now I was just grateful his asshole of a father had some nice genes to complement this perfect little boy.

I could get lost watching and admiring him, but time was about to slip, and I needed to get his sippy cups and diaper bag packed for the sitter, or I would be late.

Ring! Ring!

“Yeah?” I answered Ash’s usual morning call before work.

“How are you and my main man doing this morning?”

“Great, I’m finishing packing his stuff before I give him a bath,” I said, pulling Mr. Sticky Hands from his high chair, “so I’ve got about thirty minutes before we’re out of here, and I should be?—”

“Okay, stop,” she chuckled. “I wasn’t expecting you to give me a run-down of the morning, honey. I was calling to tell you that you’re going to have a lot of fun this morning with a client who’s interested in my work.”

She paused, and I could hear the mischievousness in her statement.

“You sound a little too excited about this,” I said, then sighed. “Ash, if this is who I’m starting to think it is, then?—”

“No, it’s not Jace Stone,” she interrupted me with a laugh. “You and I already agreed that my husband is no longer allowed to pry about you two. But I do think you made an impression on that guy from what I’m hearing.”

“There you go again,” I said. “I’m not saying anything other than it was a fun night, he’s a cool guy, and I’m glad that he kept his promise and has kept his mouth shut about it with Jake.”

“We’ve all moved on from the night you’re both so tight-lipped about,” she said, “but we know there was more, given how both of you are acting about it.”

“Mm-hm,” I said, rolling my eyes, knowing they would never stop prying. The suspense was killing them. “So, about this client?”

“Well, he has requested a private showing with my gallery director at nine this morning, and you’re about to fall in love,” she chuckled.

“Dear God, Ash,” I said, lathering shampoo through Brandon’s hair. “I already told you I’m not dating anyone.”

“I’m not saying you have to date the man,” Ash said, “but if he does ask you out, oh, honey, this is going to be a story you will have to tell me about since my husband doesn’t work with him.”

“You’re too cute,” I said, laughing off the fact that all everyone seemed to want to do these days was get me matched up with a man. “Give me some details about who he is so I can at least be prepared when I meet him.”

“His name is Titus Hawk,” she said. “He and his two brothers are real estate tycoons who have basically merged their real estate interests with Mitchell and Associates’ for their developments out here on the West Coast.”

“Good to know,” I said, pulling Brandon out of the bath. “He knows Jim Mitchell and Spencer Monroe, then?”

“He’s good friends with all those guys,” she said.

“And you think it would be cute if he and I got together, right?”

She chuckled, “It really would be. But I’m not sure if he’s looking for commitment, so I’m pretty sure he’s safe in the no-strings-attached department.”

I could practically hear her squint through the phone. “Ash, just because I got a little wild and crazy with Jace Stone for one night, doesn’t mean I’m going to randomly hook up with another man, too. Sorry to kill your hopes and dreams, but seriously, I’m not dating or looking to date.”

“We’ll see about that,” she teased. “Okay, back on track. He’s coming in today to look for pieces for a Montecito estate he purchased with ocean views, sprawling grounds, and the works.”

“Okay,” I said, shifting gears and into work mode. “Do you think he’s looking for something from your studio collections, or perhaps a one-off canvas, something that will never be replicated, giving him a unique piece?” I questioned.

Most wealthy clients chose Ash’s work for her unique talents of bringing the ocean into your heart by just looking at one of her pieces, but the real thing they wanted was to have something others couldn’t have, and they paid a high price for that luxury.

“If you bring him upstairs where the signature pieces are, he’ll probably enjoy something from the Coastal Impressionism paintings.”

“Ah, so he’s looking for more of a soft brushstroke and muted tones?”

“That’s what I presume. He mentioned he was looking for something that wouldn’t be very bold, but one that could bring the feel of the ocean from his balcony into the home?”

“I’ll show him that collection, and I’ll bring him to the Oceanic Abstracts to get a feel for what will warm him up to spending some good coin in the gallery today,” I grinned, loving when I was able to upsell any wealthy person, especially one my boss was trying to set me up with.

I wasn’t upset with Ash for trying to set me up. I could tell she was just thankful I’d gotten back on track and was living again. I felt chipper, warm, and finally back among the land of the living.

Ash and her girlfriends had become a big part of my life when I didn’t have Brandon—spa days, brunches, and afternoons stretched out on the beach.

It was as if everything had shifted overnight, and not just because of the one-night stand.

It was me. My outlook. My choice to take responsibility for my own happiness.

Maybe that’s why I wasn’t into dating right now. I wanted to focus on myself and my son, without the highs and lows of having a boyfriend. I wasn’t ready for that kind of complication.

At nine am sharp, the tycoon, Mr. Titus Hawk, walked into the gallery with a slow, deliberate stride. I stood up from my desk, where I’d just finished sending some personalized photographs of paintings to an overseas buyer, and pulled on my cream blazer that matched my wide-legged slacks.

I walked out to greet him with the same supreme confidence he had brought through the two front doors he’d just entered.

“Good morning, Mr. Hawk. I’m Andie Miller,” I said, extending my hand to shake his. “Ash advised me about your consultation a few hours ago, and I believe we may have some pieces here that will work wonderfully for you.”

Titus Hawk’s eyes captured me instantly, their warm amber glow holding me hostage in a gaze that felt as inescapable as it was intoxicating.

“I appreciate you making my last-minute reservation a priority for you this morning, as I am a man who does not waste time in securing what I want. Wasted time means wasted pleasure, am I not right about that?” he said, taking my hand and kissing the air over the back of it before releasing it.

“However, I am a man who knows how to indulge in both.”

I grinned at this Casanova. “Lucky for you, I specialize in unforgettable experiences. That said, I will prove that any time spent with me this morning will be worth your attention, Mr. Hawk.”

Titus’s smile in response was a study in seduction, a slow, deliberate curve of full sensual lips that hinted at secrets and promises. Holy hell, what world was this man created from to live on Earth with the rest of us mere mortals?

And yet, even with his impossible charm, it wasn’t Titus’s lips I imagined. It was Jace’s, the heat of his breath against my neck, the weight of his body pinning me into the sheets, the low, rough sound he made when I said his name. The memory came so fast, so hot, I almost forgot to breathe.

“I should like to extend my gratitude to Mrs. Mitchell for allowing me in on such late notice as well,” he said.

I blinked, pulling myself back to present company.

“Absolutely. If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to where Ash is in her studio.” I glanced back at the tall man, fully aware his gaze was on my ass. “Perhaps she’ll convince you to have her create a commissioned original for you?”

“Perhaps,” he said with a smile that complemented every one of the flawless features God had blessed him with.

I’d seen some fine-ass men in my day, but this one might’ve been the fairest of them all.

His dark, wavy hair caught the soft light of the gallery, and his amber eyes glinted with a predator’s focus, intensifying his exotic flair.

His Spanish accent added a seductive edge to the deep, velvety tone of his voice, while his neatly groomed beard softened the sharp line of his jaw—and that damn smile of his was seduction in disguise.

I had to clear my mind so I could think. It wasn’t every day that someone walked in here and was more beautiful to behold than Ash’s paintings.

I knocked twice on the studio door, glancing back to ensure Titus didn’t feel ignored because of my overwhelming lustfulness, which I was actively working on suppressing so I could do my job.

I could use a sliver of the old, depressed Andie right now, who wouldn’t have given a shit what this man looked like.

That version of myself would sell him some shit, then upsell him on more shit that he didn’t need.

Unfortunately, Titus Hawk didn’t show up when old Andie was around.

Instead, he got me, someone acting like a star-struck thirteen-year-old meeting her favorite boy band member.

Why the hell would Ash even suggest he might ask me out?

In what world does a man like him want anything to do with a woman like me?

Not to get down on myself, but this guy was something else.

While Ash and Titus exchanged easy conversation, I forced myself to lock it down before I tanked this meeting.

If I blew it by drooling over him, that tight-knit group of billionaire CEOs, doctors, and their wives would be up my ass even more than they already were.

And it was bad enough they were still gossiping about what happened between me and Jace on the yacht.

That thought alone set me up for another ambush.

Jace, pinning me to the shower wall, steam wrapping around us, his hands in my hair, his breath hot against my skin.

When his mouth scorched a path over my shoulders as my back pressed tight to his chest, each thrust harder, deeper than in the bed.

Wild. Unrestrained. Every moan and rough, guttural growl vibrated through me until I was shaking apart in his arms. Even now, just thinking of it made my thighs tense and my pulse stumble.

If there were such a thing as having a perfect fuck partner, Jace would be mine.