by Heather Lyn
Jace smiles at me. “I’ve also lived in Tennessee my whole life. My birthday is August 17, so I think I’m a Leo. I’ll be thirty-five. I hate wine, would rather have a beer or some whiskey. And I don’t have any Christmas Eve traditions.”
“I get the feeling that there is way more to you than just that, Jace.”
He smirks. “Wouldn’t you like to know, Ms. Cole?”
One of his hands pulls me tighter against him, his fingers splayed across my lower back. Goose bumps break out over my skin and I hang my head, trying to gain control of myself. No man has ever had such an effect on me, and I can’t let him see.
Jace is this gorgeous Nashville police officer. I’m sure he has women falling at his feet, and with all the cases on my desk, there isn’t possibly any time in my life for a relationship. Then again, he probably also works crazy hours and is busy, so maybe we’re in the same boat.
“Can I ask you something?” Jace looks down at me, rubbing one of his hands up and down my back.
“Sure.”
“How do you do it?”
“Do what?” I question.
“How do you make me like dancing?”
Throwing my head back, I laugh long and loud, aware of the fact that as the song has progressed, he’s pulled me closer to him, our bodies flush against one another. Straightening up, I go to answer him when the song changes, an upbeat Brett Young song pulsing through the club. Jace never misses a beat, pulling me against him as we rock to the music, his hips nestled against mine.
I’m tall at five foot nine, but we fit together perfectly. Jace spins me around and pulls me back to him, my back flush with his chest. I can feel how solid he is, and I test the waters, rolling my hips against his. He groans and bands an arm around my waist, holding me tightly to him as we move. In minutes, I’m sweating and completely worked up, and if the hardness pressing into my ass is any indicator, so is he.
The song ends and another starts up, but he never loses the tempo. I spin around and find his eyes boring right into mine. Taking a leap of faith, I wrap my right arm around his neck and pull his face to mine. His eyes drop to my mouth, and I bite my bottom lip. He grabs the back of my neck and smashes his mouth to mine, capturing the gasp I release.
Standing in the middle of the dance floor, Jace devours my mouth, his large hand still gripping the back of my neck. He tastes like the beer he was drinking and mint.
Pulling away before things get too heated, he drops his sweaty forehead to mine, eyes shut. We stand there in silence, and I try like hell to catch my breath, panting softly.
“Stella.”
“Yeah?”
“You wanna get outta here?” he asks. I hold his gaze while I nod, and that freaking smile of his breaks out over his face. “Just let me go find Drew and let him know.”
“Yeah, I gotta find Ashley. Do you mind driving? She was my ride.”
“Of course. Meet me outside in five?” He gives me another kiss, and then he’s off to find his brother.
Looking around, I don’t see Ash anywhere, so I pull my cell out of my front pocket and shoot her a text.
Stella: Where are you?
Ashley: Bathroom break. I found myself a cowboy for the night.
Stella: Meet me at the front door.
Heading for the main door, I lean my back against the wall, and in minutes I see Ashley come bouncing toward me, her long auburn hair flying wildly behind her.
“Hey, girl!”
“Hey, so listen, I’m gonna get going, if that’s okay?”
Ashley stands on her tiptoes and starts peering around. “Where is he, hussy? Where’s the guy you’re ditching me for?”
Laughing, I reach out to give her a hug. “Says the girl who roped a fella of her own. Don’t worry, I’ll get a ride with him. You have fun, babe.”
“Same. Be safe, okay? Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she says with a wink.
I give her a kiss on the cheek, and she waves. I watch her go rushing back into the crowd, just in time to see her grabbing the hand of a handsome dark-haired guy, a cowboy hat on his head. Shaking my head, I step outside and look around for Jace.
I find him leaning against the building, hands in his pockets, one foot resting up on the building. He turns his head when he hears me coming, and I get another glimpse of that smile. Butterflies dance in my stomach as I bounce over to him.
“Ready to go?” he asks, voice husky with desire. I nod, and he reaches for my hand, squeezing tight. “Your place or mine?”
“Mine. Wait, what about your brother?”
“I found him, he’s taking an Uber home.”
In silence he walks me toward the parking lot, both of us clearly in a hurry to get there. Jace reaches into his front pocket and pulls out a key fob, hitting the button to unlock the black Challenger we’re standing in front of. I start to head to the passenger side when his arm comes around my waist, turning me toward him. He grabs me under my ass and lifts me, setting me down on the hood of the car. My legs open so he can step between them, and he takes my lips again in a passionate kiss, both of us fighting for control.
“Jesus,” he groans, tearing away from me. Looking up at him under the yellow glow of the streetlamp, I run my thumb along his bottom lip. “What do you want, Stella?”
“You,” I tell him, unsure of what exactly that means but knowing it’s the truth. I want him, whether it’s for tonight or just a few hours.
With a jerk of a nod, he helps me off the car and holds the passenger door open for me, shutting it when I get settled. The interior of his car is red leather, and I can’t help looking around. Clearly this car is his baby.
Jace drops into the driver seat and cranks the engine. He gives it a rev, and then we pull out, the radio spitting out the latest Imagine Dragons single. He cranks the music, and wanting to enjoy the early summer air, I roll my window down, laughing when my hair blows everywhere.
It takes us about ten minutes to reach my house, Jace knowing this area like the back of his hand. He turns into my driveway, parking next to my own car.
“Nice place,” he says, and I smile.
“Thanks. I’ve only been renting it about a year, but I love it.”
Jace gets out of the car and rushes around the hood to open my door. I grab my key from my pocket, and we walk up the front walkway and step onto the small front porch. I’m sliding the key into the lock when my hair is brushed to the side, Jace’s lips finding my neck. A shiver runs through me, and I have to really focus my attention on unlocking the door. We step inside, and I toss my key and cell phone on the entryway table. Jace shuts the door behind us, and I hear him turn the deadbolt. Then he strides over to me and hauls me up into his arms.
“Bedroom?” he growls, running his lips up my neck.
“Second door on the right,” I force out, dropping my lips to his.
Jace rushes to my room with me still securely in his arms, fumbling around in the dark before dropping me onto my bed. His weight leaves the bed and he finds the light switch, bathing the room in a golden glow.
“I need to see you. You’re fucking stunning, Stella. Before I even knew who you were, you caught my eye.”
“You’re not so bad yourself, Miller.”
Toeing off his boots, he swaggers over to the bed and climbs on, making himself comfortable right on top of me. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I find that he’s hard as hell and pressing himself right where I need him. My earlier arousal kicks up a notch, and I rock my hips against him, needing to speed this up. It’s been a long time since I had actual sex and not just my battery-operated friend.
Jace kisses me, his weight pressing me down into the mattress. But clearly he’s in no rush, not bothering to get to the next step. Sitting up onto his knees, he grabs the hem of my tank top and pulls it over my head. His nostrils flare when he sees my lacy red bra, and he dips his head, pressing kisses across my chest that sear my skin.
He slides his large hands under my back, and aft
er fumbling for a moment, he gets the clasp of my bra undone. Lifting it from my body, he tosses the bra aside, his eyes filled with desire as he cups my breasts in his rough hands. I let out a gasp when his thumbs rub circles over the sensitive nipples, my breath catching when he bends down to take one in his mouth, rolling it between his teeth. My chest heaves with my heavy breathing. I shift my hips, trying to rub against him, to gain the friction I so desperately need, but he shifts down, pulling his head away.
“Shit, you’re fucking perfect,” he groans. He runs his hands down my stomach, fingers trailing under the band of my jeans. Popping the button, he slowly slides down the zipper. As I lie in anticipation, he reaches behind him to pull off my boots, tossing them toward my closet. Hooking his fingers into my jeans, he pulls them down and throws them over his shoulder. I should feel exposed in my lacy underwear, but I don’t. I feel beautiful and completely wanted.
Jace grips behind my knees and spreads my legs, leaning forward to run his nose up my center. “Fuck, you smell good,” he groans. He rips my underwear down my legs and spreads me for him again, his eyes locked on me. I’m so wet, and I know he can see it.
Jace gives me no time to react before he lowers his mouth to my pussy, his thumbs spreading me. His wicked tongue runs up and down, circling my clit. Moaning his name, I arch my back and thread my fingers through his hair.
My hips begin to move of their own accord as he devours me. I’ve been hanging on by a thread since he kissed me in the club, and I know it won’t take much to make me climax. Pushing up to my hands, I watch his tongue work me over, and his eyes lock on mine. I never in a million years thought that would be so damn hot, but his eye contact makes me bite my bottom lip, sweat breaking out over my skin.
With his eyes still locked on mine, he slides two fingers inside me, instantly curling them while he tries to find that special spot. It doesn’t take him long, and I cry out at the sensation it causes. Jace hollows his cheeks and sucks my clit into his mouth while his fingers move faster, stroking that spot, and I drop down to the bed, my back arching as I begin to convulse around his fingers, my legs shaking with the intensity of my orgasm.
Gently, he slows his movements, coaxing me through the last of my climax, wringing every bit of pleasure he can. Through half-lidded eyes, I watch him wipe his mouth on the back of his hand, a cocky smile on his face. Standing from the bed, he rips his shirt off, and I’m finally awarded with the first look at his bare chest. He’s tall and lean, built like a swimmer with a toned six-pack and a smattering of light chest hair. His eyes on me, he undoes the button on his pants, the noticeable bulge in his pants painful-looking.
In one swift move, Jace yanks down his jeans and boxer briefs, his hard cock bouncing against his lower stomach. I swear, my mouth waters at the sight of him, long and thick. He’s gonna feel freaking amazing. Reaching for his wallet that fell out of his pants, he grabs a condom and winks at me.
“I only have one of these, so we’re gonna have to make the most of it.”
“Hurry up,” I groan.
Tearing the foil with his teeth, he rolls the condom down his hard shaft, then climbs back onto the bed and settles himself on top of me, his cock nudging at my entrance. Cupping my face with one hand, he takes my lips with his, the kiss unhurried and lazy. His tongue tangles with mine, and I feel his other hand reach down between us. He sucks my bottom lip between his teeth at the same time he begins to enter me, my body stretching to accommodate him. I cry out into his mouth, and he hooks his arm under my waist.
Slowly he begins to move, and I swear his cock touches places inside of me that have never been touched before. Every nerve ending in my body is on fire, like I’ve been zapped with a live wire. Jace pants into my mouth as he rocks his hips, the need slowly building between us.
“Jace,” I whisper against his lips.
“You feel like heaven, Stella.”
Wrapping my legs around his narrow waist, I meet him thrust for thrust, the muscles in his back bunching beneath my fingers. Jace grunts loudly into my mouth, and a drop of sweat runs down his temple. Grabbing my leg, he hitches it up higher, and his cock rubs within me in just the right way. Tearing my lips from his, I throw my head back and moan, my voice echoing off the walls. Jace runs his tongue up my sweaty neck, and I swear he growls against my skin.
“Jace… I can’t….”
“You can. Let me take you there, baby.”
I don’t know if it’s the endearment or the deep husk of his voice, but I shudder under him, my second orgasm building fast. Sitting up, Jace takes me with him, and I straddle his lap, that delicious cock still deep inside me. He grabs my ass and helps me move up and down, his face buried in my neck.
Gripping his shoulders, I ride him as hard as I can, the need coiling in my lower belly. We’re both sticky with sweat, and my hands slide off his shoulders, grabbing his biceps tight. Jace groans, and I use one of my hands to grip his hard chest, the hair soft under my fingers.
“Shit, I’m so damn close,” he bites out, and I nod, my forehead falling to his. Circling my hips, I arch my back when he thrusts up on one of my down strokes, causing him to bottom out inside me. “Stella.”
“I’m coming,” I moan, hips moving at an impossibly faster speed, grinding my clit against the base of his cock, my legs shaking.
Jace wraps his arms around my hips and begins to fuck me, his own orgasm creeping up. In just a handful of thrusts, he slams me down onto him and buries his face in my sweaty neck once more, a loud bellow vibrating off my skin. I hold him to my chest as we both breathe heavily, our bodies shivering with the aftershocks.
Jace rolls us over and lays us down, kissing me with a gentleness that almost takes my breath away. Carefully, he pulls out, and with a kiss to the tip of my nose, he moves into my en suite bathroom. I hear the sink come on and I roll over, completely sated and exhausted.
He comes back a minute later, a washcloth in his hands. He gently cleans me up, and after throwing it into my hamper, he climbs back into the bed, pulling me against his hard chest. I try to keep my eyes open, but it’s no use. In minutes I’m falling asleep, and the last thought I have is that I hope we can do that again before he leaves.
§
Slowly waking up, I roll over and find myself alone in my bed. I sit up, the blanket pooling in my lap as I yawn loudly. Climbing out of bed, I make a stop in my bathroom to empty my bladder and brush my teeth. As I head out to the living room, I prepare myself to be disappointed if Jace took off, but the banging noises coming from my kitchen tell me otherwise. Carefully peeking into my kitchen, I have to suppress a laugh when I see the mess on my counters.
He’s standing with his back to me, wearing a pair of impossibly tight jeans and a white tee. His hair looks darker, still damp at the ends. He’s attempting to cook breakfast, but from what I can see, it’s a lost cause.
While his attention is still on the stove in front of him, I slip into the kitchen and step up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind.
“Morning, Stella.” He chuckles, spinning around to drop a kiss to my lips.
“Morning. You smell good,” I say, leaning forward to bury my nose in his neck.
“Ran home to shower, and now I’m making us breakfast.”
“I can see that,” I joke, moving around him to pick up what I’m assuming started as a pancake but resembles more of a piece of charcoal. “Should I throw this out in the yard, start a campfire?” I joke.
With a laugh, Jace grabs me around the waist and hoists me up onto the counter.
“I know, I’m a man who can’t cook. Shocking, right?”
“Not even a little,” I tease, kissing him as I wind my arms around his neck.
“You could have cleaned up here, you know,” I say softly.
“I didn’t want to be presumptuous. I actually only live a couple miles from here, so it didn’t take long.”
Shaking my head, I place a kiss to his lips, unable to believe a man
like him even exists.
“Why don’t you go take a shower, and I’ll clean this mess up. We can go somewhere for breakfast,” he says, brushing my hair off my face.
“Give me ten minutes.”
Hopping down, I head back to my bathroom to get ready. Pulling my hair up on top of my head, I hop into the shower and hurry through my routine. When I’m finished, I step into my bedroom to get dressed. Pulling on my favorite jean shorts and a pink tank, I shove my feet into my Birkenstock sandals and decide I’m good to go. I don’t bother with any makeup, but I do pinch my cheeks a little to bring some color to them.
I find Jace waiting for me in the living room, his feet up on the coffee table. He’s looking down at something on his phone, and I take a moment to just stand there and drink him in. He’s got just the right amount of stubble, and his dark blond hair is brushed back off his face. He’s freaking beautiful. Weird to call a grown man in his thirties beautiful, but he really is.
“You ready?” I ask, making my presence known.
“You know it.”
Standing from the couch, he grabs his keys from his pocket and strides over to the front door, unlocking it and then holding it open for me. With a smile, I grab my purse from the entry table and head out after him, locking the door behind us.
“So where are we going?” I question, stomach growling loudly.
“You ever been to that diner a couple blocks over?”
“No, but I’ve heard good things about it.”
Jace holds the passenger door open for me, and I climb inside, watching him jog around the hood. A second later he drops down behind the wheel, looking at me with a huge grin.
“Their food is amazing.”
With a roar of the engine, we pull out of my driveway. Jace rolls the windows down, and I grab my sunglasses from my purse. It’s a beautiful day already, and it’s only just begun.
I’m looking out the window when I feel a hand on my bare thigh. I find Jace focused on the road, his rough hand gripping my leg. Reaching down, I thread our fingers together and lean over to kiss his cheek.