by Ashley Munoz
A slow smile worked itself across her face, making the skin near her eyes wrinkle and stretch. Her arm shot up as she stretched against my chest, and there was absolutely zero chance of her not feeling my hard-on.
The second she did, she paused.
“Jace,” she whispered softly, like it was a secret she was too ashamed to address out loud.
“Faith,” I whispered back.
The silence that followed was heavy. The lies I’d been carrying for the past few years, the things that had ripped us apart…it all sat sandwiched between us. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking, but I knew I wanted to start unraveling some of these strings that had bound us in dishonesty these last few years.
I was ready to start talking, admitting, explaining, but the timing just didn’t feel right. Her fingers gently grabbed the hem of my shirt and began to push it upward. Goosebumps broke out along my skin at her delicate touch. She continued to push up until she had a view of the tattoos. Tracing them with her finger, she finally said, “Those letters were beautiful…” She let out a soft sigh, which made my gut clench tight. “When did you get these done?”
Propping my head up with my hand, I gazed down at her. “After you left.”
Her eyes darted up to mine and stayed glued there for a few silent seconds, at which point I took the opportunity to cover her hand that was on my heart with my own hand.
Those gentle blue eyes lowered to my lips as she asked, “So…the Dear Pip one?”
I moved my hand down to her hip, where I lifted her shirt up an inch and traced circles on her skin. “It killed me, Faith, fucking ruined me that you moved on, married him so easily, so fast. The first tattoo…I started after I heard you were dating him. I had no extra cash, none, but I knew a guy. Then I got the rest after I got out of jail.” I watched her, ensuring she wasn’t recoiling or moving away from me. Moving my fingers, I continued. “I’m sorry I’ve been so mean…it’s just…seein’ you back here, it was difficult not to react and be hurt over everything that happened.”
She nodded slowly, carefully.
“I wish you’d tell me everything that happened.”
I wanted to. Fuck, I wanted to so badly, but how could I spill it all now? She’d think I was just trying to capitalize on the fact that her husband was an abusive dick. She’d assume I just wanted into her pants. I needed to show her I was better than that, show her I could take my time, build this thing up, and then explain it all.
“I will, in time, I promise.”
She nodded while seeming to fight a few tears. I pushed my hand from her hip to her back and rubbed the skin there, bringing her a centimeter closer to me. She brought her hand up to my face, examining my hairline and the space close to my ears.
“You’re still so handsome. You’ve always been good-looking, but you grew up to be somethin’ else entirely.” A bit of her hidden drawl broke through in her examination.
I wanted to laugh, make a joke about it, but my throat was tight as she continued stroking my hair and slowly, ever so softly moved the pads of her fingers down to the corner of my eye and farther to the bridge of my nose, until she was tracing my lips. “Jace, can I ask you for something?” She leaned into me, nearly pushing against my hard-on, which almost made me groan.
“Anything,” I whispered.
“Kiss me? I know what I said yesterday, but I feel like I need to just see if…”
I cut her off, smashing my lips to hers. She let out a small sound of surprise then relaxed into it. It was an unhurried, measured kiss, like time slowed down and stopped just for this moment. Her hands went into my hair as she pushed further against me, increasing the speed of our kiss.
“Jace…” She exhaled against my lips. My name was a plea, a moan, something she had said when we made love as teenagers. I moved until I was hovering over her. She was flat beneath me, hands still plunged into my hair, lips sealed to mine. She bucked her hips upward, eliciting a groan from me.
Our chests heaving and begging for air spoke the words we couldn’t…or wouldn’t. They said what we were, what we still had wasn’t just a spark—it was the whole damn fire, burning down forests, billowing smoke and steam. We had the entire thing still locked inside each other, and all we had to do was let it out.
“I don’t want to do something you’re going to regret,” I muttered against her skin as I made my way down her throat, kissing every creamy, soft inch.
“I could never regret you, Jace, not anything we do or have ever done. Never,” she rasped harshly as she pushed those fingers into my hair and pressed her lips to mine.
I lifted her shirt, exposing her breasts. Sitting back for a moment, I tugged it over her head and relished how perfect she looked.
“This fucking freckle…” I leaned down and traced my tongue over the dark spot on her right breast. My hands were everywhere, gripping those heavy, perfect globes and pulling the hardened nipples into my mouth. “You’re still so fucking perfect,” I whispered as I lowered myself between her legs, licking my way down her flat stomach. Once I traced my tongue near the waistline of her jeans, I looked up to see if she was okay with how fast we were moving. I expected reluctance but found something else entirely: desperation.
Just as I put my fingers to her copper button, we heard a loud shout from downstairs. Faith’s eyes went wide, and I jumped up, looking at the door then quickly running to hold it shut while she got dressed.
“Who is that?” she asked while scrambling for her bra and t-shirt.
“My contractor. I forgot what time they get here in the mornings.” I ruffled my hair, feeling like an idiot. How could I have not remembered that John was coming with his crew this morning? I didn’t want Faith to be embarrassed and in turn regret our night, or worse, our morning together.
Once she had her t-shirt on and was digging for her shoes, I grabbed for my boots and tugged them on. Just as I laced them up, someone shoved the door open.
“Jace? Oh good, you are up here. John was just asking for ya.” Gavin, one of the foremen, raked his greedy eyes over Faith, who was slowly standing up, grabbing the blanket we’d slept beneath. I ground my teeth together as his eyes stayed glued to her, a warm smile lighting up his face. “Hi, I’m Gavin. I’m—” I shoved him out the door and down the hall before he could finish. “Hey, what the hell?” he argued as I kept shoving him.
“She’s not available,” I muttered through clenched teeth, looking toward the stairs, slowing down the shoving. “I’ll be down in a second.” I turned back to see Faith trailing us, clutching that blanket to her chest. I grabbed her hand and smiled. “Hey, want that tour?”
She smiled up at me and nodded.
I tried not to make more than I needed to of the tour. It was just a house; it didn’t matter that I had imagined her in the bed or soaking in the tub. It was nothing that I had been picturing her bare feet on the floors, swollen belly, that sinful smile and those lips on me as I kissed her against the bedroom door, that left ring finger wearing my ring.
“So, upstairs, we’ve got three bedrooms, one you’ve seen…” I cleared my throat, walking toward another bedroom, slightly bigger than the one we’d been in the previous night. “All have smaller walk-in closets, and there’s a bathroom across the hall.” I walked out, toward the back of the hall, until I approached the master. “This is the master.” I moved aside and let Faith walk past me. It was spacious, with a massive walk-in closet and attached bathroom. She took measured steps across the floor until she got to the floor-to-ceiling window that took up half the back wall.
“Jace, I’m so proud of you,” she said on a sigh, tracing a finger down the side of the window. “This is just…incredible.” She turned and smiled at me. I tried not to soak it up, but my damn heart took it and latched on, eating up her praise. She moved to the bathroom and took in the double sink, huge soaking tub, and walk-in shower. She gazed at, ran her finger along, and smiled at each small thing she found. I found myself watching and waiting for that sma
ll crinkle near her eyes.
We moved downstairs, where John and Gavin were putting up drywall, something I was supposed to be helping with. I winced and waved at them, and they each gave me a thumbs-up with winks and bouncing eyebrows. Faith admired the bottom level the same way she had the upper, smiling and gasping over the view from the kitchen.
“Jace! Oh my gosh, is that McGrady’s tree farm?” Her eyes lit up, blazing with questions.
I blushed, hating that she was remembering that time we’d talked about where we’d live one day, when’d she said, “Right in the middle of McGrady’s tree farm would be nice, that way I can eat all the peaches I want.” It was the reason I’d taken her there after graduation. We’d had such big plans, and I hadn’t meant to build my house here, but maybe it was fate. It had just been a good-sized lot for a decent price.
“It’s no mansion, Faith. Nothing that special…I’m just ready to get out of that damn trailer park.” I resisted the strange feeling that was worming its way through me at her excitement.
She walked over, standing in front of me. She threw her arms around my neck and looped her fingers into my hair. “Jace Walker, don’t you dare downplay this. I hated living in a mansion. I moved into the smallest room available because it felt less lonely. It wasn’t a home. This…” She looked down, her face flushing pink. “This is a home.” She let me go and walked toward the front door. “We should probably head back.”
Twenty-Four
The flashing green light on my phone caught my attention, causing me to lurch to the side and grip the device in a deathlock.
I pressed the side button to bring the screen to life and eagerly opened my texting app.
Jace: Did you fall asleep on me?
I cracked a smile and swiped my response.
Me: It was two in the morning—don’t you have a business to run?
Jace: Yeah, about that…I found two more signs around town yesterday. I’m getting tired of tearing them down.
Me: Well maybe they’ll stop going up if you bring me some breakfast.
I watched the little dots appear and disappear for a few seconds, a little blob of guilt simmering in my belly. I’d had the Mustard Seed auto signs made up, paying extra for a few to be done quickly, but I had no actual plans of opening an auto shop in Collierville—or anywhere, for that matter. My only future goals were to get divorced. Still, I wasn’t ready to fold with Jace. I’d been burned one too many times by the men in my life to hand over all the cards just yet.
Jace: You’re lucky you’re beautiful.
I closed the app, rolled over in my bed, and stared at my ceiling. The smile on my face wouldn’t budge and hadn’t for the past three days, since our morning at his house.
After our moment in the kitchen, Jace had driven us through a drive-through to get breakfast. I hadn’t been through one in years, so I’d ordered a big fat breakfast platter so I could taste a little bit of everything. Jace had made fun of me, but I didn’t care. I felt like Rapunzel finally being let out of her castle tower, getting a chance to experience the world for the first time.
He had called Seth, and the two of them had unloaded the back of his truck into my apartment. I’d called Gemma, and she had come over and helped me sort the groceries. She’d also kept giving me the look, the one that said Spill!, but I wasn’t ready.
We’d all eaten lunch together, after which Seth and Gemma left, leaving Jace and me all alone in the apartment. As sexually charged as things had been in the bedroom that morning, we were surprisingly shy with one another in the apartment. Jace kept smiling and dipping his face, like we’d just met and he was trying to flirt. It was the cutest thing I’d ever seen and caused an eruption of fluttering in my stomach. We ended up exchanging numbers, and since then we hadn’t stopped texting.
It felt like we were in high school again.
I slid out of bed and headed to the bathroom to start the shower. Sunlight spilled in through my large bay windows and warmed the wood floors as my toes padded across the open space. Now that I had furniture and curtains, the place felt like home.
I wanted to invite Jace over for dinner, but I was still hesitant with everything hanging in the void regarding my divorce. Also, if I was honest, I was having a few trust issues with Jace. What if he just ripped the rug out from under me again? What if something just clicked in him again like it had when we were nineteen and he just left? I couldn’t go through that again.
I was drying my hair with a white fluffy towel when I heard a knock at the door. Still cautious from what had happened with Bryan, I carefully peeked through the privacy hole and was pleasantly surprised by the array of color I found there.
Swinging the door open, I smiled and watched for that slow grin to break out on Jace’s face. It was something I was getting reacquainted with.
“Flowers for you,” he murmured while moving past me into the apartment. I carefully wrapped my fingers around the burlap that contained the bundle of wildflowers. Memories slammed into me from when he’d tuck them into the spines of our books.
I shut the door and smiled as I took in his appearance. Wearing a thick-navy t-shirt with his shop logo in the corner, black hair slicked to the side, and day-old scruff running along his jaw, he was the good dream you have after waking from a horrific nightmare; he was my entire undoing.
I took the assortment of flowers and held them to my nose as I sauntered toward the counter. “Thank you,” I whispered, trailing him as he made his way to the kitchen. He set down a plastic bag and two coffees. I moved toward them and reached for one of the cups, but Jace slowly moved it to the right, forcing my arm to cross his body.
“I brought you breakfast,” he rumbled, drowning me with that cold stare of his.
I swallowed my nerves and matched his smile. “And what do you want for it?”
He twisted toward me and dipped his head, watching me from under his long lashes, then let out a little laugh. “Kiss me.”
I smiled and felt that fluttery feeling come back with full force. We hadn’t kissed since that morning in the room, so I wasn’t sure what would happen if we did. I had been ready to have sex with the man that morning, and we nearly had, but now I felt nervous. He must have sensed my hesitation. He muttered a soft “Small steps” against my temple as he kissed my hairline.
I tipped my head back, stood on my tiptoes, and dared him with my own stare. Gripping his shirt, I pressed a kiss to his mouth.
His arms shifted me until I was sliding to the right along the counter, putting me in front of him and allowing his long arms to cage me in. My arms went around his neck as he deepened our kiss.
It was like we’d never ended, like we’d never broken each other’s hearts, never walked away from the one true thing in both our lives. He let out a groan as his hands moved up my sides and dug into the flesh that barely showed where my shirt had risen. I flushed and leaned my head back, breaking the kiss, because if I didn’t, I’d give away the entire farm without finding out if the farmer had any intention of keeping it.
I also couldn’t help that annoying thing that kept scratching at my consciousness. As much as I hated to even consider it, I wanted this Bryan chapter behind me before I started having sex again. I didn’t know why it mattered, but after reflecting for a few days, I realized it did.
“So, what’s on the agenda today?” Jace asked, handing me my coffee and kissing the small space beside my eye. The intimacy of it made my breath hitch.
“I have a meeting with Gemma. Bryan gets served today, and now that those pictures were leaked, we aren’t sure how it’ll go.” I moaned as I bit into the sugary donut he’d brought me.
Jace cleared his throat and asked, “So you’re really going through with the divorce then?”
I eyed him, confused. “Yes, of course…”
“It’s just that the other day at your parents’ house, he seemed so…”
“Full of himself? In love with me?” I offered, trying to help him fill in the bla
nk.
“Confident—not like a man about to go through an ugly divorce. By the way…” He leaned closer to me. “I’m so fucking sorry I didn’t hear you out that day. I’m so sorry I left you there.”
I swallowed the remainder of the donut and watched his throat bob.
“Did he hurt you?” he whispered, running the pad of his thumb across my hairline.
I lifted my shirt sleeve higher so he could see my arm. “Just grabbed me hard, but I got out of there before too much damage could be done.”
Jace’s hard stare traced the small bruised indents from where Bryan’s fingers had wrapped around my upper arm.
“I still can’t believe I just left you like that…” His gruff statement came out cold and full of regret.
I shook my head. “You didn’t know. I would have done the same. Let’s forget it and just focus on this…on us.” I blushed, spreading my arms wide, not sure why I’d just put myself out there like that. There wasn’t an ‘us’ to focus on, just a few kisses and heated moments.
“Hey, when did these arrive?” Jace asked, moving toward the living room. I smiled and met him near the soft leather recliners he’d eyed in IKEA, the ones I’d ordered the next day.
“Yesterday.”
He rubbed his hand over the leather in reverence. “Nice choice.”
I wanted to lay it all out there, because I wasn’t good at holding my proverbial poker hand this close to my chest. I wanted to tell him I’d bought them because he said he liked them, and I was already picturing them set up in his living room, facing that massive window, overlooking the orchard.
Instead of saying all that, I merely hummed a response.
“So, dinner tonight?” I asked, smiling up at him. He still had to go to work, and I wanted him to know it mattered to me that he’d driven here, knowing he had to go back, but again, I didn’t want to be that pathetic girl he used to know, the one who was a love-sick puppy. So, I kept that little piece of gratitude to myself.