Jace

by T. A. Grey

  Now that she’d had some time to calm down and really think about things, she didn’t feel the same as she had. Did she really think Jace was anything like Corey? As she learned more and more about him, that possibility stretched further and further away. At least when it came to intimate play they had no problems.

  Today at work, before the bad news came, she had such a great time with Jace. Pulling him into that room to pleasure him had been one of the naughtiest things she’d ever done. But it was only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what she wanted to do with Jace. Because she wanted to experience it all with him.

  Mara dressed and went to rejoin him. The house smelled of tangy barbeque sauce and juicy meat. Her mouth watered. She didn’t find him in the kitchen. The back door was open and a light on. She found Jace leaning against the railing of his deck. He had woods surrounding his house. She rather liked it. They both had houses buried beneath something. She had willow trees and shrubs, he had a forest. His house even had a fence all around the edge of the property with cameras watching 24/7.

  “Why do you have such an expensive security system for your house? Are you afraid of being robbed?” Mara asked, curious.

  Jace turned around. His gaze warmed her as it roamed over her body. The shorts and T-shirt she wore suddenly felt scandalous under his heated gaze.

  “I won’t sell anything I wouldn’t use myself. I also enjoy my privacy out here. I don’t want hunters, bums, or lost people drifting onto my land. And I really don’t want them messing with my house. I like my things just the way they are.”

  “You know, when you say it like that, I agree. I could have used a system like yours last night.” The smile died on his face. She’d meant it as a joke. “I was joking.”

  “I’m sorry, Mara. That was my fault last night. I should have had the cameras installed the first day you came to me. Then we would have him on camera. You’d have proof he violated the Order of Protection you have against him. With the slew of other suspected crimes he’s involved in he’ll be locked away for years,” Jace said.

  Mara followed him back into the kitchen. He pulled what looked like pork chops smothered in a mouth-watering barbeque sauce out of the oven.

  “Can you set the table?” he asked.

  As soon as the table was ready, Jace plated the meat on it with some string beans on the side. Simply delicious.

  They dug into their food with relish. Halfway through her plate she started to slow. “What’s your favorite movie?” she asked, picking up their earlier conversation.

  “Steel Magnolias,” he answered immediately.

  Mara burst out laughing so hard she snorted at his witty response. “It is not, you liar!”

  He looked at her with a deadpan expression. “It is. Pink is my signature color,” he quoted from the movie.

  Mara lost it completely then, laughing so loud and hard her sides hurt. Jace couldn’t hold back any longer and he joined her. Tears leaked out of her eyes. “Oh my god. You are too funny. I can’t believe you just pulled that quote from that movie.”

  “I have seen it once or twice. Honestly though, my favorite movie would have to be Rocky,” Jace said. He finished his plate and she did the same.

  “I love Rocky! The Italian Stallion. I once had a friend in high school who loved that movie so much, every Halloween he’d dress up as Rocky from that final scene of the movie. He’d color his eyes to make them look bruised, oil up his body, wear a black wig, white shorts, and his boxing gloves. To this day, it was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.”

  Jace smiled. “That’s definitely not me. If I went as anyone during Halloween it was Apollo Creed. He’s the reason those first three movies are amazing. That man was my idol.”

  Mara’s lips formed an outraged O. “Apollo Creed is so not better than Rocky freaking Balboa. Take it back!” She felt so good having this flirty banter with him. So normal and happy.

  “Excuse me?” He snorted. “Apollo Creed was already the champion before Rocky was even on anyone’s radar. That man was a champion and at the end of the first Rocky, he doesn’t even defeat Apollo. That’s how good the man is. He could only tie Apollo Creed.”

  “Yes, fine, but in Rocky II, rocky totally defeats Apollo Creed,” Mara said.

  “Yes and Rocky can have that win but everyone always makes it out like Rocky’s the best. Remember, Rocky lost that first fight and that second one was close. Even then, Apollo Creed was a bad ass. Look at it this way—the only one capable of putting him down was a Russian boxing machine. That’s how tough Apollo was. He was the man.”

  Mara shook her head. “I don’t even know you. Rock is the best, a boxing god among men. People want to be him.”

  “And he’s slow from all the hits to the head. Apollo still had a clear head on his shoulders after a career of boxing. What did Rocky do? A few matches and he loses IQ point for each punch he takes.”

  Mara giggled. “You are so full of it right now. This is blasphemy I tell you, blasphemy.”

  “The only thing that’s blasphemous is when you stop smiling like that,” he said.

  Mara’s face froze. “What?”

  He didn’t repeat the mind-numbing compliment. Instead he gathered their plates and started washing the dishes. All without another word. Mara squirmed in her seat, uncomfortable and blushing and feeling frisky.

  “Why don’t you go find something on the TV? I’ll be there soon.”

  “Whatever you say, traitor.”

  Mara went to the living room at Jace’s chuckle. She flipped through the channels and found Rocky. Her eyes lit up. This was too perfect. She turned it on and waited for him to come, smiling smugly as she got comfortable on the couch. Maybe by watching the movie with her she could prove to him that Rocky was better than Apollo.

  Jace stopped as soon as he came in the room. His eyes were locked on the TV. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”

  “Nope. I’m going to prove to you once and for all that Rocky is the best boxer ever. Now be quiet, I’m turning this up.” She sat back and cranked up the volume.

  And then he took the seat right next to her. Mara sucked in a breath of nervousness. She’d figured he’d take the other sofa, the three-seater. Instead, he sat next to her on the love seat meant to only fit two. She already had her legs up and reclined; with him so close her leg touched him.

  Mara slowed her thoughts down. She’d been intimate with the man twice so sitting close to him while watching a movie should not be a big deal. But it felt that way because all she wanted to do was lean against him or crawl into his lap to watch the movie. She made a soft sound just thinking about it, a sigh.

  Jace glanced at her. He sat so close he made her heart race.

  “You gonna watch me or the movie?” Jace asked, not looking away from the TV.

  Mara gasped and looked straight ahead. “Jerk.”

  He reached over and folded their hands together. There were so many reasons why she shouldn’t touch him ever again. But there were so many good ones. Like this right here.

  Halfway through the show, Mara could no longer focus on the movie because Jace was rubbing his thumb back and forth on her hand. The touch was soft and gentle yet kept her on edge. She heard dialogue from the movie but all the colors just blended together as all her attention stayed on his thumb.

  As nonchalantly as possible she’d scooted closer to him. He leaned deeper into the sofa with his legs spread open and his body relaxed. Jace was the sexiest man she’d ever seen, especially when he was worry-free like this.

  Little tingles tickled between her legs. She wanted to rub up against him, crawl in his lap and let him hold her. But that would be terrible. She wasn’t even sure why, but just thinking about doing it seemed revealing. She was vulnerable enough with him as it was.

  Wait, who was she kidding? She single-handedly gave him a blowjob while at work today. If she could do that then she could cuddle with him, dang it.

  “I want to cuddle with you,”
she told him, her words daring him to deny her.

  Jace’s eyebrows rose, then he opened his arm to her in the come hug me pose. Mara practically dove into his offering. She curled facing the TV and buried her head across his lap. His hand immediately moved to play with her hair. A sighed escaped her. His touch was heavenly.

  For a little while, Mara found Jace’s touch so soothing she thought she might fall asleep. But oh how wrong she was.

  His hand slipped down to the rounded curve of her shoulder. He stroked her, gently massaged her shoulder muscles. Instead of making her relax, his touch had the opposite reaction. She became alert. The temptation to turn her head the other way in his lap and pull down his zipper was almost too much to bear. She ended up nuzzling into his upper thigh in unsatisfied need.

  The touch was simple but sensual and achingly slow. He took his time but ever so slowly rubbed a warm path down her arms. When he touched the bare skin of her forearms she gasped. Luckily, Rocky was punching a dead cow so Jace couldn’t hear it. The last thing she needed was for Jace to know the power he held over her.

  Time moved at a snail’s pace. Her body was on fire; it took all her strength not to wiggle her hips in need like she wanted to. His touch was driving her mad. She no longer even tried to keep her eyes open. She wanted to roll over on her back so he could really touch her. But she didn’t dare move. Didn’t dare look up at him to see what thoughts swirled around in his mind. If she saw arousal there she wouldn’t be able to help herself. She might end up making love to him again—so not a good idea. She wanted to keep her heart intact. Making love with Jace would only tear her down piece by piece. But…if he went knuckle deep, she wouldn’t mind.

  The thought of his fingers buried knuckle deep inside her was too much and she did a little shimmy and moan.

  Jace’s hand stilled from where it’d been rubbing her stomach. Please, she wanted to beg.

  Side to side he rubbed her stomach. The cotton from her shirt swayed tantalizingly against her skin. It was quite possibly one of the most erotic moments of her life. She lay there panting, awaiting his next touch. So far his pattern had been gradual. Slowly he was moving, touching her in more intimate places. First her hair, then her arm, and stomach. What would be next? Her breasts? Down her shorts?

  Please, God, say yes.

  His hand still wouldn’t move. Why did he stop?

  Mara burrowed closer to his body. Ever so slightly his fingers curled into her shirt. She held her breath, silently telling what she needed.

  And then he moved.

  The arm that had been dangling on the arm of the couch moved to thread through her hair. He rubbed her scalp making her tingle and sigh. He made her feel like melted butter on the inside. Then his fingers were curling and as they moved he pulled her shirt up her torso. The rising shirt exposed her belly button, then her stomach. He kept tugging it up without saying a word. He didn’t acknowledge his sensual torture and neither did she. They were silent culprits to pleasure with the movie doing all the talking for them.

  His palm flattened against her stomach. It was warm and calloused in places.

  Mara fought the reaction to suck in her stomach. She didn’t want to move and ruin this moment. Especially since they were both pretending his hand wasn’t slipping up her bare ribcage to stop just beneath her breast.

  All the moisture evaporated from her mouth. He held his hand there for agonizing minutes. Not moving just leaving her wondering where and if he might touch her. When he finally moved he took her breath away. His hand slid down her stomach. His hand settled in like it was getting comfortable. His thumb hitched into her belly button, fingers dangled over the tops of her shorts.

  At his touch, her legs wanted to spread so he could slide his hand down her underwear and touch her slick lips. There was no denying her need now. It was far too great. Long, agonizing minutes passed before he moved again.

  Mara clung to his thigh with stiff fingers. His fingers started drumming against her. He began with the pinkie, lifted it and dropped it, then did the same thing with his next finger and the next. Over and over. Blooming warmth pulsed inside her body. Arousal softened her every move. Soon the drumming turned to strokes. Every now and then the tip of one finger would slip just a hair beneath her shorts as if by accident.

  Mara was lost in pleasure. Her breasts were heavy, swollen masses with puckered nipples needing to be touched. He must have sensed her agitation because his fingers slipped beneath her shorts. His hand kneaded her like a cat. The breath she was taking got stuck in her throat.

  He slid his hand down but it encountered the line of her panties. Not to be thwarted, he dipped his fingers beneath the band of her underwear and eased his fingers down her wet core.

  Her mouth fell open as she sucked in heavy breaths. They still didn’t acknowledge each other, never said a word to each other, each pretending to watch the movie. Yet they weren’t watching the movie. The need to open her legs and let his hand slide fully between became too much to deny. She was lying on her side in an S pattern so she simply lifted her left knee the barest of inches.

  His hand slid fully to cup her wetness. Her mouth stayed permanently open. There was no denying the rolling, rocking rhythm of her hips. Not when he stuffed her his fingers, working them inside her. His palm grazed her swollen bud back and forth, swaying. Then he ground it against her, the motion so wicked.

  She was surely squeezing the life out of his thick thigh as she held on for dear life. The pleasure was too intense, too good. She’d been too worked up from sucking on his cock earlier. She could still remember how he’d started off so soft but then had turned hard as stone in her mouth. Her channel clenched around his tunneling fingers at the memory. His thigh muscles twitched in reaction.

  They were locked in an erotic symphony.

  Her breaths caught again and again as the pressure inside her grew. Hotter it burned her, sweat slicked her skin, breaths were ragged. She needed more. Unable to stop herself, she trailed her head further up his thigh until she rested against his stomach. She found what she’d been searching for. His cock strained against his jeans. She pressed into it with her cheek, feeling the heat of it pulse against her.

  His hand worked her faster. For a moment she thought she heard his ragged breathing, but when she strained to hear, all she caught was Rocky Balboa talking.

  IT was coming. The pleasure zoomed in fast like a volcano about to explode.

  “Oh! Oh! Oh!” she cried out.

  His fingers slammed into her, pushing her over the edge. The pleasure burst through her body in a rippling wave, stealing her breath away only to slam it back into her lungs. She bowed in his lap, hips bucking against his hand.

  Afterward he softly petted her lips until she came back down. She could go again but there was something she wanted to do so much more.

  Mara rolled over and rubbed her cheek against his erection. The poor thing wanted to be freed. She squeezed him once and Jace’s breaths grew heavy. She moaned a little and kissed his hard shaft though his jeans. He gripped her head with the back of his hand and urged her to do more. Mara moaned and gently sawed his thickness between her teeth. She was rewarded with Jace’s hiss of breath.

  She slowly crawled up his body. His arms came around her. She pressed kisses up his chest over his shirt. Her hands ran up his body and wrapped around his neck as she slid up against him. His eyes were barely open. Burning arousal had him gripped by the fingertips. Mara loved that look. She would remember it for the rest of her life.

  “Jace,” she said on a breath.

  She found his mouth her own, swallowing his groan. He wrapped her up tight in his arms. Chests strained to get closer. Mara pulled back from the kiss, holding his gorgeous, warm face in her hands.

  She waited for him to open his eyes.

  Then she said, “You’re right. Apollo is better.” With one final kiss, she hopped off his lap. “Goodnight.”

  “Wait, what?” His eyes flew open as she backed a
way, grinning.

  “Goodnight, Jace. Thank you for the dinner and the movie. Oh, and for the orgasm too.” She sighed dreamily and winked. “But I’m awfully tired.” She turned to him when she reached the hallway. “Bye, bye now.”

  Jace looked at the ceiling with his mouth hanging open in disbelief. Mara giggled then slipped away to her room. It was good to keep a man like him on edge. That was one way to do it.

  Chapter 11

  Mara found Jace cooking eggs and toast in the kitchen. He’d showered that morning, as she could smell the fresh soap clinging to him. He didn’t turn around to greet her or acknowledge her in any way.

  Maybe she shouldn’t have walked away so flippantly last night. It looks like she’d brushed a nerve. She poured her cup of coffee and faced him. He was stirring the eggs.

  “Still mad, huh?” she asked.

  He slowly shook his head side to side.

  It can’t be the first time a woman left you with a hard-on you had to fix yourself.”

  She was hoping that’d get a response out of him but still he only shook his head and stirred his eggs.

  Mara narrowed her eyes. “Listen, I do feel a little bad, so I’m sorry.” There, an apology. Before she could say anything, else he moved lightning fast. In a flash, he stepped into her space getting into her face. Mara’s spine straightened as she looked up into Jace’s face.

  He looked pissed with his lips pressed flat and eyes stern. He gathered her up in his arms and kissed her. With his help, or really, at his assistance, he put her coffee cup on the counter so she could free her hands to touch him. And she did hold him close as he kissed her like he was teaching her a lesson.

  The toast popped up with a metal clang. Jace slowly ended the kiss. “Next time I won’t let you leave.”

  That’s all he said about. Mara was so flustered by his masculine statement that she didn’t know how to reply. She ended up saying nothing. They ate breakfast and afterward she did the dishes for him.

  “I’d like to call my mom,” she told him.

  “You can use the house phone since I have your cell off. Are you going to tell her about this?” he asked.