by Green, Maree
He sighed again, heavily, then ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. The whole thing with Kacey and Violet weirded me out, I mean, it’s backwards. What kind of girl spreads rumors that she slept with a guy? Isn’t that what the guy’s supposed to do?”
I had to agree. Why would they want to look like sluts? But then again, the guys were on their way to stardom. They probably thought it’d make a good story later. “You could’ve denied it.”
He pursed his lips. “I probably could’ve. I wanted to for you, but…” He frowned and looked down at his hands. “I wasn’t expecting your reaction. Mainly because I didn’t actually do anything with those girls, but also because it made me realize, whether you know it or not, you’re looking for a proper relationship – but without anyone knowing.”
He looked back up into my eyes, and as his words sunk in, I felt all the air leave my lungs. Of course, I’d figured out what he was saying on my own, but hearing him say it out loud like that just cemented it for me. He was right.
“Realizing that kind of surprised me, and I wasn’t sure what to do with it,” he admitted.
I blinked at him. I knew I wanted him, and I knew I wanted him just for myself. I think secretly I did want everyone to know. I just didn’t want the attention that would come from it. And that, basically, was the root of the problem.
“There’s still so much I don’t know about you, Mia. I mean, I know you find being around a lot of people hard, and that’s probably the reason why you haven’t ever dated – so, I’m guessing that even though you’re sub-consciously looking for a real commitment, you’re probably not ready for one, and that’s the part I’m struggling with.”
Yep. He hit the nail on the head. I stared down at my duvet, not able to meet his eyes while I dealt with the truth in his words.
“I really like being with you Mia – and not just for sex.”
I looked up at him, a little surprised by his bluntness.
His lips twitched with a tiny smile. “And believe me when I say that’s saying something, because you are fucking incredible in bed.”
My cheeks heated with the blush that rushed to them, and Jace whispered a soft laugh, but as he watched me, his expression slowly turned back to serious. “Look, I’m not exactly sure how to say this, so I’m just going to say it and hope to God it doesn’t sound presumptuous or cold.” He swallowed. “I want to go back to what we had before.”
I watched him stand up and move to sit on the bed in front of me. My pulse was racing with excitement.
“I know I shouldn’t. I know that with where the band’s headed I should be thinking of keeping you as far from that as possible...but it seems I’m a selfish prick because I want you, and I don’t want to do it without you. I’ll do whatever you want, Mia. Just tell me what you’re comfortable with and I’ll do it.”
My breath was stuck in my chest. Was he really asking me what I thought he was? I exhaled heavily. “I want to be with you too, but the thought of you with someone else makes me a little crazy...”
Jace reached out and gently took my hand. “So, you want us to be exclusive...that’s fine by me – I don’t want to be with anyone else...”
Holy shit. “You don’t?”
He laughed softly at my expression. “Believe me, Mia, it’s no sacrifice on my part to have you exclusively. I want to be with you, and I want everyone to know it.” He watched my eyes widen with horror then smiled sadly. “But I know that’s not something you’ll be comfortable with, so...”
I stared at him for a while, trying to calm my racing thoughts. “I don’t know what to say. This whole situation is just so unexpected...”
He nodded his agreement. “Tell me what you liked about what we were doing before. We can make that a starting point.”
I bit my lip to try to stop a grin from spreading on them. “I liked being with you...and the sex – that was nice...”
He grinned. “Just nice?”
I laughed. “Okay, maybe more than nice...”
“Was it just the sex?”
God, did I tell him everything? I sighed, knowing I probably should. “I’ve kind of liked you for a while – probably since the second time you came to our house back in our freshman year.”
He recoiled, looking stunned. “Really?”
I nodded. “Up until that night in Aspen, I’d known having a real relationship was going to be virtually impossible for me, so it kind of surprised me when we got together that night.” I stared down at the duvet without really seeing it as I remembered how wonderful that night had been.
“After that night of the party though, when you came to my room, I knew I wanted more. I thought being with you casually was better than not being with you at all, but I guess I’m not really that kind of girl. I couldn’t really separate my feelings that way.”
I looked back up to meet his gaze. Relief flashed in his eyes, and I realized he’d been worried about what I was going to say. “So, let’s do it then.”
Wait. What? My eyes widened. “Jace-”
“No. Wait. If you took everyone else out of the equation – took away the obvious worry you feel about having any attention on you, and it was just you and me, would you want to go out with me?”
When he put it like that the answer was easy. Of course I would. “Yes.”
“So we’ll start out how we were before, but this time, we’ll both know it’s more than just sex. No one needs to know...at first...”
The panic was trying to push its way forward again. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’ll be my girlfriend.”
Yeah, that seemed to have done it. He must’ve hit some sort of freeze or mute button, because my brain function just seemed to stop altogether. “I’m...I don’t...how will that work?”
His gaze was intense. “We’ll just make it work. We just have to put more thought into how we can see each other. The other stuff can come later – when you’re more comfortable.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
He shook his head with disbelief. “I just want to be with you, Mia. I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give me.” He watched me while I considered his offer, then added, “But you have to promise me one thing.”
My eyebrows rose. “What?”
“If you hear anything about what I’ve supposedly done, can you please ask me about it first, before you believe anyone?”
I knew the whole girls throwing themselves at him thing was never going to go away. Shit, it was only going to get worse really. “Yeah, but you know once Aiden finds out I won’t have to worry because he’ll be watching you like a hawk. You won’t be able to hide a damned thing from him.”
The look on his face was priceless. “So, you’ll be with me?”
I grinned. “Yes.”
Jace couldn’t hide his elation. He reached out and caressed my face with gentle hands. I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch, then I climbed over the bed until I was in his lap, straddling him. I stared into his eyes, wanting to show him how much he meant to me. “I really do want people to know we’re together. I’m just not ready yet.” My tone was pleading. I wanted him to understand I wasn’t hiding our relationship for any other reason.
“I know, beautiful. We’ll get there. Just trust me, okay?”
Our kiss was slow and careful at first, but our need for each other grew fast, building and deepening with desire until our hands were frantically trying to remove each other’s clothes.
I noticed it the second I ripped his shirt off. “Holy shit.” I looked from his arm to his face and back again. “You got a tattoo? When?”
“After the gig on Friday night.”
I looked at the black swirling lines and patterns in awe. It started just on the edge of his shoulder and ran down his arm, stopping about where the bottom of his shirt sleeve would. I could make out the lettering that made up the name of the band amidst the lines. It looked awesome. It was still a little pink, and he’d obviously pu
t some ointments on it because it was shiny, but it was healing really well.
“It’s incredible. I love it.” I looked up at him, heat surging through me. “It’s so fucking hot.”
Fire ignited in Jace’s eyes, and before I could even blink, he rolled us so he was lying on top of me, his hands loving and sure as he stroked my bare skin. I reached for him, running my hands over his back, feeling the smooth muscular shape of his body down to where his jeans hung low on his hips. I could feel his erection pressing into me, and heat instantly flared between my thighs. I moaned with the need I had for him.
His kisses moved to my jaw, my neck, my collarbone. I pulled him harder against me, thrusting my hips up to meet his hardness. He groaned, and the sound of it sent me wild. My hands quickly went to the button on his jeans. He lifted himself off me a fraction, giving me the room I needed to work the button and zipper free, as he continued to press kisses to my bare skin.
Then he was pulling himself up, kneeling between my legs, and pulling his jeans off. A condom appeared in his hand – I had no idea where that came from, and he quickly ripped it open and rolled it on.
When he lowered himself back on top of me, I pulled him into me without waiting for anything else, needing him right then and there. Tipping my head back, I moaned at how good he felt inside me. “Oh, Jace...”
He breathed heavily against my neck. “God, Mia, you always feel so good.”
His words were like pure adrenalin. My fingers tensed against his back, and I pressed him closer, tilting my hips to take him deeper. His pace quickened, and his mouth was suddenly claiming mine, his tongue searching, caressing, and tangling.
Before too long, I could feel that wonderful tension building, growing to such a height I was almost afraid to let it go. “Jace...” I said breathlessly.
“Come with me, baby.”
His voice was tight and full of desire, and it instantly brought me undone. My body arched and convulsed, flooded with wave after wave of unadulterated pleasure. “Oh, God!”
He kissed me again, and the pure erotic dance of his tongue strung my orgasm out even longer. I whimpered into his mouth, kissing him back with all the raging emotions that were coursing through my body.
When I finally came down, my body relaxing beneath his, he finally broke the kiss, pressing his lips to the soft curve of my neck as he focused on slowing his breathing. I held him to me, one hand cupping the back of his neck, while the other pressed against his lower back.
Before I could register what he was doing, he rolled onto his back, pulling me along with him so I was lying on top of him. I squealed then giggled, but then Jace moved so he was sliding out of me, and the unexpected tingling sensation from it made me gasp.
Jace looked up at me, his face filled with emotion. Gently, he took my face between his hands and pulled me down to kiss him. I kissed him softly, barely skimming my lips across his, then I took a tiny bite at his lower lip, softly nipping at it.
Jace groaned, forcing my mouth hard against his, kissing me passionately. For some reason though, I giggled. He sighed and let his head fall back against the bed with a playful scowl.
“I thought you were going to a party,” I teased.
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Why would I go to a party when you’re naked and sitting on top of me?”
“Are you saying I should get off?”
“That is the exact opposite of what I’m saying...” His phone beeped from somewhere beside the bed, interrupting us. Shifting so I was still in his arms, he reached for his jeans and found his phone. “It’s Aiden, wondering where I am.”
I sighed. “You should probably go...”
Jace pulled me closer to him with one arm while his thumb ran over the screen. “Nope. Not a chance in hell. I’m just going to tell him I can’t be bothered. Besides, he’ll be trying for another piece of Carly. Unlike me with Violet, he really did hook up with her.”
I rolled my eyes and laughed softly. “Yeah, whatever. But, seriously, Mom will probably be home in an hour or so, so you’ll have to go soon anyway.”
He frowned at me and sighed. “What time do you think she’ll be home? I’ll stay until then, and then I’ll decide what I’m doing.”
I grinned. “I think we’ve got at least an hour...”
Jace threw his phone to the side and pulled me closer. “What could we possibly do for an hour?”
Chapter 22
Jace
The first thing on my mind when I woke was Mia. I was so fucking happy she said yes, I wanted to immortalize that feeling in a song. So I did. The lyrics were now done, and they were perfect. I knew I couldn’t have explained what she did to me any better than that.
As I lay in bed, I wondered how she would react when I played it for her. I wasn’t sure when that would be. I wanted to make sure she was comfortable with what we’d agreed on before I sprang that kind of shit on her.
My biggest problem was that the guys were hounding me to hear it. I knew they didn’t understand why I was being so secretive. As far as they were concerned, I had nothing different going on in my life, but I knew the second they heard those lyrics, they would know I was falling for a girl, and they would want to know who she was.
My phone beeped from my bedside table. When I picked it up, I saw there was a text from Aiden.
Beach today. 10am.
The fuck? I glanced out the crack in my curtains and saw the sun bright and all fucking shiny, but was it hot enough for the beach? Fuck that.
I don’t think so
I opened the weather app on my phone to check and saw there was supposed to be a high of sixty-five today. Well, how about that.
Fuck you. You’re coming. Carly said everyone’s going.
I smiled. If Aiden was going to the beach, I could go see Mia.
No thanks. Have fun!
I threw my phone down on my bed and pulled on a shirt. Mom still hadn’t seen my tat yet, and I didn’t want that argument this morning. Even though I was eighteen and could do what I wanted, I still respected her opinion.
I’d just pulled out a fresh pair of jeans when my phone beeped again. If it was Aiden again, I wasn’t responding. When I saw Mia’s name, I smiled.
You’d better be coming to the beach!
I frowned at her message. She was going to the beach?
Are you serious? I thought it’d give me the perfect excuse to come see you!
Her response was quick.
Not possible. Mom’s home.
Fuck. I hadn’t thought about that.
You’re really going to the beach?
I thought it’d be worth it if I got to see you...
Fuck yes it would, but I wouldn’t be able to touch her. That part sucked royally. I didn’t want to complain though. I had a feeling going to the beach was a big step for her.
I’ll text Aid to pick me up ;)
xx
Begrudgingly, I typed a quick message to Aiden and hit send.
Fine. I’ll go. Pick me up on your way.
That’s more like it. Carly said Melissa will be there, so you can make up for your soft cock effort last night.
I scowled at his message. After I left Mia last night, I’d gone to the party. I didn’t want to go. I wanted to show her that I didn’t care about that sort of shit, but she told me to go have fun and check on Aiden while I was there.
Aiden had been as pissed as a nit by the time I’d gotten there. So were the majority of the girls, and they’d pounced on me like I was the last man on earth. After just having left Mia, I couldn’t stand having them even touching me.
Aiden had been with Carly again, and apparently she’d decided to help Melissa score with me. Yeah, I was real fucking happy with that.
After spending the next two hours ignoring her blatant come-ons, I dragged Aiden’s ass out of there and made sure he got home safely.
Knowing they were still intent on hooking me up pissed me off. I knew Aiden didn’t really give a fuck, he just wanted Ca
rly to be happy so she’d put out, but I wished he’d just leave it the fuck alone.
Having a quick shower, I threw on some board shorts and a shirt, and grabbed a towel. Saying a quick hi to Mom, I gave Ruby a kiss and cuddle and went out the front to meet Aiden.
Mia was sitting in the back seat when he pulled up, and I was tempted to jump in there with her, but I refrained myself and climbed in the passenger seat instead.
“Hey, man, thanks,” I said before turning sideways in my seat to look at Mia. I couldn’t help the little smile from sliding onto my lips. “Hi, Mia.”
She smiled sweetly and blushed. “Good morning.”
I gazed out the windscreen as Aiden drove, only half listening to him going on about some shit from the party the night before. Most of my awareness was on Mia, sitting quietly in the back with her towel folded neatly on her lap.
“So, you’re going to go Melissa today aren’t you?” I heard Aiden say somewhere out of my haze.
Fuck me. I groaned. “Man, I told you last night. I’m not interested in her.”
“Don’t give me that shit. You fuck anything that moves. Just do it for me. It’ll get Carly off my fucking back.”
I clenched my jaw. I wanted to fucking punch him. If he made Mia re-think her decision to be with me, I fucking would. “Sort your own fucking shit out. I’m not going there.”
A slight soft clearing of throat from the backseat stopped the next words out of Aiden’s mouth. “Do you think you two could maybe have this conversation when I’m not around?”
Aiden looked in the rear view mirror and smiled apologetically. “Sorry, baby girl. I forgot you were there. You’re too quiet.”
“Gee, good to know. Glad I’m practically invisible.”
I wanted to tell her just how visible she was to me, but I couldn’t. Not yet.
Aiden pulled into the parking lot and found a spot right near a track that led down to the beach. I climbed out and walked around to the front of the car.
I saw Aiden open Mia’s door and wished it was me. It was already fucking driving me insane not being able to do that for her. When I saw her pause halfway out of the car and look up at Aiden with a slight panicked look on her face, I was ready to fucking rip him out of the way.