As she drove away, Dani saw the puppy jumping all over Jenn while Brian laughed. The tears she had held at bay finally broke through. When they became gut-wrenching sobs, Dani pulled over.
An hour later, she finally made it back to her house.
Chapter 39
Jenn showed up Monday late in the morning. She found Dani in the kitchen doing a final walkthrough with the realtor. She was going to get an appraiser out here to get an estimated value for Dani.
Dani had heard her yell out as she walked in, which gave her time to plaster a gigantic grin on her face. As much as she loved Jenn, she was emotionally wrung out and didn’t really feel up to putting on a happy front right now. But she wanted to answer questions even less, so…she smiled.
As Jenn finally rounded the door into the kitchen, Dani knew immediately that the forced smile wasn’t fooling anyone. Jenn’s eyes tightened, squinting up at the corners. When her lips twisted into a tight little frown, Dani held her breath. She wasn’t going to talk about this; the topic was simply off limits.
When Jenn sighed, forcing a polite smile of her own, Dani felt the breath whoosh out. Jenn would play along, at least for now.
When the business was all done, the house empty, Dani loaded her suitcases into the Land Rover and locked the door one last time. Refusing to think about what she was doing, she kept up the forced smile and asked Jenn if she wanted to go get some coffee or do some shopping before they met up at the bar tonight. Jenn agreed, and after dropping Dani’s stuff at the hotel they headed to the mall.
* * * * *
When they sat down for a cup of coffee, Jenn finally asked the question that had been lurking for a while. “Dani, what happened while we were gone?”
“What do you mean?” Dani replied, acting deliberately vague.
“You know what I mean. Damn it…things looked good when we left. I thought you and Jace would get together. I even thought you might…”
“Might what? Decide to stay?” At Jenn’s half shrug, she continued. “I tried to tell you that wasn’t in the cards for us. Jenn, there is just too much between Jace and me. Things that can’t be forgotten, or I guess even forgiven. I told him. That I knew about Afghanistan, that I had probably even seen it before it happened. He walked out, just like I knew he would. That’s it. It’s done. Whatever you thought was between us, isn’t.”
Dani’s voice was calm, almost distant while she spoke. As if she were talking about the plotline to a movie, not her own life. Jenn sat there, torn. She knew that must have ripped Jace apart, hearing that she could have helped him, could have stopped it from ever happening. Learning that she had known, on some level, and still hadn’t come home. But she saw how much Dani was hurting now. She had no words, nothing to say that could in any way help. So she said nothing, reaching out and squeezing Dani’s hand.
Gazing at Jenn, blankly, Dani finally snapped to, forcing a smile. She glanced at her watch, stood and tossed her coffee in the trash before turning back to Jenn. “You ready? It’s time to head to Hooligan’s.”
* * * * *
Brian had picked Zack up, trying to limit drivers, and they got to the bar a little before seven, when the ladies were due to join them. Bri hadn’t talked to Jace, but figured they’d find him behind the bar. He had gotten the impression last night that something had gone wrong between Jace and Dani while they’d been off on their honeymoon. But, knowing how Jace felt about her, Bri figured he’d still want to say good-bye.
When he got there, he saw Dave behind the bar, not Jace. He’d seen both the bike and the truck in the covered parking, so Bri knew Jace was home. He and Zack grabbed a table, pulling two of them together, then Bri headed upstairs.
He knocked on the door. After several tries with no answer, he turned the knob, figuring Jace was in the shower. As he walked in, his senses were assaulted.
It was pitch black, no lights on and every curtain drawn. The kitchen was a filthy mess; there were clothes everywhere, empty beer bottles on the floor. And the apartment reeked. Reaching back blindly, Bri flipped the switch, turning on the light.
“Turn it back off!” Jace yelled.
Bri saw him, face down on the sofa, three days’ beard on his face, greasy unwashed hair, wearing wrinkled jeans.
“Okay.” Bri flipped the switch.
He had no idea what the hell was wrong, but he figured he would need backup. He backed out of the apartment, slammed the door and headed down to the bar to grab Zack and some cleaning supplies.
When they got back upstairs, they swung open the door, flipping on the lights and dropping the supplies on the floor. Deliberately making as much noise as possible.
Jace started cussing again. “I said turn it the hell off!”
Bri grabbed him under one arm, while Zack grabbed the other.
“What the fuck are you doin’? Get off me!”
Jace was throwing elbows, kicking his feet. Acting like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum. Once they managed to get him into the bathroom, they wrestled him into the tub, still wearing the filthy jeans, and turned on the cold water.
They backed out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind them, while Jace screamed and cussed them both out.
* * * * *
The cold water served as a catalyst for Jace. A slap in the face. He screamed and yelled for a couple of minutes, until he finally calmed down. As the anger settled down into something more like indignation, he stripped off his sopping wet jeans, turned the tap to warm and cleaned up. He even took a couple of minutes to shave.
He found some clean clothes, pulling on jeans and a T-shirt before heading back out to the living room. By the time he got back out there, he was coherent. Enough so to know he was going to have to provide an explanation.
He finally made it out to the kitchen to find Zack gone and Bri sitting on the couch. They had cleaned up the worst of his kitchen. The trash was all gone and he smelled something lemony.
He flopped down at a barstool at the counter, finally saying the only thing he could think of. “Thanks.”
Bri just nodded, waiting another minute before finally asking, “Wanna talk about it?”
Jace shrugged, shaking his head at the same time. “No…not really.”
Bri nodded again. “Okay. Am I going to walk in here and find you wallowing in a cesspool again? Or are you done with that?”
Jace smirked. “Done with that.”
“You sure? ’Cuz you’re hiding in here and she hasn’t even left yet.”
Jace shrugged his shoulders, running his hands over his face and through his hair.
“Did you ask her to stay?”
“No. And I won’t.”
“Why the hell not?”
He looked over at Bri, pain etched into every feature in his face. “Because she deserves better.”
“Jace…”
Jace cut him off before he could say anything else. “I got a few more days with her, Bri. It’s more than I expected. She needs to go back to L.A. She belongs there.”
Not really knowing the problem, Bri had no idea what to say. “She’s downstairs. Zack went to go tell them you’re not feeling well. If you want to hide up here, you have an excuse. Or, you can man up and at least go tell her goodbye this time.” He turned on his heel, leaving Jace glaring after him.
Chapter 40
They were all having a pretty good time. Laughing and teasing, trying to pretend that Dani wasn’t leaving tomorrow. Trying to ignore the giant white elephant in the room… Jace’s absence.
Dani had intentionally sat with her back to the stairway, not wanting to spend the night staring at it, silently waiting to see him. So her first clue that he had made it downstairs was when everyone at the table suddenly fell silent.
At the touch of his hand on her shoulder, she tensed, wondering what was coming next. Was he going to insult her, throw her out of the bar? Was he simply here to say goodbye before he went back upstairs? She was prepared for pretty much anything. Except this…<
br />
“Dance with me?”
She looked over her shoulder, glancing up, into his eyes. She wasn’t sure what she was seeing, but he didn’t look angry. Dani should have said no, should have left things the way they were, but there was no way she could pass up another chance to be in his arms. Not for anything in the world. Taking the hand he held out toward her, she followed him out to the floor.
Jace pulled her against him, feeling very much like a starving man finally offered food. He needed the feel of her pressing against him as much as he needed his next breath.
She was melting, going to burst into flames any second. Unless her heart leapt out of her chest first. They danced without speaking, just holding each other. She wanted to apologize, to ask him again to forgive her, but she was afraid to break the spell. She tucked her head into his shoulder, her lips tingling, aching to kiss his neck. She breathed in his scent.
Suddenly words seemed to be torn from his throat, rumbling through tight lips and clenched teeth. Jace growled out, "Please stay."
* * * * *
The group looked on, watching the couple. They had known there was something between them, had seen glimpses of the power of it in the last couple weeks. Nothing compared to what they were seeing now.
Zack was the first to speak. “If he lets her leave he is a damned fool.”
Brian nodded. “He’s more than a fool. But he’s still going to let her go.”
As Jenn watched them dance, she wasn’t so sure.
* * * * *
Dani’s whole body tensed, her head pulling back so she could look into his eyes. “You want me to stay?” she asked.
Jace knew what he’d said, knew what she thought, and he saw the confusion clouding her eyes.
“The night. I meant, stay here with me tonight. Please?”
She tried to ignore the ache in her chest. Of course he just meant for the night. They had been friends before, and he was still attracted to her. There was just too much between them for it to ever work. So, did she stay? Would she hurt any more tomorrow if she took this chance for one more night, one more memory, before she went back to her empty apartment in L.A.?
She debated with herself, finally nodding her head in one quick, hard movement. Jace tilted her chin, placing a soft, tender kiss on her waiting lips, before leading her back to the table with their friends.
It was another hour or so before everyone started to leave. Dani gave out hugs, kisses, promises to call. Jenn and Bri left, taking Zack with them. Jenn told Dani she would be at the hotel early tomorrow morning to say goodbye. She offered again for Dani to stay with them. Dani refused, using the newlyweds as an excuse. When she and Jace were the only ones left, he pulled her hand, leading her upstairs.
Chapter 41
When they reached his apartment, Jace stopped, giving her one last chance to change her mind. “If you want to leave, I’ll take you to the hotel.”
He watched her shake her head, before he’d even finished his sentence.. “I have my car. If I want to go, I will.”
He nodded his head once. Suddenly Jace was unsure. They had never been in a situation where they knew they were going to make love. It had always been unexpected, in the heat of the moment. He wasn’t exactly sure how to begin.
He knew they should talk; he could see questions lurking in her eyes. Out of sheer desperation, he leaned in and kissed her. He didn’t want to talk.
Her hands ran up his chest, grazing his nipples with her nails, before wrapping around his neck. She buried her fingers in his hair, pulling his mouth down harder. He gave her what she so obviously wanted, leaning in for the kiss. As he plunged his tongue into her mouth, he felt hers dueling with him. Always a battle of wills.
He could feel her immediate response to just a kiss, and it fueled his own desire. He wanted to feel her, taste her. He needed her skin to skin. Yet he had to find some control. He wanted her to remember this night forever.
He stepped back, smiling a little when she whimpered softly. Then he took her hand, pulling her to the bedroom.
When Dani saw the bed, she tugged her hand loose, yanking her shirt up and over her head. She kicked off the sandals and had her jeans unbuttoned before he could even stop her. “Let me,” he said.
She looked into his eyes, and he saw her searching, trying to understand. She must have seen something in his expression, because she stopped. She let go of more than just the button. She placed her hands on his chest, softly, no longer demanding. He took the gesture for exactly what it was. Submission. Dani had just ceded control.
He groaned softly as he saw the acceptance in her face. He remembered their conversation from her kitchen. He hadn’t hurt her; she’d enjoyed everything. She could take anything he cared to dish out. His dreams, his fantasies returned, and he wanted to try everything he’d ever dreamed. But only with her.
With a shake of his head, Jace refocused. Tonight was about her, only her. He wanted to please her, to show her how much he loved her. To show her the words he couldn’t say. To silently tell her that he loved her enough to let her go.
He picked her up and carried her over to the bed, laying her back against his pillows. Before he climbed up beside her, he took a moment to strip off her jeans. She lay there, in the center of his king-size bed, wearing nothing more than scraps of red lace. He groaned again, fighting to control the lust coursing through him.
When he had stripped down to just his jeans he climbed onto the bed, straddling her lower legs, holding her still while he kissed his way up her gorgeous flat belly. She arched her back so he could unhook her bra, lying back while he used his fingers and thumbs to tease and torment her taut nipples. When she cried out, arching again to meet his hands, he softly, slowly swirled his tongue around the tips, hearing her whimper before he finally closed his mouth over one.
Dani’s body felt so tight against his, he thought she would explode just from his lips on her breast. When he pulled hard, sucking her deep into his mouth, she screamed out her pleasure, fisting her hands into his hair as she twisted her sex against his body, desperate for release.
Jace felt her writhing against him and his good intentions were pushed to the limits. He pushed upright, grabbing between her legs and ripping her panties off before he got control again.
With the tear of the lace, Dani cried out again, screaming, “Yes,” as she fisted her hands into the sheets.
Jace watched, saw that she was already on the brink and felt his throbbing shaft pulse against his jeans. He was going to bust the damn zipper if he got any harder. He sat back on his heels, sitting on her calves in the process. He dug his hands into his thighs, trying to stay calm, stay controlled. When she lifted her leg, putting the tiniest bit of pressure against his cock, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. He’d never had any control with her.
“Please, Jace… God, I need you.”
She was naked, on his bed, pleading for him. He tilted back, pushing her legs apart, before settling between them. He kissed her, barely brushing his lips against the soft triangle of hair before his tongue peeked out, tasting her. She moaned, driving him mad with her little whimpers and sighs. He ground his hips into the bed, his shaft aching for release.
He licked again, flicking his tongue against her sensitive little nub, feeling her thighs tighten and squeeze against his face and neck. He thrust against the bed again, groaning against her sex.
He moaned against her, causing a hum against her already aching clitoris. She was so close to release, her body so tight it seemed she’d snap at any second. When his tongue thrust inside her she screamed out, on the verge of orgasm.
And he stopped.
He sat back on his heels again, watching as she twisted and writhed against the bed. When he saw her hand stray down her belly, he stopped her before she could even graze her sex.
“No…don’t you dare.”
Her eyes flashed open, glazed with need.
“You’re mine tonight. You’ll come when I let you.�
�
He kept her that way, on the edge, never letting her find release. He used his mouth and fingers to bring her right to the brink, stopping just before she fell over into the abyss. Three more times.
When he saw her writhing on the bed, her breathing short and labored, little whimpers that bordered on pain slipping through her lips, he knew she was getting close.
“What do you want, Dani?”
She moaned again in answer.
“Do you want me inside you?”
She twisted her hips, writhing against his hand. Her tight little sheath contracted around him as she neared release again. And again, he denied her.
This time, she yelled out, “Damn you, Jace…”
He only smiled. He stopped stroking, too close to the edge to even touch himself anymore. “Tell me what you want. Anything you want… I’ll do it. You just have to say the words.”
He knew she was over the edge; her eyes showed just how far. But he wanted, no, he needed to hear her say the words. He had to know that she needed him as much as he needed her.
“Come on, Dani…tell me what you need.”
* * * * *
She heard him asking, the thoughts racing through her mind. She knew what she wanted, knew what she needed, but she’d never said those words out loud. He was going to make her. To force her to admit…everything…before he’d let her have release. When his finger grazed over her clitoris, sending shockwaves of pleasure through every inch of her body, she couldn’t hold the words in any longer.
“Oh, hell… I want your cock in my mouth…please…let me taste you.”
The part in question jumped, leaking more moisture from the tip just from her words.
He lay back, across the bottom of the bed, granting her access. “Then come…taste me.”
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