Jace

by T. A. Grey

  She sat forward in her seat. “What is it?”

  He leaned forward so that they were only inches apart. “We seal the deal.”

  * * * * *

  A bright flush colored her cheeks, but she didn’t back away. Thank God. Instead, she glanced at his mouth. Yes, he thought, feeling a sudden hunger.

  “Seal the deal how?” she asked.

  He looked at her mouth. He didn’t even have to say a word. She knew exactly what he wanted. Her breath hitched. He heard it; the sound made his heart beat faster.

  “A kiss?” She sounded breathless. The sound stirred an ache deep in his chest, making him yearn to touch her.

  They seemed to move even closer now. So deliciously close, mouths narrowing in, breaths whispering against each other like waves.

  “A kiss,” he confirmed. He watched her wet her bottom lip with the tip of a pink tongue.

  “A kiss?” she repeated, her voice a squeak. She had a delightful blush flushing her nose and cheekbones and a gloss to her eyes. Everything about the look softened something inside him, yielding. She was this tiny woman who needed protection and he was Tarzan, primate, ready to kiss her, toss her over her shoulder, bring dinner (and her) home to his cave. Where he would then commence fucking. Yeeah.

  He found himself moving. One hand creeping forward to curl around the back of her head. He caught the slender nape of her neck in his hand. Tangles of soft tresses caressed his calloused hand like silk. His fingers curled enough to catch hold. And then he was pulling her beautiful mouth closer or maybe she was the one moving forward. They were both breathing way too hard, intensely aware of one another. He was pure male taking what was his by right, by law, by nature. He was Jace and he was taking this sensual Mara and marking her as his. Forever.

  She made a soft sound and the growing pressure in his chest heightened. All her softness made him want to growl, to pound on his chest and howl for her.

  Their mouths almost touching…so close her breath blew across his lips. She smelled like peppermint.

  Jace groaned deep in his chest.

  Then he took. Claimed.

  He captured the back of her neck, holding her still for the kill, and his lips touched hers. He meshed their flesh together in a warm press, feeling and studying the give and take, the fullness, and softness of her lips. Her mouth was slim and narrow, beautifully shaped with a perfect bow at the top. Her kisses were like having a butterfly nip at him. And he lost himself completely in Mara Colgen’s kiss. For that’s what it turned into.

  He was no longer kissing her. The moment their lips met, it became her kiss. She stole it from him like taking candy away from a child. He, who’d been ready to pound his chest in some ancient ritual just for touching her hair, was evaded by this small, sensual woman.

  Mara stole the kiss with a soft glide of tongue into his mouth. Her kiss was hesitant but needy with her nips. The first taste was like a zap down his spine making him jerk. She must have felt it too for she made another soft sound in the back of her throat. He reciprocated with his own sound, like that of a beast. Her tongue twitched across his and the peppermint sweetness clung to her like she’d just been sucking on the candy before she came here. With a punch, his cock slammed against his zipper. With that one taste he was harder than he’d been in years. Scratch that—ever.

  It was the most natural thing in the world when she glided closer, hovering in the air before him, one knee dipping onto his knee allowing him to wrap his arms around her. She was small to his large frame making him feel like a big bear holding a baby. He ached down in his balls to take her to the floor, cage her in with his big body, and fuck her until she was squirming on his hard cock and panting in his ear. That’s how she made him feel—like a great big beast.

  Her hand slid across his neck to mirror his hand at the back of her neck. It had to be the thought about taking her to the floor that suddenly made him snap. Jace stood, needing to feel the full press of their bodies together. Not for one moment did he stop tasting her little mouth. God, he wanted to feel that sweet mouth sucking on his cock like she did to his tongue so gently. His balls panged with need. Holy hell, he hadn’t been this worked up over a woman in his life.

  Standing was the best and worst idea ever. Mara apparently liked it as she rubbed her tits against him in subtle writhing motions and their hips were locked close together. Their lips slipped against each other in wet glides.

  That’s when Jace realized that Mara Colgen was a kisser. Not a peck ’em and leave ’em kind of gal, but a tongue-sucking, mouth fucking, can’t-get-enough-of-your-taste kisser and wouldn’t you know it, but Jace was the same way.

  Grabbing her ass, Jace weighed the globes, squeezing, lifting and squeezing some more. His cock was not only punching his zipper but trying to blow a rocket through it. Her breaths came faster at his touch; she wiggled with those little hips squirming against him. If he wasn’t crazy, he might think she was into this even more than he was. But that was impossible.

  Then suddenly she pulled at Jace hard, grabbed at his muscles, rubbing him in ways he ached to answer to. This was going too far. Some tiny, miniscule piece of logic poked through from the back of his head. It must also be the stupid part of his brain because it didn’t see who was in his arms, kissing him like she wanted to be riding his dick in this very moment. Fuck, he was already trying to figure out how he’d arrange that when logic screamed louder.

  You’re at work, asshole!

  Fuck! Reality started to creep back in, removing the lust-filled goggles around his eyes. Though reality did nothing to put his raging hard-on back down to normal. The hardest part of all was ending that kiss. Their first, mind-blowing, incredible, holy shit kiss, ever.

  Jace cupped her face and kissed her hard, eating her up. He ended it on a hard kiss that was sure to make her lips swell. Only afterward did he pull away. Mara was slow to open her eyes. She looked like she was coming out of a good sleep. When she wobbled he steadied her with his own shaking hand. The flush spread from her nose and cheekbones down to her neck. He bet if he lifted up her shirt, she’d be red down to her tits.

  Holy fuck, did he want to see her tits. Right now.

  Get a hold of yourself, Mathews.

  Right, focus. He scrubbed a hand over his face “That was the best damn kiss of my life, but we can’t do this here.” His voice sounded raw, like gravel.

  She swallowed and very slowly took a step back, disengaging their tightly pressed bodies. His body protested, wanting to fight against the separation. “Wow.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed. That about summed it up.

  She looked around in a daze, grabbed her purse. She looked drunk with glossy eyes and flushed skin. Funny, he felt the same way. “So, I’ll see you later. Okay, take care then, bye-bye now.”

  With a wave, she opened the office door and left. Like that, she was gone.

  Six minutes later, Jace Mathews finally moved from the place he watched Mara slip out of his office. He took one step, then another, until he collapsed into his chair. Finally his heart rate was under control, his dick down, and mind back to normal.

  He hadn’t wanted her to go, but his mind had been like jelly after that kiss. That kiss had stolen IQ points from him. Now that he had his brain back, he pulled out his phone and dialed Mara Colgen’s number. He estimated it’d been seven minutes since she sidled out of his office after giving him the Kiss of all Kisses. She should be in the parking lot by now. He made a note to ask how she was getting around town.

  She answered on the fourth ring sounding out of breath. His dick stood straight up at the sound. So much for waiting for it to go down on its own.

  “Hello?” she answered.

  “That was…” he couldn’t even say anything. He had no idea what to say, yet he felt like he should say something.

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “You left. I didn’t know if I had done—”

  “No!” She sounded astonished. “I had to leave because I was seco
nds away from taking my pants off and riding you and that would have been bad for several reasons only one of which is because I’m loud when I have sex.”

  His dick swelled to full capacity. Jace grimaced, wondering if the thing might actually explode if he didn’t empty his balls soon. “Funny, I’d had a similar thought.” Without all that added spice about how loud she was. Ah damn…now he had something really hot to try to not think about.

  “Oooh,” she said in a breathless, sexy whisper.

  Jace had to clear this throat. “Anyway, I wanted to make sure that we were all…clear. I’ll be by your place tomorrow morning to begin installing your security system. Around ten.”

  “Oookay.”

  His mouth twitched. “And, Mara?”

  “Yes, Jace?”

  His eyes closed. Everything about those words and the way she said them in breathless anticipation made the possessive male inside him want to come out and play.

  “Call me when you get home safe. I just want to make sure you made it fine. Do you own a gun or any kind of weapon?”

  “I will. I have a Taser. I’ll put a bottle on the door handles or have Tia sleep over with me. Don’t worry, I’ll be okay for one more night. And I’ll be thinking about you when I come tonight.” Click. She hung up.

  Jace didn’t like that at all. If her ex had already been in her house then they needed to make new arrangements. Shit. She couldn’t stay home alone again. It was too much of a risk. If only she hadn’t sprinted out of here like she did.

  He called her back again. She answered on the first ring. He found himself smiling at her breathless tone.

  “Yes?” she asked.

  “I don’t think you should be alone tonight. Can you stay at your friend Tia’s place?”

  She hesitated. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to bother her.”

  A woman’s voice piped up in the background. She sounded like she was in a car. “Who’s that? Is that him? Give me the phone.”

  “No, Tia, this isn’t your phone call. And you can’t talk to him. Ever.”

  “I said give me the damn phone.”

  “And I said I won’t do it. Now shut up and drive.” Her voice came back clearer like she wasn’t holding the phone away from her. “Ignore Tia. She’s mental.”

  “Mental! Tell him we’ll be at The Inferno drinking margaritas and eyeing hotties.”

  The Inferno. Jace sidled over to his computer and performed a quick search. Inferno was a bar with discount margarita night today.

  A sigh came across the line. “I’ll be at The Inferno drinking margaritas with Tia while not eying hotties,” Mara repeated, sounding grumpy.

  “Good, now tell him that if he’s so hot he can come, but only if he brings a hot friend too.”

  Apparently, Mara didn’t want to repeat that. “Did you hear everything she just screamed?”

  Jace’s lips twitched. “Yeah, I think I got it. Remember what I said about tonight? Do not stay alone.”

  “Okay,” she said, quietly.

  “Later.” He hung up quickly.

  Otherwise he might end up doing something like lingering over goodbyes.

  Dang. Already he missed talking to her.

  Chapter 4

  Mara ended the call with wildly sexy man, Jace Mathews. Her whole world felt like it was spinning upside down.

  “You are so embarrassing,” Mara told Tia. “Only assholes treat their friends like that.”

  Tia snorted. “Puhleaze, a real friend takes their girl to the bar to get drunk while she drives you home safely afterward. In fact, I wish I knew someone like that. She sounds like a wonderful person.”

  Mara burst out laughing and slapped Tia’s arm. “You’re something, you know that?”

  “I know it.”

  They headed to work at Aphrodite’s Love. When their workday was over, they headed to the bar.

  The Inferno was known for its fiery atmosphere. Inside the circular room was a burning fireplace with real wood logs toasting. A big metal vent tented out from the ceiling to catch the flames. Mara and Tia liked the place because they didn’t get hassled by guys often and the cute bartender served tasty margaritas. They found their usual table near the bar which was further away from the live band playing soft rock in the corner. Jenna, their usual waitress, brought them their drinks. Mara sipped at her fresh cold margarita and sighed.

  “So, what did he say about your case?” Tia asked.

  “He said he is going to take it.” Mara’s head was still spinning after that…meeting? She didn’t even know what to call it. Her breath shuddered remembering the feel of his lips pressed against hers. Holy cow. That had been incredible. Hands down the greatest kiss in her whole life.

  “What happens now? Is he going to go Kevin Costner on you and start shadowing you while wearing an earpiece and speaking into the mic at his wrist?” Tia mimicked speaking into her wrist while looking stern.

  Mara burst into giggles. “I don’t think it quite works like that. Maybe if I was a diva singer. By the way, thanks for driving me, mom. I needed to get out today and relax.”

  “Anything for my daughter.”

  They snickered. More drinks came and they talked about Corey for a little while. Since she wasn’t really comfortable with that subject, Tia tried switching to Jace—no thanks. Mara refused to even touch that one yet. Her lips were still tingling from that kiss. After a while, Mara began to feel the signature ‘good feeling’ that margaritas did to her. Meanwhile, Tia cut herself off from alcohol and switched to coffee.

  When her coffee arrived, Tia snapped as if just remembering something juicy. “Oh my god. I completely forgot to tell you. He was at the coffee shop again.”

  He, the creeper. Tia’s coffee creeper. This was going to be awesome.

  Mara’s jaw dropped. “Tell me all and don’t leave any of the good stuff out.”

  Tia squared her shoulders. “Oh trust me, girl, that won’t be a problem. So, it all started while I was in line at Dante’s Coffee. I love that place because it’s close to work in the morning, right?”

  Mara nodded obediently for Tia to continue.

  “So I’m standing in line waiting to order—my caramel macchiato thing—and I like feel this guy behind me. Right away I know it’s him.”

  Mara gasped. “He got that close to you? What a creep.” She didn’t sound creeped out in the least, she sounded excited.

  Tia rolled her eyes dramatically. “That wasn’t even the first time. He’s never actually touched me. Let’s just be clear about that.”

  Mara grinned but kept her mouth shut. She’d heard about this creep a few times and she suspected her friend didn’t hate him as much as she made out to. Because Mara knew Tia. Tia had won fights against grown men before—Mara witnessed one of those fights personally. It was amazing.

  Tia would break the finger of the man who’d dare lay a finger on her inappropriately. “You never did tell me what he looks like.” Another reason why Mara suspected something was up. Tia’s been pretty close-mouthed on the subject.

  Tia scowled. “Nasty. Let’s leave it at that. Never mind all that, I want to hear about is this bodyguard. Jace. What a name.”

  Mara nearly spit her margarita out. “I know! I said the same thing! And don’t change the subject; we’re talking about the coffee guy.” She knew the margarita was working its magic because her voice was loud and gushing.

  Tia blew at the steam in her cup. “Fine, fine. I’ll finish my damn story. So, I can feel him standing at my back. The man must put off some heat or something. I pretend he isn’t there, right? I don’t look around and look surprised when I see him. None of that. Instead, I’m a good girl. I wait my turn in line, order, and pay for my drink.”

  “I thought you said this story was good? This is averagely interesting at best,” Mara teased. Inside, excitement nearly burst from her to hear the rest of the story.

  “Patience, dear girl,” Tia scolded. “My order’s up. The sweet girl behind the counter c
alls my name and slides my delicious, steaming hot creamy coffee goodness across the counter.” She leaned in close, her eyes glittering with excitement. “I’m leaning over the counter.”

  Mara held her hand up to interrupt. “Wait, were you wearing that outfit that you wore into work the other day? The one with that tight white Spanish looking shirt with the blue jean mini-skirt and five-inch heels?”

  Tia’s eyes rounded. “I knew that outfit was cute. That’s why you remember it. I’ll be wearing that again.”

  “Wait, so you were wearing that outfit in unnecessarily tall high heels and the creepy coffee guy hits on you. You know, I’m not surprised.”

  Tia gasped then slapped Mara’s arm. “You better take that back before I call the feminists on you. You know you can’t say shit like that out loud.”

  Mara was laughing so hard her sides hurt. She had an ice-cold delicious drink in her hand making her head feel light as air and the company of a good friend. For a little while it helped to take her mind away from the fact that Corey found her.

  “So I’m looking adorable, as always, bending over to pick up my drink and I hear him say behind me, ‘Baby, you can bend over all day long when it looks that good.’ ”

  Mara’s jaw dropped hard. “He did not!”

  “Did too. I try to tell you. This kind of crazy stuff happens to me all the time.”

  “It might have something to do with the fact that you dress like a stripper but look innocently beautiful. Really, it’s not fair.”

  Tia sighed dramatically. “I do, don’t I?”

  Mara heard her cell phone ringing from her purse. Dread filled her gut like a chunk of ice. It was him. Corey.

  Tia noticed the change and cooled it, looking stern as Mara grabbed her phone. She went to check it just hoping it wasn’t his number.

  Tick tock, Mara. Tick tock.

  His countdown whispered in her head. Yeah, countdown to what, exactly? She didn’t really want to know. Not really. The answer wouldn’t be good.

  But when she checked the phone it wasn’t fear she felt course through her. “It’s him!” Holy shit. He was calling her.