by Cat Carmine
I let the door close gently behind me and Jace looks up when he hears the click.
“Hey.” A slow grin spreads over his face and he sits up, turning the television off. “Did you have fun?”
“Yeah, it was nice. Hannah and her friends are great.”
“That’s good. She’s really something, isn’t she? I can’t tell you how happy I am that Trent ended up with someone like her and not the usual bimbos he used to date.”
“Yeah.” I say, and then fall silent. I fiddle with the key card in my hand, hovering near the door.
Jace’s face grows concerned. “Is everything okay?”
I bite my bottom lip, then take a couple of tentative steps towards him.
“I kind of let something slip today, with the girls,” I admit. “Something I wasn’t planning on telling you.”
“Oh?” Jace raises his eyebrows. His face has gone slightly more wary now, and I feel bad for stressing him. I huff out a breath.
“You know I was engaged before, right?”
He nods.
“Yeah. Right. So what I didn’t tell you is the real reason why that relationship ended.”
Jace leans forward and pats the bed beside him.
“Come,” he commands. “Sit.”
I climb gratefully on to the bed beside him. He wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me against his broad firm chest.
“You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to,” he says, his nose in my hair.
“Well, that’s the thing though, I do — because all the girls know now, and I’m sure Hannah’s going to mention it to your brother. I just don’t want you to be taken off guard.”
“Okay,” he says slowly. “I guess that makes sense.”
“Right, so…” I let out another breath, then lean backwards on the bed, pulling Jace with me so that we’re lying down, with me in the crook of his arm. I look up at the ceiling, since it’s easier than looking at him.
“My ex-fiance was named Martin, and he’s a senior associate at the law firm I work at.”
“You still work together?”
“Yeah.”
“That must be tough.”
“Oh, you don’t even know the half of it.” I take another deep breath. “One day, about two months after we got engaged, I walked in on him in the copy room. Getting his dick sucked.”
“Oh God, Celia. That’s fucking terrible.” His voice is filled with concern and anger.
I take another deep shuddering breath, remembering how terrible that moment was — Martin’s pale white ass flexing, his hand gripping the photocopier. I shake my head.
“He was with a male associate,” I finish. Tears are pricking my eyes now, and I try to wipe them away discreetly, praying Jace won’t notice.
“Wait, a … he was with a guy?”
I nod, then realize he can’t see me do it. “Yeah,” I say softly. My breath catches in my throat.
“So he was gay?”
I shrug again. “Gay. Bi. I don’t know. The distinctions didn’t really matter by that point.”
“Jesus,” he says.
“Yeah.” I’m still staring up at the ceiling, even though I can feel Jace looking at me. “We broke up that day, obviously. I later found out half our office had known about his little predilections — and the other half figured it out pretty quick after that.”
Jace squeezes his arm around my shoulders. It feels comforting.
“I’m really sorry, Celia. All I can say is that guy is an idiot.”
I smile weakly. “Thanks. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.”
Jace is quiet for a minute, but his arm still rests against me.
“Can I ask you something?” he says finally. “Why didn’t you? I mean, you didn’t have to, but … you know you can trust me, right?”
I nod. “It’s not about trust. I told Hannah and her friends and I barely know them. It’s about …” I trail off, not really wanting to admit what I want to say next.
“About what?” Jace prods. He runs his finger lightly along my bare shoulder, making my skin prickle in goosebumps.
“I didn’t want you to see me as stupid,” I admit. “As naive. As unattractive.” The last word comes out in a whisper.
“Why in the world would that make you unattractive?” Jace sounds genuinely perplexed, and I realize how silly it sounds when he says it like that.
I finally turn to face him, looking into his bright blue eyes, currently creased by his furrowed brow.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I guess my confidence just took a bit of a blow after that. I mean, I know I didn’t make Martin that way, or drive him to it or anything, but … it’s hard to feel sexy when you realize your fiance is only with you as a cover.” I trail off, shrugging. The wound is still so raw, and it hurts to talk about it like this. Laughing with the girls had been one thing, but this feels too real.
“Celia, hey.” Jace moves his hand up my arm and puts his fingers on my jaw, tipping my head so that I’m looking up at his face. His own face is incredulous. “You have no fucking clue how extraordinary you are, do you?”
I laugh nervously. “Oh, come on.” I try to look away but Jace tightens his grip on my jaw, forcing me to meet his eyes.
“Celia, I’m serious. You’re smart, successful, fucking gorgeous…”
I try to shush him but he shakes his head.
“No. Listen to me. You’re all of those things, and the only reason you got conned by an asshole like this Martin guy is because your heart is as wonderful as the rest of you. I don’t think you should ever blame yourself for falling in love.”
His voice seems to catch on his last words, and my heart hammers lightly in my chest.
“Jace…”
He loops his hand through mine, running his thumb along the back of my hand and then nudging the engagement ring I’m wearing. Martin’s ring.
“You must hate wearing this thing, huh?”
I nod. “Kind of. The funny thing is … I never really loved the ring. I know that probably makes me sound like a spoiled brat, but I don’t know… Maybe it should have been a warning sign that he picked out a ring that was so … not me.”
Jace picks up my hand and presses his lips to the skin.
“And what kind of ring would be more you?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Nothing this gaudy. I don’t even know if I want a diamond. I saw a beautiful ring once, at this store on 47th Street — it was vintage, with an amethyst stone and two tiny diamonds on the side …” I trail off, looking at the smirk on the Jace’s face.
I feel my cheeks color. “Listen to me. I guess I’m just like every other girl on the planet, aren’t I? Going on about engagement rings like a starry eyed teenager.”
Jace shakes his head. “I don’t think you’re like every other girl,” he says. His voice is low and husky. “In fact, I happen to think you’re pretty damn perfect.”
He doesn’t let me finish. Suddenly he’s pressing his lips against mine. His grip on my chin is still firm, holding me steady while he devours my mouth. I let myself melt into him. I’m so relieved about … about what exactly, I don’t know. Just that I had been dreading telling him about Martin. But his reaction had been beyond perfect. It seems Jace is as sweet as he is gorgeous.
I press my body against his, turning so I can press my hands up against his broad firm chest. His tongue is deep inside my mouth, exploring me all over, making me a part of him. My pussy is already starting to dampen and clench, and I wriggle up against Jace, trying to get as close to him as I can.
He chuckles lightly, his breath warm on my face.
“Now, I think we’re going to have to have a talk about just how perfect you are,” he says, pretending to be stern. “For instance, I think this part of you right here is pretty perfect.” He kisses the side of my mouth softly and then pulls back.
He studies me for a moment as my heart beats thunderously in my chest.
“I think th
is part of you is just … wow.” He runs his lips against the hollow of my throat. “And don’t even get me started on these shoulders.”
He’s tugging at the neck of the t-shirt I’m wearing, kissing the tops of my shoulders, and I let out a moan. He pulls back once more.
“Let’s take this off, because I think there’s more under here.”
I giggle and strip off my t-shirt obediently.
He nods sagely. “Just as I expected. Sheer perfection.”
He runs his lips over my chest, trailing down to the flat plain between my breasts. My nipples are achingly hard under the thin lacy fabric of my bra. When Jace finally cups my breast in his palm and runs his thumb across the nipple, I throw my head back and groan.
“Now this stomach,” he says. “This is a very sexy stomach.” He paints a trail of kisses over my bare abdomen, inching slowly toward the waist band of my jeans. His hand is roaming my thigh now, gliding along my muscles and moving tantalizingly towards my crest. I move my hips down to give him better access, and he reaches for the button.
“And under here … under here we have something truly special,” he says. His voice is deep and throaty, hoarse with lust. “Under here we have a pussy that could make men forget their own names.”
I laugh, but Jace’s eyes have grown dark. “Take off your pants, Celia.”
I do as he says. No hesitation. I shimmy those damn pants off faster than you can say good gracious. My underwear goes with them.
A grin crosses Jace’s face.
“Spread your legs,” he says. Once again, I do as he says, spreading my legs slowly, exposing myself to him. It feels strange and terrifying and incredibly erotic.
Jace crawls over the bed and kneels between my legs. He’s stripped his own t-shirt off now, so I can see as the muscles ripple across his chest, but he’s still wearing his pants, much to my disappointment.
“Are you going to take those off?” I try to joke, even though it comes out as more of a pant.
He grins, shaking his head. “No.”
“No?”
“Nope.”
“Er… why not?”
“Because this, right here, this is all about you.”
“Oh.” Another shudder runs through me. Apparently Jace wasn’t lying when he promised me a week of mind-blowing orgasms.
“Now, where was I?” Jace settles in, running his hand up along my calf, all the way up my thigh, stopping just short of my crest. “These are very sexy thighs. Perfect, you might even say.” He leans forward and presses his lips against the soft skin of my inner thigh, and then moves over, kissing my other leg in the same manner.
I shiver under his touch. I can’t look away from his muscular shoulders, bent before me, the way his fingers dig into my flesh. When I feel his breath warm against my pussy, I almost come.
“Jace…”
“I’m not done, Celia,” he says, flashing me a wicked smile. “Not even close.”
His head is bent so close to me, so close that I could shimmy down an inch and feel his lips against me. But he takes his sweet time, drawing out the moment.
“Now, this, this is a very sexy clit,” he says, finally rewarding me with a soft kiss. I shudder under him and this time I do try to scoot down. I need to feel his mouth on me.
But Jace holds me in place. He runs his tongue along the length of my slit and then along my entrance.
“A perfect pussy,” he says. He slips his hands underneath me, gripping my ass in his palms. “And a perfect ass down here too.”
He uses his hands to spread my cheeks wider and then suddenly his tongue is moving down lower, past my entrance, all the way to…
My eyes roll back in my head as Jace laps his tongue around my asshole.
“Jace.” I try to say his name but it comes out more as a groan.
Jace chuckles, and pulls away only briefly.
“I like all your parts, Celia. Even the ones you don’t think I should.” He lowers his head again, and then he’s pressing his tongue back up against my tight bud.
It feels strange and erotic at the same time, and when he brings his other hand down to finger my clit, I feel too wild to care about whether or not I should be letting him do this.
Jace keeps licking me, keeps stroking me, and soon my poor pussy is clamping down on nothing, my whole body going into convulsions as the orgasm rocks me. All I can do is reach for him while my hips buck and arc. I grab onto a fistful of his hair and hold on for dear life while stars shoot across my vision.
When it’s over, I release my death grip on him and try to unclench my legs.
Jace sits up, resting on his knees between my thighs. He looks rather smug as he takes in my disheveled appearance.
“Maybe next time you’ll listen to me when I tell you you’re perfect,” he says, an arrogant grin spreading across his face.
I smile at him as I swing my shaky legs off the bed and onto the floor. I stand and start making my way to the bathroom.
“Well, this perfect girl is going to have a shower,” I tell him. Just as I get to the bathroom, I look back over my shoulder. “Want to join me?”
Jace’s face lights up, his grin going from arrogant to wicked.
“Hell yeah I do.”
16
Jace
Celia is fiddling nervously with her ring. Every few minutes, she turns on her phone, sets the camera to reverse, and examines her reflection on the screen.
I put a hand on her knee. “Relax,” I tell her. We’re in the back of a cab, on our way to a restaurant downtown where we’re meeting my mother for dinner. She had insisted on some time alone with us so we could catch up and so she could get to know Celia. I was a bit nervous myself, but I’d had no choice but to oblige. When your mother wants to have dinner with you, you say yes.
“It’s going to be fine,” I promise Celia now. “You’re going to do great.”
“This is your mother, Jace.” She looks at me pointedly.
“And she’s going to love you. She already told me how much she likes you, just after talking to you on the phone the other day.”
Celia laughs, probably at the memory. She shakes her head. “This is different though. This is meeting the parents.”
I shake my head, laughing too. “Yeah, but it’s not really. Worst case scenario, she isn’t your biggest fan. Then she’ll just be relieved when we break up. Actually, maybe that’s even better. Could you try being rude at dinner?”
Celia flashes me a rueful grin, but her eyes look strangely … sad. She shakes her head. “I’m not being rude to your mother. Believe it or not, I actually want her to like me.”
“I know you do,” I say, nuzzling into her neck. “That’s because you’re a good girl from Connecticut. Which is exactly why she’s going to love you.”
“Right,” Celia says, though she looks unconvinced.
I’m not quite sure what’s really going on with her right now. I know she was upset earlier, after she’d told me about Martin — I still couldn’t believe what that bastard had done to her. I’d always known the guy was a prissy asshole but I wish I’d realized just how much of an asshole. I would have decked him back when I had the chance.
And I still didn’t quite understand why Celia was so afraid to tell me about why they’d broken up. It wasn’t like it made her any less perfect in my eyes. And anyway, his loss was my gain.
Temporary gain, I remind myself.
I think back to the way we’d spent the rest of the afternoon in the hotel — first the shower, then back to the bed, then the wingback chair over by the window. Then one more time on the bed for good measure. I thought I’d helped her put all the worry out of her mind, but now she looks stressed and anxious again.
And even though it’s really fucking cute the way her forehead furrows and her lips purse, I hate seeing her stressed out.
I squeeze her knee again and let my hand ride slowly up her thigh. She’s wearing a simple green dress that looks killer with those gre
en eyes of hers, but I especially love the way it’s short enough that it rides up in the back seat of the cab, showing off the creamy white skin of her thighs. I push the dress a little higher and use my hand to spread her legs a little wider.
Celia bites her lip but then she reaches down and wraps her hand around mine so that we’re holding hands instead. She pushes her dress back into place. Wow, she must really be nervous.
I give her hand a squeeze and then we’re pulling up in front of the restaurant where we’d arranged to meet Mom.
I pay the driver and help Celia out of the cab. I grab her around the waist and pull her close to me, forcing her to meet my gaze.
“You’re going to be amazing,” I assure her. “Or do you need another lesson in how amazing you are? Because I would be more than happy to provide one.” That earns me a small grin.
“I’m ready,” she says. “I just don’t want to screw this up.”
“You won’t.” I lean in and kiss her on the nose. “Come on.”
We go into the restaurant and find Mom already seated at a table near the window. I drag Celia over and Mom stands up as soon as she sees us, her face lighting up in a huge happy smile.
She wraps me in a long hug. She holds on tight but I can feel how thin her arms are now. She’s aged a lot since the last time I saw her. Her blonde hair is still perfectly styled, and the coral suit dress she’s wearing looks pristine, but there are lines around her eyes that weren’t there before, and her mouth seems to drag down in the corners
She pulls away but keeps her hands on my biceps.
“Let me look at you,” she says, inspecting me up and down. After she’s apparently satisfied, she nods and smiles. “You look good, honey. It’s so good to see you.”
“You too, Mom.” I try to keep the emotion out of my voice, but I’m hit with a crushing wave of guilt over how long I’ve been away. “Mom, I’d like you to meet someone very special. This is Celia. My fiancee.”
“Oh, Celia!” Mom claps her hands together and then wraps Celia in a hug as fierce as the one she gave me. Celia returns the hug and something strange catches in my chest at the sight of them embracing. For the hundredth time, I have to remind myself that this isn’t real, that Celia and I are only pretending.
