I feel like I can breathe again.
Someone calls out something to me, but it’s no one I know, so I ignore them and walk across the yard towards the sidewalk. I just need some time to collect myself, then I’ll go back in. No one bothers or approaches me as I stand here, my eyes looking out over the car filled street. Occasionally, someone walks past. I get a curious look, but other than that, I’m left alone.
“Everything okay?”
I let out a gasp of surprise, nearly jumping a mile before spinning around and coming face to face with Ace. Well, not really. He’s quite a bit taller than me, so my eyes are level with his pectoral muscles that his shirt clings to. I can see where his barbells are pressing against the fabric. I tear my eyes away from his chest and look up at him. “What are you doing out here?”
“I saw you step outside. When you didn’t come back, I thought I’d check up on you.”
Intense irritation sweeps through me, and I’m speaking before I can think better of it. “I wish everyone would stop babysitting me! I’m sick of people assuming I’m going to break down or something. I just want to be normal.”
Silence is Ace’s only response.
I wish I could see his face as regret flickers over me. The outside of the frat house is brightly lit, but the light doesn’t reach where we’re standing in the shadows. I’m about to apologize when his voice stops me.
“Well then, let’s get out of here.”
Chapter Seven
Faith
“You want to leave?” I echo.
“I’m bored, and I don’t think you want to be here. So let’s leave.”
“What about Caleb and Zoey?”
Even in the dark, I can feel his eyes burning into mine. “Would you rather do what they want to do, or would you rather do something that you want to do?”
When he puts it like that... “Let’s go,” I say promptly.
“That’s what I thought.” He grabs my hand. “Let’s go before your babysitters chew my ass for trying to steal you away.”
I find myself laughing as Ace tugs me down the sidewalk and further into the dark. I trust him, and when he sees I’m not going to change my mind, he urges me into a jog. I’m very aware of his hand in mine as we run down the sidewalk to the end of the block. His hand is large and practically swallows up my much smaller one. Ace is a big man—a very strong one at that. I should fear him, but I don’t. It’s kind of odd how easily I trust him after everything that went down with Justin.
When we reach a Hummer, Ace unlocks it, then opens the passenger door. His hands wrap around my waist as he lifts me into the passenger seat. “Buckle up,” he orders before the door shuts and he walks around to the other side.
A second later I’m buckling my seatbelt as Ace pulls out onto the street. As we cruise past the frat house, I wonder if Zoey and Caleb are looking for me yet. I should at least text message them. But what if they try to track me down? Now that I’m with Ace, I don’t want to go back to the apartment. I want to spend time with him instead.
“Where to Angel?” Ace asks me as he turns onto the next street.
“Wherever you want to go.”
He slams on the breaks, causing me to jerk forward against my seatbelt. I blink a few times and see there’s nothing in front of us that would have caused him to stop like he had. I turn my head and look at him with puzzlement. “What…?”
“Don’t pull that shit on me,” Ace warns, his expression unreadable thanks to the darkened interior. “I’m not making up your mind for you. Name a place, or we’re going to sit here until you think of something.”
He seems quite serious. I glance at the side mirror as I spy headlights approaching us from behind. “The beach!” It’s the first thing that pops into my mind. I've been wanting to see it since I arrived. I just have no way of getting there unless I take a city bus, and I hadn’t wanted to go by myself.
Ace nods. “The beach it is,” he says as the Hummer moves forward again.
Silence falls over us, but it doesn’t feel awkward. I’m not sure what I’d say to break it anyway, so I keep to myself.
“So, what didn’t you like about the party?” Ace asks a moment later.
“I don’t know. I’m not much of a dancer, and I don’t drink, so I guess it wasn’t really much fun.”
“Why not drink?”
“Justin hated it when I…” My voice trails off and frustration twists up my insides. Why can’t I get him out of my head?
A grim silence fills the vehicle until Ace eventually breaks it. “I know we barely know each other, but I’m going to lay this on you anyway. Your ex is no longer a part of your life. Get over it. Sounds harsh, but how the hell are you supposed to move on if you keep living your life according to his rules?” he asks while his eyes focus intently on the traffic before us.
“I’m trying to. It’s just…”
We stop at a red-light, and Ace turns his head and looks at me. “Repeat after me. I don’t give a flying fuck about Justin,” he orders.
My mouth quirks. He’s not filtering around me at all anymore. “I don’t give a flying fuck about Justin,” I repeat. It feels good to say those words out loud.
“How’d that make you feel?”
“Good,” I say, grinning.
“Good.”
We pull into the beach parking lot a few minutes later, and within five minutes, we are walking down the beach to the water. I pause in the sand and pull off my sandals, so I can feel the sand on my bare toes.
“Give ‘em to me.” Ace holds out a hand for my sandals.
I hand them over, then he ceases to exist to me as I walk to the water’s edge. I inhale deeply, enjoying the fresh, salty air and the slight breeze. The waves gently washing ashore are repetitive and calming. It’s just as peaceful and tranquil as I thought it would be, even if it is dark and all I can see is the moon glittering across the water.
“Is it really that hard to put him behind you?” Ace asks lightly from where he stands only a couple feet away. I hadn’t heard him approach me.
A soft sigh escapes me, and I’m sure he heard it. “I was with him for four years and grew used to him making the rules. I know, that sounds so weak,” I say with a good amount of self-disgust in my tone.
Ace moves to stand directly in front of me, his hand reaching out to tilt my head up so he can peer at me. “You’re not weak, Angel. I’m betting he was a damned good manipulator.”
I’m not sure what to say, so I don’t say anything at all.
His hand drops, but he doesn’t move away. “Tell me Faith, have you really thought out what you want to do now that you’re free of him?”
“Of course, I have,” I say instantly.
“Tell me. Tell me where your life is heading,” he challenges. “Tell me what you plan to do to make your life yours.”
“Well, I got a job. I plan to…” My eyebrows draw together.
“Plan to what?” Ace prods.
I chew my bottom lip for a moment. “I plan to work and… I don’t know,” I whisper truthfully.
“That’s a bit of a problem.”
I try to shrug it off nonchalantly as I move away to look out at the ocean again. “I’ll figure it out sooner or later.”
“C’mon, I’m hungry,” Ace says. “There’s a pizza place not too far away, but it’s a bit of a walk. I’ll drive.”
“Okay.” I’m relieved the topic has been dropped.
Within in ten minutes, we’re entering a pizzeria located in the Shoreline Village next to the beach. The scent of pizza and other delicious aromas makes my mouth water. As we wait for the person ahead of us to order, I look around with interest. The room is long in length and short on width, with small tables lining the large front windows that overlook the waterfront. There are a few other tables scattered about with green checkered table cloths, but still, the seating is minimal. I spy one table available in the corner of the pizzeria located along a red wall where a flat-screen TV hangs ov
erhead. I touch Ace's arm and he glances at me. “Should I grab that table?” I ask as a new couple enters the pizzeria behind us.
He glances at the table and nods in agreement. “What would you like?”
I glance at the menu and quickly decide on a huge slice of cheese pizza and a soda. While Ace waits to place our order, I make my way over to the table and sit down. I like this place. It's small, but not overly busy. The table isn’t super close to any of the other tables either, so we’ll have a bit of privacy.
About five minutes later Ace approaches our table with a pen and paper in his hand. He claims the seat directly across from mine and sets the paper and pen in front of me.
I look at him with puzzlement.
“You’re going to make a bucket list of sorts,” he tells me, his gray eyes warning me that arguing with him will be pointless. “Write down every goddamned thing you’ve ever wanted or wanted to do.”
I frown at him and then at the blank piece of paper. “What will that accomplish?”
“It gives you a plan, because right now babe, you aren’t truly livin’. Get busy writing and take it home with you, hang it where you’ll see it daily. I want you to accomplish one thing on the list a week. And when you think of something new, add it to the list.”
“That’s a really good idea,” I agree as I glance at him to smile.
Ace nods at the paper. “Fill it up.”
I pick up the pen and pull the paper closer in front of me. I purse my lips for a second before I begin to write.
1. Tattoos.
Just the thought of covering my scars has me grinning from ear to ear. I hate the evidence of what Justin did to me, and I’ve been trying to hide it this past year. Tattoos would hide them, and maybe give me back some confidence when it comes to wearing certain shirts. The old knife wounds are scattered, so I’d either need a very large tattoo or a bunch of little ones. That’s not something I have to figure out right now though, so I move on to the next one.
2. Cut hair.
I like my hair long, but so had Justin. He never wanted me to cut it, which makes me want to cut it all the more.
3. Pet-preferably a kitten.
We never had pets growing up since my brother is allergic to pet dander. But since he’s not here…
When my hand moves to write down my fourth, I hesitate slightly. I peek up at Ace and see that he’s watching something or someone across the room, so I quickly write down sex. I can feel my face flaming, and I quickly work on the rest of the list.
5. Bungee jump.
6. Swim in the ocean.
7. Go to college—eventually.
8. Buy a car.
9. Ride a motorcycle.
My pen hovers over the paper, and I realize I’m stumped. I don’t know what else to write, my mind is drawing a blank.
“You can’t be done already.”
I look at Ace sheepishly. “I’m sure I’ll think of more in the coming days.”
“Let me see.” He plucks the sheet out of my hand before I realize he’s stolen it.
“Wait!” I say desperately, mortification washing over me at the thought of him seeing number four on my list.
Ace ignores me as he scans the list. When his eyes abruptly halt to focus on something intently, I know he’s staring at the little three letter word I'd written. I’m sure even my ears are turning red. His gray eyes lift to mine, clearly puzzled. “Sex? You’ve had sex, haven’t you?”
Oh my God. Someone kill me now. “Yes, I have,” I mutter as I look around with embarrassment to make sure no one’s paying attention to our conversation. I’m in luck. Those at the tables closest to us are engrossed in their own conversations.
Ace's eyes narrow slightly, his eyebrows drawing together as he tries to understand why I put it on the list. “So you just want sex? Like casual sex?”
“Um…” I chew my bottom lip.
His eyes drop to my lower lip briefly before he gives me a determined look. “Out with it. You don’t want me to filter what I say to you. Don’t do it to me.”
I release a resigned sigh, knowing he has a point. I can’t look at him as I make my confession, so I stare at the checkered pattern of the table cloth. “I’ve never…you know.”
“Never what?” I hear him ask with bewilderment.
“You know!” I hiss while wanting to smack him across the head for being so dense.
“You’ve just told me you’ve had… Oh. Are you referring to an orgasm?”
“SHHH!” I’m downright horrified as I look up and anxiously scan the restaurant before my eyes reluctantly focus on Ace. Darn him. Why do we even have to have this conversation?
Something simmers in his gaze, and it causes goose bumps to appear on my arms. “Was your ex that much of a dick that he never got you off?”
I can’t believe I am sitting here talking about sex with Ace of all people. There’s no escaping him, so I answer the question hesitantly. “I…I’m not sure. I…liked it, but people kind of make a big deal about…you know. I’ve never felt anything that…” I bite my lip.
“Say it,” Ace says with a suddenly devilish smile.
“Say what?”
“Orgasm,” he says slowly and distinctly, his gray eyes glinting.
My face drops into my hands, and I wish the floor would open up and swallow me whole. “Can we not discuss this anymore?”
“I’m very much interested in this conversation.”
I’m saved from replying when I hear something being set on the table. I look up and see that our pizzas have arrived. Relief sweeps through me when the topic is dropped, and we dig into our meal. We are both silent for a little while as we enjoy the pizza.
“So, haven’t you ever gotten yourself off?”
I nearly choke on the pizza I’m chewing. I manage to swallow it down while I hastily grab a napkin and wipe my mouth before giving him an exasperated look. “You don’t give up, do you?”
Ace pushes his empty plate aside, his attention focused intently on me. “Nope. So, have you?”
God he’s pushy. I glare at him and say in a rush, “I’m not doing it right or something. Happy now?”
“You’re serious when you say you’ve never experienced an orgasm,” Ace says slowly, and I can't even begin to decipher the odd expression on his face.
I go back to eating my pizza since I'm not in the mood to reply.
“Are you telling me you want to have sex with some random guy to experience an orgasm?”
“If I can ever work up the nerve, yes,” I admit, knowing he won’t leave the topic alone until I answer his question.
Thankfully, Ace falls silent for a bit, his expression almost thoughtful as I finish my pizza. Once we exit the restaurant, I’m surprised when Ace drives us back to the beach.
“What are we doing?” I ask as he locks up the Hummer and leads me through the sand and down to the water.
“Swimming in the ocean,” he tells me.
“In the dark?” I ask doubtfully as I gaze out at the darkened water. A shiver of apprehension slithers through me. There are things in there. Like sharks and fish.
“Yes.”
“But I don’t have a swimsuit.”
“Your bra and underwear will work just fine,” I hear him say as I hear the sound of rustling fabric.
I turn my head and stare. He’s pulled off his shirt, and in the moonlight I can see his sculpted chest. He has his jeans off before I can comprehend he’s stripping. Oh my… He stands there in just a pair of tight briefs, and I feel my panties dampen. Ace is…he’s… If I were a confident woman—especially where my body is concerned—I’d be launching myself at him and demanding he take me now.
The fact that he’s got me wanting to take the initiative has me shocked. I’ve never felt this way before. Is this what sexual attraction is?
Ace walks up to me, and even in the shadowy moonlight, I can tell he’s amused by my reaction. “Off with your clothes,” he says playfully, reaching out to tug
on the hem of my shirt.
His nipple piercings are eye level now, and my body hums with an alertness I’ve never experienced. The fact that he’s standing in front of me almost naked has me pushing aside my fears and doing as he asks. How do you tell a guy like him no? My halter top is tight as I tug at it, and Ace grabs the bottom and helps me pull it over my head.
At first I am self-conscious of the simple, white strapless bra, but then I shrug it off when I realize he can’t see me all that clearly. If I can’t see Ace, with the exception of the shadowy outline of his body and the glinting of his nipple piercings, then he can’t see the fine details of my body, either. He stands back, and I shimmy out of my shorts. The panties I have on today are also white, but they are at least lacy rather than plain. I know I’m not much to look at, but since we’re in the dark, I try to let go of my insecurities.
“We're going swimming so you can mark it off your list, Angel,” Ace tells me as his hand wraps around mine. He tries to tug me towards the water, but my feet won’t budge. He peers at me with puzzlement. “What’s wrong?”
“There could be sharks out there,” I say nervously as I look out at the water.
“They don’t come this close to shore.”
I so don't believe him. “Close enough. There are shark attacks every year, Ace.”
“I promise you, a shark is not going to get you tonight,” he assures while I can tell he's holding back a laugh.
“But we wouldn’t see one coming if there was one!”
He chuckles and his warm hands are on my waist, then I’m lifted up against him, my legs immediately wrapping around his hips as I instinctively cling to him. “Ace!” Our lower bodies connect for a brief second, and a zing of pleasure down south has me freezing up. Ace adjusts me, lifting me higher up so that my hips are now cradling his stomach rather than his pelvic region.
“Sorry ‘bout that,” he mutters as he begins to walk towards the water.
At this point, I don’t care about the water. I’m more focused on the fact that my arms are wrapped around his broad shoulders and that my bra-covered breasts are pressed against his impressive chest. He’s warm, his skin smooth. I can feel the strength within him, and I feel absolutely feminine and safe. His head is close to mine as he carries me out into the water. As it flows up over my ankles, and then up my knees, I barely feel the coldness of it. The fear from before has left me. By the time the water is gently lapping around my bra, I’ve relaxed in his arms.
Building Faith (Long Beach Series Book 2) Page 6
