Keeping the Beat: An Adrenaline Novel

by O'Hara, Morgan

  He shifted uncomfortably when I remained silent staring at my gift. ”You hate it."

  "This is the best gift ever,” I said moving so that I was sitting on his lap. "I love you so much, Jace. Thank you for making this the most wonderful birthday I could imagine."

  "You like the page then?” I laughed and tugged his mouth to mine kissing him until we were both panting and clutching at each other as we awkwardly perched on the edge of the coffee table.

  "I love this whole book, Jace. Almost as much as I love you."

  "I don't know if I'll ever get over how good it feels to hear you say that."

  "I know I won't. I've imagined being with you for years, but the reality of you overwhelms me. You go above and beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of. You’re always saying that you're not good enough for me, but it's actually the other way around."

  He opened his mouth to contradict me but I wasn't going to give him a chance to launch into the argument I saw building in his eyes. I knew he thought I was too good for him, but maybe that was the way relationships were supposed to be. Maybe you were always supposed to be in awe of the person you loved, that way you never took them for granted.

  Climbing off of his lap I grabbed his large hand in mine and tugged until Jace got to his feet. I started towards the bedroom letting out a shocked laugh when I felt Jace grip me around the waist. Spinning me in his arms he lifted me, his hands sliding around my back to cup my bottom. I locked my legs around his waist and met his passionate kiss with one of my own.

  I felt the wall press against my back as Jace continued to lick and nibble his way across my mouth. My body began to pulse as our breathing quickened. Reaching between us I shoved my hands under his shirt and let my hands roam over his smooth skin.

  Jace’s heart was beating rapidly against my palm as he used the wall to balance me so that one hand remained on my ass while the other slid up my upper thigh under the hem of my shirt. I stopped breathing as his fingers met my inner thigh and began tracing an intricate pattern. His lips were soft and gentle against mine almost like he were savoring the taste of me.

  I felt his hand move closer to my core and shifted so that his fingers slid along the edge of my underwear. “You’ve got about five seconds left to explore, Jace.” I was going to lose it if he didn't stop teasing me soon. I wanted him inside me again.

  From Jace’s reaction I reasoned that he felt the same way. Unsnapping his jeans he made quick work of pushing them down his legs leaving on his boxers. My feet had barely touched the floor before Jace was tugging my shirt over my head.

  I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my body along the length of his. When his fingers dipped inside my panties and found their destination I bucked against his hand. Dropping to his knees Jace placed my left leg over his shoulder pulling my underwear to the side. I felt his hot breath blowing over my sensitive skin seconds before his mouth closed over me. Reaching out I grabbed onto his hair as he tasted me, using his teeth and tongue to drive all thoughts from my head.

  I almost started begging when Jace’s lips left me. His eyes lifted to meet mine and the promise I saw swirling in their depths made me breathless for a whole other reason. His lips tilted up at the corner as he stood. “You taste even better than I imagined, sugar.”

  I couldn't resist taking his mouth again. “Jace I need you. Please.”

  “You don’t ever have to beg for me, Kenzie. I’m yours for the taking.” Jace gathered me in his arms once more so that my feet were dangling just off the floor. Moving into the bedroom he lowered us onto the bed, rearranging so that I was straddling his waist. “You’ll have all the control this way. Take what you need.”

  Jace

  When Kenzie grinned down at me I knew I’d made the right decision letting her be on top. Her lips still tasted like the champagne she had to accompany her cake and I found myself just as intoxicated by her. My limbs grew weak as her hands moved over me with a tenderness I had never known.

  Her foggy grey eyes watched me carefully as she leaned down to cruise her mouth over mine. Her kiss was slow and drugging. My breath caught when she began to rock over me, her body keeping a steady beat that had my system going from simmer to boiling within seconds. Lowering her head from my mouth to my chest she began to place lazy kisses along my sternum.

  “Kenzie,” my voice came out as a choked whisper. “It suddenly occurs to me that I shouldn't be letting you do all the work on your birthday.” Lifting her head from her task Kenzie cocked a brow shooting another kick of lust through my system.

  “Like you said, it’s my birthday.” With lightening speed she reached into the bedside table and grabbed a condom. “What better way to end it then by unwrapping my favorite gift?” Tugging down my boxers she fumbled briefly with the condom causing a lusty groan to erupt from my throat. Using one of my hands to help her we rolled it on together, her hand lingering at the base.

  Rising over me again, Kenzie parted her thighs and took me inside her, lowering herself down at an excruciatingly slow pace. It took everything in me not to pull her down, to let her set the pace. To keep myself from taking over I fisted my hands in the sheets and watched through half lidded eyes as Kenzie continued to sink onto me. Her nails lightly scratching my chest as her eyes fell shut.

  When I felt like I couldn't take anymore Kenzie let herself drop down. My hands moved on their own accord to grip her hips. Her body fit around mine perfectly and as she began to move I knew I was lost. Every fiber of my being belonged to Kenzie Kane and I wouldn't change that for the world.

  Sweat from her body mingled with mine as we continued to move together. I knew I wasn't going to last long and from the look on Kenzie’s face I could tell she was close. My fingers trailed from her waist to the hot opening between her legs. I teased her there, relishing in the groan that the movement caused.

  “Come for me, Kenzie.” The command in my voice sent her over the edge, the force of her release triggering my own. I felt my whole body seize, my face contorting as she tightened around me.

  Kenzie rested her chin against my chest as I tried to catch my breath. I felt her fingers tangle in my hair and opened my eyes to find her watching me with a smile on her face. “Who would have thought I could make a big man like you gasp for air like he had just run a marathon?”

  With a little laugh I wrapped an arm around her and hugged her to me. “You destroy me, Kenzie.”

  “That’s good to hear,” her satisfied voice was laced with approval. “I may be new to this but from the look on your face I think I’m a natural.”

  Carefully I removed the band keeping her hair up and let my fingers run through the tumble of curls that fell around her face, loving how she leaned into my hand when it came to rest on her cheek. “I never want to be with anyone but you, Kenzie. I love you.”

  “Have I mentioned this is the best birthday ever?”

  “A few times.” I smiled at her feeling happier than I could ever remember being. When she started to move off my chest I frowned and tugged her back down locking my arms around her. “Where are you going?”

  “I need some water,” she explained trying to get off the bed again. I easily pushed her back onto the mattress placing a kiss to the tip of her nose.

  “I’ll get it, you stay here.”

  “You’re going to spoil me, Jace.”

  Smiling I crawled back onto the bed again to give her a more heated kiss. Satisfied with the flare of desire in her eyes, I gave her a wink before walking towards the door. “You deserve to be spoiled, sugar. Never forget that.”

  When I walked back into the hall I picked up our discarded clothing and threw it into the bedroom, hearing Kenzie’s soft chuckle as I did. It would be just my luck to have one of the guys come over and see the mess we had made. They would immediately know what we had been up too. I wasn't going to risk our tentative truce by throwing our relationship in their faces.

  Filling two glasses of water I rushed back to the bedroom ea
ger to climb back into bed with Kenzie. When I walked inside the room she was sitting with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, a frown replacing the smile I had seen just moments before.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, immediately sensing something was up from the rigid set of her shoulders.

  “Why is Sydney West texting you?”

  My heart dropped as I set the glasses down on the bedside table and reached for my phone where it sat in the middle of the bed. Kenzie was staring at it like it was a bomb that was going to go off at any second.

  “It started buzzing from your pants pocket. I didn't know if it was going to be Mrs. Cooper or one of the guys so I grabbed it. I didn't read the message though.”

  I looked back at her face and wished I had changed my number like I had been thinking about for the last few months. It seemed nothing I said or did could dissuade Sydney from making contact with me. We had been over for months now and she still couldn't get it through her thick skull.

  “I don’t care if you read it.” I tossed the phone back onto the bed gesturing for Kenzie to pick it up. “I’ve told her time and time again we are done. She doesn't listen. I just ignore her. Tomorrow I’m going to get my number changed.”

  Kenzie pushed my phone away making me growl in frustration. Sitting down next to her I watched as she subtly shifted away from me. “Don’t do that!”

  “Do what?” She asked wide eyed.

  I grabbed her legs with both my hands and tugged her closer to me. “Don’t pull away from me. I couldn't handle it if you did that, Kenzie.”

  “I’m not pulling away Jace,” she sighed and ran a soothing hand over my hair. “I just wasn't expecting to see her name on your phone is all. Not that I can blame her. I know what it’s like to be crazy obsessed with you.”

  “The difference is she’s actually crazy.” I deleted the message without looking at it before tossing my phone back onto the floor. “Do you believe I want nothing to do with her? That you’re the only one I’ll ever want?”

  A small smile touched her lips though a trace of sadness lingered in her eyes. “I believe you, Jace.”

  Chapter 17

  Kenzie

  After a long week of work a girls night was exactly what I needed. Reece had called me earlier telling me I was expected at her house in sweats at seven o'clock. When I pulled into her driveway I noted that Lane and Emma's cars were parked outside. Grabbing my overnight bag and the groceries I had stopped for, I hopped out of the car and walked into the house without knocking.

  Loki heard me enter and immediately rushed over to me. He had grown considerably in the last few months and would have knocked me off balance had I not been prepared for his greeting.

  "Hi, baby," I cooed reaching down to give him a good scratch. He stared up at me lovingly before his focus shifted to something at the back of the house.

  My brother appeared in the hallway walking towards me with a cheery look on his face. "Hey there, Little One." He pulled me into his arms for a quick hug.

  "What are you doing here? Reece said it was girls night."

  "Not even a hello," my brother complained ruffling my hair. "Don't fret. My soon to be wife is kicking me out. I've been instructed to take the mutt with me." Whistling for Loki he grabbed the dog's leash and started to put it on.

  "Are you headed over to Lucas'?" I asked knowing that's where Jace was going to be.

  "Yeah. Figured it would be a guys night." He looked back at me, assessing my face with cool blue eyes. "How are things?"

  I felt a smile coming over my face, knowing he was not so subtly asking about my relationship with Jace. "Things couldn't be better.” The memory of Sydney’s text message floated into my mind but I pushed it aside. I knew Jace was even more bothered by it than I was which was part of the reason I had decided to let it go. That and the fact that he had followed through and changed his phone number the day after my birthday.

  A look of relief came over my brother's face as he nodded. "Good. You'd tell me if they weren't right?"

  "You don't have to worry so much about me, Declan."

  "It's my job to worry about you. You telling me not to doesn't do anything so knock it off." I felt him smile as he pressed his lips to my forehead. "I love you, Kenzie."

  "I love you too."

  Satisfied my brother nodded again and called out over his shoulder. "Baby, I'm leaving."

  Reece walked down the same hall Declan had moments before. "Hi Kenzie," she greeted coming to my brothers side. She gave him a brief kiss before slapping him on the ass. "Bye Declan."

  "Love you too dear," he said with amusement tinged in his voice. Reece blew him a kiss as he walked outside heading towards Lucas' with Loki nipping at his heels.

  "What's that?" Reece asked pointing to the bag in my hand. I looked over at her and saw that her stomach had rounded out a little, the evidence of the baby growing inside her showing ever so slightly.

  With a wide grin I handed her the bag, laughing when she squealed in delight at the deluxe chocolate I had stopped for. "Between you, Emma, and the baby I'm going to be as big as a house soon." Grabbing my hand she pulled me towards the living room.

  Lane and Emma were sitting on the floor going through Declan and Reece's DVD collection. Both women looked up and smiled when I walked in.

  "We've been dying for you to get here," Lane said jumping to her feet. "I need details about you and Jace."

  "Good grief Lane, we haven't even opened the alcohol yet." Emma rolled her eyes before looking at me. "I mean not that I would turn down details but once we get her inhibitions lowered she'll probably be more forthcoming with the information."

  "Maybe I should stick to water.” I gave a sideway glance to Reece only to find her grinning over at me. No doubt she wanted the inside scoop along with the rest of the girls. The only difference being she would remember every detail of what was said come morning.

  "Oh no you won't." Emma shook her head making her long red hair dance behind her as she uncorked a bottle of wine. "It's girls night and that's a night for dishing, gossiping and spilling secrets. You will not deny me this, Kenzie Kane." Pouring three glasses she handed them out before pouring a fourth glass of juice for Reece.

  “If I’m expected to share my information, I expect the same from all of you.” I looked over at Reece briefly giving a small shake of my head. “Maybe not so much from you.”

  With a laugh she slung an arm around my shoulder pulling me into her side. “Oh but Kenzie, I have so much to tell. Like how last night Declan and I got carried away out on the porch. He does this thing with his mouth-”

  Slamming my hand over her mouth I ignored everyone’s laughter and gave Reece a pointed glare. I loved her but that didn't mean I wanted to hear about her and my brother’s sex life. When she licked my hand I pulled it away with a laugh, wiping my palm on my faded sweatpants. “Gross.”

  Reece stuck her tongue out at me and popped a chocolate into her mouth. “My love won’t be silenced Kenzie Kane.”

  Taking a deep sip from my wine I moved over to sit on one of the couches in the living room. “How are the wedding preparations going?”

  “Smoothly. We don’t want a big fuss, just family. Speaking of which. Emma,” her voice turned sickeningly sweet. “Declan and I were wondering if we could hire you to cater?”

  “Done,” Emma answered without any hesitation. “We’ll talk menu and cake design soon.”

  “You’re the best!” Reece said flinging her arms around Emma for a hug. Emma returned the embrace with a smile.

  “Happy to do it. I’ve been looking for a distraction lately and that one will do nicely.” Her smile faded away as she began to fidget with her hands.

  “How’s your dad doing, Emma?” I asked bringing her attention to me. Emma’s dad had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s two years ago which was the main reason she had moved back home after being away so long. She had tried to take care of him herself for awhile but after he had wandered away from he
r childhood home a few times, she had to find an assisted living facility for his own safety.

  We had been in touch a lot over the past year. Emma knew I had done some research on dementia and Alzheimer’s while I was in school. I had helped her pick out a memory care facility, flying home from wherever Adrenaline was to go on some tours with her to ensure all her dad’s needs would be met.

  “He’s alright,” she gave a little shrug. “Confused but I think he likes where he’s living. They have activities and programs everyday and the staff tells me he attends all of them. I usually go see him on Wednesdays and Saturdays.”

  “I was sorry to hear about your dad, Em,” Reece said. Emma nodded in acknowledgement but didn't offer further comment. It was only recently I learned that the two had some bad blood between them in the past. After Reece’s dad left her mom, Mrs. Becker had started going out with a lot of different guys, one of them being Emma’s married father. When Emma had found out the two had gotten in a fight, each defending their own parent. I was glad they had gotten over it though. I didn't want two people I cared about to be at odds.

  “Enough sad talk.” Lane rubbed her hands together shifting the topic of conversation. “Let’s get to the happy stuff. Like how Jason Craw is in bed.” Her wiggled eyebrows had the desired effect making everyone laugh and easing the sudden tension in the room.

  Willing to play along I gave a lofty sigh and stretched my arms over my head. “I always thought they were exaggerating in books when they said you see stars but with Jace I see stars, galaxies, and one time I swear I saw the pearly gates.”

  Fanning herself Lane sat down heavily on the opposite side of me. “I think I’m going to need more wine.”

  Jace

  Lucas never had any beer at his place which is why Wyatt had run to the store to grab some for the rest of us. When Kenzie told me she was going to be at Reece's for a girls night I had immediately called my cousins to see if they wanted to do something.

  I picked my head up from where it was resting on my hand when the front door opened, seeing Declan and Loki walk inside.