She clasped her hands in front of her, focused on her engagement ring. “You don’t understand. I owe him.” She peeked at Jace from under her lashes. “He was the boy on the bridge that day. And the one who protected me every day after that.”
Jace winced as he collapsed into the desk chair and raked his hands through his already disheveled hair. “Fuck.”
“He saved me and I promised myself I would help him achieve his dream. He would’ve never gotten to where he is if people knew he was gay.” She sighed. “And this offers me what I’ve never had. Stability. A guarantee that I won’t ever go back to how things were before.”
“Stability?” he scoffed. “At what cost, Ev? Is the money worth giving up a chance at real love? At being with a man . . .” He paused, wet his lips. “Or men who can give you everything you need without all the fine print.”
She looked away. “Sex isn’t love, Jace.”
“Don’t throw that bullshit out at me. Believe me, I know the difference.” He rose from the chair and crossed the room to squat in front of her. His large hands closed around her shaking ones. “And I know what I feel for you. What I want with you.”
Tears welled, and she clamped her eyelids shut.
He continued on. “I can’t compete with major TV deals, but it’s not like I can’t pay my bills. Even if the store were to fold tomorrow, I could go back to a finance job with a simple phone call.”
She shook her head. “It’s not about the money.”
“Then what?”
“I can’t turn my back on him. Daniel was there for me.” She bit her bottom lip.
His hands slipped from hers, his tone cooling. “When I wasn’t? Is that it?”
That wasn’t it at all, but she saw the door open, the way to push him away and save both of them. “I need someone I can count on. A sure thing.”
Jace stood, his arms crossed and his expression hard. “Right.”
“We’ve had a good time, but I’m just part of a game for you and Andre. One of your dalliances.” She almost stopped when she saw him flinch like she’d slapped him, but she forced herself to keep on. “How many other girls at The Ranch have been between you two? How long do you give them before you get bored and move on to the next?”
“You know you’re more than that to me,” he said stiffly.
She smirked. “You’ve been with me a month, Jace. One. Month. You’re ready to give up threesomes, settle down, have a nice little suburban life?”
His cheeks tinged red. “I don’t fucking know, Evan. This is all new to me, too, all right? All I know is Andre and I both . . .”
Her heart squeezed, her breath catching. Andre and Jace both what? She couldn’t decide if she longed to hear the words or wanted to stick her fingers in her ears and hum.
He stalked toward her and planted a hand on each side of her on the bed, not touching her but close enough to make her lean back. His muscles bunched with tension beneath his T-shirt as if he were fighting the urge to grab and shake her. He lowered his face level with hers, meeting her eyes. “You know what? Never mind. You’re right. Why would you want what we have to offer? Instead you can have your nice little manufactured fairy tale. The successful husband who looks like he dotes on your every word, the money to buy you whatever you want, and the guarantee that you’ll never get hurt. Because it’s . . . Not. Fucking. Real.”
The last three words lashed her like whip strokes. She struggled to catch a breath—his accusation, his hulking presence, God, his heat, all sending her brain into control-alt-delete mode. Her body, despite her mind’s protests, responded to his nearness, her nipples becoming tight points beneath her thin T-shirt. “Jace.”
His name came out as a plea, but she wasn’t sure if she was pleading for him to go or to stay.
His gaze flicked downward, heated. “Take off your jeans.”
Her focus snapped back like a rubber band. “What? No, we can’t—”
He pushed off the bed, straightening to his full six feet. “I’m not going to ask again, sub. You promised me another month. If you’re going to break your agreement, then you at least owe me tonight.”
Her tongue turned to sandpaper—the dominant tone, the beauty of him standing before her, the love she felt for him almost too much to bear. She closed her eyes, fighting the pulse of desire beating low in her belly. “Jace, please.”
He gripped her arm and hauled her to her feet, causing her to gasp in shock. His fingers found the button of her jeans, unfastened them, then yanked her pants down her legs. His rough handling should’ve scared her, should’ve made her want to run. This couldn’t happen. But she couldn’t will herself to move. Could only watch him. Wanting him.
He rose and grasped her chin in his hand. “If you’re going to say it, say it now, sub.”
The safe word. She knew what he was asking. But the word wouldn’t form on her lips.
He released her. “On your knees.”