?
??Well, um, I guess I’ll go back up and start dinner,” I mumbled as I hastily beat a retreat.
I shouldn’t have been shocked that one of them would have followed me up the stairs. I almost made it to the top before I was gently pushed against the wall, and warm firm lips captured mine before I could even gasp in surprise.
The lips that moved across my own were firm, assured and demanding. I almost cried out bereft, when they were pulled away.
“I want you, now,” Jace growled in my ear.
I nodded mutely and grabbed his face, so I could taste his lips once more. “Where?” I asked breathlessly.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me up the stairs, through the kitchen, through the living room, and up the stairs. He pulled me down the hall to his bedroom. Before the door even closed he had me back against the wall. His hands were above my head as his lips sought mine once more. I needed to feel his skin against mine and I greedily sought out the feel of it with my fingertips. I scraped my finger nails across his chest and his abs. When my fingers felt the waist band of his shorts, I didn’t hesitate to slip my hands under them. I grabbed his hard glutes before reaching around to feel the warm length of him. He was hot steel in my hands. I rubbed him, knowing the exact rhythm that got him off.
“No,” he gasped. He pushed my hands up. He picked me up and lightly tossed me on the bed. He pulled my top off with impatience, his hands were sure as they worked the zip down on my jeans. As he pulled them down his lips found my stomach, then my hips. I hissed as he kissed the sensitive spot on my inner thighs.
“Please Jace,” I begged as I pushed my hips towards the warmth of his mouth.
“Do you want this?” he asked as he hovered over my core.
“Please,” I gasped.
He ripped the fabric of my panties away, and I didn’t care that they were beyond repair as the warmth of his mouth found me. I nearly shot off the bed at the desire that tore through me. He brought me to the edge several times, knowing each time, but he refused to give me what I wanted. I gripped his head.
“Jace,” I pleaded.
“What do you want?” he growled.
“You,” I panted.
He didn’t make me wait any longer as he plunged into me. After two strokes I was already falling apart around him, but he wasn’t done with me. He continued to slide in and out of me, his size stretching me to a pleasant sort of pain. He made me fall apart two more times, each time more intense than the last, before he allowed himself his own release.
We took a quick shower, barely able to keep our hands to each other before I firmly, but reluctantly, told him I needed to get back down to the kitchen to finish dinner.
“How’s Drake?” I asked as I slid my clothing back on.
He frowned. “Not good. He’s going to take this break up hard. He told Rose he’ll accompany her to any Dr. appointments, along with Collin, until the DNA test comes back. Then they’ll all take it from there.”
I sighed. “When do you think they’ll get that done?”
“She’s refusing to get one done until after the child is born. She denied any intimate relationship with Collin until he showed Drake their text messages. I think she may have burned both bridges in her denial. She’s still holding out for Drake,” Jace’s lips twisted in derision.
“Well if Ella’s prediction is correct, it’s not Drake’s. But what happens if she was wrong…?” I grimaced, as I crossed my arms across my chest. “What happens if it is his?”
He enfolded me in an embrace, dropping a kiss on the top of my head. “He’s done with her. Remy told Drake about the time she hit on him, plus he doesn’t believe Collin’s her first indiscretion. He thought he loved her, and I’m sure in a way he still does, but she killed any more affection he may feel for her. Her betrayal cut too deep. If she came clean immediately, he may have forgiven her, but he can never trust her again. If—and there’s a big if—it is Drake’s child, he’ll do the right thing and take care of them, but he’s not going to want a relationship with her. Will you be okay with that?”
I nodded without hesitation. “If that’s the case, I can’t deny him a relationship with his own child. Taking care of the baby would be the right thing to do. I’m not happy about it, but a child shouldn’t suffer because of any of my insecurities. I guess I’ll give him time to decide where he stands in our connections, but technically, it was already made…”
Jace gave me a gentle squeeze. “We’re moths to your flame, none of us is strong enough to avoid you. We’re all drawn to you. You’re our nucleus.”
I found Drake pulling the last of the home-made lasagna noodles out of the pot of boiling water. I joined him at the counter and started to layer the lasagna with the finished noodles, meat sauce, and spinach ricotta mixture.
“Thanks for making the salads for me while I was out shopping,” he said quietly as he began layering his own pan of lasagna.
“Are you okay?” I asked gently as I reached out and ran a hand along his back.
He gave me a crooked smile; his bright blue eyes behind his wire framed glances studied me for a moment. “I will be, not today, not tomorrow, but some day. I hope you’ll be patient with me.”
“I’m not rushing you,” I said resolutely. “I know your situation just got a whole lot more complicated, but I’ll be there for you whenever you need me to be. If you need to talk or vent, I’ll be there for you.”