Page 44 of Jace
“Yeah,” she answers breezily. “With Luca Mercier. He remodeled their spa, and I need to do a location scout to check the lighting before I shoot it.”
I jump to my feet. “I’m going with you.”
Vivian edges back, smiling. “Why?”
“I can’t explain it. I just worry?—”
“Jace,” she whispers, standing inches away. “I’m fine. Last night was amazing, and?—”
“It’s not about last night. I mean, itis.” I glance up, clocking a dark SUV with tinted windows slowly driving down the road. Is it normal? Yes. Do I feel normal? No. “Something’s telling me to protect you today, so let me join you as a friend, or I’ll just follow you like a freak and really piss you off.”
She shrugs. “Suit yourself.”
I hold the iron gate open for her. I flank her, walking on the outside of the sidewalk. I press the cross-signal buttons on each block. We walk for three blocks in an oddly comfortable silence until she spins my way.
“I don’t want to be late, but I don’t want you to suffer either.” She cranes her slender neck, gazing up at me. “So let’s talk about last night until you feel good about it becauseIdo. For the first time in years, I woke up happy.”
Gently, I take her arm, leading her from the busy sidewalk into the shadows of a garden, cobblestone alley. Moss laces the historic stones under our feet, but this is new.
Everything we’re finally talking about.
“I’m happy about last night too,” I confess. “Real fucking happy because I’m real fucking horny for you and that makes me really worried forus.”
The cutest smile tugs on her glossy, nude lips.
“What?” I ask because she makes me squirm. All six feet, six inches, and two hundred and fifty pounds of me dangle like a worm on a hook for her.
“You’re really cute when you’re happy, horny, and worried.”
“Don’t feel cute.” I lift my jacket lapels, showing her my soaked shirt. “I’m sweating like a sinner in church about us.”
Her brows bend. “But we didn’t do anything wrong. I’mnotmarried.”
“I know. And we never would’ve done it if you were. I just hope I didn’t fuck up our friendship. I’m the one who calledyouin the middle of the night, and I’ve never done that before, and maybe I crossed a line. Maybe I flirted too much. Maybe I rushed you. You’ve been through a lot, and?—”
“Jace.” She touches my chest. It calms my heart but conjures the monster between my legs. “You didn’t cross a line. In fact, I care so much about you, I don’t want you to be my rebound.”
“Your rebound?”
“Yeah. Everyone says after a divorce, you have one fast, intense relationship that feels like love, but it’s just a distraction from your grief, a place to fall before you get up.”
“Am I your?—”
“No.” She reaches for my hand. It’s sweating, but fuck it; it belongs to her. “No, you’renotmy rebound, and that’s what I’m saying. I’ve already grieved his betrayal, and all that’s left is his abuse, but I’ll get through that, too, thanks to you and your…friends. So I want us to be special and go kind of… slow.”
“Slow?” I brush a golden tendril from her face. “Okay, I can go slow. But can we add this past year to theslowtimeline because you know I’ve been waiting for fucking ever for you.”
Her eyes sparkle. “Maybe.”
I grin. “Oh,maybeyou know that all this time I’ve been hard and hot and bothered for you, Smokeshow?”
Goddamn, hallelujah, and hell yes. I finally see joy in Vivian’s eyes. Bliss that belongs to me.
She beams, tugging my hand. “Come on. We’re gonna be late.”
Fuck cloud nine.I’m walking on cloud nine hundred by Vivian’s side as we stroll into the white marble lobby of The Mercier Hotel.
“Ms. Tate.” The concierge rushes to greet her. “Delighted to see you again. Mr. Mercier sends his regards and regrets. He’s home with his daughter, who has a touch of something.”
