Chapter Four Ace
Chapter Four
Ace
Sarah Jessica Parker jumped up and licked me a few times, and I laughed as I hugged her and then tugged off my coat. I’d told the driver he could head home, since the hotel I was staying at wasn’t too far from here, and I could walk it.
I dropped my coat on the bench in the entryway as old man Clooney moseyed over to me, taking his sweet time, and I bent down to scratch the top of his head.
“Do you want a glass of wine, hot tea, water?” she asked, and she appeared nervous, which was cute as hell, especially considering she was still dressed as a reindeer.
I was ready to get out of this ridiculous costume, so I unzipped the back and let the top fall down my shoulders. I had a white tee and a pair of jeans on beneath. I kicked my feet free, removing the silly suit, as Goldie stood there gaping at me.
“You need to relax. I clearly have clothes on underneath.” I chuckled. “I just can’t handle wearing all that green fur for another minute.”
“I’m relaxed, I’m completely relaxed. See, totally relaxed,” she said, waving her hands around.
Clearly not relaxed.
“I can see that.” I gave her a playful look.
“And I’m ready to get this thing off too,” she said as she walked toward me and turned around. “Can you get the zipper for me?”
She tugged her long blond hair over one shoulder, and I breathed in her lavender scent as the tips of my fingers grazed the soft skin at the back of her neck.
I brushed my finger over the little sun she’d had tattooed right beneath her hairline.
I’d come home from college, and she’d begged me not to tell her parents or Jack and to take her to the place where I’d gotten a few tattoos during high school.
I found the zipper, slowly pulling it down as I listened to the sound of her breaths coming faster now.
Once the zipper was down, I slid the brown fabric off her shoulders, and she stayed completely still.
I leaned down, my lips teasing the shell of her ear.
“Do you remember the day you did this? You were so fucking nervous. It was adorable.”
She whipped around to face me. “Hey. It’s the most rebellious thing I’ve ever done.”
“Thanks for letting me tag along for it.” I moved closer.
“You held my hand the whole time, and it was just a little sun that I’d drawn. I was a bit dramatic back then.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Did you know that I was going to tell you that I liked you as more than a friend that day?” A nervous laugh escaped her plump lips.
“And why didn’t you?”
“I was afraid you’d reject me,” she whispered.
“Do you know how many times I’ve thought about kissing you over the years, Sunny?”
She pulled back, shaking her head no. “Don’t mess with me, Ace.”
“Have I ever lied to you in all the years you’ve known me?”
“No. But you’ve also never claimed that you wanted to kiss me.” She sighed.
“Maybe if you hadn’t dated that shithead for so long, I would have told you sooner. But it’s not like you aren’t always on my mind, even from a distance.”
“I’m always on your mind?” she said, her tone laced with humor like this was all a big joke.
If she wanted to play hardball, I’d play hardball. “I think about you every fucking day, Sunny. And ever since you and the asshole broke up, I’ve wanted to tell you.”
Her eyebrows cinched together, and she shook her head.
“Wow. We’re pulling out all the acting skills, huh?
Come on, Ace, you know I had a crush on you back in the day.
I’m sure it was very obvious. And I’m single at the moment, so sure, I’ve always been curious what it would be like to kiss you.
But you don’t need to pretend it’s more than it is. ”
“And what is it?” I asked, moving closer and towering over her. She blinked up at me with those sapphire-blue eyes, flanked by long black lashes and the cutest dusting of freckles across her nose.
“We’d be scratching an itch. One kiss, and we never mention it again. We don’t want to make things weird.”
My large hand wrapped around the side of her neck, my thumb tracing along the edge of her jaw.
Her chest was rising and falling rapidly.
I was going to do this.
I was going to kiss Goldie Jacobs.
I leaned down, my lips a breath from hers. “I promise you, there is nothing weird about kissing you.”
And then my mouth crashed into hers. My hand moved to the back of her head, tangling in her long hair. Her lips parted, and my tongue slipped inside.
How many times have I thought about this?
And it was beyond what I could have imagined.
Our tongues tangled, tasting and exploring. My free hand moved behind her, covering her ass, as I lifted her up. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and our lips never lost contact.
I dropped to sit on her couch as her legs fell on each side, straddling me. My hands found her hips as I rocked her against me. My dick strained against the denim and threatened to tear through the zipper as she ground up and down along my erection.
A tiny moan escaped her mouth that nearly undid me.
We stayed like this for what felt like hours but was probably more like ten minutes.
I couldn’t get enough.
And then she pulled back abruptly, her eyes wild with lust. Lips plump and freshly kissed, her hair a mess of golden waves.
“Okay. The itch is scratched, and I think we should call this done, before things go too far.” She pushed off my lap and adjusted her shirt into place.
Why is she so afraid to let this happen?
“What’s going too far?” I asked as I followed her gaze down to where my jeans were tented.
“Let’s just say that we don’t need to be ‘Gettin’ Grinchy wit It.’” She chuckled.
“‘Gettin’ Grinchy wit It,’ huh?” I grinned and pushed to my feet, closing the distance between us as she nervously fidgeted with her hands.
“That was some kiss,” she said as she bit her bottom lip.
“Yeah. Lived up to all my expectations.” I smirked before glancing out the window to see the snow coming down even harder now. “I better head to the hotel before it’s too deep to walk in.”
“No!” she said, louder than normal, before clearing her throat. “I mean, it’s snowing really hard right now, and—”
“And what?” I asked, my voice teasing.
“And . . . look at this place.” She tossed her hands in the air. “I haven’t decorated my Christmas tree yet. It’s totally bare, and it’s Christmas tomorrow.”
“What were you waiting for?”
“I’ve been so busy setting up the vet clinic, I just haven’t had time. And it’s not safe for you to walk home in a blizzard right now anyway.”
“A blizzard, huh?” I covered my smile with my hand because it was snowing pretty good, but it was far from a blizzard.
“It’s not safe. And I need to get these ornaments on the tree, and you know I’m accident prone, so do you really want me to put the tree topper on by myself?” She moved across the room and pulled out the box labeled “Ornaments.”
“You want me to help you decorate your tree, Sunny?”
“I mean, I’m fine doing it on my own, but if you insist.” Her cheeks flushed pink, and she pulled the lid off the box.
“I insist.”
I definitely insist.