Lennox
Ican practically feel the panic attack rising out of Jace as my tongue swipes over his lips. But, I couldn’t help myself. I needed a taste.
I told myself not to do this.
Well, that didn’t work out for me.
But, at least I’m in my right mind enough to remember to use the technique Wren taught us when kissing on screen.
Using the back of my head as a barrier and angling myself in front of him, to make it appear like we’re kissing.
We are, of course, because I can’t resist. But with the camera angle and audience point of view, they’ll never be able to know for sure.
We never used the technique on set. We wanted everything to feel real so nothing looked staged—why start now.
He kisses me back, quickly, like a hidden little gem just for me. It’s seconds only, not nearly long enough, but I can’t stay here forever, unfortunately. I close my lips over his ending the kiss and step back.
The crowd erupts, louder than ever and as I pull away, Jace has schooled his expression like the award-winning actor he is. He pulls me in for a bro hug, patting my shoulder, like what we just did was something we do for fun, just for the crowd and not for us.
I would have done that without the crowd because I wouldn’t have been able to help myself.
He unbuttons his suit jacket—that he looks fucking edible in—and crouches back as he sits in his chair, fake smiling the whole way down. I reach out and shake Greg Gurthrie’s hand for the first time before I take the seat next to Jace.
“Welcome, welcome to the show.” Greg says, the crowd just barely starting to take their seats again.
“Thank you, it’s so great to be here,” I tell him, because it is. This is my first time on a late night talk show and even though I’m only here because Jace was invited, the experience is surreal.
“That was quite the reunion,” he says curiously, working up the audience easily.
“Just thought you’d like a preview of what’s to come.” I wiggle my eyebrows at the studio and they scream again.
“Speaking of previews—” Greg teases, as he faces the audience. “Are you guys ready to see the first ever sneak peak trailer for Iron Horizon?”
I should have brought ear plugs. I side-eye a look at Jace and one eye is squeezed shut, screwing up his face as he dips his head into his shoulder, clearly agreeing with me on how crazy loud everyone is.
Fuck, is this normal? Because this is wild.
“Well then, without further ado,” the host says as the lights dim and the crowd instantly stills in silence.
My stomach jerks with nerves. My veins are pumping with pure anxiety, not a DNA cell in sight.
Just nervous energy as we see the logo reverse fade onto the screen, an instrumental version of their most popular song in the background and an image of us smiling on a stage surrounded by thousands pops onto the screen.
Then a cut scene showing me and Jace standing backstage.
The camera zooms in on me. Are you ready?
I say. Then another cut scene close-up of Jace.
“Ready,” he says. Then our feet take the first step onto a stage and it flickers through more images, each one popping up in time with the thumping of the drums and beat of the music, all moments from all the different places we recorded at.
There are a few stop scenes of us talking, our gazes deep and intense, then a 360 swing of the camera, as we collide into each other's arms and kiss each other. My tongue darts into his mouth, a moan from Jace radiates through the speaker into the studio and the sound of it makes my cock twitch.
Jace tenses next to me and I don’t know if it's his nerves because those intimate encounters are now exposed or uncertainty in his decision of putting himself out there is such a vulnerable way.
His fanbase is completely different than mine and I’m certain he’s going to struggle with acceptance. He already does.
I place my hand over his. He has a white knuckle grip on the arm chair and I squeeze gently.
His eyes peer down at the connection, then side-eye at me. Everyone else is paying attention to the preview but our eyes are missile locked, frozen in place.
It’s hard for me to remember why I’m mad at him. I mean, I do. He practically kicked me out of my own trailer and pushed me away as easily as tossing an empty water bottle in the recycle bin.
That’s what fucking hurt. Disregarding everything, especially after all the things we did, shared and told each other.
He breaks the connection, glancing back down at my hand over his, then turns his gaze toward the screen. Naturally, like he’s just shifting in his seat, he pulls his hand out from under mine then interlaces his fingers, placing them on his lap.
And there he is.
Hello emotionally unavailable Jace Wilder. Nice to see you again.
He makes it so easy to remember how fucking closed off and cold he can be and I now I remember why I’m mad.
I clench my jaw and huff out a breath. But, as the trailer ends and the lights crawl back on, I force a grin and clap along with the hollering crowd.
I hide the desire creeping over every inch of my body. The part of me that wants to show everyone the real us, the Jace and Lennox from the cabin. The Jace and Lennox from the bar, the ones that stayed up late at night, talking, eating, laughing, doing nothing and everything.
But, I don’t. I sit quietly, giving Jace his moment on the show as he answers Greg with the robotic, impassive words of a well-trained media expert and I wonder if every shared moment between us was all just part of an act.