Chapter 8 Brooke
brOOKE
“They didn’t just do that,” Jace exclaimed. I snickered. Watching the series with someone who hadn’t seen it was more of a treat than I’d imagined.
“We’re almost out of popcorn. Want me to make more?”
I made to move, but Jace pulled me back, holding me even closer than before. My heart slammed against my ribcage as I felt those washboard abs press against my back.
“Don’t go anywhere.”
“Okay.”
I snuggled right back in my cocoon. I couldn’t explain it, but being wrapped up in Jace like this made me feel safe.
I was also hot and bothered. My entire body was buzzing, filled with so much energy, it was slowly becoming unbearable.
Each time Jace took more popcorn, I sucked in my breath, as if that would help my chest shrink enough that his arm wouldn’t touch my breasts while he reached inside the bowl.
“Ned Stark is my favorite character,” Jace proclaimed. I bit the inside of my cheek. This poor man. He’d have his heart broken by the end of the season. “I can’t believe I haven’t seen it. This show is fantastic.”
He sounded mildly surprised, so I pinched his arm, then half turned toward him.
“I wouldn’t make you watch something bad, hot stuff.”
“Hey, don’t pinch me.”
I did it again.
“Stop that.”
Right… he wasn’t really expecting me to stop, was he? Because I absolutely didn’t plan to. As I lunged to pinch him again, Jace caught my hand. Then he pushed himself slightly up on his elbow, with the result that his face was hovering a little over mine.
“What are you going to do now, hmm?” he challenged. He was still holding one of my hands captive, and the other was wedged between us, so I couldn’t use it.
“Surrender?” I whispered against his lips.
“Right answer. You know, using the nickname I gave you on me constitutes cheating.”
“Hmm… I’ll think of something better.”
He pulled back a notch and his gaze fell to my lips.
For a brief second, I was sure he was going to kiss me.
Anticipation coursed through me, jolting every cell to life.
I became aware of how close we were. My left thigh pressed against his leg.
I felt his touch so intensely, it was as if I wasn’t wearing anything at all.
A loud clang from the screen caused us both to jolt.
“Jesus, I completely forgot about this,” I exclaimed.
“Can you rewind?”
“Sure.”
As I reached for the remote, which was on the floor, I felt Jace lie back again. The second I finished rewinding, he pulled me against him again.
“Don’t make me miss any more scenes.”
“Roger that.”
Jace laughed softly. I, on the other hand, was on fire.
God, the way he was holding me felt so intimate.
His hand was splayed on my belly, and it prompted heat to pool between my legs.
I breathed in slowly through my nose, willing my body to cool down.
I couldn’t get used to the smoldering feeling of his body against mine, and when Jace shifted his position a little, his hand moving upward an inch or so, the tension became unbearable. How could he be so blasé about this?
I thought men didn’t like to cuddle. I’d been in a few relationships before Noah and had dated after.
Men seemed to consider spooning as some sort of commitment.
Then again, Jace and I weren’t dating. We were two friends watching a movie, which was probably why he felt comfortable enough to hold me like this.
Because he knew I wouldn’t be expecting anything.
The thought made me feel deflated, and in that moment, I realized I truly liked Jace more than as a friend.
It wasn’t just that I was crazy attracted to him, but I craved more of this closeness.
It wasn’t in the cards, though. It couldn’t be.
He was the MVP, and I was a new hire. And I was still not quite back on my feet after the breakup with Noah.
Telling myself all that made lying there with him a little easier. I relaxed in his arms as the bloody scene on the screen captured my attention. I only had to make it through three more episodes, and then Jace would be going home.
I woke up with a groan. I’d lost the feeling in my right leg.
A second later, I realized I had bigger problems. Jace and I had fallen asleep in front of the TV, which must have switched to idle mode during the night.
Shit. This wasn’t the weekend. What time was it?
Was I late for work? Had Jace missed his plane?
He was flying out for an away game today.
I glanced to the small digital display in the lower corner of the TV.
It was five o’clock in the morning. Still plenty of time.
I’d doze off for another half hour if I wasn’t afraid that I’d sleep in.
I couldn’t set an alarm, because my phone was too far away for me to move without waking up Jace, and the man was soundly asleep.
He was completely wrapped around me. One of his arms was wedged between the couch and my neck.
The other was resting on my belly, as it had last night.
He’d even slid a leg between mine at some point.
Should I wake him up? It was early, but I wasn’t sure how long it would take him to reach his apartment, change, and make it to LAX.
I’d decided to let him sleep in a while longer when I felt him stir, withdrawing his leg from between mine.
His hand moved a little upward until the tip of his thumb touched my breast. All nerve endings strummed to life, instantly setting me on edge.
Jace
“What time is it?” I asked.
“A little after five. Want coffee?”
“Sure.”
“I’m going to make some.”
She slid out of my arms before I blinked away the sleep, heading outside the room. I immediately missed her. I followed her to the kitchen. After a few minutes, the coffee was ready and I took the cup she handed me. We spoke about the show while we drank.
“Want to pick up where we left when I get back?” I was already eager to be back.
“Sure—oh wait, I have plans that evening.”
“What plans?”
Something in her voice tipped me off that I didn’t want to know the answer.
“A blind date. A friend set me up. Can’t cancel because I already did it once.”
Something snapped inside of me. Fucking hell, I didn’t want her to go on that date.
Or any other date that wasn’t with me. I had no plan, no idea what to say.
I always had a comeback, a quick joke to ease any situation.
I clenched my hands tightly around the cup before setting it on the counter next to hers.
“No.”
“What?”
“Cancel that date, Brooke.”
She stared at me. “Why?”
“You are not going on that date.” My voice was almost a growl.
“Why?” she repeated. I swallowed, searching for the right words at the same time I tried to make sense of things in my mind. Fuck it, I was just going to go with my gut.
“I’m going to tell you a few things. Just listen until the end, okay?”
“O-okay.”
I had a burning desire to kiss Brooke until she begged for more and let that do all the talking for me.
“I love being with you, Brooke. I thought I could be just your friend, but I want more. I want you. All of you.”
I rested one palm against the kitchen door, just next to her shoulder. I needed to touch her more than I’d ever needed anything else. She looked from my hand to my shoulder, licking her lips. On instinct, I moved closer.
“Oh. I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you won’t go out with that guy.” As soon as I said it, I realized that I needed to hear more than that. “Say you want me.”
“Jace—”
I moved my hand from the door to her waist, unable to not touch her anymore.
She sucked in a shaky breath, resting both hands on my chest, and for a split second, I thought she was going to push me away.
But then she moved one hand, resting a finger on the top button of my shirt before slipping it through the crack in the fabric.
That slight touch of her fingertip on my bare skin was my undoing. I’d never turned so hard so fast. I kissed her the next second. She instantly surrendered, parting her lips for me. She wanted me, all right. She wanted me bad.
I sucked gently on her tongue, exploring that sweet, delicious mouth.
But I needed more than her mouth. I needed to touch her.
I skimmed my hands from her waist down to her legs, groaning against her mouth when I reached the bare skin of her thighs.
It was smooth and inviting. I pressed her against me, and she whimpered when she felt how hard I was.
She parted her legs slightly, accommodating me, and I had to stop the kiss to avoid losing all rational thought. I wasn’t looking for a quick lay.
“Why are you stopping?” she murmured. I smiled at the red hue around her lips.
I traced the contour of her mouth with my fingers. “Your lips are gorgeous.”
I couldn’t wait to taste her again, so I claimed her mouth. Her arms went around my neck.
I pulled her bottom lip between mine before capturing her entire mouth.
My hands were roaming, exploring, touching every bit of skin I could find, and then demanding even more.
I pinned her against the first wall I found, and then my hands were everywhere.
Kneading her ass, touching her outer thighs, and then her inner thighs.
I stopped short of touching her panties, but then she rolled her hips forward, silently begging for my touch.
How could I not oblige her? I willed myself to slow down and talk first.
But I was so hard that I could barely think.
I tore my mouth from hers, and she buried her face in my neck.
I lost my train of thoughts when she feathered her lips on my neck.
She parted her mouth, licking the spot she’d kissed before, just below my Adam’s apple, and I was done for.
I cupped the back of her head and growled, “Bedroom. Now.”
I felt her knees buckle a little at my command, but I steadied her with a strong grip around her waist. My dick twitched as I realized taking commands from me turned her on.
She whirled around, leading me to the bedroom, stopping in front of the bed. I pushed her hair to one side, placing a kiss at the top of her spine. I hooked an arm around her middle, pressing her ass against my erection.
She whimpered. Taking half a step back, I wedged a hand between her thighs and spoke against her back. “Open them.”
She gave me access. I touched two fingers over the dampened fabric, and she buckled, leaning forward.
“Oh, fuck. Jace!” Her voice was shaking.
The only light in the room was from the sun coming up outside, and when I laid her on the bed, it shone on her thighs.
I wanted to see her naked, but I didn’t have the patience to take off her dress.
Not now. But I had enough patience to simply watch her for one second as I propped one knee on the bed, taking in the rise and fall of her chest, her slightly parted lips.
Her hands were crossed on top of her stomach, and she was fiddling with her thumbs. My girl was nervous.
“Lift your dress up higher, Brooke.”
She immediately reached to the fabric, pulling it upward a few inches.
“Higher.”
She obliged, lifting it until I could see the silk of her panties.
“Now, spread wide for me.”
She opened up, and I kneeled between her thighs. I was so greedy for her that I couldn’t decide where to start kissing. Where to start touching. I started kissing that illuminated patch of skin, barely touching my lips to her inner thigh. Her ragged breath filled the room.
She was trembling underneath me, and I knew she was trying to anticipate where I’d kiss next. I chose her neck, working my way up to her chest, then up to her ear.
“Condom?” I asked.
She froze. “I don’t have any.”
Even though I was close to bursting in my jeans, I liked that answer. It meant it had been a while since she’d been with someone.
“I don’t have any either.”
That small whimper she let out nearly killed me.
“I’ll take care of you, baby. I promise,” I said.
I moved the hand I’d had on her breast downward, and she parted her thighs wide before I even reached her navel.
Her hands were fumbling with my jeans, lowering the zipper, then sliding into my boxers.
I jerked my hips forward when she wrapped her palm around my cock, drawing small circles with her thumb on the tip.
“Fuuuuuck!” I groaned.
I reached the hem of her panties, feeling her suck in her breath as I slipped my hand under the elastic band, and then went even lower.
When I touched her clit, her hand squeezed me so tight and good that my muscles immediately locked with tension.
I wasn’t going to last long. But I was going to take care of her first. I strummed my fingers over her pussy, sliding one inside, nearly losing my damn mind when her inner muscles clenched around me.
“Oh, God, Jace.” She dug her heels in the mattress, lifting her ass off the bed, gyrating her hips, all the while pumping along my length. She squeezed me so good. Too good.
I was barely holding back my climax, wanting her to get there first, needing to own her pleasure before I relented to mine.
“Jace, Jace, Jace!” She clenched her thighs, immobilizing my hand as she pulsed around my fingers, shuddering violently.
I moved my hips at a relentless pace into her fist, giving in to my own climax a few seconds later. “Fuck. Baby, oh fuuuuck.”
I wasn’t sure how many minutes passed until my post-orgasm bliss faded, but I still felt weak.
“Brooke?”
She hummed in response, making me smile. I wasn’t the only one feeling boneless.
“Mind’s still spinning. Can’t feel my body,” she whispered.
I chuckled, playing with a strand of her hair, keeping her against me right until my phone rang
“That’s my alarm,” I said.
“It’s six. Will you make it in time?”
“Yes. I pack fast.” I climbed over her.
“What are you doing?”
“Kissing you.”
She gave me a sly grin and opened up for me as soon as my lips touched hers. Despite being on a tight schedule, I didn’t hurry to get out of bed. I wasn’t anywhere near ready to let her go.