Chapter Eighteen
To: My Barista Babe
I swear to God, if you show up in that little black dress, I’m ripping it off you.
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Jace was so hot. Genuinely, unfairly hot.
Myah couldn’t help but stare at him. Who gets to be that hot and have that great of a personality.
It was unfair. Maybe not unfair to Myah but, like unfair to everyone else.
Maybe unfair to Myah in the way that she would never do better than Jace if this went south.
Not that she wanted it to. She definitely didn’t want it to.
Jace was that hot. Anxiety inducing-ly hot.
Myah wanted to climb him like a tree. Scratch that. Myah was going to climb him like a tree.
Beyond his physical appearance, Jace was smart, kind, empathetic, shy, and sweet. It was insane. He was driving Myah insane.
And that’s how they ended up in this situation. Again.
Jace and Myah were in Issaky’s GIANT guest bathroom. Well, the bathroom connected to the guest bedroom. The ensuite that appeared to be off limits. And off limits was perfect for what Myah planned to do next. To have sex with Jace at this very busy party.
Myah didn’t know that Issaky and Ellis even knew this many people.
Actually, Ellis definitely didn’t know this many people.
He appeared very overwhelmed when Myah had tried to start a side conversation earlier.
Not that she blamed him, she had taken Jace to a more secluded area of the house the second she thought she could get away with it.
Anyways… Myah had Jace pressed up against the bathroom sink. Bathroom sex was sort of becoming their thing after all. Myah briefly wondered if Jace was into potentially getting caught. Kinky.
They were putting their all into making out with each other.
Hands were moving around and Myah was so lost in the sensation that she wasn’t sure whose body parts were whose at this point.
Jace had one knee slotted in between her legs, pressing deliciously upwards.
It gave her the traction to grind down against him.
She could feel how hard he was every time she did it, which sent a thrill through her as heat blossomed at her core.
Jace was so hot and it was her that got to see him like this. He had chosen her.
Jace muttered small reassurances every few seconds and it really did it for Myah.
Beautiful girl, pretty baby, so gorgeous.
Myah wasn’t actually drunk, but hearing those words made her mind go fuzzy in the best way.
The more he whispered to her, the faster she moved, riding his thigh completely clothed.
They were so frantic that removing their clothes hadn’t even crossed her mind.
“Myahhh,” Jace sang to her. “You look so good like this. Are you getting close?”
Fuck. With that, Myah was coming undone on him. Almost embarrassingly fast.
What was she? A virgin?
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A few hours earlier…
Jace had changed shirts three times. Which was ridiculous. Completely ridiculous.
He knew it, the pile of discarded clothes on his bed knew it, the mirror definitely knew it. And yet somehow he was still standing in front of it twenty minutes later trying to decide whether a black Henley made him look confident or like he was trying too hard.
"This is stupid," he muttered.
The mirror offered no helpful feedback.
Tonight wasn't even a date. Not technically. It was just a party. A get-together. A casual evening at Ellis and Issaky's apartment.
At least that was how Issaky had described it. Which should have been the first clue that something was wrong. Because Issaky's version of casual and everyone else's version of casual existed in entirely different universes.
Still, that wasn't why Jace was nervous. He knew exactly why he was nervous. Tonight would be the first time he and Myah attended something together as an actual couple.
Not flirting or dancing around their feelings. Not pretending or wondering. A couple!
The word still felt strange in the best possible way.
His girlfriend. Every time he thought about it, his chest tightened. His girlfriend. After everything they'd gone through, after all the mistakes and hurt and healing, somehow they had made it here. Together.
The thought made him smile.
Eventually he settled on dark jeans, black boots, and the black Henley.
Simple. Comfortable.
The sleeves hugged his arms without being obnoxious about it. His tattoos disappeared beneath the fabric. His hair was still damp from his shower, falling around his shoulders in dark waves.
Good enough, hopefully. His phone buzzed.
He immediately answered. "Hey."
"Hey, boyfriend." The stupid grin appeared instantly. Every single time. "Remember, we're meeting there."
"I remember." Jace sighed, using his shoulder to hold his phone to his ear as he slipped on his boots.
"You sound nervous." Myah laughed, sounding like she herself was still getting ready.
"I'm not nervous," Jace rebutted into the phone.
"You changed outfits, didn't you?"
Jace groaned. "You know me too well."
"I know you perfectly. My perfect boyfriend."
His chest squeezed as she sang the last part. The way she said things like that still caught him off guard. Still made him feel like the luckiest man alive.
"I'll see you there."
"See you there." Myah made a kiss noise and hung up before Jace had to.
The call ended and Jace stared at his phone. Then smiled. He was gone for her. Absolutely gone.
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He arrived fifteen minutes early. Mostly because being late made him anxious. And because he needed a few minutes to calm himself down before Myah arrived.
Ellis opened the door before he even knocked. "Look at you."
Jace rolled his eyes. "Oh no."
"Oh yes." Ellis stepped aside dramatically. "Our boy cleaned up."
"I hate you," Jace said, but couldn't hide the smile written on his face.
"No, you don't." Ellis grinned, stepping aside and letting Jace enter.
The apartment already smelled incredible. Music drifted through the space. String lights glowed across the ceiling. And despite Issaky's promise that this was a small gathering, there were already at least twenty people there.
Jace narrowed his eyes. "How many people did he invite?"
Ellis laughed. "I genuinely don't know."
"He said it’d be small." Jace cocked a brow, looking around for the man.
"Nothing Issaky does is small, Jace." Ellis looked at him expectantly, like he was supposed to know that, which he supposed he did.
Jace wandered toward the kitchen while Ellis grabbed drinks.
The apartment looked amazing. Everything looked intentionally effortless.
Which somehow required more effort than normal decorating.
Issaky had always possessed an almost supernatural ability to make every event feel like something worth remembering.
Even if it started as ordering pizza and watching terrible movies.
Ellis handed him a beer and Jace accepted it gratefully. "So."
Ellis leaned against the counter. "So, how's girlfriend life?"
Jace groaned immediately. "There it is."
"Obviously I’m going to ask. You’re my best friend, and now so is she." Ellis laughed.
Jace couldn't help smiling. "Good." The answer came easier than expected. Because it was true.
"Good?" Ellis repeated.
"Yeah." Jace paused, then said, “Really good.”
The smile Ellis gave him was softer than usual. It was less teasing and more genuine. "I'm happy for you."
Jace smiled. "Thanks."
"You deserve it."
Before Jace could respond, the front door opened again and voices filled the apartment.
More people arrived. Then more. Then somehow even more.
Ellis left Jace’s side to go stand next to Issaky and greet the newcomers.
He was pretty proud of the guy. Jace knew it was hard for Ellis to be around so many noises and people, but love made you do crazy things.
Thirty minutes later the place was packed. Absolutely packed. Jace found Ellis again near the living room and stopped him.
“Have you seen Myah yet?” Jace asked loudly over the people.
The energy in the apartment seemed to multiply by the second and Jace was growing increasingly nervous without his extroverted girlfriend beside him.
“Jace, when has Myah ever been on time to anything?” Ellis asked with a cocked brow and a grin that read ‘I’m drunk already’.
Before Jace could argue and even attempt to stand up for Myah, who was one hundred percent always late, the front door opened and everything else disappeared. Myah walked inside and Jace forgot how to breathe. Forgot how to think. Forgot how conversations worked.
She wasn't wearing a dress. Instead she had on high-waisted black pants that somehow made her legs look endless and a cropped emerald-green top beneath a black jacket.
The green made her pink hair stand out even more.
Long waves spilled over one shoulder and the top half had been pulled back into a loose braided style that exposed the curve of her neck.
Silver earrings caught the light when she moved and Jace admired them as his eyes made their way up to her face. Her makeup was subtle but perfect. Dark liner, soft shimmer, glossy lips. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
Jace stared helplessly.
Beside him, Ellis whistled. "Wow."
"Yeah," Jace said, almost in a whisper.
"You're staring." Ellis giggled.
"Yep." Jace nodded, taking in his girlfriend.
"You should probably stop." Ellis lightly bumped Jace’s shoulder.
"Nope."
Ellis laughed and Myah spotted them. Her face immediately lit up. And somehow she became even prettier. Which felt unfair.
She crossed the room and Jace watched as people naturally moved around her. Drawn toward her energy the way they always were.
Ellis greeted her first. "You look amazing."
Myah beamed. "So do you."
Ellis glanced down at himself. "I'm literally wearing a sweater."
"A fantastic sweater," Myah shot back.
"You're my favorite." Ellis smiled big.
"I know." Myah flipped her long hair, then her eyes found Jace. And everything else disappeared again.
The smile she gave him was softer and warmer than the one she gave Ellis. More intimate.
His. The realization still made his heart stutter.
"My God." Her gaze swept over him in a
Slowly and appreciative manner. "You are ridiculously hot."
Heat climbed up his neck immediately.
Ellis barked out a laugh, “That’s my cue to go.” He stepped away before walking over towards Issaky.
Jace barely noticed his friend's departure. Myah looked delighted.
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The rest of the evening passed in a blur. A wonderful blur.
They danced. Talked. Laughed. Spent entirely too much time touching each other.
But none of it was because they had to, but because they wanted to. Every brush of her hand felt intentional. Every smile felt private. Every glance somehow became its own conversation.
At one point Myah pulled him onto the dance floor and forced him to move in ways his body hadn't in a long time.
At another she stole his drink. At another she somehow convinced him to participate in a ridiculous party game.
The entire time she remained glued to his side.
And for once Jace didn't mind being the center of attention.
Because being hers felt easy and natural.
Later, needing a break from the noise, they slipped away from the crowd, finding a quiet moment together. A chance to breathe.
The apartment felt smaller away from the music. The sounds of laughter distant and almost muted.
Myah leaned against Jace and his arms wrapped around her automatically.
"Having fun?" she asked, not looking up from his chest.
"Yeah." Jace answered honestly, looking down at the top of her bright pink head.
"Me too." She tilted her head back, locking eyes and smiling at him.
She’s so beautiful.
Jace kissed her. Slowly. The kind of kiss that had nothing to prove or earn. Nothing to fight for, just affection and love.
When they pulled away, Myah placed a soft kiss to Jace's cheek before patting his butt, “Time to boogie, Mr. Predictable."
Jace groaned, “Can’t we just keep kissing?”
“Do they have some sort of guest bathroom here or something?” Myah’s eyes twinkled mischievously.