Lennox
Jace is normally so reserved, so blocked off that when he says he has something to say, people listen.
It’s clear in the way the audience is holding their breath, waiting for him to speak and the way they lean into it like I am now.
The silence in the room is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.
He shifts his stance, facing me directly. Pinning those bright ocean blue eyes I love so much straight into mine.
“Acting with you made me a stronger performer, a more understanding co-star and a better person. You brought out the best in me and I wouldn’t be standing up here today if it weren’t for you.
I found out more about myself during filming together than I have in my entire lifetime and I’ll be forever in your debt for helping me find the kind of person I want to be. ”
I suck in a stuttering breath trying to control the exhale to avoid the tears from welling in my eyelids. I look away for a moment, needing to center myself as I listen to each word like they're made of pure magic.
He’s strong, not wavering in his confidence as he continues and I turn back to face him.
“Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you.” The crowd gasps, and some clap but it dies off as he keeps talking like he’ll never get another chance.
Elodie stands behind him, her hands covering her ear-to-ear smile as she watches Jace and I see a genuine appreciation behind her eyes. One that doesn’t look like love but of friendship and happiness.
He chuckles. “Actually I think it happened the first day I met you.” He turns his attention to the audience finding Pierre and shrugs an apologetical shoulder at him.
“I’ll remember every memory of training with you, rehearsing with you, all the way to the final cut scene because I cherish those moments more than you’ll ever know. ”
Glancing over his shoulder he sees Elodie, then at his trophy, as he touches the top of the film reel statue. He peers over the crowd once again then finds me.
“I’ll continue to love you in private, until you’re ready for me to love you out loud.”
Half the crowd is in tears, grabbing on to their loved one or spouse sitting next to them. Some of them are absolutely stunned while others hoot, holler, and start to chant my name like a calling to answer.
Cody looks over at me and I give him a nervous smile as my skin tingles from the lack of oxygen.
Jace attempts to pick up the seemingly heavy trophy, accidentally banging it against the mic. It booms through the auditorium, because he has no handle on it and he’s a clumsy bastard.
He tips it up to the crowd, thanking them once again and glances at me with a smile I’ve only seen when it’s just the two of us.
Cody hits my shoulder with the back of his hand. “You gonna do anything about that?” he asks, gesturing to the stage.
A slow smile inches over my face. “Fuck yes, I am.”
I press into my heels and jump over the row in front of me, climbing over people, using the backs of their chairs as stepping stones and their heads for balance. I finally make my way through the rows of people and run up to the stage.
Everyone is on their feet and the auditorium is wildly loud as I step onto the stage and stop directly in front of him.
“Hi, Moose,” I say with a smile.
“Hey.” His eyes shift to the audience, exhaling, unsure of what to do.
Our side profiles are displayed toward the still rowdy audience as he holds that ridiculously-sized trophy. I take it from him, slamming it down on the podium, then wrap my hand around the back of his neck and slam a kiss against those plump fucking lips I’ve missed so goddamn much.
I kiss him like no one is watching but claim him like they are.
Because this man is mine.
Forever fucking mine.
When I finally pull back, after I don’t know, an eternity probably, based on the glare from the very unamused orchestra leader who takes his job way too seriously. I whisper to Jace, “You know. You stole my line.”
He shrugs unapologetically at his plagiarism. “Yeah, well it was a good one.”
I kiss him again then grab his hand as I step to the podium.
“All yours timekeeper,” I say into the mic, saluting the composer as I pick up Jace’s trophy and hand it to him.
We begin to retreat off stage but I jog back to the mic and yell, “I love Jace Wilder,” into it. It was way louder than expected but the need to publicly claim this man like he did me is a bloody fucking need.
The crowd goes wild again while Jace pulls me back, shaking his head at my antics, as I’m hyping up the crowd with a beaming fucking smile that no one could tame.
We finally walk off stage with Elodie and the moment we’re out of view I press him against the wall, giving zero fucks that there are stage crew and camera’s back here.
My mouth meets his again and my tongue darts out over his bottom lip. I can’t get close enough to him. My greedy body wants all of him, everywhere. I snake my hand into his jacket and grip his waist, needing more, wanting more.
“Ahem.” Elodie clears her throat behind us.
“I know this is like an epic reunion but can it wait? They are announcing the best picture and you can’t look rightly fucked when you go on stage.
I mean, if you win, of course. If not, then you can leave and go…
somewhere without cameras, maybe.” Her playful tone is adorable but the raised eyebrow she pins us with is a subtle demand.
“I’ve never wanted to lose so badly in my life,” I spit out in all seriousness.
“Lennox,” Elodie scolds, smacking my arm.
“And the winner for Best Picture is…Iron Horizon!”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jace screams with excitement as he jumps up and down, using my shoulders as a base to make him float higher.
“Oh, Bloody Hell.” I spin around kissing him again. “We’ll go out there right now and accept this crazy cool award, but tell Howard that he better be ready to take us home.”