Reckless Faith

“Thanks for a great night. We should do it again some time,” Art said to Elle before turning to Jace. “Feel free to join. We could all go out for a beer.”

Jace grinned at the guy. “I’ll get your number from Elle.”

Elle rolled her eyes before giving Art a tight smile that didn’t come close to reaching her eyes. She was mad, but then, Jace had known she would be.

“I’ll message you,” she said through gritted teeth.

Art stepped forward and leaned down, only to have Elle turn her head so that his kiss landed on her cheek. Even that was almost more than Jace could stomach.

Then Art turned to him and held out his hand. “Thanks for joining us. It was great to chat.”

Jace shook his hand. “You too, man.”

Art turned and walked down the street. Jace didn’t even get a chance to look at Elle before she swung around in the opposite direction and started marching away from him. He caught up easily, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Come on, Tink, you’re not really mad about me joining your date, are you? That guy was a self-absorbed snoozefest.”

She shot him a glare. “Really? Because you two seemed to get along super well.”

“Well, ask a guy like that a few questions about himself and it’s like Christmas for him.”

She stopped and faced him. “How could you do that? After you saw how angry I was after you texted him, how could you crash our date?”

He probably should feel guilty about that. He didn’t. Not even a little bit. “I didn’t like you going on a date with a guy named Art.”

She lifted a brow. “You’re saying this would have turned out differently if his name was Josh? Or Matt? Or Jeremy?”

“Well, I’ve never met a Jeremy I’ve liked. And Joshes and Matts are usually assholes.”

“Argh. You’re impossible!” She started marching down the street again, and again, he matched her step for step.

“Tell me the truth—did you like him?”

“No. But that’s not the point. You did something you knew I’d be angry about. You crossed a line you had no right crossing…again.”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Would you forgive me if I said I was sorry?”

“No. Because sorry only means something if you regret what you did.”

True. “I regret that you’re upset.”

She scoffed.

“Come on, the guy didn’t even offer to walk you home.”

“I would have said no.”

“He doesn’t know that.”

“Maybe he thought you were walking me home, you know, because we’re best friends and all.”

“I am walking you home.”

“No, you’re not.”

“I am. I was raised to be a gentleman, and gentlemen walk women home, especially at night.”

She cocked her head. “Really? And do gentlemen also show up to dates they’re not invited to?”

“If their goal is to protect their best friend, then yes.”

“Ex-best friend.”

“You know, I really wish you’d stop saying that. I’m starting to get offended.”

“I’m not talking to you anymore.”

“Fine with me. I like quiet evening walks with my best friend.”

Elle mumbled something under her breath that sounded like it had a curse and the word “ass” in it.

The corners of his lips twitched.

During the walk, he noticed her gaze roaming the street, as if she was looking for someone. He frowned. “Everything okay?”

“It’s fine.” Her answer came quickly. Too quickly?

“Don’t lie to me.”

Her arms wrapped around her waist.

“Elle—”

“It’s nothing, just…for the last week or so, I’ve had this strange feeling that someone’s watching me.”

Something hard twisted in his gut as he scanned the streets around them. He didn’t see anything, but that didn’t put him at ease. “Why do you think that?”

“I don’t know. I just…I feel it. It’s stupid and I’m sure it’s nothing. I haven’t actually seen anyone. I just hear rustling sounds around me sometimes. I hear occasional footsteps during my walks.” She shook her head. “It’s probably nothing.”

“But it feels like something to you. Why did you walk to dinner by yourself then?”

“Because there’s not actually anyone following me. I’m just being ridiculous. And besides, maybe Art would have offered to drive me home if you hadn’t come along.”

He grabbed her arm and tugged her to a stop. “You’re joking, right? You’d have actually let a man you met on a first date drive you home?”

Her lips twitched. She was screwing with him. And he deserved it.

“You know me better than that, Jace.”

Yeah, he did.

She continued forward, and when they reached her apartment building, she put in the code and opened the door. He slid in after her.

“You don’t need to come up.”

He sure as hell did. “I’m seeing you to your apartment door.”

She shook her head. “Jace—”

“Gentleman, remember?”

She rolled her eyes before stepping toward the elevator.

Fuck, he loved those eye rolls.

They went up the elevator together, and when they reached her door, he thought she’d say goodbye to him there, but instead, she unlocked it and stepped inside, leaving it open for him. Because she was sick of fighting with him? Or because, despite what she said, she liked his company?

He grinned and stepped inside, closing the door after him.

She dropped her bag onto a side table and turned. “There. You crashed my date and walked me home. You got everything you wanted. Your job is done.”

Everything he wanted? That wasn’t even close to being accurate.

He stepped toward her. “I can’t leave until you say you forgive me.”

“Not gonna happen.”

She started to turn, but he gently gripped her arm and tugged her back. “Tink, I don’t like you being mad at me.”

Something flickered in her eyes. Some kind of heat…maybe even desire? But then, maybe that was in his head.

Her voice was low when she spoke again. “I don’t like you crashing my dates.”

“Liar.” The word was barely a whisper. His thumb caressed the soft skin of her arm, and her eyes flared. He should turn around and go home, leave her the hell alone, but right now, he felt rooted to the spot. Stuck.

He inched closer.

Her eyes flared again. “What are you doing?”

“I have no fucking idea. But I know I don’t want to leave you.” He didn’t just know it; he felt it. Breathed it. His need for her was in his blood, and he had no clue how to chase it away.

Elle’s pulse picked up speed. Jace stood too close, his ocean-blue eyes boring into her as he spoke words about not wanting to leave her. Her. Boring, plain Elle. It felt like a dream she’d had a million times before. A dream she’d believed would never become reality.

She shook her head. “We’re friends.”

A ghost of a smile stretched his lips. “You’re finally admitting it.”

When his thumb grazed her a second time, her skin burned from her shoulder right down to her fingertips. “You don’t date women like me.”

This time, he pulled back, a frown bunching his brow. “Women like you?”

“Is it because I’ve lost weight?” The words were out before she could stop them, and she immediately wanted to tug them back.

“What?” He almost sounded angry.

She squirmed. “The reason you see me now. The reason you almost seem to…want me. That’s the only thing that’s changed.”

“You thought I didn’t see you in high school?”

She bit her bottom lip, her gaze falling to her feet. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her. She did not want to have this conversation, yet she was the one who’d initiated it.

“Tink.”

She glanced up at the softness in his voice.

“Answer my question.”

“You didn’t see me the way you saw the girls you dated. You dated the most gorgeous girls, and I…”

His eyes narrowed. “You what?”

She lifted a shoulder. “I wasn’t gorgeous.” Her gaze lowered again.

He placed a finger on her chin, tilting her head up, waiting until her gaze met his. “Tink, you have always been, and will always be, the most beautiful woman in every room. You are all I see.”

Time seemed to slow, and her knees suddenly felt weak.

A part of her struggled to believe his words. But the way he looked at her, like she was every bit as important to him as he was to her, made her want to believe it.

“I want to kiss you so badly right now that it’s like a physical ache in my chest,” he whispered. “Not kissing you hurts.”

Her lips parted and her heart thumped so fast that she could hear it as much as she could feel it. Because she was the one who’d always dreamed of kissing him. She was the one who’d been hopelessly consumed by this man for years.

He inched another step forward, until his front touched hers. Until she felt heat radiate from his body. The rise and fall of his chest.

When his head began to lower, her breath stuttered, and a part of her almost felt scared at the prospect of finally kissing him. So scared that she wanted to run. But her feet refused to move.

Then his lips touched hers. Soft lips. Lips that just grazed against hers.

He cupped the back of her head, and a soft hum slipped from her lips. She grabbed his shirt, nearly afraid that if she didn’t, her knees would cave.

When the hand on her arm slipped around her waist, nudging her closer, she gasped, and his tongue slipped inside her mouth. Then she was tasting him. And God, he tasted exactly how she’d dreamed he would. Of wine and spices and something else. Something infinitely Jace.

Another moan escaped her throat, and he growled and turned them, pressing her to the hallway wall before grinding against her. It was both ecstasy and torment, igniting this deep need inside her for more. More of Jace. Of his kisses and touches. Of the way he made her skin tingle and her heart beat out of her chest.

His hands were everywhere, his tongue tasting hers, when something buzzed. His phone. She probably could have ignored it, but Jace didn’t. He pulled his mouth away and cursed, touching his forehead to hers.

“I need to be careful with you,” he pushed, his breath brushing her face. “You could make me lose myself.”

She’d already lost herself the second his lips touched hers. Her chest heaved just inches from his, and she could barely catch her breath. “We’ve never done that before.”

He chuckled. “No, we haven’t. But it felt good.” He lowered his head and pressed one more kiss to her mouth. She wanted to sink into it, beg for more, but he was already pulling his head away. “I should go while I still can. But this won’t be the last time we do this.”

Her breath stuttered. “It won’t?”

Another grin. “No, Tink, it won’t. I’ll see you on Monday.”

He caressed her neck with his thumb before finally stepping away and opening the door.

“Lock up after me.”

They were his last words before he stepped into the hall and pulled the door closed after him, leaving her wondering what the hell had just happened.