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I yelp in surprise, then giggle as he tickles my sides, but I manage to roll out from under him and back to the dresser, pointing a finger at him. “Behave!”
He grimaces as if the thought leaves a bad taste in his mouth. “You never know, you might get another deranged roommate and need to stay here again.”
“Are you hoping for that?” I laugh.
“I mean . . .”
I lunge forward and pinch his chest as he barks out a laugh. “Of course not. I hope you have an amazing roommate, Cupcake,” he says, smoothing a hand over my hair. “You deserve nothing but the best.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.” He places a finger under my chin and tips my face toward his as he grazes a trail from my mouth to my jaw.
“I need to finish packing,” I say, then push away from him, leaving him to pout.
“Why is Teagan picking you up, anyway?” he asks.
“Because we hate each other, remember?”
Jace grunts, and I can’t help but think he’s so freaking cute when he’s sulking.
I toss my underwear back in the drawer and drop down to the bed, crawling on my hands and knees toward him as my gaze rakes over his bare chest. “And since we agreed to wait until after football season to tell him, we have to keep acting like mortal enemies.”
He cups my ass with his hands. “Fuck. It’s going to be hard to keep my hands off you while we’re home.”
“You’ll manage,” I say with a grin.
“What if I don’t?” He buries his face in my neck, breathing me in.I swear I’ll never get used to this man wanting me this much. “I might spontaneously combust from the restraint. It’s a thing, look it up.”
I snort. “We’ll make sure to get some moments alone.”
He lifts his head, and our eyes lock. “Promise?”
“Promise,” I whisper against his lips before I brush a soft kiss over his mouth. “Now, I need to pack. Stop distracting me.” I pull away, and he groans again as he flops back on the bed.
I roll my eyes.So dramatic.Though I secretly love it.
I place the last of my underwear in my suitcase while Jace watches me with eagle eyes. “Is your mom still supposed to be there when you get in?” I ask.
“That’s the plan.” He sinks a hand into his hair. “I’m still shocked she agreed to delay the start of her trip so she can see me. It’s gonna be weird, the two of us actually spending time together.”
I flash him a smile. A little over a week ago, I encouraged him to tell his parents how he felt about them being gone when he returned home, and to ask if one of them could hang around for his arrival at the end of summer, but I never really expected him to do it. I was so proud when he did, and even happier at the positive outcome. Though she seemed shocked by the request, his mother agreed to delay leaving with his father by a couple days, so she could at least have a day or two with Jace before flying out to meet him in Denmark.
I glance over at him in the following silence, noting the way he’s worrying his lower lip with his teeth, and my chest squeezes. “Hey, it’s gonna be great,” I say, hoping I’m right.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he replies as if trying to convince himself.
“And then afterward, you’re gonna come hang at our house for a couple days, right?”
He nods. “As long as your parents won’t mind.”
“Are you kidding me? My parents love you. Sometimes I think my mom loves you even more than me.”
He points to himself. “I mean, can you blame them?”
I roll my eyes. “Teagan will love having the extra time to spend with you, too.”
Jace winces. “But don’t you feel guilty keeping this from him?” He rubs the back of the neck. “I hate it. We’re brothers. We don’t hide things from each other. I mean, shit, I used to tell those guys everything. The stuff we’ve shared and gone through . . .”
