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First, I gape, then I laugh so hard, leaning backward, that my spine pops.
Jace’s lips graze that tender spot under my chin, and I have to grasp his upper arms to not faint. The kiss plants a spark of smoldering heat that spreads through me, slow and painful and beautifully disorienting.
“Say it.” His playful tone adds to my agony. “I love you, Jace.”
“What was in your tea?” What was in mine? I can’t feel the ground beneath my feet. There is only air, and the bitter, salty ocean, and the trees rustling in the distance, and I believe the only reason I’m still standing is because Jace is holding me.
“I love your new style.” He smooths out the tangle of my unstyled, frizzy hair. He didn’t seem to notice the black curls earlier, but he’s finally noticed them now. Why do I even care? It was a dumb idea anyway. Maybe it wasn’t. His eyes are still liquid warmth, definitely smitten, but I can’t believe it because, again, Jace Blackmore doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to allow such a silly emotion into his heart. Only he’s been in love before…
“So what do you think?” He brushes my lower lip with his thumb. His voice shifts to match the color of the night—deep and dark. “Do we make up or break up?”
“I think I may be in love with you.”
No.
Way.
No way!
Somebody please tell me I only thought it, not said it out loud.
My stomach twists into hundreds of knots. What have I done? I’ve signed up for misery. I’ll want him to be mine. He’ll belong to the fans. I’ll want him to stay by my side. He will not. A dedicated, touring musician with me, the girl who has nightmares about being on stage again? We will never last. I should’ve kept that in mind throughout every evening I spent with Jace playing music and getting to know him. Preemptive grief from having my heart destroyed like that drives me to grab handfuls of Jace’s shirt on his sides.
“Laurel.” His hand slides up my back and rests at the base of my neck. “Say it again.”
“Never.”
“I’ll still kiss you. That earlier kiss was—”
“—horrendous.”
“Horrendous?” Jace tries to sound appalled. “I’m a good kisser.”
“It was horrendous. That awful hot sauce. And whether you are a good kisser, I will be the judge of that.” I can’t believe I still have neural connections that can respond to banter. He wants to kiss me. He’s indicated as much several times before, but now I’m thinking, again, that we’re done with the rebound nonsense. Now—
Jace lowers his lips to mine. I mold myself to him. He kisses me with passion unfamiliar to me. No one’s ever cared enough about me to cling to me like I matter, like he knows me, like he needs me regardless of who I am, and this feeling of being wanted and cherished launches my heart into orbit right next to the moon.
Jace nips my lower lip, his teeth careful to not break the skin but sharp enough to cause a goosebump-inducing sting. I pinch his side for that.
He chuckles, and we gaze at each other. Every little bit of antagonism we had going evaporates. Jace refused to give me time to pout and ruin us. He refused to vanish into the night because that would be something he gave up on instead of fixing it. He wouldn’t give up on me even though I hurt him. I won’t give up on him either, then. I’ll stop being afraid of him breaking my heart.
We kiss again, then again, slower, exploring and tasting. My heart burns with a thousand fires as I relish every brush of his mouth on mine.
“Laurel,” he breathes into my ear. “I need you. By my side. With me.”
I believe him. I have no choice. His voice is desperate, his lips are even more so. Jace leaves no inch of my face unkissed. His hands drop to the small of my back, urging me closer. I plunge one of my hands into the wild hair on the back of his head and curl the fingers of my other hand over his collar. Every kiss is more life-altering and hotter than the one before it. The outside world ceases to exist, and I don’t want it. This new reality we’re in right now is the only one I’ll ever need.
Track 26
Edward & Genevieve
Jace
“Would you just look at his face?” Jelly taunts as soon as I walk in for our next practice.
I wrapped up a call with Laurel a few seconds before I pushed through the doors. I guess it shows.
“Are you two dating or not?” Jelly demands. “How did you lure her out of hiding anyway?”
