Then & Now (25 page)

With ragged breathing and low groans they began to move together in the most erotic dance she had ever preformed.  His strokes become rougher and quicker as their moans and grunts became wilder and louder.  Their breathing mingled as they each gasped for air while she became aroused to the point of pain.  Her skin prickled under his warm hands as they gripped her hips.

“Come for me, Alethea.”  He breathed into her ear.  “You’re so close I can feel it.”

Feeling her climax was about to overtake her, she fisted the blanket.  She found herself soaring higher than ever before.  The room shook, the walls vanished while white hot heat flooded her vanes.  His deep voice echoed with hers heightening her senses and pleasuring her further.

Allowing his wonderful weight to rest upon her for a moment, he slowly rolled off of her onto his side.  He lay without moving for several minutes, while she wiped the moister from her eyes.  Her heart was beating so fiercely she feared that it might beat right out of her chest.  Loving the slight tingling sensation lingering between her legs she giggled softly.

“What?”  He asked in a husky, satisfied voice.

“That was amazing.”  She whispered.  “I think my heart is going to explode.  I’ve never…”  Swallowing hard she couldn’t finish her statement.  The truth was that she had never felt so alive, so fulfilled, so loved.  Her heart went from thunderous beating to soaring higher than the clouds at the realization.  Loved.  She felt truly loved.  Covering her eyes, she hoped she wasn’t reading too much into it, because she didn’t know if her crazed heart could handle it.  For she had fallen for him since the night at the dinner.

Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her forehead. 
“Yeah, me too.”

She sighed as she snuggled against his warm body.  He couldn’t have used a more open statement, though she would take it anyway.

Jace woke to
a bright ray of sunlight that streamed in from the window at the far ended of the bedroom.  Running his hand over his still tired face, he brought his attention to Alethea. She was still sleeping soundly.  He found himself smiling like a love struck teen, as he watched the slow rise and fall of her chest.  Rolling unto his side, he watched her sleep.  His fingers twitched slightly while he pushed a single tendril way from her peaceful expression.  The blanket kept her perfect naked breast lightly covered.  But that didn’t matter, he remembered them vividly.

It all suddenly made perfect sense.  He now understood why Ty walked around with a stupid grin on his face.  And why all those cheesy love songs and poems are written.  It was because of this.  It was for the moment when you realize the person you’ve been waiting for is suddenly right there in front of you, and life is unexpectedly worth a whole lot more than it had been only moments before. 
He could actually feel his heart swell with the realization that he was in love with this wonderful woman.

She
sighed lightly as she stretched, causing the sheet to slip away.  His eyes drank in her soft curves, that he had felt only a few hours ago. 

She brought those beautiful eyes right up to his. “Hello.” 

“Hi.” He barely managed to reply. Her half-mass eyelids showed a well loved woman.  A woman he would never let go. 

“Did you sleep at all?”  She smiled, curling into him.

“A little.”  He ran his fingers down her bare back.  His heart skipping random beats, at her low, raspy words.

Moaning softly,
she nuzzled her nose along his neck.  She pushed her silky, smooth breast against his chest. “That feels nice.”  She hummed.

He had to agree.  Her nipples teased the hair on his chest, making even the simplest thought blurry.  Kissing her forehead,
he rolled on top of her using his elbows to sport most of his weight.  His lips brushed tender kisses long her face, making sure every inch was covered.

“You’re spoiling me.”  She giggled, leaving her eyes in two sexy slits.  Parting her legs, she allowed him to nestle right against her center.

“You deserve it.”  He rumbled.  Taking her lips with his own, he began to work her into the heated passion that he never wanted to stop.  Unfortunately, his phone’s shrill ring screamed through the room disturbing them.

“Do you have to answer?”  She asked sounding adorably anxious.

He chuckled at her expression.  “Yes, but I’ll make it fast, then we’ll take it slow.” He winked. 

Releasing a deep breath, that pressed her gorgeous breast into his chest, she pouted out her bottom lip.  “Okay.”

She was so damn cute.  Grabbing that full pouty lip, he sucked gently until the phone screamed again.  He let out a discouraged groan while climbing off of her.  “Quick, I promise.” Jace smiled.  “But keep that pout, it’s damn sexy.”

She laughed a genuine laugh that did ridiculous things to his insides.  “I’ll go make some coffee and maybe some breakfast.  You know my table is
very
sturdy.”  She purred as she slipped on skimpy shorts—without panties—and a tank-top.  “Just in case you want some morning recreational actives.”

Pain shot right through his groin at her sultry words. “Oh!  I’ve never hated my job until this very moment!”  He overstated with an agonizing whimper. Lifting his phone, he silently cursed Tyler who was waiting on the other ended.  He regrettably flipped open his phone while he watched her leave the room with a luscious sway of her hips.

“This better be good.”  He barked into the phone.

“Nowhere near.”
  Tyler’s voice was tight, which was his signature trade mark for bad news.

Interest and instinct had him focusing on his boss and not what awaited him in the kitchen. “What?”

Alethea hummed blissfully as she prepared their omelets.  She hadn’t felt this good in—well, never.  The sensation was completely new and exhilarating. 
Almost freeing.  Amelia told her that being in love was like flying.  She didn’t know if she was in love, but she did feel like she could fly.

Smiling to herself she added the cheese without care where it landed.  Hell she didn’t care if it even got cleaned up afterward.  She wondered if they would even eat the omelets.  The table should be used for
other
business.

She heard him coming down the hall and quickly poured him some coffee.  To her utter dismay he came around the corner fully clothed.  She frowned while handing him the cup.  “You’re leaving.”  It wasn’t a question she could see it in his face.

“I’m so sorry, beautiful.”  He kissed her softly. “I have to.  But if you’ll have me, I’ll come back and take you to dinner.”

“Where?”
  She asked playfully pouting.

He smiled as he set the mug down. 
“Anywhere.  We can even go back to my house and I’ll make you something.”

“You’ll make me something?”  She lifted a brow skeptically.

“Hey, I will have you know that I was put in the kitchen throughout the marine core.  I learned a few things.  Plus, I’ve recently taken some culinary classes.”  He stated with a raise of his chin.

She giggled at his defensive behavior.  “Well, okay then. 
Your place.  Is six too early?”

“For you, Thea, it won’t be early enough.”  Taking her mouth in a knee melting kiss, he held her to him as if he couldn’t let go.  His fingers dipped below the elastic band of her shorts caressing the top of her bottom.  A deep growl exploded from his chest.  “You’re not wearing panties.”

“Nope.”  She whispered as she sucked on his earlobe.

Another growl vibrated his chest making her suck a little harder.  She immediately let go when he lifted her off of the ground and carried her to the couch.  He gently laid her down, and then quickly began to remove his clothing.

“I thought you had to leave?”  She asked breathless.

“I can be a little late.”  He justified with a wicked grin.

“Oh, good.”  She smiled back lifting her arms to welcome him.

An hour later, Thea
laid on the couch utterly spent.  Her body trembled with pleasure as she watched Jace dress yet again.  “I don’t think I can move.”  She giggled.

He bent down and kissed her tenderly.  “Honestly, I don’t know how I am.  I would give anything to crawl beside you and stay there.”

“But, you have to save the world.” 

“Something
like that.”  He chuckled.  “I’ll see you at six?”  Confirming their previous plans, he waited for her to nod before he gave her another lingering kiss, then he was out her front door.

Laying there for a few minutes she stared at the front door.  Amelia had been right; being in love was exactly like flying.

Suddenly her phone began to ring disrupting her thoughts.  Knowing it was the main home’s phone by its special ring that she had assigned for it, she jumped up to answer it.  She held a quilt that she normally used as a decoration around her naked body as she lifted the receiver. “Hello?”

“Holly shit, Thea!”  Her younger brother Nickolas barked into over the phone.  “Is it true?”

“What true?” She asked trying to keep the blanket in place.

“That you bought Jace at an auction.  I thought you two knew each other in high school?”  Her brother’s voice barely registered in her sudden panic.

“Where did you hear that?”

“Some reporters asked me when I came home today.  They’re all over the front yard.”  He replied.

Running to the window she saw the crowd in front of her parents’ house. “Ohmygod….”  She breathed feeling her legs go numb.

“Yeah, no kidding.
  Dad couldn’t even leave for work today.”  Nickolas said with a slight chuckle.  “So is it true?  Did you get him at an auction?  If you did you better tell Mytrice.  She’s totally freaking out right now.”

Thea bet she was.  To her sister this would be humiliating.  Having a sister not only buying a date but bringing him to a family party?  Thea would never hear the end of it.  She needed to do damage control and she needed to do it fast.  “I’ll be right there.”

Hanging up quickly she dashed into her room, found some cloths, took a fast shower, and then ran to her parents’ house hoping no reporters saw her.

She sighed in relief when she made into the kitchen without being noticed.  Unfortunately it was short lived.  As she turned into the dining room she saw something her brain didn’t want to take in at first.  It wasn’t until she heard her mother’s gasp that her mind clicked into gear. 

Instantly Jace pulled away from Mytrice’s lips and first looked at her mother then her. His eyes widened as his swollen lips tried to say something.  He pulled Mytrice’s arms from his neck.  Taking a step toward her he stopped when she jumped back into the china cabinet almost knocking it over.

“Mytrice!
  What have you done?”  Their mother asked sounding appalled.

Without waiting for an answer, Thea turned and ran for her the safety of her home.

“Thea!” Jace yelled after her, only making her run that much faster.

Once she came to her tiny home she threw her door open and slammed it in his face when he came running after her.  Snapping the dead bolt in place she angrily swiped at her fallen tears. 

How stupid can one person be?  Was she that hard up to find someone to like her over her perfect sister that she would keeping falling for the wrong man?  What was worse was that she could at least see it coming, but not with Jace.  She actually believed him.

With a shattered heart she slid the chain into place for extra protection, as he called to her through the thick door.  She didn’t want to hear any of it.  Even if he didn’t want her to find out that way, she didn’t want the excuse.

Running to her room she shut and locked that door as well, before sliding down the cool wood.  There at the base of her bedroom door she cried.  She couldn’t do it in the bed.  In fact she would have to buy a new one.  There would be no way she would be able to sleep in it.  And the couch.  That would have to go to.

“Thea!
  Please open your door, baby!  Let me explain.”

Covering her ears, she let her sobs be the only sound to hear.

This could not be happening
. Jace thought as he pounded on Thea’s door again.  He could not believe that he had finally found someone he could spend the rest of his life with and he just royally screwed it over.  Good what in the hell had he been thinking?

He was thinking that he hated seeing a woman cry.  But that had been no excuse.  Knowing Mytrice was up to something the minute he walked into the main home, he still allowed it to happen. 
Even if he had seen it coming.

“Thea, please….”  He pleaded quieter now.  Half expecting her brother’s to come charging with fist raised, Jace rested his head on her front door.  He would let them take their pound of flesh off of him.  No one deserved it more.

When Tyler had called him earlier he had news about the ex-boyfriend, who they had in custody.  Apparently he was claiming that Mytrice had set her own home on fire and had an alibi for the night of the fire.  Which meant everything she had told them was a lie.

Wanting nothing more than to protect Alethea for what might be a potential crime whirl wind involving her only sister, he asked Tyler to hold off the cops until he got the full story. 
Obviously his first mistake.