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Those beautiful eyes were fixed on her mouth, making her lips tingle. She had the curious feeling they were having two conversations, one aloud, one silent.

“So there’s no one else out there?”

“Just me tonight. We’re pulling off the guard after this.”

“Thank you.”

Another silence. “So we’re alone,” he murmured.

“Yeah.” She crossed her arms. “Should I be scared?”

His brows drew together. “Never. I’d never hurt you, Evie.”

His scent filled her head. Warm and masculine. A bit spicy. Already she recognized it; she could be in a pitch-black room and she’d know it was Jace.

“Because I helped you.”

“You know that’s not the only reason.” He was just two feet from her now.

Desire fluttered in her belly. Her fingers flexed on her arms. She itched to pull him closer. To run her lips over the golden-brown skin of his throat…taste him.

His nostrils flared. She had the uncomfortable feeling he could scent her reaction to him. But damn, it had been a long time. She didn’t have time for a relationship, and she didn’t do casual, especially with Kyler at such a tricky age.

She uncrossed her arms and gripped the counter behind her. What had he said? “Don’t be scared.” She gave a jerky nod. “Got it.”

They stared at each other, and abruptly, the silent conversation became audible.

Jace’s throat worked, the sound loud in the sudden hush.

Her heart pounded in her ears. She drew a jagged breath.

He stepped closer. Slowly, carefully, he framed her face with his palms. “I want to kiss you.”

She set her hands on his chest. “Not yet.”

“No?” His mouth brushed her cheek.

She shook her head. “I need to know one thing.”

“What?” His warm lips moved to the side of her neck. His body radiated warmth. An answering heat slid through her, a slow, hot river that pooled in her belly.

“Who’s Mary?”

The muscles under her hands went rigid. He pulled back. “How do you know about her?”

“You said her name—twice. When you were hurt.”

“Oh.” He relaxed. “My niece. Her name’s M-E-R-R-Y like in Christmas. There’s no one else, if that’s what you’re asking.” Those warm lips were against her ear now. “Only you. I can’t stop thinking about you. It’s like you’re under my fucking skin.”

“I know—I mean, I can’t stop thinking about you either.” Her eyes drifted shut as his tongue traced the outer edge of her ear. “I’m busy,” she said. “I don’t have time—”

“I know.” His teeth closed on her earlobe, and something dark and delicious flashed down her spine. “And I don’t…you’re a human—and a fae.”

She stiffened, and then shrugged. Because how could she be insulted? She didn’t want to get involved with him either, did she? “Yeah. Me and you…we don’t—”

“Mix.” He sucked at the turn of her shoulder.

She opened and closed her mouth—and stopped thinking.

His mouth moved up her neck, leaving rivulets of pleasure in its wake. Her head fell back. From far away, she heard herself moan.

“You’re so soft,” he said against the vulnerable underside of her throat. He rubbed his cheek against her and the rasp of his stubble was so damn erotic. She slid her hands up to his shoulders.

He stepped closer, his cock hard and powerful against her belly. Her leg bent of its own accord so that she could hitch herself up against him. That was better—now she could feel him right against her sex.

He slid his arms around her and fit his mouth to hers.

His lips were warm and dry and tasted of beer and mint.

He licked at the seam of her mouth, but when she opened to him, he didn’t move his tongue inside, just lapped at the edges.

Tiny tastes interspersed with little bites.

Quick bursts of pleasure that had her digging her fingers into his shoulders.

“Jace.”

“Mm?” His tongue moved inside, played with hers.

She sucked on it and he groaned. One hand came to her nape, holding her in place while the other gripped her ass, pulling her tight against him.

The kiss went on and on. The playful sensuality turned urgent. A pulse beat between Evie’s thighs—there, where he was pressed, big and hard, the zipper of his jeans rasping over the seam of her pants.

He raised his head and they both dragged in a breath.

Evie pushed against his chest. “I—we have to stop. Kyler…”

Jace’s lungs heaved. His heart slammed hard and fast beneath her palms. He nodded, his gaze on her mouth.

“He’s going to be home any minute.”

“Okay.” He brushed his lips over hers and stepped back. He picked up her beer and offered it to her. As she took a gulp, he said, “We’re going to finish that someday,” with a little half-smile.

Something about that silky self-confidence made her womb clench. But hey, if it weren’t for Kyler, Jace would be taking her up against the counter right now.

“Maybe,” she returned. Now that he was a few feet away, common sense had returned, cool, pragmatic. Sometimes she hated how damn sensible she was.

She tilted her head. “Why are you here, Jace? Not for this.” She waved a hand between the two of them.

“Don’t be so sure about that.” His gaze raked up and down her body.

“But I did have another reason. Suha says the reason I healed so fast was because of you and your brother. If you wouldn’t have flushed the iron out of the cuts so fast, I’d be dead.

We take those things seriously. I owe you my life. ”

Her jaw tightened. She did not like where this was going. “No, you don’t. Not the way I think you mean it. Like I told you guys last week, I would’ve done the same for anyone.”

His face set. “Yes, I do.” She went to say something and he raised a hand. “Let me explain. Here, I brought you this so you can contact me.” He fished a quartz from his pocket and held it out to her.

She eyed it without touching it. It was a clear rose pink, flat on one side and a conglomerate of crystals on the other side. “A quartz? But what good is that to me?”

“It’s a kind of a smartphone. If you need me for anything, you just tap it.”

“A smartphone? But it’s just a rock—a chunk of quartz.”

“It’s quartz engineered to be a phone. You tap here.” He touched a small depression on the flat side and an orange light glowed on in the center. “Then just talk into it. It’s set to contact me directly.”

He tapped the depression again and the light turned off.

“How does it work?”

He moved a shoulder. “A mix of engineering and magic. It doesn’t work for humans, but with your fae blood, you should be able to operate it. Try it and see.” He offered it to her again.

When she still didn’t take it, he took her hand and pressed the phone into her palm. “Please, Evie. We want to help you, me and Adric both. He—we—would’ve said something last week, but we wanted to give you a chance to cool down.”

She pressed her lips together. “I don’t need help.”

“I thought you’d say that. But you don’t have to use it, just keep it on you.”

She stared down at the quartz in her palm. It was warmer than she’d expected.

“Try it,” he urged. “Just once, so I know you understand how it works. You never have to use it again—but please, keep it with you at all times.”

She blew out a breath. “If it will make you happy…” She touched the depression and the orange light came on.

“Speak into it.” He tapped his own quartz.

She brought it to her mouth. “Earth to Jace,” she said, and then jolted when her voice came out of his pendant.

“That’s all you have to do,” he said.

She shrugged and put the quartz into her back pocket. “Fine. But don’t expect me to use it.”

“I thought you’d say that, but you’re wrong. You need help. You’re trying to do everything yourself, and that’s hard. I bet you’re working two jobs and going to school.”

“One and a half. And it’s not forever.”

“And your brother—where is he, anyway? Shouldn’t he be home by now?”

She stiffened. “That’s none of your business,” she said evenly.

Jace expelled a breath. “Hell, I’m no good at this. But I want to help, Evie.”

“I appreciate that, but it’s not necessary.”

“I had a sister,” he told her. “Older than me, but just by a couple of years.”

“ Had a sister?”

He nodded, jaw rigid. “She was around your age when she died.”

“I’m sorry. That sucks.” The anger left her as quickly as it had come. She couldn’t imagine life without Kyler. “So this is because I remind you of your sister?”

He huffed a laugh. “Hell no. Well, maybe. You may be a human, but you’re tough. Nobody pushed Takira around—and she would’ve done anything for me, just like you and Kyler.” He scraped a hand over his short black hair. “But I’m not looking for sympathy. I’m just telling you why I’d like to help.”

“Thank you, but we’re fine. Really.”

“All right. But if you change your mind, I mean it—I’d like to help you, Evie.”

She could’ve sworn she saw a flicker of pain in his eyes, but why would he care if she accepted his help? He was only there to repay a debt because apparently, his sense of honor demanded it.

He turned toward the door. “I’d better be going. Thanks for the beer.”

“No problem.” She chewed her lip. “Jace?”

Ask him, you chicken. Ask if he wants to see you again . Because her body was still humming, and she was afraid that when he left this time, it would be forever.

He swung back toward her. “What?”

The back door slammed open and Kyler burst inside. The two of them leapt away from each other.

“Evie?” He turned on Jace. “You are hitting on my sister. I didn’t believe him.”

Jace’s head whipped around. “Believe who?”

“That guy outside. The one from your clan.”

“My clan? I’m here alone.” He turned to Evie, suddenly all soldier.

“Use the phone. It will go to my quartz, but if I don’t answer, it will route to Adric next.

Tell him to get up here. Stat. And you, Kyler”—he stabbed a finger at her brother—“lock the door and don’t open it for anyone but me or Adric. ”

Her brother’s mouth dropped open. “What the fuck’s going on?”

“That’s what I’m going to find out. But I need you to stay in here with your sister. Can you do that?”

Kyler looked from him to Evie and then jerked his chin. “Yep.”

“Good man.” Jace clapped Kyler on the back.

To Evie he said, “You’ll call Adric?”

“Yeah.” She showed him the quartz phone already in her hand. Behind her, Kyler grabbed the baseball bat they kept in the pantry.

“Lock the door,” Jace repeated, “but if someone breaks in, swing first. Your only chance is to take them by surprise.”

Kyler tightened his grip on the bat. “I’m on it.”

And then Jace was out the door.