Page 58 of The Comeback Road (Leaving #2)

Lexie

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of my favorite denim jacket.

The soft fabric hugged my arms just right.

Jace had told me to wear jeans, so I pulled on a pair of black ones that hugged my curves, with a white tank top underneath that showed a hint of skin, and threw my jean jacket over it in case we were going somewhere chilly.

I wanted to look effortlessly cute—even though I’d spent far too long making it look like I was wearing no makeup and had dewy skin naturally.

The night felt like…well, everything, if I was being honest. There’d been an electricity that cackled between us for weeks, a tension that simmered just below the surface. I slipped on my favorite pair of boots that went just above my knee and laced up. Sexy, yet effortless- ish.

When the doorbell rang, I felt a jolt of electricity shoot through me.

I took a deep breath, smoothed my top, and opened the door.

Magnolia was bubbling with excitement in the kitchen.

I made her wait there because she could not get it together before I started getting ready.

I could have sworn she even shed a tear.

There he stood. Jace, leaning casually against the doorframe, a devilish grin on his face that made my stomach feel like a pool of molten lava. He looked incredible—droolworthy, really—dressed in a fitted black henley thermal and jeans that hugged him just right.

“Hey, Starlight,” he said, his voice low and smooth, making me lean into him without a second thought.

“Hey, yourself,” I replied, trying to sound unaffected, but feeling him everywhere.

Are you ready for our first adventure?” he asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

Jace held his hand out to me, and I took it.

He brought the top of my hand to his lips and placed a light kiss on it.

Jace turned my hand over, placing another quick kiss on my wrist before he laced our fingers together. “You’re perfect.”

“Adventure?” I inquired.

“Trust me?” Jace said as he led me to his truck. The way he was reluctant to let go of my hand as we got into the car sent a thrill through me, and I could feel the heat radiating between us.

As we drove, the air was thick with an unspoken tension. I kept stealing glances at him, not missing the way his jaw tightened as he focused on the road. “So, where are we going?” I asked, trying to sound casual and not like I was rubbing my thighs together to try to get some kind of relief.

“You’ll see.” His teasing tone wasn’t helping matters, but the mystery in where we were going made me sit still and behave because I couldn’t help but wonder what he had planned.

When we finally pulled up to a vibrant outdoor roller rink, my eyes widened in surprise. I found myself unbuckling the seat belt, wanting to get closer to where the music was coming from.

“Wait until I can get your door please.” He circled around, opening it, but my eyes were still totally glued on the venue before us. “This is freakin’ amazing!” I exclaimed, my excitement bubbling over. It was the last thing I had expected, and yet it felt…absolutely perfect.

“Surprise!” Jace said, his grin widening as he reached for me to step down and out of the truck. His energy was contagious.

Once we made our way inside to the rink entrance that also seemed to hold a few seats that were packed full and a concession stand.

The pulsating music and colorful disco lights were easy to see from where we were.

I had to stop myself from bouncing up and down as we waited in line to get our skates.

It didn’t take nearly as long as I expected.

Jace stepped forward and told them my size without me even having to say a word.

He paid and guided me over to a bench, where he sat me down, unlacing my current boots.

I couldn’t help but bite my lip at the sight of him on his knees before me.

He leaned up to pull them off. “You’re going to love this,” he whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

Once he got me all laced up into my skates, I continued to have impure thoughts. “Lex, you have to stop looking at me like that. There are children here.”

I stepped onto the rink, wobbling slightly at first, but Jace was right there beside me, his presence grounding and exhilarating at once.

“Just relax, Lexie. I’ve got you.” His voice was steady, the way he looked at me making my heart race even faster than the surge of adrenaline I’d had when I stepped into the rink.

As I found my balance, the world around us blurred, and it was just him and me, skating under the flashing lights. Jace moved with effortless confidence, and I couldn’t help but admire him and the way his body moved. “You make it look so easy!” I shouted over the music.

“Just wait until you see my best moves!” he called back, a playful challenge in his voice.

Trying to embody the carefree spirit of the music that surrounded us, I felt alive, vibrant.

For a moment, all my worries faded away.

But as I skated closer to him, I felt the tension that had been building since I first met him—the undercurrent of something deep between us, something life-changing. I faltered at that idea.

“Whoa there!” Jace said, grabbing my waist as I stumbled. Our bodies collided, and I felt the heat that radiated off of him, a magnetic pull that made me pulse in desire. “Careful,” he murmured, and then Jace was skating backward and holding me to his chest. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

“Thanks for saving me,” I murmured, breathless. His gaze locked onto mine. The air felt thick as he looked at me.

“Anytime,” he replied, his voice low, and I could have sworn that I felt him in my bones. “Let’s take a break,” Jace offered, and I knew he was just as affected as I was. We skated over to one of the exits and found a small corner where two people could barely fit.

We were close enough there was a palpable heat pulsating between us that made it hard to think straight. “You’re really good at this,” I said, nudging him playfully. But my voice came out almost breathless.

“Only because I had you to keep me motivated,” he said. His eyes never left mine. The sincerity in his tone made my heart swell.

“Jace…” I started, but the words caught in my throat. I could see desire flickering in his gaze, a longing that made my pulse quicken.

“Lexie…” he said, leaning in closer, our faces inches apart. The world around us faded, and all I could focus on was the way his breath mingled with mine.

“Are you ready for round two?” he asked, and I didn’t miss the implication.

“Put me in, Coach,” I replied, standing up and taking his hand, leading him back into the rink, ready to dive into whatever came next.

The night was alive with possibility, and so were we.