Page 17

SEVEN

“ J ace, please stop doing that to the poor banana. It’s obscene,” Missy complains from the sleek couch in the living area the next day at breakfast. Or lunch, actually.

Jace and I fell asleep somewhere around four or five in the morning. We talked for hours after our second round—one filled with languid kisses and lingering touches as he made slow, slow love to me, having gotten hard again while still inside me.

I really, really , loved that part. It’s like he owns me, body and soul.

With his nose pressed to mine, our mouths pushed together, and our eyes locked, he took me unhurriedly, lovingly, passionately, until we came on mutual gasps.

We talked, and cuddled, and talked some more.

Until we went for number three—because sleep is overrated and time with him is limited.

That time, he railed me from behind until he stuffed his fingers in my mouth to keep me from screaming too loud.

I’m kinda glad the bus was driving, so the hum and rumble drowned out at least some sounds that we made.

Regardless, it was awesome .

Just an hour ago he took me to mind-blowing heights again as I woke up on my belly, with him atop me and already inside me.

After showing me how much he missed me—pounding me into the mattress, hands entwined above my head, whispering endearments and filthy things into my ear until I came all over the sheets in a shuddering, incoherent mess—we stumbled into the tiny bathroom to shower together.

Yeah, we had to take turns under the spray, because it’s tight as fuck, but we somehow made it work. Washed each other, kissed each other, our lips puffy and bruised.

I have more than one bite mark, have beard-burn every-fucking-where from his stubble, and my skin is not the only thing that’s aching. My ass is deliciously sore, but I’m not complaining. I missed that. Fuck, I missed him. I haven’t been this freaking happy and sated in what feels like forever.

Even now, I can’t stop touching him—even though he’s in front of me at the breakfast nook, mere feet away. Our legs are tangled beneath the table, my left hand in his right as we both try to eat one-handed, stealing glances at each other and smiling like goofballs the entire time.

It’s ridiculous, really. Ridiculously perfect.

Even if he is currently molesting a banana—sparkling gray eyes focused on me as he pushes the peeled fruit all the way to the back of his throat.

“That’s just bizarre,” Ava mutters from the couch.

She’s curled up between Missy and Asher, clearly distracted from whatever’s playing on the flat screen before them.

She’s clad in a very fuzzy pink robe, munching on some Froot Loops.

“I can’t top that. Sorry sweetie.” She pats Asher on his knee before finger-gunning me one-handed. “You’re one lucky dude, King.”

I almost choke on my blueberry oatmeal, face flaming.

Yeah—he went on a grocery run yesterday in between interviews to get me healthy food so I could stick to my diet on this bus.

It’s too damn cute that he thought of that.

Didn’t even cross my mind when I hopped on the plane.

Fuck my diet. Seeing Jace is more important.

“I’m just happy you’re back to being you, Jace. Banana blowies and all,” Ava goes on.

I slant my head in her direction, frowning, concern rising. “What do you mean, he’s back to being him ?”

She tucks a strand of pink hair behind her ear. “Oh, he was still Jace. Just… less, you know, Jace. ”

“Less morally offensive,” Missy adds before taking a bite out of her own bowl.

“Ah. You mean pornographic?” I grin, already knowing my man.

I squeeze his hand, and he winks at me, mouth full of banana, the hickey I left on his neck dark and proud against the white collar of his v-neck.

“If you’re done with your banana-dick. Here’s some fan mail for you guys to answer.

” Jodie strolls over from the kitchenette, a stack of papers in one hand, a mug of tea in the other, which she sets on the table.

She hands some papers to the trio on the couch, then slides in next to Jace and hands the rest over to him, minus a couple from the top.

“Don’t people just message on social media or send emails and stuff?” I ask her as she blows on her tea, eyeing the papers. “Is sending actual fan mail still a thing?”

“It is,” Jodie confirms, setting her mug down again and opening the first one.

“If my more senior predecessors are correct, it’s nowhere near as much as ‘back in the day,’ but it’s still a decent amount.

This is just the beginning—it’s still doable.

” She gestures at the table. “It’s gonna get much worse.

Or better , depending on how you look at it.

” She frowns at whatever she’s reading and flicks a quick glance at Jace, but composes her expression immediately when she catches me watching.

“How did you get it here?” I frown because I had trouble sending Jace his birthday gift, which is still in my bag because of it. Didn’t really find the time to give it to him last night. My sore ass is proof of that.

“The label sends it upfront. This is the haul from the last couple of weeks.”

“And what about those?” I point to the one in her hands and the others that she separated from Jace’s stack, which he’s flipping through with that familiar shit-eating grin of his, the offensive banana now gone.

“Ah. These are the less enthusiastic ones,” she answers diplomatically, fluttering the letter. “I screen the mail before I give it to the band. That way they can focus on the good ones, positive reinforcement and all, and I focus on the bad ones and check if I need to forward them to security.”

Security? I want to grab the letter but Jodie shakes her head, her wild hair bouncing.

“Ah, don’t.” She places her hand on mine in reassurance. “I wouldn’t recommend that. It’s mostly bullshit anyway, and nothing serious ever happens. No need to let it fuck with your head. Just focus on the good stuff.”

“ Mostly bullshit?” I raise a brow, not liking this one bit. “So it’s not bullshit all of the time?”

“Ty. It’s okay,” Jace interrupts. the corner of his mouth pulled in a soft smile.

“Don’t worry about it. Haters are gonna hate, you know?

We have other people to deal with that stuff now.

I’d rather read the compliments and the many offers of people who want to do fun stuff for me.

” He opens the first envelope with a crooked grin.

“For you or to you?” I scoff, a smile tugging at my lips as he winks at me.

“I know you love that . But what if someone threatens you?” My eyes flick to his stomach, to the scar that’s behind the soft fabric of his shirt.

He got stabbed once for proudly being who he was, and just last year; he could prevent something similar from happening.

I know he’s quite okay with it, more okay than a sane person should normally be if you count my humble opinion.

But even if he is fine, it still gives me anxiety sometimes, thinking about the fact that something like that can just happen so easily, slip through the cracks.

In a matter of seconds, it could all be over, this could be over. He could be stolen from me.

One psycho is all it takes.

“We have a very good team for this, Tyler.” Jodie’s hand is on my arm now, and I notice she has tiny, colorful little flowers painted all over her nails. “You can trust us. We’ll keep him safe.”

I give her a smile, although I’m not fully convinced. She’s right, it is her and her team’s job and I shouldn’t meddle, but still…

Jace snorts out a laugh and gets my attention. I raise my brows. “Oh, this is hilarious. Told you these letters are funny. Mostly.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a poem!” He clears his throat. “‘In the land of windmills and tulips, there once was a charming lad. With hair like spun gold, and eyes that made my heart glad. Jace, the rockstar from Encore, they say. With his dazzling smile that could make any girl sway…’” He chuckles, snorts.

“It goes on for a bit. Oh, should I write a poem back? She threw in a picture…”

Jodie conjures up some pens and stationery, and my boyfriend starts to scribble something down as I stare at the picture of a cute redhead.

“Do you always write an actual letter back?” I ask him as I pick up my coffee. He never told me this, but it sounds like a Jace-thing to do.

He nods and smiles, one of his bare feet now lodged in between my legs on my side of the bench.

“Gives me something to do during these long hours on the road, and I like to engage with them, you know? I try to interact a bit on social media and stuff, but that’s more Ava’s turf.

I like it better when I have a sharpie and a piece of paper.

I like something stiff in between my fingers.

” He wiggles his toes against my crotch and winks.

“Yes, I know how much you love that,” I mutter, grinning against the rim of my mug. “But give me a couple of hours. I don’t think I can get it up even if you danced naked in my lap right now.”

“Didn’t need to hear that,” Jodie chimes in on a mutter. “But you have to wait a bit before you two disappear again. The crew has already begun setting the stage up.”

“Nope.” Jace throws his sharpie on the table. “I’m always happy to help them, but not today.” He folds the piece of paper and stuffs it in an envelope on which he already scribbled an address. “I have plans with my Tyler.”

“You do?” I figured he had stuff to do, follow his usual routine in helping to get the gig ready, do interviews, perform, and I would spend my time here mostly just tagging along or trying to get some fitness in while he’s working.

Or to help them haul equipment around before the show. Can’t wait to see him live.

“Good. Feel like a run?”

My grin stretches impossibly wide. Running with Jace is one of my favorite things. Always has been. It’s our thing. Even though I ran long before I ever met him, it’s different with him.

Better. Ours .

But then something twists in my chest. “Won’t Mick be there?

” I try to keep it casual, but I know the resentment shows.

It stings that he’s been inserting himself on Jace’s runs.

I know Jace ignores him mostly, puts on his music and just runs .

He can’t really do anything about it, but still… It’s fucking ours.

Jace’s smile falters, just for a second, before he steels his gaze and nudges my foot with his in silent reassurance. “Nah. He’s not there every day. And fuck him very much. If he is there? He’s so fucking slow, babe. We’ll outrun him without even trying.”

My shoulders drop, the tension bleeding out of me with a quiet exhale. Just knowing he sees it, gets it, makes something tight in my chest loosen.

“So, we’re going?”

“Hell yeah,” I answer, nudging him back beneath the table.

The corner of his mouth curves up again, playful now. “Good. Because I’ve really been missing my favorite view on my morning runs.”

“What’s your favorite view while running?” Jodie mumbles, more focused on scanning fan mail than actually following the conversation.

“His ass,” Ava and Missy declare in chorus, making me chuckle and duck my head.

Ignoring them, Jace leans forward, lifting my chin as he meets my gaze.

From this close, I can see all the white and silver sparks in those expressive gray eyes of his, twinkling like freaking diamonds.

“Are you sure you can run?” he asks in a low tone only meant for me, nodding to my lower area as his tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip.

“Think you can keep up in your current condition? ”

The corners of my eyes tighten, and I flick a glance Jodie’s way, who’s fortunately back to being engrossed in the pile of hate mail which I’m still itching to look at.

I narrow my gaze further at my grinning boyfriend, who’s so close I could kiss him if I want to. And I want to, always, but that’s not important right now.

“You think you can beat me now that you have a slight advantage?” I whisper back.

“Oh, I could always beat you and you know it,” he goads, tugging his lip between his teeth. “You’re slow.”

“Really? Slow?” I raise my brows as I lean forward, my lips only a breath away from his. “Which one of us works out for a living, huh? Has been pushing himself to the extreme for the last few months? Is at the peak of his condition?”

His answering grin is unreal, lip still firmly beneath his teeth, eyes glittering. He’s loving this.

“And who,” I poke him in the chest, “is touring , partying it up, drinking excessively—”

“On occasion,” he interrupts.

“True. Who’s drinking excessively on occasion , but drowns himself in potato chips and French fries on the daily?”

“I still jog almost every day, you big oaf. Let’s see how quick you are when you can feel me still lingering inside you with every step you take.”

I inhale shakily, but smirk anyway, having missed this competitive streak we always have going on, even though I already know he’s going to let me win just so he can trail behind me.

“Please, I’m a football player,” I reply dryly. “We’re used to a little bit of pain, especially while exercising.”

“You were exercising alright when you got injured .”

I try my best not to blush because of his endless bantering and flirting. Flirting I missed way, way, too much.

I meet his gaze head on, pushing forward that last bit so we’re almost nose to nose. “Winner gets a blowie?” Not that it’s a punishment to get on my knees for him, but that’s besides the point.

“Oh, you’re on. Meet you outside in ten.” Jace’s eyes darken with playful intent. He pulls me in by the back of my neck for a searing kiss before he maneuvers himself past Jodie to head to the bedroom to get changed.

I smile at his retreating back, already knowing that I don’t care who wins. The real prize is this, that I’m here, with him.

But sure, I wouldn’t pass up the blowie when I beat his arrogant ass as well.