Page 35 of When Ben Loved Jace

“No!”

“Good.”

Jace finally goes faster, but he isn’t racing toward the finish line. He keeps fucking me, his body drenched in sweat, his muscles swelling from the excursion. Another half hour must go by. I’m not sure, my brain addled from all the pleasure. I’m stroking myself again and getting closer by the second.

“I’m almost there,” he grunts. “Can you come for me again?”

I bite my lower lip, nod, and give him what he wants. Jace rewards this by slowing down. Every motion is deliberate, sometimes shallow, at others deep, like he’s toying with me. I’ll be his willing plaything from now on, because this is incredible! His eyelids finally flutter shut before he leans close for a kiss, huffing against my mouth as he buries himself inside of me. I cling to him while he catches his breath. He pushes himself up again a moment later.

Our primal urges purged, all that’s left in their wake is emotion. He brushes the hair off my forehead and smiles at me gently. I feel so close to him. And the best part is, I don’t have to clamp down on my feelings. I open my mouth.

“I love you, Ben,” he says, beating me to the punch. “I really do.”

I’m trembling in his arms, overwhelmed by so much, all of it good. “I love you too.”

This is what I’d been looking for, ever since I came of age. And while I had gotten tantalizing close before, it always fell short. Until now.

I finally found my soulmate.

Chapter Eight

When I wake up, the world outside the trailer is still dark. I’m vaguely aware that Jace has just slipped out of bed to get ready. I want to rise and see him off, but when a cat takes his place, curling up and purring against my chest, I drift off again. Samson is still there later in the morning. I blink against the light, roll over onto my back, and laugh happily when I remember the events of the previous night.

I can’t believe Jace moved all this way, just to be closer to me. It seems too crazy to be true, so I crawl out of bed, put on my T-shirt and underwear, and go to the trailer door, needing to see it with my own eyes. Jace’s car is gone, the rest of the driveway empty. Beyond it, an affluent neighborhood is beginning to stir from slumber. I’m just about to close the door again when a gray blur streaks past me.

“Shit!”

I scurry after Samson, remembering Jace’s warning about keeping him inside. I chase the cat down the driveway before I manage to scoop him up into my arms. That’s when I notice someone watching me. A man with swept-back dark hair and a widow’s peak is standing on the porch. His ramrod thin body is wrapped in a silk robe as he sips coffee.

“Good morning!” I say in greeting while walking nearer.

He raises a critical eyebrow at this. “Oh yes, it’s a simplyfantasticmorning.” His tones are drenched in sarcasm. “I slept wonderfully knowing that my ex was breaking in his new boy toy on my driveway. What an absolute treat! And on Valentine’s Day, no less.”

I press my lips together, deeply uncomfortable with the situation. “I’m really sorry. I umm… I’ll be on my way.” I turn around to consider the empty driveway. Oh right. Jace drove me here. I’ll have to wait until Allison wakes up so I can get a ride from her. “Just as soon as I can,” I add sheepishly when facing him again.

Adrien sighs. “Breakfast will be ready in half an hour. I suggest you get yourself cleaned up before then.”

“That’s okay,” I say, not wanting to impose.

“It wasn’t a request. If you’re going to be staying here in thefuture, onmyproperty, I have a right to know who I’m dealing with. Make sure you aren’t covered in that fleabag’s hair. I’m deathly allergic.” And with that, he spins around and returns inside.

I suddenly become aware that I’m standing in my underwear, out in the open, with a squirming cat in my arms. I hustle back to the trailer, my heart racing as I kick shut the door behind me. This is awkward! I’m not sure what Jace would want me to do, but I don’t have many options, so I feed Samson, take a quick shower, and try to smooth out my wrinkled clothes from yesterday before putting them on again.

When I approach the front door, it swings open before I can knock.

Adrien is wearing a slim-fitting dress shirt and a pair of pressed slacks. He looks me over before his narrowed eyes move to the trailer in the driveway.

“Ugh! I can only imagine what the neighbors will think.”

“The Airstream is a design classic,” I say, hoping to sell him on the idea.

Adrien sizes me up again. “I can see why Jace likes you.”

The way he says this doesn’t sound like a compliment. His voice is prissy with a noticeable lisp, which I like, because it’s so transparently gay. He waves me into the house with a sigh before leading me through it. I gawk openly. The rooms are spacious, huge windows letting in plenty of light. The furniture and fixtures appear expensive to my untrained eye, but what I notice most is just how clean everything is. Spick and span, prim and proper. Like the ornate carpet with perfectly straight tassels, not a single one in disarray. The books on the coffee table are carefully aligned at the same angle. I’m led to a modern kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances and gleaming countertops. I doubt I could find a single crumb on the floor, even if I got down on my hands and knees with a magnifying glass.

I’m directed to a small table near a bay window that looks out onto a perfectly manicured lawn.

“Sit,” Adrien commands. “On theotherside,” he adds when I place my hand on one of the chairs.