All Good Things (7 page)

Without looking at him, I moved to the table and pulled the strap of my laptop case onto my shoulder. "Are you ready to leave?" I asked.

Momentary surprise flashed in his eyes before pleasure settled into the deep blue depths at my easy acceptance of his demands. I shook my head, biting back a growl of frustration. If he thought I was going to lie back and take his shit, he had another thing coming. I didn't know him from a patron in the café I visited regularly. He had no right to make demands of me.

Jace walked from the shop and I shoved my key into the lock before twisting my wrist harshly. The lock thudded in the door, and I sighed, as I turned to face him, dropping my keys in my bag. "I'm walking home, Jace. I don't appreciate being told what to do. I had enough of that from my parents and I'm not taking it from you. Goodbye."

"Then, I will walk with you." Jace said through tightly clenched teeth. I rolled my eyes. "Don't roll your eyes."

"Don't tell me what to do." I snapped.

I watched with interest as a muscle in his jaw twitched. "Let's go."

"I can walk alone." I sighed. "Obviously, you have a car here. There is no point in you walking me to my condo when you are going to have to walk back to retrieve your vehicle."

"You're correct, Olivia." Jace growled. "There is no point."

I stomped my foot without thinking how ridiculously childish the action would appear and blushed immediately afterward. He was so immensely irritating. I had spent ten minutes with him and he already had me wanting to pull my hair from my head.

"Then get in your car and drive away." My voice shook as I spoke, my anger audible. "I've taken care of myself in this city for the last five months, and I will continue doing just fine. I don't need you hovering over me as though I'm a child."

"Then stop acting like a child." Jace barked. "If you don't want me to drive you or walk you, at least call a cab."

My heart lurched in fear. I hadn't ridden in a taxi since the accident. I didn't remember it, but for some reason, I was unexplainably terrified of riding in one again. "No."

"I'll pay for it." Jace offered and my cheeks flamed. My fear turned quickly to anger.

"This is not about money. I already told you I would pay you back." I snapped. My voice was raising an octave with each passing minute. Soon, I wouldn't be able to control myself.

"Then what the hell is it about?" Jace barked back at me. I had a feeling he was not quick to anger and his heated reaction surprised me. By the look in his eyes, it had surprised him too.

I folded my arms over my chest and tapped my foot on the cement as I thought through my options. I wanted to walk because the night air was refreshing against my heated skin, but I knew if I walked, Jace would too. I didn't want him to have to walk back to his car because of me. And, there was absolutely no way I was getting into a taxi just yet, so I decided I was left with him driving me.

I shook my head. "You realize this is absurd?"

Jace fisted his hands, but aside from that, his body exuded no movement. "I do."

"You realize you are absurd." I stated, needing to clarify I didn't believe I was in any way at fault for this ludicrous situation we were trapped in.

"If you say so." Jace muttered.

"If you insist on being difficult, you can drive me." I finally said and my tone was defeated.

Jace sighed in relief. "I insist."

"Where is your car?" I asked wearily. I couldn't believe I was getting into a car with a stranger I knew nothing about. Besides the fact that I had become a regular stalker of his on Google, I didn't know a thing about him.

Jace didn't seem to notice my unease, and if he did, he chose not to aid in its release. His hand moved to the small of my back as he guided me to a car that sat parked on the side of the street. It was black and sleek and probably worth more than my life. I knew enough about cars, but I didn't know this one. The badge it wore was unfamiliar.

Jace seemed to notice my ogling because a grunted laugh sounded from between his perfect lips. "Bugatti Veyron."

I tore my attention from the beautiful black car almost painfully. "What?"

"The car." Jace nodded to the work of art. "It is a Bugatti."

"I've never heard of it." I said, focusing my attention back to the car. Wow.

With his hand on my back, we moved to the passenger side of the car. He opened the door and nudged gently for me to get into the expensive contraption. Everything in the car was black and smooth. I slid against the leather as though it was silk and stared out the heavily tinted windows.

A moment later, Jace was beside me. The engine revved to life and he pulled away from the curb. His hand on the gear shifter was an erotic sight that really shouldn't have turned me on...but it did. Jeez, everything this man did turned me on. It was as though I had been waiting all my life for him. My body had been dormant before meeting him. I had never desired anything physical with a man...and how I had tried. I hated being called cold. I loathed the fact that I couldn't get through a kiss without thinking of other things I could be accomplishing with the time I was wasting. I had always been unaffected by affection, but with Jace...all he had to do was look at me and I turned to warm putty, ready for his molding.

I didn't say anything to Jace as he drove. I was too distracted by his close proximity to speak as I tried relentlessly to dull the burning ach in my core. His scent filled the space around me, making me feel intoxicated by him.

When Jace pulled the car against the curb outside my condo, I felt my mouth drop open. "I didn't tell you where I lived." I gasped.

Jace didn't react. "I'm aware."

"How did you know?"

"I have my ways, Olivia." His tone was dismissive and I felt my cheeks burn.

I knew I should have got out of the car, but I couldn't. I just sat there dumbfounded as I waited for his answer. "Are you stalking me?" My voice was accusatory and I wished I could take the words back as soon as they were out of my mouth. I had basically been stalking him, so I didn't know why I felt I had the right to question him.

Jace laughed, but the sound was strained. "I suppose you could say that."

My breath caught at his admittance. Was he insane? You weren't supposed to go around divulging the fact that you were a stalker. Jeez, whoever gave him his facts should be charged. "You know you aren't supposed to admit that." I blushed. "I mean, if you're stalking someone, you should deny it at all costs because they might think you're creepy."

He laughed and this time it was real. "I don't care what people think of me."

I shook my head. "That's not true."

"How do you figure?" He cocked his head to the side.

"Well," I scanned his outfit. "You are very well dressed and your car...I wouldn't even call this a car. It's more like a piece of art sent from the heavens." I continued. "And you are always so calm and collected. You definitely care about what people think."

"I dress for myself, Olivia. And, as for the car, I like cars. I collect them."

I frowned. "You collect cars in a city like New York? What's the point?"

He shrugged and his eyes darkened. "We all have our interests."

I nodded. "Yeah, we do."

"What's yours?" He asked so softly, I almost didn't hear him.

I thought for a moment. "I like to read." I smiled before continuing. I was very aware of his cobalt eyes on my face as I spoke, but I continued. "I love words. They are magical. Words can create a world beyond the imagination and sometimes it's nice to just escape into those worlds."

"You like to escape, Olivia?" Jace asked. His eyes searched mine as he waited for an answer.

I thought, for a moment. This conversation was getting awfully personal. I knew I should be weary of telling him anything. He was Jace Rush, for goodness sakes. He shouldn't be interested in someone like me. In comparison to him, I was dull. He was like the sun, magnificent in his burning beauty, shinning, so brilliant, that even the lifeless grow exquisite in his presence. I, on the other hand, was insignificant as the pebbles in the asphalt. We were worlds apart, and yet, here we were, together in his car.

My heart rushed as I thought of bolting from the car, but I knew I couldn't. Whatever this attraction was Jace held over me, I was aware it simply could not be denied. I was simply not strong enough.

Finally, I replied. "I do like to escape." I admitted quietly. I felt foolish as I looked at my fidgeting hands in my lap. "Sometimes, I just need to."

There was no warning for what happened next. I had no time to prepare my heart, and I was certain that if I did, I still wouldn't have been able to muster the courage to stop him.

Jace slid his fingers beneath my chin, tilting my head back so I was staring up into his devilish eyes. His touch sent electrified jolts through my entire body, igniting my core into uncontrollable flames of desire. I tightened my thighs, willing the delicious ach away as he dropped his eyes from mine to stare hungrily at my lips. Without thinking of the action, I swiped my tongue over my lower lip, wetting it. My heart raced and my nerves tore at my insides. I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth, scraping my teeth over the plump, moist lip before releasing it. I felt the blood rush to the surface and my bottom lip burned from the assault, but I was too far gone to care. I was lost in his eyes. Jace made a sound deep in his throat, and I knew he was a man of broken will.

His mouth crushed against mine as his hand moved from beneath my chin to cup the back of my neck. Every hair follicle on my body was on high alert, over stimulated from his touch as he weaved his hand through my hair, grabbing hold of the wavy brown locks as he tilted my head back so he had better access to my mouth.

I didn't fight him. I couldn't fight him. His mouth covered mine completely, his lips moving in perfect sync with mine. My mind lost control of rational thought and I released my body to his command. His tongue poked at my lips, demanding entrance and I obliged. The heat of his mouth set my entire body on fire as he explored every inch of my mouth, possessing every crevice, claiming every part of me I could give.

Jace flicked his tongue against mine, coaxing me to loosen myself to him, and when I did, I moaned into his mouth. He kissed me harder, forcing me into the back of the seat. It was as though he wanted to swallow my moan and possess my pleasure. The desperation behind the action only made me burn hotter for him. My mind was hazy as Jace pulled his tongue from the dance with mine to lavish attention to my bottom lip. He sucked it into his mouth before biting down. It stung, but the sting was delicious. I moaned a plea and he, a tortured sound, as he moved to kiss my chin. His tongue trailed a fiery path over the line of my jaw and I tilted my head obediently for his access to my throat. Without warning, he nipped at my earlobe and the wet need that had accumulated between my legs, doubled.

"You smell so good." Jace's whisper was tortured against my neck as he inhaled deeply. "I fear if I do not stop now, I will take you in my car, whether you are ready or not."

I moaned at his words. I wanted his mouth back on mine. I wanted his hands on my body. "I'm ready."

Jace groaned and pulled back until he was sitting in his seat. There was too much distance between us. I felt as though I was robbed of an essential need to survive as he moved away from me. I wanted to grasp hold of the expensive black dress shirt he wore and pull him closer to me. "Good night, Olivia."

My mouth dropped open as my mind struggled to comprehend his words. He wanted me gone? After a kiss as hot as that, he wanted me to walk away? Was he so unaffected by me that he could dismiss me with such ease?

My body burned with unsatisfied need, and humiliation, as I pulled at the door handle. It would not relent. How the hell was I supposed to open this thing? I yanked harder, fearing for a moment I might ruin the handle, before deciding, I really didn't care. He had enough money to fix it. He could concentrate on fixing the car I'd break while I licked my newfound wounds.

There was a gentle thud and the door opened. I realized with even more humiliation, the car had been locked and Jace had been the one to unlock it. My cheeks burned again, as I threw myself from the car, determined to run to safety before he decided to say anything else. But, the heavens weren't so gracious.

"I'm sorry, Olivia." Jace spoke without looking at me as I closed the door. I should have slammed it, I thought. But I couldn't bring myself to abuse such a beautiful work of art.

I stood on the sidewalk, hugging my arms to my stomach as I watched the sleek car disappear into the night.

Chapter 5

I drove to Rush Industries because I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. Not after kissing Olivia. There was no coming back from something like that. It was, fucking, life altering. I was ruined. I could still taste her in my mouth and, somehow, her scent clung to my clothes. I could still smell her. She had a sweet fruity-floral scent that drove me to the brink of insanity. Everything about her drove me to the edges of insanity and, I knew, that soon I would, willingly, jump from the ledge.

I'd gone to see her with the intention of luring her to a bed. Any bed. I'd fully believed, before seeing her, if I could just get inside of her...just once, I would be able to move on without continuously being haunted by her. But, the moment I walked into that damn shop of hers, I'd been floored with the realization, I would never get her out of my system. She was not that kind of girl. As a matter of fact, I was beginning to think she was a species of woman that didn't exist in the masses.

"Shit," I rubbed my forehead as I rolled into the underground parking of Rush Industries.

The only way to access the building at this hour was through the underground garage. It was restricted and only a handful of people had access through their key card and punch code. Security had always been exceedingly important to me. I employed twenty-four hour surveillance, although, I had never been one to enjoy the idea of having another person glued to my hip, the way my father had. Some believe it is foolish that I do not have a bodyguard, but I've never felt the need.