“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 freakingdiamonds. “Are you sure youcanrun?” 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 currentcondition?”
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 Iwantto, 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, “istouring, partying it up, drinking excessively—”
“On occasion,” he interrupts.
“True. Who’s drinking excessivelyon 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 ofpain,especially while exercising.”
“You were exercising alright when you gotinjured.”
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.
EIGHT
IgawklikecrazywhenI enter the wings of the stage, the dome-like stadium already packed to the brim with fans eagerly waiting for the gig to start—if the noise and ruckus are anything to go by.
I’m used to playing in stadiums, to having thousands of eyes on me during every game, being the quarterback for one of the top college teams in the country and all. But as a band just starting out?Christ, they’re doing so fucking good—it’s incredible. I know they’re technically just the opening act for Six of Hearts, but I definitely spot more than one cardboard signand shirt withENCOREor Jace’s name on it. Accompanied by lots of hearts.
Just like the white one I’m wearing now.
Yeah, trust Ava to make a hot-pink neon logo which somehow speaks to the masses. She’s amazing at marketing and has woven a ton of bright neon into their brand—and people are eating it up.
After our run—where I beat his lazy ass, thank you very much—I collected my prize and paid him in kind. Afterthatround of orgasms, I finally gave him his birthday present: a personalized leather binder where he can store the stack of journals he always has on him. I even had his name engraved on it. Maybe it’s cheesy, I don’t know. But I spotted it months ago while shopping with my mom (yeah,yesterdaywasn’t the first time she coerced me into tagging along), and the thing just screamedJace.
Thank fuck he loved it. He immediately started pulling his notebooks from various hiding spots around the bus and began organizing some of his chaos. We spent the rest of the afternoon lounging around—hugging, talking, kissing alot—and I watched him fawn over his binder, jotting lyrics down in the journals, until it was time to head to the venue.
