“Zoey, he’s never stopped hoping you’d be back together someday.” That much was obvious to anyone who ever saw them together. “But you’re right. You have to start communicating with him and tune out the rest of the world—including me. Put your big girl panties on and, hopefully, he’ll take them off.”
I was such a hypocrite.
She laughed nervously. “God, I hope so!”
At least our conversation gave me clarity. Something clicked, and I couldn’t wait to see Jace in person and take my own advice. The Space Needle show couldn’t come fast enough. The band wasn’t coming back to Seattle until the morning of, so I wouldn’t get to see Jace in person until that night.
Ty’s event, which was a private radio show for Sirius announcing his foundation, was a very exclusive but casual affair. Jace was busy preparing, but not too busy to text me cute messages all day. I loved him so much, I couldn’t wait to get into Seattle.
Just like old times, Zoey and I got ready together at her condo. I wore my usual uniform, a gray T-shirt, Levi’s, and my Frye boots. Zoey did herself up a bit more, as was her custom. She was going to snag her man back and looked fantastic wearing minimal makeup and her hair in a long side braid. I’m pretty sure both of our hearts were beating a mile a minute in anticipation of seeing the delectable rockers when the elevator door opened, and we stepped into the intimate setting.
Jace caught my eye the minute I walked in, but he was in the middle of a group of people who were fluttering around him. I kept my distance even though every fiber of my being wanted to run and jump into his arms. He shot me a subtle air kiss when his publicist pulled them into preshow interviews. I texted him a heart emoji and patiently waited for him to take care of business.
We’d already arranged to meet back at his place after the show. He knew that my focus was getting Zoey through the night. Which is exactly what I did by marching Zoey to the back of the room and grabbing wine for both of us. We were sipping a delicious Viognier as the sun set over the Olympic Mountains. The energy was palpable when the guys took the stage.
Zoey clung to me but stared at Ty throughout the entire show. He sang his heart out as if no one were in the room but his butterfly. When he dedicated a new song and performed it for her, I thought my hand would fall off from how hard she was squeezing it. The love between them was so clear. I was happy for her.
Tonight would be their reunion, I just knew it.
Throughout the show, Jace kept watch over me. He was so hot; I couldn’t get enough of his biceps flexing while he played the bongos. It wouldn’t be long before we would have our own reunion. My entire body was aroused in anticipation of getting naked with my man.
Unfortunately, the press and fans crowded the band after they finished. Zoey and I had to wait outside on the observation deck to let them do their thing. When Ty shyly approached us, I waved him over and gave him an encouraging squeeze on the arm. Looking him in the eye and willing him to do the right thing, I passed him to Zoey with my blessing, which they didn’t need but seemed to want. With a parting kiss on her head, as far as I was concerned, it was now up to them.
A few hours later, I was peppering Jace with kisses while he tried to unlock the door to his condo. When he managed to get it open, we stumbled, laughing, through the doorway in a tangle of limbs, but we managed to stay upright long enough for him to lock and bolt the door behind us.
Immediately, Jace spun me around and pinned me against the wall. Our mood turned even more heated in the privacy of his place. His eyes scanned my face, and he pushed his fingers through my hair to the back of my head, cupping me to pull my face toward his.
“That’s the last event that you stay on the sidelines, Poppy,” Jace rasped before our lips crashed together. The low moan that filled the room was from me when Jace pushed his tongue into my mouth. We made out like our first time when I was still a teenager. Gawd. The way he made me feel. I clutched his T-shirt tightly with both hands to keep him flush against me as our kisses grew deeper and more intense.
It was all I could do not to climb him like a tree, but Jace ran his hand down my lower back and pressed his palm to the curve right above my ass. I could feel every inch of his cock pulsing against the seam of my jeans. Arching toward him, I rolled my hips against his pelvis in my quest to get as close to him as possible. His other hand trailed down to my hip and with one motion, he lifted me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist.
“Jace—” I tried to speak, but his lips claimed mine again in a passionate kiss.
“Shh.” He tightened his grip under my thighs. “I love when you’re wrapped around me.”
My hands slid over his broad, muscular shoulders, and I combed my fingers through his hair. Before I could process what was happening, Jace was marching us down the hall with me clinging to him like a
