To Wish On A Star
By eleven o’clock, the party began to break up. Decker held Kelly’s hand as they walked to his truck.
“Thank you so much,” she told him as they approached Jace’s house.
“My pleasure. Maybe we can do it again sometime.”
“I’d like that.” Decker was a nice guy. He leaned toward her, bestowing a gentle kiss. “Good night.”
She let herself in through the side door. The house was quiet. Minimal lighting allowed her to see without turning on the overhead lights. She was so grateful to Mona for keeping the baby. Walking through the kitchen, she headed for the stairs.
“Have a good night?” The dark, brooding voice called to her from the den.
Startled, Kelly swirled around. “Yes. I did, thank you.”
Jace walked forward and didn’t stop until he stood mere inches away. “I wasn’t aware you were dating anyone.”
Did he really have any right to know if she was or wasn’t? How rude would it be to just keep walking?
She shrugged. “I’m not, really.” She gave him that much and tried to step around him, wanting to get Emma and go to her cabin. Jace blocked her way.
“That’s not what it looked like to me.”
What was this all about? He was acting like he was jealous, which was ridiculous.
“You don’t consider going out with Decker a date?”
“I really never thought about it,” she said, again attempting to step to the side and continue on her way. “But whether I do or don’t isn’t really any of your concern.”
“He has a reputation, Kelly.”
“So do you.” She was starting to get angry. She again tried to walk around him to the stairs.
“Did he kiss you?”
She glared at him. “That’s not any of your business.”
“Do you think about us, Kelly?” he asked in a low, husky tone.
She stopped, her heart increasing in tempo. “There is no us.”
“Do you ever think about those nights we spent together?”
“Don’t do this.”
“I think about it,” he said as though needing her to know. “All the time.”
“Then why didn’t you call? Why didn’t you come back? I will not be a convenience, Jace. I’ll never again be simply a diversion to relieve some rich man’s boredom. Now, please move out of my way.“
“You were never just a diversion. Dammit Kelly.”
Before she realized his intent, he pulled her hard against him, his hot mouth coming down over hers. His lips demanded entry and without any rational thought, she let him in. He tasted of fine whiskey and his own unique earthy flavor. Bittersweet memories stirred her emotions as she gloried in the taste of his lips once again. His lips were hungry as his mouth devoured hers, his hands pulling her close. Without conscious thought, her hands found their way up to his broad shoulders then moved to cup his face. The kiss went on, his tongue exploring the recesses of her mouth before enticing hers to do the same. She heard him moan and his hands fisted the back of her blouse.
His lips broke away from hers as he nipped and kissed a trail down her
neck and over to her ear. His breath was hot against her skin sending a white-
“I want you, Kelly,” he whispered. The dark glitter of his eyes strayed to her mouth
She could remember wanting something so badly only one other time. The last time Jace said those same words to her. A picture began to form inside her head, becoming clearer with each breath she took. A picture she’d kept in her mind all those many months; a picture of Jace promising he would come back and telling her she was someone so special he didn’t intend to ever let her go.
But he had.
As though he sensed her passion shift, he raised his head, his green eyes watching her through the dim light of the room. His heart beat heavy beneath her hands as she put distance between them. With a shuddering intake of breath, she stepped back and his hands fell away. Praying he couldn’t see the tears welling in her eyes, she walked past him to the stairs. And this time, didn’t try to stop her.
A few minutes later when she came back through the kitchen with Emma, Jace was gone. While relieved, she knew he was not going to let this go.
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