“He’s getting married,” she whispered. “To Julia. The wedding’s next month. He texted me to tell me about it.”

Jace frowned down at her, watching the emotions play out across her face. A single tear slipped down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away with the back of her wrist. He knew she hated feeling weak and out of control. And he hated that that bastard still had this kind of power over her. He wanted to beat the fucker within an inch of his life for hurting her this way. He would have, too, if Hayden hadn’t made him promise to leave it alone. Jace had known Shane was a piece of shit from the first day he’d met him. He just wished Hayden hadn’t had to walk in on the asshole banging her cousin to figure it out for herself.

“Do you still love him?”

“No!” She shook her head. “Of course not.”

“Then why does it matter, sweetheart?”

“It doesn’t.” She looked away. “It’s just…he’s moving on. He gets to be happy. All I’ve gotten to be the last year is broken. And if something does happen, I don’t want Shane to be the last person I…” She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now. What’s another year, right?” She laughed humorlessly. “Shane was right. I’m not…sexy. I couldn’t even pull off a one-night stand.”

The mention of that load of crap her asshole ex-boyfriend had said in an attempt to justify what he did a year ago set Jace’s blood on fire. Fuck that. He would not have her thinking she wasn’t sexy. In fact, he’d make it his mission to prove her wrong. If she laughed in his face, shut him down, so be it. But it was time for someone to fix what that jackass had broken. And that someone was going to be him. The thought of anyone else touching her made him crazy.

He tipped her chin up with his fingers. “You don’t think you’re sexy?” He laughed. “Did you not see what you did to me earlier?” What she was still doing to him just by sitting next to him. He shifted to adjust the situation growing to an uncomfortable size down below. He was getting hard all over again just thinking about the way her body and mouth had been molded to his.

“That doesn’t count,” she said. “You didn’t know it was me.”

Jace’s heart beat the shit out of his ribs as he traced her jaw with one finger. Admitting this felt as if he were cracking himself open for her. “I knew it was you.”

Hayden blinked at him, confused. “You knew?”

He nodded, hoping she felt even an ounce of what he did inside. After all this time together, how could she not? She had to. He just needed to coax it out.

“Don’t get me wrong. It took me off guard when you kissed me.” He smiled. “But the way you smell, the way you felt under my hands… I knew it was you.”

“And you kissed me back…”

“Yeah,” he said gently. “I kissed you back.” He’d wanted to do so much more than just kiss her back. He cupped her face and she closed her eyes, leaning in to his touch. “If this is what you need…” God, how to say this without sounding like he was just trying to get laid? This had to be about her. “I don’t want you to leave with regrets. If you need this—one night to erase that bastard—I could give that to you.”

She shot to her feet and backed away as if he was made of fire. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

Jace followed her up, determined not to let her get away. Not this time. “Sex.”

“W-With you?”

“With me.”

Her mouth dropped open, and her back hit the closed door.

“Come on, Hayden. Don’t act like you didn’t feel anything earlier. Are you going to stand there and tell me you’ve never thought about it? Not once?”

Her face flushed in the dim storage room light, and she averted her gaze. “Have you?”

“Yes.” He stepped into her space, his breath stirring the hair lying across her forehead. “You’re a beautiful, sexy-as-hell woman. Of course I have.”

“Jace…” Her hands found his chest, but she didn’t push him away. “I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”

“So we won’t ruin it.” He rested his palms on the door on either side of her head and leaned in. “It’s just one night. We both get what we want. What we need. And then we walk away.”

God, he was a special kind of bastard, lying to her like this. Because he had no intention of walking away after this. Ever. Hayden exhaled a shaky breath, and it fanned across his throat, the heat seeping through his pores and fueling his desire for her.

“What we both want?”

“Yes.” He leaned in a little closer, soaking in her heat and her smell. They were driving him over the edge of reason. “I want you, Hayden. Here. Now.”

“Just one night…right?” She slid her fingers down the planes of his chest, slowly, brushing them across the bare stomach at the edge of his jeans, and he hissed in a breath.

“Just one night.”

Chapter Five

Jace closed what little distance was between them and skimmed his nose over her throat. His breaths were ragged, and she couldn’t help but notice the way his forearms trembled on either side of her face. God, was this really happening? Sure, she’d fantasized about it. How could you not with Jace? The man was panty-melting hot. But it had always been just that. A fantasy. And when she woke up, hot, sweaty, and unsatisfied, she was just his pal again.

But now there was no denying what he wanted.

A nervous tremor rolled through her, rocking her to her core, and she swayed into him. “We should stop…talk about this,” she said, feeling something hot unravel low inside her. Why was she trying to give him a reason to stop? She didn’t want him to stop. Right now, all she wanted was to obliterate the space between them, consequences be damned.

Jace slid back a few inches and cupped her face in his hands, holding her so tenderly it seemed at complete odds with the intensity burning in his eyes. “Do you want me, Hayden?”

She could lie all she wanted, but her body was bound to give her away. Why couldn’t she let go? If she was going to for anyone, why not Jace?

Because you’ll fall in love with him all over again, and then he’ll walk away just like he said he would. Just like he does with every other girl who ends up in his bed.

Jace wasn’t some random stranger. He had a permanent place etched inside her heart. If this went badly, if she lost him, the pain it would cause would be irreparable. He hadn’t promised her anything here, other than tonight. In fact, he’d assured her it wouldn’t be anything more. This wasn’t about him being unable to resist her or being in love with her. This was Jace doing what he always did. Taking care of her, erasing the hurt she was feeling, no matter what the cost. It should have made this decision easy, but it didn’t. It just…hurt. It had taken years to get over loving Jace when they were kids. Could she do it again?

“Hayden?” He slid his thumbs down her neck and rested them over her pulse that beat wildly with the force of her want. His touch burned a path that went bone deep, brushing her soul, awakening emotions she hadn’t allowed herself to feel for years. She didn’t think anymore. She let her body and heart take control, choosing to give herself over to this, to him, even if it was only once. Even if she walked away heartbroken in the end.

“Yes,” she said with bated breath. “I want you.”

“Then we’re done talking.”

Before she could respond, his lips slammed against hers, hard and urgent like he needed her to breathe. She opened her mouth with a whimper, and Jace took advantage, sweeping his tongue inside to taste her. He groaned and brought his body flush against hers, pressing her into the door so that all she could feel was the heat of him, warming all the places where her too-tight clothes were plastered against her body. His chest swelled against her aching breasts. His erection, hard and hot, pressed against her, promising things she’d only dreamed of.

Oh, God…she was lost, and she never wanted to find her way back. Hayden allowed her hands to roam over his body, over the ink she so admired and wanted to taste, then opened her mouth wider under his. What had been forbidden territory for so long was laid out to explore, and she couldn’t get enough.

Jace pulled away, breathing hard, his dark eyes blazing with want and passion, searching her face as if he were looking for an unspoken answer. Whatever he was looking for, he must have found, because he claimed her mouth again without an ounce of hesitation. He tasted like tequila, lime, and pure Jace. He slid his hand up her ribs and closed his fingers over the thin fabric covering her breast. He rubbed his thumb over her nipple, and she arched into his waiting hand with a moan.

“Hayden…” Her name was a groan rolling off his lips as he kissed his way down her throat. He released her breast to slide his hands up the backs of her thighs and lift her against the door. She wrapped her legs around his waist, locking them together. His body held her in place, and he began to move his hips, creating a delicious friction against the long-neglected bundle of nerves that his erection rubbed over and over. Jace jerked the front of her dress down, releasing her breasts. For a moment he just stared while he caressed her jaw with his thumb.

“You are so fucking beautiful,” he whispered.

“I am?”

His eyes met hers. “Yes.”

Without warning he set her on her feet. Hayden looked up at him, confused, ready to protest, until Jace fastened his lips around her nipple. His mouth was hot and wet…perfect. Her hands flew up to his head, and she threaded her fingers through his hair.

“Oh. My. God.” Hayden moaned as if she’d just eaten the world’s finest chocolate, and Jace grinned against her breast. He ran his warm palm along the inside of her thigh slowly, sliding up until he reached her panties. He nudged the silk aside and stroked her right where she ached.

“Fuck…you’re so wet.” He rubbed slow circles over her for a moment before he shoved her dress even higher, driving one finger and then a second inside her. “You’re wet for me. Say it, Hayden.”

Her head fell against the door, and a moan vibrated her throat. “You. Only you.”

Jace dropped to his knees and the room around them fell away. So did the sound of the music thumping against the walls. Only Jace existed. He found her clit with his thumb and pressed. Hayden cried out, grinding into his hand. She was beyond being embarrassed. She needed this. Needed him and all he had to give. Pressure built, pushing her higher, hotter, until she was ready to explode.

“I’m going to erase that fucker from your mind, Hayden.” His lips moved against the sensitive flesh on her stomach. “I’m going to make you come so hard you’ll only think of me.”

She choked on a sob wrapped around a moan. He was right. She’d never be able to be touched again without thinking of this. She’d never wanted anything or anyone as much as she wanted Jace, now or ever. He licked a path between her breasts and nipped at the underside of her chin. He curled his fingers inside her and growled, “Come for me.”

And then she was there, tightening around him as she screamed his name. Spots danced across her vision and pleasure exploded to life inside of her, sending waves of sparks through every vein, over every inch of her skin.

After he’d wrung every ounce of pleasure out of her, he stood and faced her. For one immeasurable moment, they just stared at each other, breathing hard, and then Hayden reached for him, slipping her fingers into his belt loops to pull him toward her.

Nothing would be the same after this.

He went for his zipper, but she beat him to it, jerking open the button and freeing his erection. He didn’t bother to take off his jeans, just shoved them down to his knees.