“Oh, man,” I laughed, holding my side. Somehow, a chuckle in the bar had turned into uncontrollable laughter during the walk back across the hotel complex. “I didn’t know this was going to be such a good night.”
I immediately regretted the words. Had I gone too far? Said too much? Did I sound too pathetic that getting thrown out of a bar and laughing with someone qualified as a great night for me?
“So funny,” Ace said, shaking his head. He apparently hadn’t noticed my slip. With laughter on his face, and probably due to the effects of the alcohol, he looked freer – more relaxed and open. It was a beautiful look on him. I hadn’t noticed it before, but most of the time when I’d seen him in the group he was either scowling or solidly set at neutral. I didn’t know if I’d ever seen him smile.
I liked it.
Actually, Ireallyliked it.
I made myself look away from him before it qualified as staring. We were heading up the stairs towards our floor, anyway, and I didn’t want to fall down them because I wasn’t paying attention. “I hope it’s going to be more like that for the rest of the trip,” I said, blurting out what was on my mind again and then realizing how lame it sounded. Damn whisky.
“Like what? Getting in trouble?” Ace asked.
I glanced over at him. I was feeling more sober by the second. I just hoped I was sobering up enough to talk my way out of this stupid, lame hole I’d dug. “No, I just… I mean…” I sighed and gave up. I wasn’t sober enough yet to be eloquent, after all. “With people not hating or ignoring me.”
“Oh.” Ace was quiet for a moment while I mentally kicked myself. “Well, maybe you just need to move on.”
“What do you mean, move on?” I asked, exasperated as we hit our floor and began to walk down the hall. “I’ve spent four years trying to move on. All I want to do is move on. If other people would let me, believe me, I would.”
“I dunno,” Ace shrugged. “You need to make people see how much you’ve changed. I can see it now, but that’s only because I spoke to you in the first place. You need to make some kind of grand gesture.”
“Like what?”
“Like a public apology, maybe.” Ace slowed to a stop, turning to look at me. We were only a few paces away from our door. I stood opposite him, looking into his face properly for what felt like the first time – not snatching glances when he didn’t know I was doing it. “If you apologize to Cade in front of everyone and he forgives you in front of everyone, it might make them think twice. They might see how good a guy you are.”
I was definitely not as sober as I thought. It felt like the room was fizzing. Or maybe that was just the fact that someone had finally said something nice about me, even knowing who I was.
“Uh, yeah,” I said, clearing my throat. “That – that could work.”
“I don’t think you’re such a bad guy,” Ace went on as if he felt the need to explain more. It was completely unexpected. I had figured he was tolerating me because we had to share a room all week and because he needed someone that wasn’t Xavi to drink with, but… “It helps that you’re hot. People forgive hot people for a lot of stuff.”
I swallowed hard. “I’m hot?”
Ace’s gaze swept up and down my body. Were we closer together than before, or was that just the sway of the alcohol talking?
“Super hot,” he said, his lips hanging open just slightly as the words hung in the air. “I’ve seen the goods, so I think I would be in a position to know.”
“The goods?” I repeated, almost choking. “I mean… you haven’t seen…”
“Want me to check?” Ace asked, leaning forward conspiratorially until our noses were almost touching. “I could get back to you with my updated opinion.”
I couldn’t help it. I was drawn to him like a magnet. He was nice to me, and then he flirted with me, and I had been so lonely for so long.
I lifted my chin and closed the distance between us, meeting his lips, sealing them against mine.
Ace gave this impression of being cold, hard, and aloof, like a statue made of marble.
His kiss was anything but.
Suddenly he was like water, flowing in my arms, pressing up against me, our lips crashing together like a wave. Like an ice sculpture that melted without warning. His mouth was hot and soft, his fingers running through the hair at the back of my neck, and the low and hungry moan at the back of his throat vibrated through my chest. The ring in his lip was the only cold spot about him, and even that quickly warmed to my presence.
I thought I might be about to fall right into him and drown, but I was too buzzed, too desperate, too carried away to stop myself.
Ace pushed me up against the wall, hands racing down the front of my shirt, and I reached out to the side to fumble for the handle of our door. By some minor miracle, I managed to get it unlocked with the keycard even without being able to look – my eyes shut tightly as Ace’s kisses flowed down to the side of my neck, making my dick strain against my jeans.
I needed us to get someplace private because I had about a minute before I was so far gone I wouldn’t even care who could see us.
How is this amazing thing happening?
