19. The Mark of Desire
I wasn’t sure why I felt so disappointed. Ace called me sexy, and that felt great, but I already knew he was physically attracted to me. Even with the scar on my forehead that I kinda liked.
It was the emotional attraction we were missing.
I turned back to the mirror before he could see the misery on my face. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” I said, forcing a laugh.
“I think I just need to lay off the cookies. Or go on a diet or something.”
“Absolutely not,” Ace snapped, appearing over my shoulder once again. “You’re not going to be changing a single thing. You’re perfect just the way you are. Do you understand?”
I hadn’t been expecting his abrupt and serious tone. I nodded.
“No, tell me you understand, Doe,” he growled. “I want to hear you say it.”
“Jeez, I thought you said you were going to try to be less controlling,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
He continued to glare. Boy, he was taking this seriously.
“Fine, yes, I understand.”
That seemed to relax him. “Good. You’re perfect,” he repeated.
He dragged his knuckles up the side of my arm, smirking once again. “Your body’s true nature is taking over, just like it’s supposed to. And it’s doing one hell of a job.”
“My true nature?”
Was he trying to say that a woman’s true nature was to be curvy and have children?
Because, if he was, we were going to have some serious problems.
He glanced up at my face for a second before his eyes zeroed in on the bump on my neck. I sucked in a sharp breath as the spot started to throb again.
His jaw flexed. “I-I don’t know what I meant by that.” He took several steps back.
“You should probably start getting ready for school.”
“Wait.” I turned to face him. “Did you do something to my neck last night?”
I pulled the collar of my shirt back to show off the mark. It was still burning with a strange heat. “I have this weird bump on me now that I’m sure wasn’t there before.”
He shook his head abruptly, his eyes never straying from my neck.
Why does he look so stiff?
“No, but that is strange. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’ll probably go away in a few days.”
With that quick and strangely dismissive answer, he walked to my bed and flopped down on it, taking out his phone.
Well, I guess we are done talking about that then.
I looked back at my exposed throat once more.
“You should get ready for school, Doe,” Ace said. “You should get something to eat before we have to go.”
I dropped the collar of my shirt so the mark was covered. “Yeah, okay.”
I walked to my dresser to grab some clothes but paused when I noticed Ace making no moves to get up
and give me privacy. He always waited in my bathroom while I got dressed.
Every bedroom in the house had a bathroom and walk-in closet. It was much nicer than the house I grew up in in Massachusetts, not to mention bigger.
My mom and I had no idea what we were going to do with all the space when we first moved in. That quickly changed after she met Joe and got pregnant. t ridiculous thing I still remember running through the empty house on my first day in Colorado with Ace by my side. He helped me pick this room. We were both so excited to live near each other.
“Aren’t you going to leave?” I asked.
Ace didn’t respond; he was busy with something on his phone.
“Ace, you need to leave so I can get dressed,” I tried again.
“I’m not looking,” he grunted back without looking up. Whoever had just texted him must have had something important to say. He frowned at his phone. “Besides, I’ve seen you get dressed before.”
I huffed. “Yeah, but not since we were ten,” I muttered under my breath. Then I stomped off to get dressed in my closet.
*** I chose to put on sweatpants and one of Ace’s hoodies. I normally tried to look a bit more presentable but decided I wanted to be more inconspicuous, especially with the mark on my neck.
And anyway, sometimes—not always—it felt better not to be seen.
Ace looked up at me when I exited the closet. He looked like a whole meal spread out over my bed ineck. I sucked in a his casual dark jeans and blue shirt that clung to his hard muscles like a layer of wax on a statue.
He oozed power and dominance in a way that made me want to curl up beside him and let him take care of me.
Or maybe to lie back on the bed, spread my legs, and let him have his way with me.
Or maybe both.
Both sounded good.
He shook his head. “You’ll overheat in that. Go change.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t tell me what to do. I’ll be fine like this.”
Ace stood. “No. Go change.”
I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder. “We should leave. Go outside and come through the front door, I’ll tell my parents you came over to have breakfast. I’m sure there’s enough food.”
“Not until you change.”
I didn’t want to argue with him. But I also didn’t want him to make me change. So, I just stood there, feeling exhausted.
He must have seen the defeat in my expression because, the next thing I knew, he was standing in front of me and tugging me to him by my waist.
“What’s going on, Doe? Tell me who I need to fucking murder.” His words were harsh but his eyesmoves to get up
were soft.
I averted my gaze downward so I didn’t have to meet his eyes. “I’m just feeling self-conscious today. I want to wear clothes that hide my body a bit. Is that so bad?”
“Hide your body? Why the hell would you do that? I already told you, you’re perfect. Absolutely stunning. You have nothing to be self-conscious about.” e by my side. He“I thought you would be happy to hear I was covering up. You get mad any time you catch another guy looking at me.”
“Nobody is going to look at you because they know I would kill them if they did. You showing skin is for my benefit.”
His gaze darkened. “A man should never ridicule a woman for the way she dresses.
What he should do is hunt down anyone who thinks they have any right to her solely based on the clothes she has on.”
He brushed his hands over my arms. “I want to be able to see how beautiful you are. It’s what gets me through the day.”
I was suddenly feeling extremely frustrated. I dropped my forehead against his chest. There he goes again, saying things that make my heart swell and my panties dampen.
Ace pressed his lips to the top of my head and breathed in deeply. “Fuck, you smell good. Your scent is killing me.”
“What does that even mean? You’re the only person who ever says I smell good and you’ve been saying it a lot lately. What do I smell like?”
He breathed in again, rubbing his nose over my hair. “Like my own personal aphrodisiac.”
I froze. Surely, I hadn’t heard him correctly. “Wait, what?”
He dropped his nose down so it was right over that weird bump on my neck and inhaled deeply. Then, without warning, he wrapped his lips around it, sucking it into his mouth.
My knees buckled and I moaned. He held me closer to him, taking all my weight into his arms, lapping at my shoulder and throat.
How does that feel so good? So much for Ace’s promise to keep his hands to himself.
“Fuck, I just can’t help myself,” Ace growled against my skin, seemingly thinking the same thing I was. “Just one last lick and then I’m done, I promise. I promise.”
Who is he promising? Me or himself?
His tongue dragged over the column of my neck, and I shuddered. He groaned, one lick quickly becoming two. nd come throughAnd then three. He couldn’t stop.
And I didn’t want him to. I became overcome with the way his lips and tongue moved over my skin. I couldn’t get close enough to him.
Arching my back, I pushed my breasts against his chest, my hands making fists in his shirt. My legs shifted against each other, seeking friction. standing in frontAce made an approving rumbling sound that traveled all the way down to my toes.
“That’s a good girl. That’s right. You need me, don’t you?”
“Yes,” I whimpered. “Ace…”
“What do you need, Doe?” he asked, gripping my waist tightly in his huge hands.
“Tell me what you want.”
I want you.
I could admit my feelings for him right there and then, and this could all be over— all the worrying and suppressed emotions. We could be together as a couple. atch another guyHappy.
Or I might push him away and lose him forever.
Did I really want to risk that?
“I…I want…” Fear gripped my tongue, refusing to let me speak.
“Come on, beautiful. I’m not giving in until you say the words,” he breathed in my ear. “Say it, and it’s yours. That’s all it will take. Just tell me what you want from me, Doe, and I’ll do it.”
Emotion was suddenly thick in my throat. I shook my head. “I don’t know,” I whispered breathlessly, slumping against him. “I don’t know what I want.”
His body softened against mine. With a sigh, he moved back, putting a little bit of distance between us.
He gave me a small smile as he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “That’s okay, Doe. You let me know when you figure it out, though, all right? No matter how long it takes.”od. Your scent is His lips left a tender kiss on my forehead before he released me and took several steps back. His movements seemed tense and forced. I instantly felt cold and hollow without his touch.
“You can keep my hoodie on if that’s what you want,” he continued softly. “Just put some shorts on for me, okay? It’s going to be hot today.”
He didn’t wait for me to respond, which was good because I wasn’t sure if I was capable of it at that moment. Instead, he spun me in the direction of my closet and gently pushed me forward.
“I’ll meet you downstairs so I can have breakfast with you and your family.”
I nodded. “O-okay.” My voice came out so weak and small.his arms, lapping I paused to watch him climb through my window, leaving me alone in a daze of confusion and dejection.
“What do you need, Doe?” he asked, gripping my waist tightly in his huge hands.
“Tell me what you want.”
I want you.
I could admit my feelings for him right there and then, and this could all be over— all the worrying and suppressed emotions. We could be together as a couple.
Happy.
Or I might push him away and lose him forever.
Did I really want to risk that?
“I…I want…” Fear gripped my tongue, refusing to let me speak.
“Come on, beautiful. I’m not giving in until you say the words,” he breathed in my ear. “Say it, and it’s yours. That’s all it will take. Just tell me what you want from me, Doe, and I’ll do it.”
Emotion was suddenly thick in my throat. I shook my head. “I don’t know,” I whispered breathlessly, slumping against him. “I don’t know what I want.”
His body softened against mine. With a sigh, he moved back, putting a little bit of distance between us.
He gave me a small smile as he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “That’s okay, Doe. You let me know when you figure it out, though, all right? No matter how long it takes.”
His lips left a tender kiss on my forehead before he released me and took several steps back. His movements seemed tense and forced. I instantly felt cold and hollow without his touch.
“You can keep my hoodie on if that’s what you want,” he continued softly. “Just put some shorts on for me, okay? It’s going to be hot today.”
He didn’t wait for me to respond, which was good because I wasn’t sure if I was capable of it at that moment. Instead, he spun me in the direction of my closet and gently pushed me forward.
“I’ll meet you downstairs so I can have breakfast with you and your family.”
I nodded. “O-okay.” My voice came out so weak and small.
I paused to watch him climb through my window, leaving me alone in a daze of confusion and dejection.
