Page 35 of Jace

She yanks open the door, and I flop down on the recliner.

“I don’t think I have ever witnessed Jace pout.” Bree steps inside offering me a pouty lip. “It’s so cute.”

“I’m not going for cute, I’m shooting for annoyed.”

“Well, you failed.” She leans over and kisses my cheek. “Because it is most definitely cute. Like a little guy on Christmas when he didn’t get the dirt bike he wanted.”

“Ror is more like a Ducati,” I challenge her. “And you are taking her away.”

“You need to stop. You are being cute and sweet and I feel like I’m trapped in an alternate universe. My brain is confused.”

“You’ve been hanging around Dax too long, you’re becoming a smartass too.

“She’s always been a smartass,” Ror interrupts. “I think Dax just enhances it.”

I hook Aurora’s waist and pull her into my lap, and Bree crosses her arms over her chest and glares. Though I can tell she wants to smile, the corners of her mouth tipping upward, just slightly. “You are making us late.”

“Five o’clock.” I arch a brow and stare at the woman I consider one of my sisters. She is good for Dax, I saw it from the start.

“Five o’clock,” she repeats with a nod.

“Any longer than that and you will have both me and Daxton coming after you.” I’m sure he’s already given her a similar rundown, ensuring she’s back to him as soon as possible. Hell the guy sneaks away from the shop every chance her gets so he can go upstairs and see his fiancé and his baby girl. One of the perks of living above the shop, his family is never too far away.

“If you don’t let us go now, you’ll make us late getting back.” She places her hands on her hips. “Then you can explain to Dax why we aren’t back. Then you can deal with his mood and not me.”

I stare; she stares right back. Then, not caring that Bree is only a few feet away, I cup Aurora’s jaw and turn her face toward mine. Then I kiss the breath right out of her and when I pull away, Bree is gone.

“Now I don’t want to go,” Ror says breathlessly.

“Hurry back to me, and we’ll pick this up right where we left it.” She nods, and I stand lifting her with me.

I know if I don’t let her go, we’ll have Bree storming back in and this time, she’s dragging Aurora out. So I link my hand with hers, walk her outside and tuck her safely into the passenger seat of Bree’s car. Remaining right where I am, until I can no longer see the car as it drives away.

Feeling empty the moment its gone.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Aurora

“You seem happy.” I look over to find Bree watching close.

“I’m trying to be.” I notice the way her brows furrow. The wrinkled confusion of her forehead as she looks out at the mountains in the distance. The venue overlooks the most serene of views. Its magical, like a beautiful fairytale.

“It’s Jace.” I shrug, ignoring the shift of movement at my side. I already know she is staring at me; I don’t have to see it to know. Sometimes I feel like Bree and I share one soul, she knows me and I know her so well. “I don’t want to be afraid; I don’t want to be waiting for the ball to drop, but it’s there. It’s always in the back of my mind.”

“He’s different,” she doesn’t even touch on what I’ve said. “He’s so relaxed, and almost content. I don’t notice the sarcastic comments and vulgar remarks. You know what I think?”

“What?”

“I think all of those things were a type of coping mechanism. Like he was hiding behind that person he created and now that he’s finally let himself have what he truly wants, there is no longer a reason to hide.”

I take a slow calming breath and feel her hand rest over mine and offer a squeeze. “Let yourself be happy Aurora, you deserve it.”

I nod, thinking of the last kiss Jace offered me before I left.Hurry back to me.

“Okay ladies,” we both turnaround as Victor, her wedding coordinator walks out on the terrace. “I’ve made those final adjustments, and I’ve put in the call to the florist.” He hands Bree a new binder. “The changes have also been adjusted in here.”

She smiles taking the binder.

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