Page 37 of Set the Moment
“I’m sorry—” I try, guilt riddling my tone as I gather my things on the other side of the room, but she isn’t hearing any of it.
“Save it. When you’re ready to work, call me,” she grits, turning away from me to the large mirrored wall in front of us.
Not wasting any time, I make my way to the parking lot, pausing at the sight before me. Jace leans cooly against the hood of his dark green Aston Martin SUV, his tanned, veiny forearms on full display from his sleeves being rolled up.I tilt my head at him, and though he’s wearing sunshades, I just know he’s smug as all outdoors.
“Didn’t your mom put you in ballroom dance as a kid? Why do you need lessons?” I quip, siding up to him as he smirks at me.
“My teacher’s hot. Besides, we’re not here to dance today. We have to do an item on your list,” he says. Without giving me any time to process his words, he’s pulling my dance bag from my shoulder, transferring it to his.
I stand in my spot, gawking at him as his smirk morphs into a grin. Jace leans in close to my face and my stomach flips as he grips my chin, closing my mouth.
“You’ll catch flies, beautiful. Now go sit your pretty ass in the car, we’re late.”
Still in shock, I slowly make my way over to the door, but Jace beats me to it, opening the passenger door for me.
“Ladies first.”
Ladies first?Did the demon that possessed this boy for the past three weeks die or something? My mind races as I sit firmly in the heated leather seat. Not only did I walk out on practice, but I’m sitting in a psychopath's car…
“How did you even know I was here? Stalking much?” I shoot at him, my head snapping to face the smug bastard as he chuckles.
“You call it stalking, I call it being aware of your surroundings…” The asshole shrugs as he pulls out of the parking lot. Low R&B plays on the radio, and it takes me a moment to realize that it’s an unreleased song from my cousin, Zola.
I furrow my brows at the sound of the song, Jace must sense my confusion, but instead of acknowledging it, he turns it up.
How did I end up here…
I was supposed to go to dance practice with Daisy, check on the Minis at the studio, and then get a head start on my History of Modern Art coursework considering it’s my hardest class right now. Instead, I’m sitting in the passenger seat of my childhood crush's car, on the way to God knows where.
I side-eye Jace as he taps along on the steering wheel to the beat of the music that plays.
“We need to talk,” I say, turning off the radio, twisting in my seat to fully face him as he smirks slowly.
“Is this where you apologize for ditching me on the top of a skyscraper after tonguing me down and ignoring me for two years before professing your undying love for me?Oris this just a casual talk between besties?” he asks, briefly looking over at me. His quick gaze is playful, but I can hear the seriousness and hurt in his words.
I hurt him.
Suddenly, my mouth is dry and my chest hurts. A part of me wants to tell him to pull over and give each other the clarity we deserve. But I know that time has passed us. So instead, I push back my feelings and wet my dry mouth.
“Sorry,bestie,but no.” I try feeling a bit at ease as Jace chuckles quietly. “We need some ground rules between us before we do anything on that list.”
“Shoot.”
My brows raise.Is it that easy?
It’sneverthat easy with a Heart man. I of all people should know.
“Thisbetween us, stays like that. Between us. No one else knows. Hell, the girls don’t even know that I’m doing this shit—the list, I mean—Cleo almost passed out when she saw myhair. I can’t send her to an early grave if she finds out I’m sneaking around with herbest friend.” I pull at my fingers, trying to calm my nerves as guilt racks my body.
I know that Cleo and Georgia would never judge me. They’d both be there for me no matter what, but how do I tell my best friend and closest family member that I fell forherbest friend when we were eight and nine?
If Jace wants to interject, he doesn’t. For the rest of our fifteen minute drive to who knows where, he’s silent. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a silent Jace Heart before, so the phenomena leaves me with an uneasy feeling as he pulls into the parking lot of an apartment building about five minutes away from my place.
“Listen, Sienna. I want to make you comfortable, so I’ll agree to your terms. but you owe me, I'm not someone you can just hide…I mean look at me.” He scoffs jokingly, but I know that he's serious as he gestures to himself.
My eyes betray me as they track Jace’s movements, slowly trailing from his collarbone to his crotch.
He sure isn’t someone I can hide…
