Page 71 of Stolen Fate

Briefly, I wondered if this would become a daily occurrence. I had spent the first three weeks here taking my dinner pretty late, and only after Elliot was in bed and Jace was holed up in his office.

Jace had left me alone for the most part, and my independence told me I should be disappointed that was no longer the case, but stupidly, I liked these dinners with Jace and Elliot.

I liked seeing Jace, even if I was acting like a loser now, and I liked spending more time with Elliot, even if, technically, I was paid to be here.

Jace insisted on cleaning up after the meal, while I helped Elliot get ready for bed. And just like last night, Jace and I tucked Elliot into bed together and read him another bedtime story—a different book, thank God—before we walked out the room together.

And when Jace asked if I wanted a nightcap, I should have said no. I should have made some excuse about how tired I was and how Elliot and I had an early start the next day.

I said yes instead, and quietly followed Jace downstairs.

“Sit,” he said, pointing at the barstool I had been sitting on the night before.

“Yes, sir,” I mock-saluted, before taking a seat and pretending my heart wasn’t pounding against my chest, begging to get out.

We had kissed right here in this kitchen yesterday. I had been feeling the whisper of his kiss across my lips all day, and sometimes that feeling would be so strong that it felt like it must have happened minutes before, not several hours.

I watched as Jace moved around the kitchen smoothly, with the kind of confidence only a man who was used to getting what he wanted could have.

And what a sexy thing that was, to see confidence exude out of such a beautiful man, to know he was more than capable of taking care of you, no matter what.

I shook away the whimsical thought when he turned around with two glasses and half a bottle of scotch.

He poured a generous amount in each glass and held one out to me.

“Thank you,” I said, grabbing the glass, and taking care not to touch his fingers with my own. I sipped small amounts of the liquid, wincing a little as the liquid burned its way down my throat.

Jace took the seat next to me, making me aware of the scent of him.

I didn’t think Jace wore cologne—or if he did, he didn’t wear a lot of it—because all I smelled was a small hint of Irish Spring and a scent that was naturally his.

My very own brand of aphrodisiac.

“How are you liking New York so far?” he asked, taking a sip of his drink. I watched the way his lips covered the edge of the glass, and the way his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down when he swallowed, and I focused my gaze on his slight dark scuff.

I was completely and utterly mesmerized.

And he just asked me a question. He turned to me when I took too long to answer, so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to move my gaze away.

His blue eyes danced playfully. He raised his eyebrow in question, and I cleared my throat.

“Right. Um, New York?” I asked. He nodded, and it looked like he was refraining from smiling. I ignored that. “Um. I like it so far. But I haven’t really explored the city.”

“Why not?”

I shrugged. I didn’t want to tell him that I didn’t want to explore the city on my own. That it seemed pretty pointless to try and have fun in a strange city when you didn’t really have anyone to share the experience with.

Yet, it was as if he could read my mind, because he said suddenly, “I’ll take you around sometime soon,” and moved in a little closer to me. So close, I could almost make out the gray flecks reflected in his eyes from the kitchen light.

I looked away and cleared my throat. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” he asked with a frown, as if the kiss yesterday didn’t happen. I should be trying to avoid him, not making plans with him.

I wanted to stick to my guns and tell him there wouldn’t ever be anything between us besides a professional relationship.

I shook my head instead and changed the subject. “Have you lived here your whole life?”

His eyes lit up at that. He probably knew I was changing the subject, but he didn’t call me out on it. “Yeah. I’ve been here my whole life. My parents started their investment firm several years before I was born, right here in New York. By the time I came to be, they were trying hard to get the firm off the ground. We wouldn’t have gone anywhere, because this firm was their baby.”

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