His Big Reveal: An Interracial BWWM Billionaire Romance (BWWM Alpha Males) (10 page)

Glancing over, she saw that he was cutting up a few potatoes. She watched him for a while without a word. When he was concentrating, he looked so innocent, so sweet. A grin tugged at the corners of her mouth before she wiped it away quickly. He was still trouble.

“What are you doing?” She tried to ask as casually as possible as she flipped their burgers.

“You like french fries with your burger. You always have,” he said easily.

Jessa swallowed thickly. She hadn't really thought that Jace paid much attention to her. All he seemed to do when they were kids was tease her relentlessly. Together with Jacob they played pranks, stole her dolls, pushed her into the pool. Now, he was standing beside her, helping her cook.

“You didn't have to do that,” she said turning away from him.

Jace shrugged. “I wanted to. Besides, you've been letting me stay here. I'll help. What's fair is fair.”

Jessa couldn't contain the grin that came to her face that time. Instead, she focused on her food. Jace began to load the sliced potatoes into a heated pan next to her. When they were frying, he sighed, leaning against the counter as he pulled out a smoke and lit it.

“Why are you here?” Jessa asked. “Last I remember, you were living with that girlfriend of yours.”

Jace laughed, shaking his head. “Aileen. Yeah, for a while. Now, I'm here.”

“Why though? I mean the sudden appearance, the bender that you were on, something happened. Tell me.”

Jace patted her head as if she were a puppy. “None of your business kid.”

Jessa shrugged. “Fine. Don't talk about it. All I'm going to say is that you need a job and to get
off
of my couch.”

Jace laughed, but nodded his head. He stirred the fries with a spatula. For a while, they cooked together in silence. Jessa wasn't used to having someone standing beside her, she was usually alone. She preferred it that way, but standing next to Jace she didn't seem to mind as much.

Once the food was finished, they both loaded up their plates before walking into the living room. Jace plopped down on the couch, propping his feet up on her mahogany coffee table. She pushed his feet to the ground before she sat next to him. Grabbing the remote, she flipped on the tv.

Jessa could feel Jace's gaze on her as she ate, but she did her best to ignore him. The show playing in front of her was barely keeping her attention. With a loud sigh, Jace sat his plate on the table. He leaned over to her making her bristle.

“Now what?”

“I'm still eating,” she said, slipping a french fry between her lips.

“Let's go do something.”

“Like?” Jessa asked, picking up their plates on her way to the kitchen.

“You used to like the movies,” he said, his voice tickling her ear.

Jessa jumped. “Don't do that!” As Jace laughed, she placed the plates in the sink. “Besides, that was a long time ago. I have to study.”

“We had a deal.”

“Fine! Let me go get dressed.”

Jessa walked back to her bedroom. She rifled through her clothes before she slipped on an oversized gray hoodie and dark, blue jeans. Walking out of her room, she started to tell Jace she was ready to go, when she froze.

Jace was standing in the living room, topless. Jessa swallowed hard. The way his muscles rippled beneath his tanned skin made her want to run her fingers over his body. She shook her head, pushing the thought away before it had more time to form. Jace had pulled a new t-shirt over his head, before he slipped on his black jacket.

“I'll drive,” he said as they stood beside his motorcycle.

“No way,” Jessa said quickly, “I'm not riding on that death machine. Besides, it's too cold. Let's take my car.”

Sighing, Jace glanced at his bike before walking over to the car. He held out his hands. Jessa raised an eyebrow.

“What?” She asked.

“Keys.”

“It's my car.”

“Let me drive,” he said.

Jessa thought about arguing, but he had a look in his eyes that said he'd only be stubborn. She threw her keys to him. Immediately, a smile spread across his face. Jessa rolled her eyes.

“Try not to kill us.”

Jace peeled out of the parking spot. Jessa gripped her seat tightly, her heart pounding in her chest. As Jace stepped on the gas to get on the freeway, she thought for sure they'd smack into another car.

“Jace,” she said through grit teeth.

“Okay, okay. I'm slowing down.”

To her surprise, he kept to his word. The car slowed down enough to make her relax and let out the breath that she'd been holding. As she gazed at him, Jessa could tell that something was bothering him, but she didn't know what it was. Something to do with Aileen was all that she knew for sure.

“I don't want to talk about it,” Jace said suddenly, cutting into her thoughts.

“I-I wasn't-”

“Yeah, you were,” he said as he slipped a smoke between his lips and lit it. “And I don't want to talk about it.”

Jessa dropped it. The way his eyebrows knit together, the straight line of his mouth told her that she wouldn't be getting anything else out of him. She'd try another time, but for now she'd leave him alone.

They parked in the theater's lot. Friday night meant that it was busy, the lines long. When they reached the counter, Jace pulled out his wallet. Jessa raised an eyebrow. As they walked away, Jace grinned.

“Where did you get money?” Jessa asked.

“I have my ways.”

Jessa folded her arms over her chest. They stopped at the concession stand. Despite the fact that they'd just eaten dinner, Jace was loading up on nachos, popcorn, candy and soda. Jessa settled on a small popcorn and lemonade. They relaxed into their seats.

“What are we watching?” She asked as they sat down. She'd been so into her own thoughts, that she'd completely forgotten what they were seeing.

“Just watch,” he said, tilting his head back as he ate a handful of popcorn.

Jessa ate her popcorn as the lights went down. After a series of previews, the movie started. Right away, Jessa knew what it was. She'd seen the previews some weeks ago. It was a slasher flick promising lots of blood and gore. Jessa cringed.

“I don't like scary movies,” she whispered to Jace.

“I'm sorry. Are you eight?”

Jessa clenched her fists. As the movie started, she tried her best to tell herself that she could do it. After all it was just a movie. Glancing up at the screen, there was a moment of silence followed by a loud bang that made her jump. Jace placed a hand over hers. Jessa calmed down a bit. The longer it went on however, the less calm she felt.

Jace stood up. “Come on,” he said, scooting past her.

“Where are we going?” She whispered back.

Someone shushed her making her narrow her eyes. She followed behind Jace out of the theater into the hallway outside. He searched up and down the hallway until he made his way to one of the other theatres.

“What are you doing?” Jessa asked.

“You didn't like that movie,” Jace said holding open the door. “So, we'll watch this one.”

“I thought you wanted to see it, though,” Jessa said, embarrassed.

Jace shrugged. “You coming or not?”

Jessa slipped into the theater behind him. Laughter filled the space around them. A comedy after the gore was exactly what she needed. She glanced over at Jace. He seemed to be perfectly content with the movie. A grin crept on her face.

“That wasn't a bad movie,” Jessa said as they headed back to her car. “Thanks,” she added.

Jace grinned. “I'm not a total asshole.”

“Well,” she said with a grin.

“Shut up.”

When they were safely back in the apartment. Jessa stretched, yawning loudly as she glanced at her phone. It was already past midnight. She had classes the next day too.

“Thanks for the movie,” she called as she headed towards her bedroom.

“Hey,” Jace said, stepping through her bedroom door, “I'm still bored.”

“I'm tired,” she said as she slipped out of her clothes. Jessa climbed into bed, pulling the blanket over herself.

Jace pulled off his jacket, kicked off his shoes. He pulled his shirt off, showing off muscles once again. Then he was slipping into the bed with Jessa. She shot up quickly.

“What are you doing?”

“I'm going to sleep.”

“Not in my bed!”

“The couch hurts my back,” he said with a smile on his face. “What's the matter? Do you not like me so close to you?”

“Out!” Jessa pointed towards the door.

“Fine,” he said, smirking as he walked back out to the living room, his jeans hanging low on his hips.

Jessa swallowed thickly. She could hear him shifting around in the living room. Quickly, she stopped the thoughts that were forming in her mind. Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the image of Jace, his muscles rolling as he slipped out of his shirt.

“Shit,” she mumbled. “He's going to be trouble.”

Jessa woke up the next morning to a world filled with white. Snow had fallen the night before, in fact it was still falling. It was only November, but Michigan weather rarely seemed to care what month it was. She checked her email. Classes had been canceled.

Sighing, she smiled as she threw her phone beside her. Closing her eyes, Jessa tried to go back to sleep. Quickly, she realized that wasn't going to happen. Jace was banging things around, singing at the top of his lungs. Groaning, Jessa slapped the bed in frustration before she climbed out.

“What the hell are you doing?” She demanded when she stepped into the kitchen.

“I was hungry. And I can't leave the house.”

Jessa groaned. She sat down at the table, burying her face in her arms. Jace continued to move around the kitchen. Something was sat in front of her making her lift up her head. A mug of steaming hot coffee filled her vision. She picked it up gingerly.

“Mmmm,” she moaned as the aroma of the coffee filled her nose, “this smells amazing. Thank you.”

“Peace offering,” he said as he threw bacon in a pan, “I didn't mean to wake you up. Or make you uncomfortable last night.”

Jessa smiled. “You've changed a lot since we were younger.”

“Well, I'm older now,” he said with a laugh. “I mean, four years from now I'll be thirty. I should probably get my shit together.”

“Seriously,” Jessa said, swallowing hard. “What happened with Aileen?”

“She's pregnant.”

“And you're here?” She asked in disbelief.

“It's not mine.”

“How do you know?”

“She told me.”

“Yeah.”

Silence filled the space between them for what seemed like an eternity. Even with his back to her, Jessa could feel his pain. That was why he'd been drinking, why he'd been sleeping. It was easier not to deal with it.