One Day His (The Someday Series Book 2) (24 page)

He met my eyes, a cocky grin painting his face. “’Cause I’m fucking awesome,” he teased.

I laughed at the joke, but at the same time, I recognized the truth in his words.
Yes!
Jace was fucking awesome. He was awesome, and he was mine, and he was going to stay that way. Best of all (or at least that was how I prioritized it in that moment in my lust-addled brain), his tongue was moving against my nipples, one after the other, and his hand had just slipped in between my legs, his fingers expertly caressing my wetness to yet another bone-crushing orgasm just a few minutes after the first.

What had I ever done in my entire life to deserve such an amazing man in my bed and in my arms? No, I realized, it must have been from a past life because I would have had to single-handedly rescue an entire orphanage full of children from a raging blaze or something equally as heroic and memorable to deserve a man as ridiculously incredible as Jace, and I couldn’t remember anything I had done, in this life, that even approached those levels of awesome.

I started to move my hips in rhythm with his insistent fingers and arched my back to press my breasts farther into his mouth. Before too long, I found that the intentional rhythm I had tried to create with my hips, meaning to match up to the rhythm Jace was keeping with his fingers, was entirely out the window. I lost all control and my hips began to buck and writhe of their own accord. My body was moving to the beat of its own drummer with no other objective in sight than to chase the sensations of pleasure Jace was driving through it.

I heard moans and encouragements leaving my mouth and I wasn’t even consciously aware of saying them. When Jace touched me, I went from being a quirky and somewhat sheltered introvert to a passion-driven siren who threw all inhibitions to the wind. I suppose the transformation, and how little control I had over it, should have scared me—but the opposite was true. I felt empowered and powerful. The sheer, wild abandon that overcame me with Jace when we were naked together made me feel like I might be able to call on some of this confidence and energy in other parts of my life as well.

If I could channel just one tenth of the energy and passion I felt when I was in bed with Jace and apply it to any other area of my life, I could rule the fricking world! However, for the moment, I would have to content myself with experiencing that level of confidence only in the particular situation of Jace and being in bed together.

Jace plunged two fingers inside of me as he rose up to kiss me hard – again. His kiss put me over the edge and I felt myself coming with a vengeance, the orgasm ripping through my being with all-consuming power. I was cocooned in safety as I lost myself completely with Jace. Even when I was completely out of my mind with the culmination of my passion, unaware of nearly everything in the world, I was always still aware of Jace. I never lost sight of him no matter how far all the rest of me spun out. He was my touchstone, my lighthouse. I knew that, as long as I was able to cling to him, every storm in the world could rage around me, but I would still be strong. Jace would give me his strength.

I kissed Jace back with every ounce of passion and energy I still possessed and then collapsed in his arms when I was finished. He stroked my hair and kissed me on the top of my head as he lay back on the bed and I snuggled further into his shoulder.

There were a million things I wanted to say to him and a million things I wanted to hear him tell me as well. I wanted to stay up all night ensconced in the protective warmth of his arms while listening to the intoxicating, low timbre of his voice. But before I could utter one sentence or even one word, the opportunity was lost. Wrapped in a cloud of warmth and contentment, I drifted off almost immediately into the first truly restful night of sleep I had had in a very long time.

Cat

Family

Wish

Soul-connected

Dream

People who want me

Who love me regardless of the cost

And I

Yes, of course, love them too

In the same full way

No matter

What price is involved

Our blood does not come into it

Genetics have no bearing on it

Love is all that can matter

Family of choice, not birth, is still

Family

Cat Nichols, Age 14

T
he smell of
turkey cooking in the oven hung heavily in the air of the kitchen. It was Thanksgiving morning, and it was (I sincerely hoped and prayed) the first of many, many holidays Jace and I would spend together.

We were going to stay for the dinner. Jace and I had gotten up early after the crazy night last night and decided that, now that my mother had dropped her bombshell and we’d survived it, there was no reason not to stay one more day and fulfill my obligation, putting on a show as a ‘happy family’ for the photographers during Thanksgiving dinner. That way, Angelica wouldn’t feel the need to follow me up to Arcata with photographers in tow.

Our reasoning was: why poke the bear?

I had to admit that I was glad we had. A small smile played on my mouth as I helped Rachel prep the elaborate meal, with Jace by my side, cutting up onions. He looked so sexy in a pair of dark gray sweats and white t-shirt that pulled taut across his chest as he chopped. It was difficult to keep my mind focused on the task at hand. I kept getting sidetracked by his effortless sex appeal.

Oldies were playing on the radio Rachel kept on the counter, and the three of us were singing along to classics like “Let’s Stay Together” and “September.” The love in the room was as palpable as the fragrance of the roasting bird and, all in all, I would have to say that it was one of the best mornings of my entire life.

To top it all off, like a hilarious cherry on a sundae of awesomeness, was the fact that Jace was also wearing one of Rachel’s aprons as he performed the sous chef duties she had assigned to him. I thought that it was maybe the most adorable thing I had ever seen. So much so, in fact, that I had surreptitiously snapped a pic of it on my iPhone while I’d been pretending to send out a Happy Thanksgiving mass text to all of our friends from Arcata.

In truth, it wasn’t all pretend. They
were
getting a Happy Thanksgiving mass text.

It just happened to be accompanied by a very hilarious photo of their friend, the stoic former marine, brooding bartender, as he chopped away wearing a bright-yellow apron.

No biggie.

Jace might not be too happy about it when he found out, but I knew that the Andy girls, Elijah, and Annabelle would thank me. I grinned to myself. It was worth it.

Jace looked over at me. “I love your smile. It’s like pure sunshine.”

“On a cloooouuudy day…” Rachel sang. I joined in, and we finished the refrain. “When it’s cold outside, I got the month of May. Well, I guess you’d say…what can make me feel this way? My girl. Talking ‘bout my girl. My girl!”

As we sang the chorus, Jace abandoned his chopping duties and wrapped his arm around my waist, spinning me around the kitchen like it was a dance floor. Honestly, there was no place I’d rather be in the world, which was odd to say since this was a house that held so many bad memories. But somehow, just like the song, Jace had made me feel this way. My guy…

Don came in about halfway through the chorus, saw what was going on, and quickly whisked Rachel out onto the kitchen floor—a.k.a. the makeshift dance floor. I looked over at them and then up at Jace and felt just about as happy as I had ever been in my life. It was pretty close to being the absolute perfect moment.

Just as we were finishing the dance, the front doorbell rang, which made my heart sink. Of course, our perfect moment couldn’t last forever. The real world just had to intrude.

“That must be the journalist and photographer that are coming over to document our family Thanksgiving.” I felt my stomach churn. “They’re
really
early, though. Maybe they have an elaborate set up.”

“Well, let me just go get the door and we’ll see then,” Rachel said, wiping her hands on her apron.

I sighed and went back to kneading the stuffing with my hands, concentrating on doing my best to really get the cornbread broken down and moist and all of the ingredients well incorporated.

“Hey, who’s that hot chick over there elbow-deep in stuffing?”

My head snapped up.

What? Wait…? No way…!
My eyes had to be playing tricks on me.

“Sandy!” I shrieked and then tilted my head to look past her. “Brandy! Evelyn!”

I couldn’t believe my Winship roomies were actually
here
in Southern California. I ran over to them, giving them each a huge bear hug in turn, being careful to keep my stuffing-coated hands away from their hair and shirts.

“What are you guys doing here?”

“Oh, great,” Sandy said dramatically. “We drive all night, abandon our families for Thanksgiving, and this is the reception we get? All you can do is ask what we’re doing here? Awesome. I feel ssssoooo totally welcome.”

I laughed. “Stop! I am so happy you’re here. I’m just shocked!”

Brandy, Sandy’s more down-to-earth twin, stepped in to explain. “Well, ever since your hit, out-of-this-world-video viral fame, we’ve been trying to call and make sure that you’re okay, but
someone
doesn’t like to answer their phone.”

I felt a surge of guilt. I had several missed calls and texts from the girls, but things had been so crazy that I hadn’t gotten back to them.

“I’m so sorry! It’s just—”

“No,” Sandy interrupted, waving her hands dismissively. “No need to apologize or explain. We just wanted to come and see for ourselves that you were, in fact,
okay
.”

“I am,” I said honestly. Tears welled up in my eyes at their gesture. “Wait. How did you know where I lived?”

It wasn’t like Angelica James’s residence was listed in phone book.

Brandy pulled up a piece of paper that read Star Map on the top.

“Seriously?” I grabbed the map, and sure enough, there was a star next to the address on the map that read ‘Angelica James’ next to an overview shot of our house. I shook my head. “That’s crazy.”

“I’m glad you guys are here,” Jace said from beside me as he slipped his arm around my waist. Turning toward him, I saw that he not only looked happy, he also looked relieved.

“Hey, if you needed backup, you could have called us.” Sandy lifted her brow as she playfully slapped his arm.

“Yeah,” Jace laughed lightly as his fingers squeezed my side. “I guess I didn’t think about that. Things have been a little hectic.”

“Well”—Brandy clapped her hands together—“we didn’t want to interrupt your Thanksgiving. We just wanted to let you know that we are going to be close if you need us. We’re going to go down to the Strip and find a hotel.”

“What? No! You can’t leave!” I protested.

“Um…” Brandy looked around the massive kitchen with an unsure look on her face. “Are you sure it would be okay if we stay?”

I realized that I hadn’t even introduced them to Rachel and Don. “Yes! Stay! Brandy, Sandy, Evelyn, this is Rachel and her husband, Don.”

While the girls and Don were all saying hi, Jace leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

I knew what he meant. My mother did not like visitors, especially surprise visitors. But yesterday, Jerry had ranted about the fact that I was such a social reject that I didn’t even have friends to fill up the Thanksgiving table for the press pictures. I hadn’t told Jace about the incident because I was pretty sure that would have fallen under the ‘you will not talk to Cat like that again’ rule and I didn’t want any more drama than necessary, but thankfully, because he
had
talked to me like that, I could now have my friends stay for Thanksgiving without having to worry about my mother’s wrath.

I nodded. “I’m sure.”

Jace still didn’t appear convinced, but he kissed me on top of my head and went back to chopping.

After the introductions were all made, Evelyn stepped forward. “How can we help? What should we be doing?”

Rachel smiled widely and wasted no time in putting the girls to work right alongside the rest of us, and we spent the next two hours chopping, peeling, measuring, mixing, chatting, and singing. It was more fun than I ever could have imagined having in that house, especially while I knew that my mother was upstairs. I realized, about halfway through the prep time, that I didn’t have even a hint of tension in my body. That was unprecedented.

In that house, even at my most relaxed, I always had a low buzz of tension humming through me on some level. There was always some kind of knot in my gut or tightness in my shoulders constantly reminding me that there was something in the house to be scared of, that things could violently upend themselves at any unexpected moment no matter how peaceful they might seem. Right now, there was none of that, and I was beyond grateful for that.

When all of the food was finally prepared and in the correct place, be it the oven or refrigerator, the girls and I went up to my room to get changed for Thanksgiving dinner and freshen up our hair and makeup. Jerry had already been in to meet the girls and give them his approval of whether or not they would pass as appropriate. They had, but he’d made sure there were wardrobe options upstairs so that we would be camera ready.

He’d actually seemed quite pleased with himself, like his comments yesterday had really affected me so much that I’d materialized friends. I’d let him have his little moment of gloating glory. Hey, if it meant that my friends got to stay, it was a small price to pay.

I was glad that we had the time alone before they met my mother so that I could prepare them for the battlefield we were likely going into. I filled them in on everything that had happened since I arrived. Well, almost everything, I left out the stuff about Jace’s past. That wasn’t my story to tell.