ACE

J ax was like a dog with a fucking bone, and I was that damn bone. “Let’s just go tomorrow, Ace! I want to get there already.” He’d been whining to me daily.

Two days after Aria’s departure, Jax had already located the facility, notified Devon and the others of his temporary unavailability, packed his belongings and arranged for their delivery. And he wanted to leave today. Fuck my life.

I’d always had Jax’s back for everything, but this time, he was making it really fucking hard for me to follow through. Okay, that wasn’t really his fault. More like Harley was making it hard. We’d spent the last week together in either her bed or mine, and I just couldn’t get enough of her. Even lying in her empty bed, a cool breeze from the open window flowing through the room and sounds of my girl putting up the coffeepot in the kitchen, filled me with joy. These had become some of the best things in life. Things I wasn’t too keen on leaving behind.

“You getting out of bed?” Harley called down the hall. The sound of her voice instantly splitting my mouth into a wide grin.

“Come on, babe, we don’t have long before Jax gets here. Just under two hours.” She continued.

Fuck me.

Rolling myself out of bed, I shook off the remnants of sleep from my head as I rubbed my palms across my face and in my eyes. “Be there in a minute.” I called back groggily.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, my girl met me in the hall, coffee in hand, and a smile on her beautiful face.

“Feel like a shower?” She asked. Those sparkling blue eyes insinuating that I’d be an idiot not to.

There was no way I wasn’t taking her up on that offer. I shed my clothes on the bathroom floor and followed her into the shower. We stepped under the warm stream together and relaxed into each other’s arms. Reaching up on her toes, Harley wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me. Her tongue tangling with mine, pushing for more.

“Not yet, babe.” I said, reaching for the soap. “Stand still.” I instructed as I washed her. Making a point of washing every inch of her soft skin, letting the soap bubble as it dripped down her body. Washing each arm, shoulder and then her neck. I continued on, rolling her pierced nipples between my fingers for a minute or two before I washed circled each breast with care. Then down her stomach and hips, all the way down one leg and making my way back up the other, all while avoiding the one center spot that was screaming for my touch.

“Turn around, hands on the wall.” I instructed, loving how quickly she complied.

Taking a few moments to massage her shoulders before washing her back and down to that juicy ass of hers, soaking in every little contended moan that escaped her lips. When I was done, I rinsed the soap off my hands and turned her back to face me. Her lips were begging to be claimed, and I wasted no time in doing so. As I did, my hand went to the folds between her legs. I’d learned a long time ago, a technique that never failed. Using my fingers, I found the spot I knew would work and thrust in and out of her body at a very particular angle. Within minutes, Harley’s eyes were wide and her legs shook with a force she clearly had not felt before.

“Ace! Ace!” she screamed my name and fuck, if it wasn’t the most beautiful song that I’d ever heard.

“I’ve got you. Just let go, let me hold you.” I promised. She nodded, letting her head roll back once more. I watched in awe as I brought her body closer and closer to what I hoped would be her biggest climax yet. When she finally came, her juices exploded all over my hand and down her legs. Success. She fell like a dead weight on top of me and I held her tight as we slid down to the shower floor together.

“So fucking hot, baby…” I whispered as I nuzzled her neck.

If I didn’t know before, I knew it with unwavering certainty in that very moment. Nothing could ever make me walk away from this girl. I needed her in my life forever.

***

We were back in the kitchen, and Harley was making us sandwiches. I leaned over the counter and watched her in silence for a few moments before taking the leap. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.” She answered. “Anything, you know that.”

“I know I came on too strong before, but… you said that you might consider it.”

“Ace.” She gave me a pointed look. “Just spit it out.”

I drew in a long breath and jumped up on the counter. “Give it to me straight, Harley. Are you really going to take some time off of work?”

She was standing, hands on her hips, with one cocked out the side to match the one eyebrow that held me hostage as I perched on the counter. But now she paused, her stance softening, arms crossed across her chest.

“I did say that.” She nodded, slowly finishing up the sandwiches.

“And I said that I’d take care of covering what you would have earned.” I reminded her.

“Yes, yes, you did.” Harley nodded as she turned to put back the cheese into the fridge.

“I feel like there’s a ‘but’ coming…” I sighed. “H, I’m leaving soon. We need to be on the same page. And it’s not that I don’t want you to work, for fuck’s sake!” I was getting frustrated again. “Any other job and I’d be happy for you to work. But it makes me see fucking red to know that a bunch of sleazy guys are ogling my girl!” Punctuating my words with a fist that slammed down on the counter next to me.

My outburst only made her stand up straighter and move in closer.

“Okay Ace, I hear you, but you best be sure that you can hear me, too. I will respect your feelings and take time off work. I promise I’ll let Ron know tonight, but it’s only because you are out of town. You get that right?”

My heart felt like it was about to burst as I opened my knees and pulled her closer to my body. With her lips now inches from my own, I leaned in and kissed them chastely.

“But there’s a catch too…” She smiled.

My eyes narrowed into slits. “What do you mean?”

“I can’t sit around my apartment for two months and do nothing! I need a plan! Something to do! Besides… I also can’t accept that you will pay me to stay home. I’ve always taken care of myself and I don’t want to depend on you. So, I might pick up a couple of shifts at the gym I go to. They need a part-time receptionist for a few weeks.”

I thought I’d feel relief, but I was wrong. It was absolutely pure fucking joy that I felt. I’d known since day one that Harley differed from the other girls I’d fallen for. The others had almost immediately tried to squeeze me for everything I had, but not Harley. Money and fame weren’t what she was after. It was my heart. Little did she know that she’d had it all along. My feelings for her were growing immensely despite our short time together. Jax had warned me to go slow, though, and this time, this time, I was listening. I didn’t want anything to fuck up what I had with Harley. She was too important to me.

“That’s a valid point.” I nodded. “But maybe I can do better than the gym. Let me talk to Devon and see how you can be of help.”

Harley’s hands cupped my cheeks. “Shit, seriously? Like an actual job with the band?”

“I know Devon was looking for an assistant.” I shrugged. “If I can make it work, then I will. Even if it’s temporary.”

Harley’s shrieks rang through her small apartment and probably out to the hall as well. Chuckling as she pulled me off my counter top seat and we danced around the kitchen together.

“You’re the best Ace.” She grinned. “I have no idea what this would entail, but I’m totally down for it. Anything for the band! Honestly, this feels like a dream come true.” She smiled.

“Happy to provide it.” I said before sliding my hand under her shirt and cupping her breasts. “Now… let’s get this off of you so I can get inside you again. We have about an hour before I have to meet Jax.” I murmured, my lips already trailing the length of her soft neck.