Chapter Four

With a full can of gas, they made it back to Jace's house after dark. Ian poured the fuel into the car. Jace stood so close the fumes made him wrinkle his nose, but he couldn't seem to make himself take a step back.

"Try and start it." Ian set the can on the ground.

Jace climbed into the driver's seat. He had to turn the key a couple times, but it finally came to life.

"I told you it would be an easy fix." Ian appeared suddenly next to Jace, scaring the crap out of him. His arm was on the top frame of the door, the other resting on the roof. He smiled widely, his hair once again creating a lustrous veil. "Let it run for a second so the fuel has a chance to—"

"Thank you," Jace blurted out, cutting off the rest of what Ian was about to say. "Sorry." He curled his lips in.

Ian's smile widened, causing Jace's heart to double in beat. "You're very welcome, kitten. I'm just glad it was something minor."

So was Jace. Slipping from his car, he nearly slammed his face into a wall of muscles. The guy hadn't backed up. Now Jace was trapped between his car and Ian. Caged in, he licked his lips and stared up into whiskey eyes.

Ian's jaw flexed as he slid his strong hand down Jace's arm. The touch was soft but electrifying, sending tiny ripples of happiness through Jace's body.

"May I kiss you?" Ian's voice was deep, drugging. He gazed at Jace thoughtfully, his eyes filled with warmth. Once again Jace was drowning in them, lost in the intense way Ian looked at him, as if the kiss was that important.

"I guess…" Jace rubbed the heel of his hand over his eye, yelling at himself to just spit out his answer. "I'd like that."

The moment felt as charged as an electrical storm.

"Jace." Ian said his name so softly, so fiercely, that it drew Jace further into whatever was happening between them.

Sweet Jesus. What was Ian doing to him? Jace didn't want this night to end, didn't want the guy to leave. His touch was playing havoc with Jace's body, causing his mind to spin uncontrollably.

Ian dipped and slanted his mouth with a groan that sounded almost like a purr. He took over Jace's mouth, stealing his very breath, unleashing a firestorm inside of him.

There was infinite strength pressing into Jace as Ian's arm curled around him and pulled him closer. The kiss held Jace spellbound. Ian's tongue chased his, the man's goatee gently grazing across his skin. Jace sank into the sweetness of Ian's lips, his senses going wild.

If they hadn't been in the driveway, Jace would have cupped the hardness pushing into his stomach. He'd massaged Ian's cock, only not by accident this time. Ian was so much taller, yet their bodies fit perfectly together. Even when Ian inserted his thigh between Jace's legs, causing his balls to squeeze against his body.

There was something deliciously naughty about riding Ian's muscled thigh out in the open. A feeling of freedom, of giving himself over to the firestorm raging inside of him. Ian cupped Jace's ass, dragging Jace along his leg. Jace gasped as Ian sucked on his tongue, every pull causing his cock to pulse harder.

"Take whatever you need from me, kitten," Ian said against his lips.

Too far-gone, Jace's mind almost failed to register the purr that rumbled from Ian's chest. He yanked Jace's head back, nipping and kissing his way across Jace's throat. So fucking badly he wanted Ian's cock buried in his ass.

His hole ached for it.

Begged for it.

A white-hot explosion detonated through Jace. Ian slammed his lips over Jace's, swallowing his cries of pleasure, muffling the sound before he alerted everyone in his neighborhood that he'd just ridden Ian's thigh to orgasm.

Holy fuck. He gripped hard biceps as he floated back down to earth. Ian placed a hand on Jace's back to steady him.

What in the hell had he just done? He'd met Ian that morning and climaxed on his leg that evening. The guy would think he was a slut.

"Don't be embarrassed, kitten." Ian slid his lips over Jace's ear. "There isn't a damn thing shameful about what we just did. You coming apart in my arms was breathtaking as hell."

It might not be shameful, but it was awkward. "I've never…" He sank his teeth into his bottom lip. "In public, and with a guy I just met."

"So beautiful, kitten," Ian growled softly in his ear.

How could Jace regret what they'd just shared when Ian seemed so turned on by it?

"What time do you have to be at work tomorrow?" Ian eased his leg free then pulled Jace away from his car to close the door.

"I'm off tomorrow."

Ian's eyes lit up as a smile curled one side of his sensual lips. Why did Jace find him so irresistible? Was it his rocking body, which Jace had already seen naked, his beautiful hair, his gorgeous face, or how he made Jace feel like he could be himself when around him? All of the above?

Unlike Tucker, Ian hadn't made Jace feel like a freak because he was introverted. Ian hadn't teased him playfully, yet cruelly, about manning up or about how Jace's brain constantly froze around others.

Then again, he'd just met the guy. For all Jace knew, sooner or later, Ian would get tired of having to deal with a dork like him. What if his migraines wore thin on Ian like they had with Tucker?

Ian slid his arms around Jace. "Would you like to spend tomorrow together?"

"Doing what?" A dull pain started to throb on the right side of Jace's head.

"Whatever you want."

Nausea overwhelmed Jace as the pain intensified, causing the right side of his head to feel compressed. He rubbed his temples, hoping for some relief.

"What's wrong?" Ian's voice was filled with concern.

Backing up, Jace rested against his car. He closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. "I suffer from intense headaches. One is hitting me now. Please…whisper."

With a gentle touch, Ian removed Jace's hands and began to massage his temples and the back of his neck in slow, circular motions. "How long have you been experiencing them?"

This was not the way Jace wanted to end their night. He dreaded the possibility of spending tomorrow in bed, as his migraines often left him incapacitated for a day or two. It had happened more times than he could keep track of.

"Getting any better?"

"A little," Jace admitted. "I was sixteen when my dad swerved the car to avoid a deer. He wasn't wearing a seat belt, and the crash killed him. Since then I've suffered from migraines."

Despite extensive testing, the doctors hadn't found any underlying cause for them. Jace's therapist believed they were a manifestation of his grief, compounded by his growing anxiety.

"I'm sorry to hear about your dad."

Under Ian's hands, Jace's pain began to dissipate. His skilled massage was far more effective than Jace doing it himself. The needles of discomfort that had been pulsing in his brain were beginning to ease.

"Do you need to go inside and lie down?"

Jace had kept his feelings about his father's death to himself. Even when he'd returned to school and classmates had asked about his absence, he kept quiet, bottling up the pain of losing his dad. At the funeral, he'd stayed in the background, refusing to talk to anyone.

Why had he opened up to Ian about the most painful experience of his life? He'd never met someone who could break his walls down so effortlessly.

"I think I should lie down," Jace admitted. "Would you mind helping me inside?"

Ian put his arm around Jace's waist and guided him inside. He directed Ian to his bedroom, relieved his mom and grandmother were nowhere in sight. Jace wasn't in any condition to introduce them to Ian or have the two fussing over him because his head hurt.

And they would. Though Jace loved them with all his heart, right now, he preferred Ian's company.

As soon as they stepped into the room, Ian closed the door and led Jace to his bed. First, he took off Jace's shoes then helped him lie down. Without the soothing massage on his temples, the pain began to resurface. Jace instinctively curled up, cradling his head in his hands.

"Hang on, sweetheart." Ian got into bed, propping himself up against the headboard. He carefully placed Jace's head in his lap then turned off the lamp on the nightstand.

His fingers returned to Jace's head and neck, skillfully massaging and manipulating the muscles as if he were sculpting a work of art.

Jace closed his eyes, allowing the peace and darkness of his room to soothe the throbbing in his head.

"Is the pain getting any better?"

The sound of Ian's deep voice in the dark made Jace shiver. "Yes, but please don't stop. Unless your fingers are cramping."

By now, Jace's would have been. He would be shaking them out and letting them rest before he tried again.

"No cramping." Ian changed the direction of the circular motion. His natural and rugged scent surrounded Jace's senses. It made him feel like he was drifting on calm waters.

* * * *

"Oh my!"

A loud squeak jolted Ian awake. An elderly woman stood in the doorway, her hand pressed against her chest as she blushed a deep red. He was snuggled up to Jace, his mate's back pressed against his chest.

"I wasn't aware Jace had company." She spun and slammed the door behind her.

"This is going to be an interesting morning," Jace grumbled, his eyes still closed. "You can slip out of my window to escape. You're so tall that your feet will probably touch the ground."

"From the second floor?" Ian chuckled softly. "I highly doubt it. How's your head, kitten?"

Knowing his mate suffered from migraines made Ian want to protect him even more.

"So much better." Jace stretched, his ass pushing into Ian's groin. Memories of the previous night flooded his mind—how Jace had moved against his thigh, lost in the heat of passion and pleasure.

Jace's warm, soft body was against his, the temptation messing with his mind. He'd been considering taking Jace to his Navigator last night and trying to persuade his mate into giving him a blowjob, but then his migraine struck.

Just the thought of those perfect lips wrapped around his cock made Ian want to purr. Unfortunately, there were other people in the house. When he finally had Jace naked, he didn't want his mate holding back.

Ian wanted to hear every sound that escaped Jace's lips—the whimpers, moans, and screams that showed just how much pleasure he was experiencing in Ian's arms.

"Seriously." Jace looked over his shoulder at Ian. "We just met, so you don't have to face my family. I can find a way to sneak you out."

The thought of meeting Jace's family made Ian nervous. What if his mate's mother and grandmother didn't approve of him? It certainly didn't help that they were caught in bed together, even though they were both fully dressed. That wasn't an ideal first impression to make.

"You don't have to sneak me out." Ian rested his chin on Jace's shoulder. "Just as long as they don't try to skin me for being in your bed."

"God." Jace covered his face. "It's just that…"

"What?" Ian propped himself up on one arm and rolled Jace onto his back. His black hair was disheveled, and his hazel eyes had that just-awoken appearance. I could wake to this every morning.

"My grandma." Jace let out a groan, a sensual noise that Ian knew was unintentional. "She's very inquisitive…and…" He pursed his lips, as if reluctant to say the last part. "Very protective of me."

"So, you're basically telling me I'm about to get grilled."

Jace threw an arm over his eyes. "I know how that sounds. I'm an adult who shouldn't need my grandma to protect me."

"You're very fortunate." Ian would have killed for any kind of family in his life. While others took that for granted, he could only imagine what it would feel like to have family in his corner. Just one family member would have made all the difference to him. "I think it's sweet."

"You do?" He looked disbelieving at Ian. "You don't think…"

"I think you're a very lucky guy." He patted Jace's hip. "Let's go downstairs." He motioned to his hair. "Could I borrow a brush to tidy up my appearance, or should I meet your family looking like a wild man?"

Jace got up and went to his dresser, returning with a paddle brush. "I'm going to use the bathroom. I'll be right back."

"Can you bring me some mouthwash?" Ian climbed out of bed. "I want to knock them off their feet, not kill them with my morning breath."

"So needy." Jace beamed, then his brows knitted together before he hurried from the room.

Ian grinned at his mate's playfulness, though it seemed he lacked the confidence to fully embrace his sassiness.

Starting from the ends and working his way up, Ian detangled the mess. When he was done, he cleaned the brush. Jace returned, but he didn't have a bottle of mouthwash with him. "I think you should rinse your mouth in the bathroom so you can use the sink to spit."

"Smart." Ian also needed to empty his bladder. "Show me the way."

He caught the yearning look in Jace's eyes as his mate stared at his hair. Instead of asking if he wanted to touch it, Ian took Jace's wrist and guided his hand to his hair.

A look of wonder replaced the yearning in Jace's eyes as his fingers glided through the strands. "It's so soft. Did you have it professionally cut, or are the layers natural?"

"Natural." The more Jace stroked his hair, the harder Ian became. It was like the strands were attached to his cock. It was getting tougher not to purr in fucking delight.

Ian's phone began to ring. Jace yanked his hand away and blinked rapidly, as though coming out of a trance. He took a step back and cleared his throat like he'd been doing something wrong. "Let me know when you're ready to go to the bathroom."

With an aggravated grunt, Ian pulled his phone from his pocket as Jace walked swiftly from the room.

"What?" he snarled without looking to see who was calling him.

"I heard smalltown life was good for people, but your snarl makes me wonder if that's true," Nolan Toolie said. "Should I even ask how you've been?"

"I'm doing fine." Ian frowned. "Why are you calling me?"

Nolan's voice threw Ian. He'd never expected to hear it again. It wasn't as if they'd been friends back in their competitive days. More like frenemies.

"I've been doing a little traveling." Nolan laughed in a deep, jovial way. "From what I've heard, you settled in some place called Midnight Falls. I'll be passing by the town tomorrow and thought maybe we could catch up."

Ian's frown deepened. "I wish I could, but I have a ton of things I have to get done."

Not true, but Nolan calling him out of the blue didn't feel right. They had nothing to catch up on.

"Yeah, I get it," Nolan said. "Maybe some other time. It was good talking to you." He hung up.

How had Nolan even gotten his phone number? He tucked his phone into his back pocket and walked into the hallway. Jace stood there with his hands in his front pockets, staring at a picture on the wall.

A picture of a fruit basket.

"Bathroom?" Ian said.

Jace startled as he spun, his hands flying out of his jeans. He let out a soft, breathy chuckle and pointed to the door a few feet away. "All yours."

"Thanks." Ian walked into the room and closed the door, his mind still on Nolan's call.