IRIS
It’s been nearly a week since we were at Ace’s childhood home, and I swear we shared a moment when we were wrapped up in one another’s arms in his bedroom. I nearly told him I loved him in that moment, but thought better of it immediately because I don’t want him thinking I’m saying that merely because I know who he is. When I tell him that I love him, I want him to know that I mean it with each inch of my beating heart.
I stare up at his face while his chest rises and falls in a rhythmic pattern as he sleeps soundly next to me in my bed. His face is stunning with his chiseled, strong jawline and full lips that seem to have a resting pout to them even when he’s relaxed, and his prominent nose completes the features any male model would be envious of. His crazy, wild hair is even sexy when he sleeps. I’m constantly tempted to slide it through my fingers.
Ever since the first night we made love, we’ve spent every night together—each night being even more magical than the last, making me fall for him a little more. I’ve been saying a little prayer every night that he’s never found and can stay here with me just like this forever, but deep down I know that’s not reality, and it scares the shit out of me.
I don’t want him to leave, and the thought of me leaving with him—it excites and terrifies me at the same time. I’m not sure if I’m cut out for a life on the run, and more importantly, I’m not ready to give up on my dreams that have already been put on hold. I’ll have to return to New York at some point—with or without Ace.
I refuse to be that girl who gets so swept up in a man that she tosses everything aside for him, losing her dreams and identity. That’s not me.
Ace stirs below me, and I know he’s in the process of waking.
I place a soft kiss on his lips as our naked bodies remain pressed together. “Good morning. Hungry?”
“Starving,” he whispers and pulls my face back up to his, letting me know that he’s not just talking about food here.
He shifts and pulls me on top of him, where he cups my ass as he deepens our kiss.
This man is insatiable.
I bring my legs down around his hips and press my knees into the mattress below us, careful to keep his stiff cock outside of my body.
He moans when I rotate my hips a couple times, sliding him against my slick folds and enjoying the feel of his skin against my most sensitive body part.
“God . . . Iris,” he growls.
I love when I make the normally collected Ace go a little caveman. It seems that I have this ability to make him lose his control . . . and I like that . . . a lot.
The calluses from playing the guitar make his hands a little rough, but I love the way they feel sliding up the bare skin of my back when he’s enjoying my body.
The friction of the tip of him hitting my clit over and over causes me to moan this time and then whisper, “I need you.”
He turns to my nightstand and grabs the box of condoms. A frown immediately etches into his perfect features, and I stop writhing against him, sitting up. “Are we out?”
Ace’s lips pull into a tight line. “Yeah. We went through that box really fast. I planned on getting more today because I knew we were getting low.”
I sigh, deflated, but still completely turned on, and I know he is as well because his hard length is still pressing into me. “I’m on birth control . . . and we are exclusive . . . right?”
I allow my thought to trail off, not wanting to seem so forward with my request.
Ace traces my lips with his long fingers. “Are you sure . . . ? We don’t have to. I can wait.”
I kiss his fingers and nod. “I’m yours, right? And you’re mine?”
“Irrevocably, on both accounts,” he answers. “But I want you to be sure. I don’t want you to make a rash decision because you’re horny.”
I smile down at him. “If we belong to one another, I don’t see how this would be a rash decision.”
He’s quiet for a beat, and knowing now how intelligent Ace is, I’m sure he’s contemplating every scenario before giving in to me. “You’re right, but I want you to know that I’ve never done this before. You’ll be my first. Have you . . . ?”
I shake my head. “Never. I always made Tanner use protection. I guess I never trusted him.” I peer into his eyes as a revelation occurs to me. “But I trust you, implicitly.”
Ace licks his lips like he’s suddenly nervous. “So you’ve only ever been with Tanner?”
“Yes,” I answer honestly, and my face reddens at the admission that I’ve only ever been with one man in my twenty-two years.
But that’s got me curious, and I can’t help myself from asking the question that nags at every woman when she thinks about her man and his sexual history. “How many people have you been with?”
His eyes drift away from my face, and my heart drops, knowing more than likely that means it’s going to be a number that I don’t want to hear from a man whose unprotected penis I’m about to let inside me.
“Ace . . . ?” Even I can hear the worry in my voice while I await his answer.
His gaze flicks back to mine. “It’s hopefully not as bad as you’re thinking, but it’s a number that I’m not proud of . . . it’s a number that happened before I made a commitment to myself that I was worth loving and that someday I would find a woman who loved me.”
I swallow hard. “Do I really want to know? Is it that bad?”
He shrugs. “The feeling that emulated love was something I was addicted to for a while. I found it easily in the arms of random women who wanted to use me for sex. Psychologists would probably say I used women to fill the void I felt when my mother gave me away. And in a weird way, I’m sure that’s partly true, but I know that I was smart enough to figure out that that wasn’t love I was feeling. It was a way to temporarily forget that I was once unloved and so easily discarded. So, once I figured that out in my early twenties, after attending a few psych classes, I stopped randomly fooling around.”
I furrow my brow. “So before me . . . ?”
“I haven’t had sex in a while,” he admits. “Sure, there were times I slipped back into my old ways, but for the most part I’ve been pretty good at abstaining.”
My mouth drops open. I’m completely floored by this news, and honestly, I can’t wrap my head around it. “You mean you don’t sleep with random groupies on a daily basis?”
Ace shakes his head. “No. Not even close.”
“Wow . . . I thought all rock stars slept with their groupies every chance they got.”
He gives me a half smile. “Not all of us.”
“Apparently,” I tease. “The association of rock stars may revoke your membership card if this ever gets out.”
“I don’t care.” He laughs. “Let them. I’m through with that life, anyhow. I’ve got all I need being here with you. I could give a shit about the music industry at this point. I’ll get a job somewhere, anywhere you want to live, and I’ll use my musical talents to serenade you.”
I lean down and press my lips to his. “I could get used to being serenaded. You’re going to spoil me and ruin me for all other men. No one will ever be able to live up to you.”
Ace grins. “Good, I don’t want any other man to have a chance in hell. Besides, I don’t plan on ever leaving you.”
Warmth floods my heart. Hearing him say that he’s never going to leave me is the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard. It makes me crave him that much more.
“Make love to me,” I whisper. “I want to be yours in every possible way.”
That’s all the permission he needs and he rolls me over, pressing his weight on top of me. His hand slides over the mound of my breast, over my collarbone and against my neck until his thick fingers thread into my hair. Kisses from his sensual lips follow, setting my skin on fire as he finds his way to my mouth.
When his tongue darts out and traces the entrance of my mouth, I open, giving him full access. I spread my legs wider, squirming below him with anticipation, needing to feel him inside of me, moving with nothing between us.
With one swift movement, Ace buries himself deep inside me. His eyes burn with fiery passion as he pulls back and then rocks into me again.
He groans as he leans down next to my ear and whispers, “Jesus. I can’t believe you’re mine.”
A shudder rips through me as I close my eyes and revel in the pure romanticism in his voice. Those words—those sweet, sweet words wrapping around my heart, making me feel so loved and so wanted—are nearly enough to make me admit to Ace just how I feel about him.
Strong arms slip under me and wrap around my shoulders as he continues his deliciously slow, rhythmic pace. Each thrust causes my core to burn with even more need for this man.
I reach behind him and grab his muscular ass in my hands, loving the way each muscle moves as he continues to please me. “Oh, Ace. That’s it.”
He rises up, still working himself into me. “Don’t come yet. The sounds you make will send me over the edge, and I’m nowhere near done with you. I want to make this last. You feel . . . God, Iris. You feel fucking amazing.” He leans down and whispers against my mouth, “It’s like your body was made just for me.”
A tremble rushes through me, and I know he asked me to wait, but there’s no way of stopping the impending orgasm that’s about to spread through me.
I dig my nails into his backside. “Oh, God. Ace. I’m coming. I can’t stop . . . ohhhh.”
His rhythm picks up speed, and he pounds into me much harder and much faster than he was before, intensifying my pleasure before his movements go rigid and he closes his eyes and growls as he comes hard inside me.
When he opens his eyes and simply gazes at me with a look that can only be explained as pure awe, like I’m the most amazing thing he’s ever seen, I can no longer fight it. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I’m wholeheartedly in love with Ace Johnson, but I’m scared to tell him.
Later that afternoon, when Ace and I can find the strength to pull ourselves away from my bed, I walk him to the door while he pulls his shirt over his head.
When I open the front door for him, he pulls me into his tight embrace and kisses me. “Would it be weird if I say I miss you every minute that we’re not together?”
I laugh and shake my head. “No, because I feel exactly the same way.” I giggle as he kisses my neck, but then playfully push him back. “Go shower before I change my mind and drag you back to my room.”
He waggles his eyebrows. “That’s definitely not a threat.”
I push him back once more and laugh. “Go.”
As Ace heads down my front steps, he buttons and zips his jeans. My face instantly reddens when I notice Tanner’s car parked in front of my place, knowing he’s seen us and the way Ace is still practically getting dressed while walking out my front door.
Ace passes by the car just as Tanner opens the driver’s door and gets out. He gives Ace a curt nod, and Ace instantly stops in his tracks and whips back around to stare at me with an expression that clearly asks if I need him to stay.
I shake my head, and he pulls his lips into a tight line as if he doesn’t like my answer, but he obliges by heading around the corner to his own place.
Tanner pulls a pair of dark sunglasses off his face as he approaches me. He’s not in a suit today, but in a more relaxed outfit of jeans and a light blue button-down. The dark hair on his head is styled back, making the cool blue tone of his eyes stand out more.
He’s attractive, but he’s a sleazy asshole.
Tanner glances back in the direction Ace just went and then raises one eyebrow as he turns back to stare up at me. “I guess you weren’t kidding when you said you’ve moved on.”
I fold my arms over my chest and suddenly regret not throwing a bra on as I dressed in a tank top and pair of shorts to walk Ace out. “What do you want, Tanner?”
He sighs as he rests his hand on the wooden railing of my porch. “Can’t I come in?”
I shake my head. “No. We can talk just fine out here.”
His shoulders slump a bit. Guys like Tanner Lawrence aren’t used to hearing the word no too often. “I wanted to stop by and let you know that I explained your situation to my higher-ups and was able to get you a thirty-day extension, which means you have two months from now to get the money together to pay the taxes before the state moves forward with seizing the trailer park. It was the best I could do.”
“Why would you do that?” I ask, but I’m grateful that he did. I’ve been here only a month and I never had any intention of staying long-term. I wanted to get back to my life in New York as soon as I could, but this extension changes a situation that I thought was impossible to fix to one I might have a long shot at fixing if I get a job quickly. I was nearly ready to give up on Willow Acres since there was no way I could come up with twenty thousand dollars in thirty days.
Besides, my relationship with Ace changes things too. I won’t run back to New York immediately like I planned . . . at least not until Ace figures out what he’s going to do. By sticking around here a little longer, I might have a real shot at saving my home.
I pull myself out of my thoughts to stare down at Tanner. “Thank you, Tanner. I really appreciate that.”
Tanner gives me a sad smile, making one of his dimples stand out prominently. “It was no trouble at all. I’d like to believe we’re still friends. I know I did you wrong, and you’ve got every right to hate me, so I figured using what little bit of power I have to help you is the least I can do. I’m sorry I was such an asshole while we were together, Iris.”
For the first time since we broke up nearly two years ago, I finally believe Tanner’s apology. But it’s not enough to erase the hurt and humiliation he caused me, so the second chance he’s begged me for over the last couple years still isn’t going to happen.
I sigh as I stare down at him and smile. “I forgive you, but this doesn’t change anything between us. It’s still over.”
He picks at a knot in the handrail. “Who was the guy, anyway? I haven’t seen him around here before.”
I stiffen, not wanting to answer any questions about who Ace is. “He’s new in town.”
“That’s what I figured. Where’s he from and what’s he doing here? It’s not like there are jobs around here or anything. No one chooses to just up and move to Sarahsville.”
After a second of quick thinking, I make up the very first thing that pops into mind to help throw him off wanting to find out anything else about Ace. “He was Sadie Hill’s nephew. He moved into her old place since he was one of the heirs in her will.”
Tanner narrows his blue eyes at the trailer next to mine. “I didn’t know Sadie had any family. I always thought it was just her.” He turns back to me. “Well, be careful. You don’t know him, and I would hate to have to beat the shit out of him for hurting you.”
I open my mouth to say thanks again, but is that really something I want to thank him for? Instead, I give him a half smile. “Thanks for the tax extension, Tanner. I’ll try my hardest to get enough money to you by the end of the sixty days.”
He nods. “Okay. I’ll see you around, Iris. Call me if you need me.” His eyes flick to Ace’s place, then back to me. “I mean it, anything you need, get in touch with me.”
After Tanner leaves, I hurry into the shower. A brilliant idea occurs to me and I can’t wait to get it set in motion. I dry off and then rush into the kitchen and dial Birdie’s work number.
“Angel’s,” a rough man’s voice answers after two rings.
“Hi. May I speak with Birdie, please? It’s Iris,” I reply.
“Hold on.” There’s a distinct sound of the receiver hitting the counter before the man yells across the room, “Birdie, phone’s for you.”
“Who is it?” I hear my friend ask from a distance, making her voice barely audible.
“That hot friend of yours that you had in here the other night, Flower or something,” the guy replies, and I roll my eyes at his description of me.
“You mean Iris, dickwad.” Birdie’s voice is so much closer now, like she’s coming to it, and then she picks up the phone. “What’s up, girlie?”
“Hey. Sorry to bother you at work, but I wanted to ask you if Angel was hiring?”
“Um, not sure. I know we had a girl quit last week because she’s pregnant and starting to show. Her tips were for shit. The asshole male species apparently have some moral code about flirting with a pregnant chick and always asked to be seated in a different section, giving her no choice but to quit. So yeah, we might. Let me ask.” She lowers the phone. “Angel, you filled Megan’s spot yet? You know you’ll need the extra help once I start second shift later this week.”
The same guy who answered the phone mumbles something about the size of my chest, and I raise my eyebrows, thinking of how he just called me hot moments ago. I didn’t know Angel himself was so crude.
I hear the two of them talking back and forth, but her hand must be over the phone because I can barely make out what they’re saying.
“You’re hired!” Birdie says into the phone, and I can feel the excitement in her voice. “Be ready at nine in the morning, I’ll pick you up and train you tomorrow.”
“Wow,” I say, completely flabbergasted at how easy that was. “Thank you so much, Birdie. I owe you one.”
She laughs. “Big-time. I’ll see you after I get off tonight. I haven’t seen you much lately, and we need to totally catch up.”
“Sounds good. See you then.” I hang up after telling her good-bye and am hopeful that I’ll be able to gather enough money if I save every penny I can to keep this place without becoming Ace’s charity case. I don’t want him to think I’m using him for money.
When Birdie walks in my door later that evening, she stops dead in her tracks the moment she spots Ace and me cozied up on the couch together. Her eyes widen and then she gives me a sly grin. “Is he the reason you’ve been MIA on me all week?”
I bite my lip and blush as I flick my line of sight from Birdie to Ace and then back. I shrug a little. “Yes.”
As if that’s his cue, Ace leans over and kisses my cheek. “I’ll let you guys have some time.”
I turn and kiss his lips. “I’ll come over in a bit.”
He smiles and then pushes himself up off the couch and heads out the door.
As soon as the door shuts behind Ace, Birdie folds her arms across her chest and gives me a pointed look—a look she gives whenever she’s pissed that someone’s been holding out on her.
I hold my hands up defensively. “I was going to tell you.”
She quirks an eyebrow. “When? After you ran off with him and had a bunch of adorable little mini-Aces?”
I twist my lips. “I deserve that. You’re my best friend. I should’ve told you.”
“You’re damn straight, because what if he kidnapped you or something and I had no information to give the cops. What kind of best friend would that make me?”
“A fantastic one?” I say with a hopeful voice, trying to dig myself out of a hole, but it doesn’t seem to be working with her, so I shove myself off the couch and hold my arms out. “I’m sorry. Can we hug it out if I promise to fill you in now?”
She tries hard to force a scowl, but eventually it turns into a smile and she rolls her eyes before stepping into my embrace. “Okay, tell me everything, and don’t leave out any of the juiciness.”
I laugh and pull her down on the couch with me and tell her everything I can about Ace and our time together, only leaving out the part where he’s the missing rock star everyone is going gaga over trying to find. That would totally warp her mind.
It’s not that I don’t trust Birdie with Ace’s secret, because I totally would—I’d trust her with my own life—but the truth is, it’s not my secret to tell. I hope if the truth comes out, she can respect that.
When I finish telling her everything, Birdie turns toward me and props her head up against her arm that is resting against the back of the couch. “Wow. Shakespeare? Really? Him? I would’ve never pictured that.”
I nod and giggle. “He’s a true romantic.”
She bites her lip, and I know from the expression on her face that something’s weighing on her mind.
“Okay, out with it,” I say.
Birdie sighs and flips her blond hair over her shoulder. “I don’t want you to think that I’m not happy for you, because I totally am. I mean, he sounds perfect, and I can tell you’re really falling for the guy.”
“But . . .” I prod, sensing the hesitation in her voice.
“But, we still don’t know much about him, and that scares me for you. I know how sensitive you are when it comes to your heart. You’re an all-or-nothing girl, Iris. When you love, you love hard and deep. I just hope he’s as serious about you as you are about him.”
I want to argue with her—tell her that she’s wrong and that she has absolutely nothing to worry about because I know Ace. I know he’s got a good heart and his intentions with me are pure, but when I see the concern in Birdie’s eyes, it just makes me love her that much more.
I wrap my arms around her and squeeze her tight. “I’ll be careful. I promise.”
It’s an easy promise to make because I know deep down that I don’t have anything to worry about.
Right on schedule, Birdie’s at my house bright and early the next day to keep me on time for my first day on the job.
“Here.” She tosses me a T-shirt as soon as she steps through my door. “Angel will give you a few of your own, so just return it to me when he does.”
I stare down at a bright red shirt that’s identical to the one Birdie’s wearing, with the words “Angel’s Girl” stretched across her chest, before yanking the shirt I have on off and replacing it with this too-small shirt. “Are all the shirts supposed to be this tight?”
My best friend laughs as she double-checks the lipstick she’s applying in the reflection of the gold cap of the tube. “They are if you want good tips.” Her eyes roam over me, appraising my outfit. “You look good. You might even make tips on your very first day.”
It’s going to be hard for me to gain enough courage to use my body as a tip magnet like Birdie does. She’s got the body for it. She’s voluptuous, while my appeal is more athletic. I never had to flaunt myself at any of the waitressing jobs I’ve had before.
On the way to Cambridge, Birdie does an excellent job of filling me in on all the workplace drama that I’m about to walk into, telling me who to make friends with and who to avoid. She runs down the list of pointers, and I suddenly wish I had brought a notepad to write them all down on. I’ll never remember everything she’s telling me.
Birdie hasn’t worked at Angel’s long, but she’s managed to use her looks, wit, and good work ethic to move pretty high up on Angel’s favorite waitresses list. She thinks I will do the same and we’ll eventually work the night shift together, where all the real tip money is to be made.
A few hours into the job, I’m handling tables on my own like I’d been there for years. Having a ton of waitressing experience helped me pick things up quickly. It’ll take me awhile to learn everything on the menu as well as my way around the kitchen, but soon I hope to have all that mastered.
Birdie nudges my hip with hers as she steps up to the bar. “How’s it going?”
I smile at her. “It’s going great! Thank you so much for getting me this job. I need to make money any way I can to get the taxes paid since Tanner got me an extension to save Willow Acres. Everyone’s depending on me.”
She frowns. “I know, and that’s totally not fair, but I respect the hell out of you for taking on the responsibility.”
The rest of the day goes on pretty much the same, and I become a little more confident, which helps me breeze through my first day. When Birdie drops me off at home, I pull the money out of my pocket and lay it on the kitchen table so that I can count my tips.
It’s not much, but I’ve managed to make sixty bucks on my very first day. If I can somehow manage to bring in one hundred dollars a day, and everyone in the park pays their rent on time for the next two months, I might have a shot at coming up with enough to pacify the state. Hopefully if I can give them half the money, they’ll give me another extension to come up with the rest because they’ll see how much I’m trying.
I guess only time will tell if I’ll make it there or not.