Page 60 of Forbidden Billionaire Rockstar

The drive back to the hotel is quiet, charged with unspoken words and possibilities. As we step out of the car, Mallory's hand lingers in mine for a beat longer than necessary. That simple touch sends a jolt through me, and suddenly, everything becomes crystal clear.

Maybe the real risk isn't in taking a chance on us. Maybe it's the regret of never knowing what could have been.

As we enter the hotel lobby, I make a silent vow. Whatever comes next, I'm putting my heart and soul on the line. Because a life without Mallory?

That's not a life I'm willing to accept.

21

Mallory

“Friend.” The word echoesin my mind, a lie that tastes like ash on my tongue. There’s nothing friendly about the fire that ignites when Jace touches me or the way my heart races at his mere presence.

Tonight only fanned the flames of feelings I’m desperate to extinguish.

Learning more about Jace and the past he had to deal with only increased those feelings I’m desperate to keep to myself. When I called him my friend, he didn’t seem the least bit thrown off by the term, and that only proves that I was right to keep everything to myself.

It would only complicate things.

I'm well aware of how this looks. I’ve spent so long trying to prove I’ve changed, to be taken seriously. Now, just when I’m finally getting my footing, Jace threatens to upend everything. And the scariest part? A part of me wants to let him.

It's like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing the fall could destroy everything I've worked for, but still itching to jump.

“Well, here we are,” Jace says as we come to a stop in front of my hotel room.

“Hmm.”

For a moment, we’re silent, me staring at my feet because I’m afraid of what I’ll do if I look into his eyes, and Jace shifting uncomfortably at my side. There’s an awkward silence; neither of us really knows how we should end the night, and I clear my throat to cut the awkwardness.

“Thank you again, I had a nice time.”

I pull my key card out of my purse, the green lights shining immediately when I wave it in front of the black screen, but the moment my hand wraps around the doorknob, I’m being spun around until I’m facing Jace himself.

“What—”

Jace’s lips crash into mine, and suddenly, I’m drowning. I should push him away, end this before it consumes us both.But my traitorous heart has other plans. As his tongue seeks entrance, I’m powerless to resist.

His tongue pierces between my lips, parting them just enough for him to swirl it around my mouth, and I follow his movements with my own tongue. It feels like an eternity since I felt his hands all over my body, even though it’s only been a few days, and now that I’ve got another taste, there’s no way I can send him away.

I turn the knob and back into my room, pulling him right along with me without once breaking our kiss. He kicks the door shut. Not a care in the world that someone else may have heard it, and he pulls his lips from mine to brush them over my jaw.

“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you,” he whispers before dragging his tongue along my skin, goosebumps erupting in its wake until he stops at the neckline of my blouse.

This one is more provocative than the rest I brought with me, showcasing the assets I’ve been desperate to hide, and his heated stare snaps to my face. “You’re breathtaking, you know that?”

My cheeks heat and he smirks before putting all his attention back to my chest. He fiddles with the loose fabric of my shirt, tugging it down gently to brush his lips against the thick flesh of my breasts, and I let my head fall back while arching my back into him.

“I can’t hold myself back anymore, sweetheart. If you want me to stop, tell me now.”

His words ricochet through me, and I stare at him, unmoving. He’s giving me an out right now, allowing me the chance to walk away, but there’s no way in hell that’s about to happen. It’s been torture to watch him sauntering around the venues, making sure he’s not watching me when I survey him, and having to keep my distance.

There’s no way I can keep that distance now, though.

When I don’t say anything, Jace takes a simple step back that has me whimper softly, and within seconds, he’s tugging the blouse from my frame to toss it on the floor. My room isn’t as nice as his, but it’s large enough that there’s a small living room and kitchenette right before the bedroom.

I don’t even know if I can make it to the bed at the rate my pussy is aching for him. Each time his fingers graze my skin, the need only increases, and it’s only a matter of seconds before it explodes into fiery passion.

“Turn around, sweetheart,” Jace whispers against my skin.

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