Page 50 of It's Complicated

“You should go,” he says, but he doesn’t move. “We can’t do this. It’s not right. I’m not the man you want.”

I turn him around and cup his cheek. “But what if I want to figure this out instead? Explore my feelings for you before you decide for the both of us they don’t exist?”

Jace looks at me. “And how do you propose to do that?”

“Can’t we just date, like real-date, and see what happens?”

“I already told you I don’t want to—”

I press a finger to his lips. “I saiddate, not sleep together, you perv. At least not until we’re both sure we’re all in.”

His eyebrows rise in a hopeful question and I release his mouth. “And you’d be okay with not having sex?”

I bite my lower lips. “I guess the sexydreamswill have to do for now.”

“What sexy dreams?”

“I’ve been having a few lately…”

His eyes darken. “And what would happen in these dreams?”

I shake my head. “Can’t tell you, sorry.” I kiss his jaw. “But maybe one day I’ll be able to show you.”

Jace buries his face in my neck. “Are you trying to kill me, Lola?”

“Yes, but softly.”

He trails soft kisses down my neck to my bare shoulder. “Careful, Archibald, I can reciprocate.”

“Just to be clear, what exactly is forbidden in this deal?”

Still torturing the sensitive skin under my earlobe, he whispers, “Everything beyond first base.”

“For how long?”

Jace pulls back to look me in the eyes, his burning like ice. “Until you can tell me you’re in love with me and only me.”

I swallow. “That is the most frustrating and romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“Good.” He kisses me on the mouth, softly at first and then more purposefully. He suppresses a chuckle when I melt into his arms. “I just want to make sure you’re absolutely clear on that.”

“I’m clear. So clear, I can’t see straight.”

Jace kisses me again before slowly backing away. “Bed? I’m not letting you take a cab home this late.”

“The cats are going to kill me.”

“We’ll make it up to them tomorrow.”

“How?”

“Extra cuddles? Food? We’ll think of something.” He takes my hand and leads me down the hall to his bedroom.

I stop at the foot of the bed and take in the military-grade smoothness of his sheets, inhale his scent lingering in the air, and admire the flawless white of the pillows.

“Now that I’m officially your girlfriend, do I get to use your extra toothbrush?”

He suddenly looks a little sheepish and averts his eyes. “Oh.”

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