Page 69 of Brooklyn Cupid

He likes me. And I… Oh, I’d love to kiss him.

I don’t know if he can see all of this in my gaze, but his fingers start stroking my back. His hand comes up to my face and slowly tucks a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.

Then he leans over, his lips touching my ear when he whispers, “Lu, I love the way you dance.”

This evening smells like love, tastes like it, and feels incredible. So does his shirtless body so close that his shark is pressed against my midsection.

MySharki.

MyJace, my tipsy brain whispers as I hold my breath and turn my head just a little so our lips are only inches away. We sway to the music, so close that if I stood on my tiptoes I could kiss him.

The I-can-give-you-everything-tonight tune is spinning in my head.

“Did I tell you that you are amazing?” he whispers.

His fingers gently stroke my chin, tipping it up.

“Show me,” I dare him, keeping his gaze and sliding my hands up his bare torso, then down.

His lips inch lower, hitching in a little smile. His eyes drop to my mouth.

The doorbell rings.

Dammit!

It rings again, and Jace and I pull apart. Our eyes are locked but the distance between us is growing.

“Neighbors complaining about the music, I bet,” Tito sighs.

But when I swing the door open, ready to apologize and go back to Jace, Roey towers on the other side.

“Roey!”

I fling at him to give him a hug, laughing, then drag him inside.

“Come-come-come!” I motion enthusiastically. The more the merrier. “What are you drinking? We are having a disco party!”

“It took forever to talk your concierge downstairs into letting me up,” he says, walking in.

My tipsy brain doesn’t yet realize that there must be a reason for him showing up.

Jace sings to the music as he dances up toward Roey.

“You don’t answer your phone,” Roey says, nods to Tito, and studies half-naked Jace up and down.

His serious tone sobers me up since he still didn’t tell me what he wants to drink.

“We are flying to California tonight,” he announces.

I open my mouth to protest, then turn to look at Jace.

The music carries on, but Jace stops and widens his arms at a loss. “I’m… I’m drunk and—”

“Then sober up, get ready, and let’s go,” Roey cuts him off, then turns to meet my stare. “Sorry, Lu.”

So much for the party and I-give-you-everything-tonight dance.

27

---