Page 107 of Touch Me

Then Max leans back in his chair and smiles, crossing his hands behind his head. “You do realize Jace probably has more money than you do, right?”

His dad leans in, arm on the table and laughs. “Oh son, you have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I do, actually,” Jace says. “Have more money than you. Mom has had me doing your taxes for the past three years. I passed you up last year, not that that has any bearing whatsoever on who I am as a person. But if you need something to gauge my success by, then you have it. I also own the building I live in. And the one next to it.” Jace looks at his dad and spits through his teeth, “Is that enough? Am I worthy now?” I can see the rage in his eyes as his muscles bunch with tension under his sleeves.

The girls and I stare at Jace, mouths open. Max sits back smiling, and Mrs. Lancaster looks at Jace, pride shining in her eyes.

Tomi comes back with a tray of food. “If you’re not staying, I could use the table space in front of you.” She smacks her gum loudly, staring at Jace’s dad, plate poised in her hand.

Holy shit, she just dismissed him. Bimbo Barbie has some balls.

He rises from his seat with a huff and walks out. His mom walks over and kisses Jace on the cheek.

“Thanks, Mom. I’ll call you later.”

She beams. “I would like that.” His mom follows his dad to the door, and we sit in a moment of silence.

“Well, shit. We all good?” Max looks around the table, eyes stopping on Jace.

He smiles. “Yep, pass the mozzarella sticks, will ya?”

Jace puts up his fist and Max looks at it for a minute, pops a fried mushroom in his mouth, and pounds his fist.

Well then, let the celebration continue.

TWENTY-NINE

DON’T YOU FUCKING APOLOGIZE

We hadto Uber back home—not on a scooter, thank you very much–after Jace and Max took the word celebration to a whole new level. And on a Wednesday no less. My job is now to get Jace into his room, stripped of his clothes, and into bed. My first thought is to sling his arm over my shoulder and guide him to his room, but I don’t know how alcohol affects his SPD.

I’ve never seen a drunk Jace. I’m not sure how to navigate this. He did put his hand in my pocket in the elevator, but I don’t know if that’s because he couldn’t handle the touching or if that’s just a cute thing he does now. I’m obviously hoping for the latter.

“You did good tonight.” Jace says, pulling me by my pocket towards his room. Well, I guess I don’t have to wait for him to pass out and drag him in there now. He’s surprisingly steady on his feet.

“Me? What did I do?”

“The dinner, the surfboard, all of it. It was nice.” We enter the room and he guides me by my pocket to the end of his bed. “Thank you.”

“Your sister did a lot of the legwork, but I’m glad you had a good time. It was nice to see you smiling. And I’m glad Max could come. You two had areallygreat time.”

“It was the best birthday I’ve ever had, and it’s not even my birthday yet.” He takes his hand out of my pocket and slowly peels my jacket off and drops it on the floor. “My parents always used to plan these parties and invite kids over and expect me to entertain them. It was its own form of torture. It got so bad, just hearing the word birthday would bring on anxiety. But now,” he leans over and kisses my neck, “now I have a better memory to replace all the old ones.”

He pulls the strap of my tank top over my shoulder and follows it with kisses. Goosebumps erupt on my skin, and I shiver, letting out a breath. He does the same on the other side and pulls my shirt down until it pools at my waist. Taking the cups of my bra, he pulls them down just under my breasts, leaving them heaving and exposed.

“Where’d you learn that?” I say on a breath as he sucks a nipple into his mouth.

“Research,” he says, licking and sucking his way to the other breast.

“Porn?”

“I like to refer to it as research. It’s for your benefit really. I didn’t get much out of it.”

I throw my head back and laugh as he grins and unbuttons my pants.

“Well, what else did you discover in your research?”

“First, I’m going to take these pants off but you’re going to leave these sexy as fuck heels on. Second, I’m going to lick your pussy until you can’t take it anymore, then I’m going to pin you up against that wall over there,” he nods to the empty wall by the bathroom, “and I’m going fuck the hell out of you. The girl in the video really seemed to like that.”

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