The Unexpected Series (Unexpected #1-3) (35 page)

“Well, I own my own gym in Des Plaines called JV Fitness. Actually I co-own it with Valerie. The blonde girl you saw in my car.” He looks at me as though I might get jealous. I don’t do jealous. When he doesn’t get it he continues. “J for Jace, V for Valerie.”

“I’m not surprised you own a gym looking the way you do.” I shrug.

We say nothing else as we look out towards the water. I think about how I have to tell him about Trent, but I don’t know where to start.

He effortlessly stands and reaches for my hand. “Do you want to go for a swim?”

I take it and allow him to pull me up like a rag doll. He captures me in his large hands, and his breathing becomes staggered. The front of his body presses against mine and I feel what I can only assume is either his rather large dick or an anaconda pressed up against my stomach. He lifts his hands to push back the hair that has fallen from behind my ear and slides the back of his fingers down my neck. Ducking his head down low he brings his mouth slowly closer to mine.

“Jace...” I whisper.

“Yea, baby?” His voice is hoarse, and I watch his Adams apple slide up and down his stubble covered throat as he swallows.

“Race you to the water?!” I squeak out, shoving away from him.

I decide it’s best not to kiss him until he knows what happened earlier today, and I’m not willing to tell him just yet.

I take off towards the water like I’m being chased.

I’m a fast runner but Jace is much faster. He runs up ahead of me, doubles back, and picks me up. I’m effortlessly thrown over his shoulders, and he continues his trek into Lake Michigan. I beg him not to throw me in, but he slaps my ass and launches us both into the cool water. It’s refreshing. However, the shock of the cold takes my breath away. I come up for air and quickly dive back down teasingly trying to get away from him. The water cascades over me and I try to imagine I’m back in the crystal clear waters of Cozumel and not the murky lake. When my lungs start to burn from lack of oxygen, I use both of my feet to push off the bottom and shoot up to break the surface. As I get to the top and take in some air I am greeted with paralyzing cramps in my calf muscles. My body freezes up as I grab the back of my legs and sink back under the water.

Struggling, all I can do is try to use my hands to swim back up. My legs are of no use and panic seizes me.

Where the hell is Jace?

Panic turns into sheer horror as I look and feel around finding him nowhere.

I’m going to die a virgin
!

Just kidding. I’m way past that shit
.

I guess the years of swim lessons didn’t do a damn thing for me. My lungs are burning, and I can’t hold my breath any longer. Just as I let go of the last bit of air in my lungs, I feel large hands wrap around my body. I’m finally brought back to the surface, and I gasp and choke sucking in the fresh air.

“Noelle! Are you okay?” His eyes are wide with fear and relief.

I shake my head no and he cradles me in his arms keeping me above the surface.

“No,” I finally say with the little breath I have. “I have fucking cramps in my calf muscles and I couldn’t get to surface. Crap they hurt!”  

Wading back into shallow waters, he swings my legs around him wrapping me around his waist. My arms automatically go around his neck and my head to his chest and I take in another breath. He slides his hands down my body and to my calves massaging the cramps out. I yell out in pain at first but after a few squeezes it subsides, and I start to get normal feeling back in my legs.

“Thank you, Jace. I thought I was going to drown,” I say pulling my head off his well-built pecs that I just want to nip at and look up into his concerned green eyes.

“No need to thank me. I thought you were just playing around. When I got close enough I could tell something was wrong. How do they feel now?” His ministrations get more aggressive.

“Better. That feels so good,” I say a little too orgasmically.

He gets this cocky look on his face and brings his hands higher to my knees and uses his thumbs to rub circles over them. “Does it now? What about this?”

“Oh my God, so good.” I know what he is trying to do but I don’t care.

“How about now, Noelle?” He brings his fingers underneath my thighs and pulls me a little tighter. I’m practically one with him and his thumbs are sliding up and down the tops of my thighs. I can’t speak. I can only just stare at the hunger in his eyes. He bites his lower lip and looks down at mine.

“I can’t stop thinking about you, Noelle.” I don’t have time to deflect him as his lips collide with mine. He lets go of one thigh bringing his free hand to the back of my neck to hold my lips to his. This kiss is strong. Aggressive. I yearn to ride him like the stallion he is. I’m still worked up from Trent and now Jace has my head spinning.

Oh, shit! Trent.

I push on his chest, so I can get a little space and catch my breath. “Jace, we need to talk.”

“What do we need to talk about, baby? I like kissing you. You don’t like it?” His lips are just a millimeter away, and I want to suck on them.

What is wrong with me? Kissing two guys in one day? Not my style.

“I need to tell you what happened with Trent today.” I look away, and his grip loosens its hold. Annoyance is all over his face as I risk another look at him, and I decide it’s best to take my arms from around his neck.

“What about it?” His green eyes have turned fierce, and I almost want to take it back.

“He kissed me.” The words rush out, and I bite the inside of my cheek.

He stares at me for a moment before asking, “How long have you known him, Noelle?” His face grows dark.

“Ten years,” I reply not even having to do the math.

“And he chose now to make a move? Convenient.” He shakes his head letting go of me completely and swims back to shore. My body shivers at the loss of his warmth.

“Jace. Let’s talk about this like adults. Please?” My sore calf muscles scream as I tread after him.

He makes it all the way to the shoreline and sits down letting the small waves crash into him. His knees are bent, and he has his head in his hands resting on them. “What do you want, Noelle? You can’t have us both.”

Sitting next to him, I place my hand on his forearm. “I know but right now I don’t know how I feel about either of you, and I owe it to myself and the both of you to figure that out.” He rips his arm from my grasp and stands up. I follow. “I don’t want to miss an opportunity with you either though, Jace.”

“Are you serious? So you’re asking to date us both? That’s not happening, Noelle.” He stalks towards the towels kicking sand up as he does.

“I don’t know what to do, Jace!” I yell to his back. “I really like you. I don’t know much about you but what I do know I really like and I want to get to know you more. I feel a connection with you but I just need you to bear with me while I figure it all out.”

“So, he kisses you and then you come here and let
me
kiss you?” Picking up his towel he dries himself off and puts his sandals back on.

“I didn’t let you kiss me. You just did it and are you leaving?” I grab my towel and wrap it around my body feeling vulnerable and stupid.

“Yes. I’m leaving, but before I do help me get this straight. You’ve kissed both of us, is that right?”
Oh jeez
. I nod. “What about sex, Noelle? Does he get to have sex with you? Do I? Do we both? Maybe at the same time, huh?”

I snap my head up and give him a look that should strike him dead where he stands.

“Well, I get you don’t know me that well but let’s be very clear about something. I’m. Not. A. Slut.” I can’t believe what I just heard.

He throws his hand up and looks at me. “I would never say that. I really like you and he told me last night he wasn’t interested.”

“He did?” I question.

I don’t think a man who wasn’t interested would stick his finger inside me and suck it dry, but I think it’s best to keep that to myself right now.

“Yea, but I knew he was lying. Asshole.” He stares at me briefly, thinking. “I’ll give you time but you need to figure it out fast and I won’t stand for you sleeping with both of us. I don’t tolerate that shit well.”

“Okay.” I agree.

“Just okay? You don’t seem like the type of girl to give in so easily.” He steps closer gripping my towel covered upper arms.

“I’m not but I don’t want to risk not getting to know you over something I’m not even sure about.”

He grips the top of my towel and pulls me to him, seemingly ending our first fight.

“Can I kiss you again, please?” His palms slide up around my neck and without a response he gently places a chaste kiss on the side of my mouth. His tongue darts out gliding across my lips and meets the other side with a tender kiss.

“I’ll fight for you, Noelle,” he whispers just before that tongue invades mine.

D
riving down Dundee Road, I pull out my chapstick and run it along my dry lips. Jace and I kissed for well over an hour. Our hands explored as much as our audience could handle. I felt like a teenager. My body was on fire and ready for release by the time I left, but until I could figure out what to do about Trent, I reluctantly had to decline Jace’s invitation to see what his bedroom looked like.

I arrive late to the Decker house and walk in without knocking. I didn’t grow up here but Erin’s parents always made me feel like a daughter. When her dad died two years ago I felt it as much as the rest of the family. He was an amazing man.

Savannah’s cooing comes from the living room and I call out to her. “Vannah! Your favorite auntie is here.”

“Don’t call her that, Noe!” Walker scolds from the recliner where little Savannah is playing with a neon colored teething ring.

Erin giggles. I think she secretly likes when I piss Walker off.

“Oh, Walker, you’re just jealous that Erin lets Savannah touch her tits more than you.” I gently wrestle her away and pepper her chunky cheeks with kisses.

“Noelle!” Erin’s mom sings coming out from the kitchen kissing me on the cheek. “You made it! I’m so happy. At least three of my four kids showed up.”

“Oh, I didn’t hear Nicole’s kids running around.” I look down the hall expecting the pack of wolves to come storming down at any minute.

“Nicole couldn’t make it.” The baritone voice makes my heart stop, and I watch Trent come out from the dining room. “Miss me, Noe?”

As his body gets closer to me my mouth drops open and my senses go on high alert. With mere inches between us he towers over me and leans down. My lips desperately want his back on mine, despite just having Jace’s there, but he bends down giving Savannah’s head a peck. Lifting back up, he gives me a knowing smirk.

“I can’t miss you if you don’t go away,” I growl tightlipped.

“Never,” he whispers so only I can hear. “I’ve had a taste and I want more.”

He walks away back towards the kitchen to tend to his mom. I look at Erin who is staring at me in disbelief.

“Oh, like you don’t know what that was about!” I loudly whisper to her tilting my head towards Trent.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She laughs and reaches out to take Savannah from me.

“No way. You get her all the time. I haven’t seen her since Friday.” I spin around and make my way to the couch.

“So what happened?” Erin plops down next to me rubbing her finger along her daughters arm.

“None of your business,” I say in a baby voice towards Savannah. “Your mama is nosy! Yes, she is!”

“Noelle, come on. I know he is my brother but something must have happened.”

“I’m out!” Walker jumps up from the recliner to leave. “I’m not going to listen to girl crap right now.”

“What’s up his ass?” I look to Erin, who is watching him walk away.

“He wants to get married, like yesterday.” She sighs. “Stop changing the subject. Spill it. What did he say to you?”

“He didn’t say a damn word. He kissed me after we went to lunch and then shoved his finger inside me and proceeded to lick it clean.” I go for shock value.

It works.

“OH MY GOD, NOELLE! That’s my brother!” She yells.

“What happened?” Trent returns to the living room and Erin snatches Savannah from my arms practically running away and leaving the two of us alone.

“I told her how you man handled me outside my door this afternoon.” I try to look bored but my heart is racing with his proximity.

He takes the spot Erin was just in and his shorts rub against my thigh pushing my dress up a bit. Grabbing the hem, I attempt to pull it down but his hand covers mine to stop me.

“Don’t,” he whispers rubbing his pointer finger back and forth over my newly tanned skin.

Our eyes meet and like a game of chicken neither of us wants to pull away.

Until this afternoon, I never thought Trent Decker ever wanted me. Not that I am the sort of girl to have low self esteem. It’s just that we’ve bumped heads for years, and even though I felt turned on at times around him, I thought it couldn’t go any further than it did.

Two years ago after Alex left, Trent’s world erupted in chaos. Erin helped him over the summer with Jason, but he was sad, confused, and lonely despite the fact that his construction business was booming. I don’t blame him. He put his heart into that relationship with Alex. He, like Walker, jumped into fatherhood feet first, even though it wasn’t planned.