Chapter 64 – Distance

Isabelle Reinhart.

I woke up to the gentle warmth of sunlight filtering through the curtains. My senses were gradually coming back to life, and as I shifted, I realized that I wasn't alone. Ace's strong arms were wrapped around me, holding me securely against his chest. His steady breathing tickled the back of my neck, and I could feel his heartbeat against my back.

I turned my head slightly and found him looking down at me, his intense gaze softened by a tender smile. He brushed a strand of hair away from my face and leaned in to place a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Morning, sleepyhead," he murmured, his voice a soothing to my ears.

"Morning," I replied, my voice still a bit groggy from sleep. My mind was slowly piecing together the events of the previous night. "When did I fall asleep?"

He chuckled softly, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my arm. "After you were satisfied," he said, his tone playful yet filled with love.

A blush crept up my cheeks, but his casual demeanor helped ease my embarrassment. I shifted slightly in his arms, my gaze meeting his. "I guess I was more tired than I realized."

He nodded, his fingers continuing their soothing motion on my arm. "You needed the rest."

We lay there in silence for a moment, the weight of his arm around me a comforting presence. The events of last night played back in my mind, and a sense of calm settled over me despite the chaos that had unfolded.

After a while, I cleared my throat, breaking the silence. "Ace, about last night..."

He looked down at me, his expression serious. "Isabelle, I'm sorry for how I acted. My anger got the best of me, and I… shouldn't have let it control me."

I shifted so I could meet his gaze more directly. "It's okay," I said gently. "I understand why you were upset."

He let out a sigh, his fingers tracing patterns on my arm absentmindedly. "No, it's not okay. I shouldn't have let my emotions take over like that. Although, I didn’t mind the angry sex."

I playfully hit his shoulder as he chuckled out and sat up, his back resting against the headboard. He pulled me by my waist and made me sit on his lap. I was wearing Ace’s black button up shirt from last night and he was shirtless.

I reached out and placed a hand on his cheek, turning his attention back to me. "Ace, I understand why you acted how you did."

He looked at me and nodded with a mixture of gratitude and vulnerability. "Thank you for understanding, Princess."

I smiled softly, my fingers brushing against his jawline. "I shouldn’t have done that," I admitted, feeling a sense of guilt nagging at me.

His brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I shouldn't have sat down and talked to Daniel. I should've known better after what he did."

Ace's grip around me tightened slightly, his gaze intense. "That’s why I was mad. He could’ve easily spiked your drink again."

I let out a sigh, realizing that he was right. "I know, but I should've been more cautious."

He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss against my lips. "I know you wanted to clear stuff out, but, baby you can’t trust a guy like that. Especially when I’m not even in town."

I leaned into his touch, finding comfort in his embrace as I rested my head against his chest.

"You know," he began, his fingers tracing a delicate path along my jawline, "When I saw you sitting with him, all I saw was red. I couldn't think straight."

I nodded, understanding the intensity of his emotions. "I could see that. Your anger was scary."

He sighed, his fingers moving to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "I know I overreacted, but I just can't bear the thought of someone hurting you."

“Mhm…”

“Plus, don’t act like you weren’t turned on,” he said after a moment of silent and heat made its way to my cheeks again.

“Shut up,” I mumbled and felt his body vibrate under me in a deep chuckle that filled my heart with warmth.

He smiled softly, his gaze locked onto mine. "Thank you, Princess."

“What for?” I looked up to him and he shrugged.

“Everything,” he captured my lips in a kiss and I smiled against his.

“I’m sorry if I wasn’t perfect. I’ve only had sex once before and—“

“Shush…” he pressed an index finger to my lips. “You were perfect. More than I’d dreamed you to be.”

“You dreamed about me?” I smirked and he laughed wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Oh, you don’t want to know, Princess,” he whispered huskily, kissing my jaw and going back to my lips.

Ace's fingers continued their soothing movements on my arm, and I nestled closer to him, feeling a sense of contentment settle over me. In his arms, I felt safe, loved, and cherished – a feeling I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

*****

A whole week went by since that special night with Ace. But things changed because Ace got really busy with his work. He had to travel a lot to different places for meetings and stuff. This meant he couldn't be with me much.

In office, I used to see him a lot before, but now he was hardly there. His desk was often empty. I still texted him during the day, telling him I missed him and stuff. He would reply, but sometimes it was late, and he would say sorry for not replying sooner.

Even though we were not spending much time together, I wasn't mad at him. I understood his job was demanding and he had a lot to do. I could feel he was tired when he talked on the phone, and he would apologize for not being able to talk more.

But I still missed him so much. I missed how he touched me, how he looked at me, and how he kissed me. Every day felt kind of empty without those moments we shared.

Missing him while I was at my desk, my phone ringed. It was a call from Ace. I felt happy to see his name.

I slid my finger across the green option and put the phone against my ear.

"Hey," he said and I heard rustling on the other side. "How are you, Princess?"

I smiled and replied, "I miss you," because that's how I really felt.

"I miss you too, more than you know. I promise things will get better soon. And, are you free tonight, sweetheart?"

I leaned back in my chair, “Yep. Not like I have a life outside you.”

“Ahahahah. Fair. Would you like to go on a date with me, then?”

“Oh, my God! Are you back?” I said excitedly.

“I’m headed to the airport. Will be in New York in two hours.”

“So that means we’re finally going back to our routine?” I asked, gathering my stuff and putting everything in the bag.

“Sadly, no. I have to fly to Texas tomorrow morning,” he said and I heard some background noise as if someone was talking to him on the other side.

“Oh, that’s okay. See you tonight, then?” I said into the phone, heading toward the elevator.

“You bet.”

*****

I got ready for the evening with anticipation. Ace had said he would pick me up at 8, so I made sure I looked my best. My dress was carefully chosen, and I took my time with my hair and makeup.

As I glanced at the clock, I saw that it was still half an hour before 8. I smiled, thinking about the time we would spend together.

With everything ready, I walked to the lounge and settled down on the sofa, my heart fluttering with excitement. I had my phone nearby, just in case Ace messaged me.

It had been almost four days since I’d last seen him and just the thought of spending the entire night with him made the butterflies in my belly flutter.

I felt like a schoolgirl again.

But as the minutes ticked away and the clock struck 8, there was no sign of him. I checked my phone again to make sure I didn't miss any messages or calls. Nothing.

I tried to brush off the disappointment and told myself that maybe he was just running a bit late. Time went on, and another hour slipped by. I shifted on the couch, growing more tired and disheartened. It was unlike Ace to not be punctual or at least let me know if he was going to be late.

I picked up my phone and dialed his number, my fingers tapping nervously on the screen as I waited for him to answer. But the call went straight to voicemail. I tried again and again, but each time it was the same.

Another hour passed, and I sat there, my patience waning. Doubts began to creep in, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. I glanced at the time, realizing that it had been more than two hours since he was supposed to pick me up.

Feeling tired and defeated, I stood up and walked to the mirror, looking at my reflection. The smile that had been on my face earlier was replaced by a frown. I sighed and decided to change back into my pajamas. Maybe there was a genuine reason for his absence, something that he couldn't control. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I sent him a text message: "Hey, it's getting really late and I haven't heard from you. I'm going to head to bed. Hope everything's okay."

I put my phone on the nightstand and climbed into bed, the disappointment weighing heavy on my heart. I stared at the ceiling, wondering why he hadn't even bothered to message or call to let me know he was going to be late or that he couldn't make it.

As I closed my eyes, I hoped that he would reply soon, that there would be some explanation for his absence. But as sleep slowly claimed me, all I could think about was the unanswered calls and the disappointment of a night that didn't turn out as I had hoped.