Chapter Thirteen—Lidia

The loud eruption of laughter hit me like a crescendo, drowning me in humiliation that slowly combatted with the lust building in my lower stomach.

What in the … where did that come from? I knew where it came from, Seth's cunning way of trying to expose us—or at least make us uncomfortable.

This was not uncomfortable. My legs felt like rubber bands and my heart rate hadn't been that high since seventh grade when Dad forced me to compete in track for a semester.

Jace's hands traveled up my arms to my shoulders and pushed me back an inch to look at me. I'd been in close contact with him numerous of times, but this—this felt like—the first snowfall of your life.

Those dark eyes didn't look so evil anymore, they looked intent and intense, a deep seeded look of longing danced around his irises. Someone's hand on Jace's shoulder jolted me out of my mindless dreaming and into reality.

Just a deal. A deal, I didn't realize would make my insides shake the way it did.

"Son, that's enough scandal for the evening," Mr. Johnny said with a laugh.

Jace kept his gaze on mine as I took a step back and tried to regain my composure. The dizziness dwindled as everyone's enjoyment of our kiss settled around me.

He slowly licked his bottom lip as if to savor the taste of my mouth and I tucked my hair, finding the toe of my heel more interesting.

"I'm gonna—grab some food," I said, excusing myself. Call it bad manners but I needed to get away from his stare.

I snagged a glass of champagne and a few fancy little smokies on a toothpick and propped myself against the wall. I shoved two or three into my mouth and mumbled to myself. What am I doing?

I made awkward eye contact with Rebecca and Mrs. Archer through the crowd, but I didn't let it linger because I felt too out of control to tell.

"Those are good, huh?"

Seth snagged a little smokie and leaned against the wall beside me. "Yeah, yeah, great."

Seth chuckled. "You look … upset. Everything okay?"

I turned to face him. He looked handsome like I expected, his light-colored hair slicked back against his head and a smooth face in contrast to Jace's scruffy one.

"Everything is fine, why wouldn't everything be fine? I mean, I'm eating little smokies and drinking champagne."

Seth chuckled. "That was some kiss back there," he said.

I dared to look into his eyes, and that sparkle that Jace's had wasn't there, it was manipulation. Okay, maybe not, but I felt that icky feeling you get when you are thrust into a conversation with someone that isn't nice.

And Seth was not nice.

I cleared my throat, trying to establish dominance in this conversation. "Yeah, everyone seemed to think so."

His eyes deadened. "You're not fooling me, Lidia Lambert."

I shoved another little smokie into my mouth to buy myself time. "What does that mean? Fooling you about what?"

"Don't play coy," he said, pushing from the wall. He stepped in front of me to block my view of the party. "I know you're just pretending with my brother. I know you know about the contract, and I want you to know that you aren't fooling me. Plus, are you ready to dedicate your entire life to my brother? Marry a man just for money?" He glanced down at me with condescending eyes. "You don't look the type to marry for money. What is he offering you?"

I felt trapped against the wall, hoping someone would come and save me. Feeling cornered made me angry, so I puffed my chest the best I could and tilted my chin up. "You don't scare me, Seth Archer, with your permanently gelled hair and fake smile. I'm not pretending with Jace, and I don't know anything about a contract. So I suggest you leave me be."

I went to leave when he grabbed my elbow in his rough hand. "Neither of you will get away with this. I saw the look in your eyes tonight, and I know that was your first true kiss. Careful Little One, don't get into your feelings. You'll get hurt."

I snatched my elbow away. "Get away with what?" I asked, matching his intense glare. "You're talking in riddles. And … your cologne smells like my Grandpa's."

I took the opportunity to make a run for it. Seth stared at me through the crowd, but I did catch him sniffing his suit jacket. Sucker.

Jace found me once the last guest left the building, I was hiding in our office, praying the night would hurry and end. With my feet propped on his desk, I pretended for a brief moment that I didn't have some fake relationship surrounding my life and that I didn't feel completely out of control on the inside.

Jace's tie was undone, hanging loosely around his neck. He watched me from the door jamb, and I grinned. I slid my feet down and grabbed his phone.

"What's the verdict?" I asked into the phone. "That's not what I asked for. I wanted to get the new artist from Art World Magazine, don't call me back until you have their agent's information."

I hung up dramatically, which made the corner of his mouth pull into a smirk. "Cute," he said, shoving from the door jamb. "Tonight was great. You pulled through, Champ."

I shrugged and swiped my hair from my shoulder. "It's all in a day's work. You ready to go?"

"Yeah," he said glancing around the office. "I saw you chatting with my brother. What did he say?"

I stood up and grabbed my clutch, trying to erase the sense of unease that man gave me. "Basically called us out as faking it. He said it wouldn't work and told me not to catch feelings, because you'd hurt my feelings."

Jace swallowed deeply. "You know that's not true, don't you?"

"What? That it won't work?"

He shook his head, and the dim lighting of our office cast shadows over the chiseled shape of his face. "That I will hurt you."

I wanted to believe that, but to be honest, I didn't know Jace like I would a normal guy I dated. He wanted his job so bad that he would do anything for it.

"The contract says you have to marry, Jace. You don't expect me to marry you, do you? I believe in marriage, but I don't believe in divorce. I won't pretend that far with you. It's important to me."

Jace shoved his hands into his pockets and swayed back onto his heels. "I'm hoping Grandfather will see I'm trying and not hold me to the marriage."

I tilted my head. "Do you really believe that? Or are you going to try and trick me?"

Jace swiped his palm down his face and walked closer to me. "I'm not going to make you do anything you aren't willing to do, Lidia. I'm not that man."

When I didn't answer, because I didn't know what to say, he said, "Let's get you home."

I followed him out of the office, noticing Rebecca at her desk. "Great exhibit, Mr. Archer," she said with too much pizazz for my taste.

He gave her a nod and said goodnight. I got into the passenger seat and relaxed. It'd been a really long night, and after that kiss I felt like I wanted to go home and take a long cold shower.

I briefly wondered if it meant as much for him as it did me? Was I a good kisser? Did it make his stomach twist upside down? I wasn't sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say no. He'd kissed many more women in his life than I had men.

We started down the road, the streetlights casting overhead as we drove downtown to my apartment building. Jace looked fixated on the road, but his fingertips tapped gently on the steering wheel while he pressed his elbow against the driver's side door and with his other palm, he stroked his chin.

I dug through my purse for my phone when he asked, "That was some kiss."

Nerves jolted through me, and I spilled my purse into the floorboard. "Oh! Sorry," I said, trying to filter everything back inside.

Jace glared at me. "You okay?"

"Yep, yep fine," I said.

Jace lifted a brow. "It was though, right? I didn't think you'd be that experienced from the way you talked about yourself. I mean … I figured you hadn't kissed a lot of men to have honed your craft."

I snorted. "Is that your fancy way of telling me you thought I did a good job, Sir? Well, you're welcome."

He chuckled. "You just made it out like you were inexperienced, so I figured you'd need teaching, that's all."

I scoffed and placed my palm against my chest. "I don't need you to teach me how to kiss. I've kissed a boy before, obviously."

Jace shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Right, obviously, but … have you, done other things?"

Heat blossomed in my chest. "That's nunya business, Sir. I'm offended that you asked me that."

I turned my face to look outward and crossed my arms. He didn't need to know that it'd never gotten that far. It wasn't his concern because we weren't really dating. That wasn't part of our deal.

When we stopped in front of my apartment building, I reached for the door, but he stopped me. "You're religious, Lidia?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You're a virgin, aren't you?"

Suddenly, I felt the need to roll my eyes. "Why are you worried about it? We're not doing it, or at least I'm not planning to, so why are you asking?"

Jace glared at me. "I just want to know how much you can take."

My mouth popped opened. "What does that mean?"

"We're dating in the public eye, Lidia. We'll be seen on intimate dates, or out in public together, I don't want to push my limits with you. If I touch your," his eyes dropped to my thighs, "legs, or your ass, are you going to freeze? Slap me? I don't want to make you uncomfortable. What's your limit?"

I pressed my lips into a hard thin line. "I'll let you know when it happens if you shouldn't do it again. How about that?"

"You don't want to talk about it?" he asked, smiling. Smiling at me. It was an odd sensation to see that big of a smile on his face.

"No, I don't."

"Does it make you uncomfortable? Now that we're talking about it … how did that kiss make you feel? Anything? Hot? Like liquid fire? Tell me," he almost purred.

Liquid fire was a great explanation. I felt hot but my legs felt soft and gushy, like that had no bones to them.

"It doesn't matter, does it? What about you? Did it make you feel like liquid fire, Jace Archer?"

He smirked. "You always answer my questions with a question? Did you learn that in college?"

"No," I said. "But I learned this." I flipped him off.

Jace howled with laughter. It wasn't like me to do that, because one, it was ugly, and two, it wasn't ladylike, but he deserved it. "Careful, Lidia, you may just get what you're asking for." Jace leaned forward before I had time to understand what he fully meant and whispered, "I felt like dragging you into my office and pressing you against the wall. That's how that kiss made me feel."

I swallowed, my eyes zeroed in on his full mouth and the short distance between us.

"Well, don't hold your breath," I whispered, grabbed my clutch and got out. I slammed the door dramatically and stared at him through the darkened window of his vehicle.

He revved the motor, and I rolled my eyes. What in the Hades am I doing?

For the first time in my life, I felt a freeing sensation begging to get out of me. Jace Archer made me feel … alive.