Keeping the Beat: An Adrenaline Novel (20 page)

              Simon met my eye for a moment before shrugging his small shoulders. “Alright then. Grandma said breakfast is going to be ready soon and we should head over when we’re ready. Emma was helping her in the kitchen. She said she was going to make me some brownies for my game tomorrow.”

              “That’s awfully nice of her,” Lucas said taking in his son’s happy expression. “You remembered to thank her, right?”

              “Yes.” Simon rolled his eyes at his dad’s question. “I told her she didn't have to but she said she wanted to. I’m not going to argue with free brownies, dad.”

              Laughing Lucas hugged Simon before grinning over at Kenzie and I. “We’re headed to the big house. You guys coming?”

              “We’ll be there in a minute,” I nodded at my cousin before he and Simon walked outside. “I want you all to myself for a second.”

              “That makes two of us.”

              I kissed her briefly before skimming my fingers over her face. I didn't want to have this conversation, but I knew I couldn't let my questions go unanswered after my chat with Wyatt.

              “Why didn't you tell me you and Sydney were friends?” When I asked the question Kenzie lost her smile and started to shift off of my lap. I tightened my grip on her and waited for her to answer. I didn't want to risk her putting distance between us when there was a chance I’d never be able to close it again.

              “Why does it matter?” She shrugged and looked away from me. When she flicked her eyes to my face and saw that I wasn't going to let it go she sighed. “I thought she was nice but she’s not. She was just using me to get to you guys. Pretending to be my friend.” She frowned and shook her head with an self deprecating laugh. “I told her things I’d never told anyone. She’s the one who convinced me to tell you how I felt.” Her pain filled eyes meet mine causing my gut to clench. “After you walked away from me, I cried in her arms. She left me to go get some tissues and when she didn't come back I went looking for her.”

              I knew what happened next. I didn't think I could bear to hear Kenzie tell me again. “She’s a manipulative bitch and I’m a sorry ass bastard.”

              Kenzie laughed a little though I didn't know how she could. After what she’d just told me I felt sick to my stomach. It was hard for Kenzie to trust people, but she had trusted Sydney and she had stabbed her in the back. To make matters worse, I had kept her around. I had let that woman paw all over me in front of Kenzie regularly.

              “I don’t understand why you're even giving me the time of day.” She should be telling me to go to hell. Or better yet, she should tell her brother what I had done. No doubt Declan could come up with a suitable punishment.

              “You may be a sorry ass bastard.” I felt her fingers under my chin, pressing on it gently until I met her gaze. Her eyes were warm and loving as they meet mine. “But you’re mine just the same.”

Chapter 19

Kenzie

              Laying on my back I rested my head in Jace’s lap and tried to concentrate on the book I was reading. His fingers playing with the ends of my hair was distracting me. Resting the book on my stomach I glanced up to find him smiling down at me with a knowing look in his eye.

              “Are you bored?” I asked him curiously. It was on the tip of my tongue to offer him one of my books before I remembered we were hanging out at his house, not mine. It was one of the first times we had spent time in his home. We were usually at my house in town, but I liked being with Jace in his space.

              “No, I’m just enjoying the view,” he said. His smile was like quicksand pulling me in. Tossing the book aside I climbed into his lap and pressed my lips to his. It always made me giddy when Jace complimented me or told me how he felt about me. A part of me was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

              At the end of the Adrenaline tour, I had been worn out. I was emotionally and physically fried. It was little wonder as to why my family was so worried about me. If it hadn't been happening to me, I would have been worried too. Now I don't think I would have recognized the woman I was a few months ago. I wasn't sad anymore, I was happy.

              Being with Jace was a major source of my happiness, but so was the life I had started to build for myself. I loved my job, I loved my family and friends, and I loved the possibilities that the future held. I absolutely loved that my future was with Jace. For the first time in forever I felt like I was truly myself again.

              “We should take this to the bedroom.” The couch in his living room was comfortable but not a good place for the type of activities I had in mind. “Take me to your bed, Jace.” I smiled against his mouth when he let out a harsh breath. I knew he loved it when I told him what I wanted. He loved to hear what I was thinking and feeling which is why I told him so often.

              Letting out a little laugh, I held on tight to his neck as he wrapped my legs around his waist and began climbing the stairs to his bedroom. His mouth never left mine as he took the steps at a fast, sure footed pace.

              “Need you, Kenzie,” his words were muffled against my mouth as we came to a stop at the edge of his bed. Jace dropped me from a high enough height to make me bounce twice before I settled down with a giggle. Standing over me, Jace ran his fingers over his hair. His eyes looked dark as he watched me adjust myself on the bed getting into a more comfortable position.

              “Come here,” I beckoned him forward with my finger. “I thought you said you needed me.”

              “I do need you. More than you’ll ever know.” Instead of kissing me like I expected Jace lowered his body over mine, keeping his mouth just out of my reach. “I want to tell you something.” The hard lines on his face made the lust flowing through me cut off abruptly.

              “Okay, Jace. I’m listening.”

              Blowing out a breath he cleared his throat and shifted over me. “You know I moved here when I was thirteen because my parents died.” I nodded waiting for him to find the words he wanted to say. Jace never talked about his life before living with the Cooper’s. Having him open up to me was something I had hoped for but never expected.

              “Well, that’s not the whole truth. My mom did die but my dad is still alive. He’s in prison. The day my mom died he did too. In my heart anyway.”

              “I can understand that,” I said quietly. My own mother and I had a similar arangement.

              “When Aunt Lorraine came for me, I didn't think I was ever going to get past my mom’s death. I just didn't see myself moving on from it. I didn't see myself making it through the next ten seconds, let alone the rest of my life.” His hands found mine, our fingers interlocking as he continued to talk. “Then I did. I made it through the next ten seconds, minutes, years and my pain got better. It was always there. It still is, but it’s not as overwhelming as it used to be.”

              Taking our joined hands he pressed a kiss to the back of my palm giving me a small smile. “When I left Australia, Uncle Leonard told me everything happened for a reason. It infuriated me when he said that. Made me feel like he was dismissing my mom’s death. Of course I eventually realized he was just trying to make me feel better, but sometimes there’s just nothing you can say to make someone’s hurt go away.”

              “Some pains you just have to live with,” I agreed.

              “Yeah.” Jace’s eyes locked on mine and he looked relieved that I understood what he was telling me. “But I do think there’s some truth to what Uncle Leonard said. If I hadn't moved here, I never would have become apart of Adrenaline.”

              I grinned at him and tugged one of my hands free to run it through his hair. “You would have missed out on all the fame and fortune.”

              Instead of smiling at my joke, Jace frowned at me and shook his head. “No, Kenzie. I would have missed out on you. On us.” He leaned down so his body was flush against mine and took my lips in a kiss so tender I felt my eyes drifting closed against my will. With a sigh I opened my mouth, letting myself fall deeper into the kiss as his tongue swept over mine. “I love everything about you, Kenzie. Your sweet smile, your sharp mind, and your beautiful heart. When I look at you I can’t believe I got so lucky. I can’t believe out of everyone in the world, you picked me.”

              “I never had a choice, Jace. You’ve always been it for me. Trying to get over you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, which is why it didn't last long. One date and I knew there was no getting over you.”

              A smug grin came over his face as he ran his fingers through my hair pushing it out of my eyes. “I know you're going to call me a heathen, but can I just say I’m glad it was only one date? I’m glad I’m the only man you’ve ever been with. I wanted to tear that Jeremy guy apart for taking you out.”

              “If I had known me dating would force you to show your hand I would have told you about Dean years ago.”

              Lifting his head from where it was buried in my neck Jace scowled at me, his eyes sharpening dangerously. “Dean the ranch hand?”

              Biting the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling I gave a curt nod. “We went out a few times.” The truth was we had only went out once. I let him kiss me at the end of the night but when he tried to take it a step further I felt sick to my stomach and told him no. He’d taken the rejection well and we’d parted as friends.

              I saw the muscle in Jace’s jaw tick as he gritted his teeth. “When did that happen?”

              “Like two years ago. He’s a nice guy, but I was hung up on someone else.” Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, I slipped out from beneath him and pushed him onto his back. Jace had a grumpy look on his face as I smiled down at him toying with the end of his shirt. “Are you jealous?”

              “Yes.”

              Laughing I pulled my own shirt over my head and tossed it aside. Taking his hands I ran them up my body until they were cupping my breasts. Jace’s face immediately smoothed out as I leaned down to claim his lips with a sinful kiss. Unsnapping his jeans I started to tug them down, grateful when he lifted his hips to help me. Breaking the kiss I trailed my mouth over his jaw, moving down his body until my lips rested just over his heart.  “You’re the only one for me.”

              His breath hissed out when I wrapped my hands around his stiff length. I watched in amazement as his eyes fluttered closed and his teeth came out to worry his bottom lip. Shimmying down his body I pressed a kiss to the tip of his erection before taking him into my mouth making his eyes shoot open.

              “Oh, God,” he muttered, his fingers threading through my curls. He pulled my hair to the side watching as I moved up and down. “That feels amazing, Kenzie.” I hummed my approval making his body jerk under me. “I’m not going to last long if you keep doing that.”

              He gave a little push on my shoulders until I released him. Grabbing my hips he twisted so that I was under him. I let out a chuckle as he swore trying to get my underwear off before giving up and just ripping them at the sides. His hand reached between my legs and my laughter fell away, my mouth dropping open as he sank a long finger into me.

              “You’re already ready for me,” he grinned and placed his mouth to my temple reaching for a condom on his bedside table.

              “Always,” I gasped, tilting my hips up to meet his hand as his fingers kept a steady rhythm driving me out of my mind.

              Once he had the condom in place his tongue shot out to trace my top lip before he sucked it into his mouth. When I was beginning to adjust to the sensation he was removing his finger and sinking deep inside me. His hands slid up from my waist, his thumbs reaching out to tease my breasts making me arch against him.

              “You like that?” He asked as he licked the pulse beating at the base of my neck.

              I gripped his shoulders and wrapped my legs tighter around his waist unable to answer him any other way. It wasn't long before I felt myself climbing higher and higher, my muscles tensing around him as I reached the peak I was desperately racing towards. I felt Jace grind his pelvis against me, shouting against my neck as he found his own release.

              When it was over, Jace rolled us so that I was laying on top of him. I reached for his hand and slapped it against my own, picking up my chin to grin at him. “You’re pretty good at that.”

              Letting out a low laugh that made me shiver, Jace pressed a kiss to my shoulder. “No, sugar. We’re really good at that.”

Jace

              Coward.

              I had finally worked up the courage to tell Kenzie the truth about my past only to chicken out and tell her half the story at the last minute. The logical part of my brain knew she would be understanding. Kenzie loved me, she wouldn't judge me for mistakes my parents had made. That didn't stop my imagination from going off the rails, picturing her grey eyes flashing in horror at what I told her before looking at me in fear. I couldn't stand it if Kenzie was afraid of me. Couldn't bear the thought of seeing the same look in her eye that I had seen in my mother’s.

              Instead I had let her touch me, love me like I so desperately needed her too. I couldnt risk losing her love when I’d finally found it.

              Kenzie had left my house after making love with me to get ready for her shift at JJ’s. I felt like a lost puppy waiting for her to be done. Deciding I needed a distraction I headed over to my aunt’s house to see what she was up to.

              I found her in the kitchen sitting at the table with a cup of coffee as she flipped through a magazine. When she heard me walk in the door she glanced up with a smile of greeting on her face.

              “Jason, I’m glad you’re here. You’re saving me from looking for a dress for Declan and Reece’s wedding.” Her lips pursed as she flipped the magazine closed and pushed it across the table. “I’m happy about the wedding but I hate having to shop. You boys are so lucky you get to wear tuxes. It’s much less of a hassle.”

              “I believe it,” I smiled at her taking a seat at the table. “I feel like I haven't seen you in awhile.”

              “It’s been a couple of days,” she laughed and stood from the table moving across the room to grab a second mug. “You used to come around much more when Kenzie was living here. I wasn't flattered enough to think you were hanging around for me.”

              I gave a little laugh as she handed me a cup of coffee. “You’re always good company Aunt Lorraine.”

              “That’s a relief.”

              “How long did you know I had a thing for Kenzie?” I asked curiously. I had been meaning to ask her for awhile but the question kept slipping my mind.

              “Oh geez, Jace,” Aunt Lorraine rolled her eyes and cradled her mug in her hands. “From almost the minute it happened I suppose. Of course I knew about Kenzie’s feelings before yours. That girl has always loved you. I remember when your Uncle Leonard first realized it,” she gave a little laugh. “He loved Kenzie like a daughter. I think he wanted to lock her in a closet when boys started sniffing around her. Of course they didn't come too close because the five of you.”

              “He’d probably want better for her than me.” Without hesitating my Aunt’s hand reared back and smacked the back of my head. “Ouch. What was that for?”

              “Stop putting yourself down, Jace. I don’t know if you and Garret just think so little of yourselves or so little of my husband.”

              I gasped and grabbed my Aunt’s hand hating that I was responsible for the hurt look on her face. “Uncle Leonard was the best man I’ve ever known. What I said has nothing to do with how I think of him. I know he loved Kenzie and wanted the best for her.”

              “He loved you too, Jace. He wanted the best for both of you. I think he would be thrilled that you two have gotten together.” Instead of hitting me she reached out and clasped the back of my neck giving it a little rub. “How are things between you two?”