WHAT WE NEVER SAID

remember fal

nto her back. The next, her eyes were blinking open to the soft glow of the TV still playing r

, hand resting lightly on her hip. His body was warm, solid, familiar. Her le

a f

n her thigh. Not high. Not i

wasn't

caught in

l hugs, arms slung over shoulders, shared beds during late-night stud

till. Heav

n't sure he

htly, enough to see the side o

e furrowed, like he was dreaming about something t

a second longer th

ed. His face was more defined now, his jawline tighter, the muscles in his arms more obviou

the way, her brain h

f to breathe. It's just Jace. Your best fr

thudding too loud in her chest, stomach twi

ay without waking him, but the second

soft rasp. "Wher

ed. "Didn't me

ed, voice still sleepy.

n his arms. "You should

ve. "You kic

erving bo

d into a smirk.

ok, but her face w

," she said, shifting to sit upright. "This

lling m

ng you unn

d, shirt riding up just slightly to reveal a sliver of toned stomach. Zara looked

asked, grabbing two gl

ur

r brushing hers as he reached for the cabinet to gra

r, crunching into a chip, eyes on her lik

r. "Why are you star

unching slower.

gero

leeping on me like that. Haven't

rd by the gentleness in his

up a hand. "You just... looked like you could

omach

sometimes-he said things like that. Soft things. Real t

g her glass down. "Well

he said unde

heat radiating off him. Smell his cologne, that same clean, wood

tupidly-sh

e was alre

e. Focused. Like he was weighing something, hesitat

breath stall

n't a fr

somethi

de her pulse thru

ed around the ed

or one heart-stopping second, she

e body we

he d

tepped back just enough to break whatever invisi

e sleep," he said,

too fast. "Ye

ng it over his shoulder

said, his voi

ht,

m, leaned her forehead agains

ll was happ