JACE

“BABE…Can you come here?” 

JC stood opening and closing kitchen cupboards. Where the hell could they be?

“Yes?” Hannah appeared next to him. 

“Have you seen my glasses?” 

Hannah stared at him like he had 3 heads. “In the kitchen?”

JC sighed “YES in the kitchen. I’ve been leaving  them here so I know where they are when I come down to make coffee.”

Hannah tilted her head to one side “You’re aware that makes no sense, right?”

JC stared back at her “It works.”

“Riiiight… Anyway...They’re in your nightstand.”

JC huffed. “WHY would you move them?”

Hannah gave him a look “Because they were on the bathroom counter…”

“No they weren’t” he argued.

“Uh...Yes they were. Last night.”

“WHY would I leave them there?” he looked at her like she was crazy.

“Ummm...I have no idea, but that’s where I found them.”

He rolled his eyes “Why are you always moving my shit?”

Hannah raised her eyebrows at him “Um...It’s called putting stuff away…”

“In MY house?”

Hannah felt her blood pressure rise. “YEP. YOUR house...That you have no problem with me CLEANING...or cooking in…”

“I thank you for that stuff.”

She had crossed her arms. JC sighed as he saw the expression on her face change. She was there a lot. He didn’t exactly mind, but they had never actually discussed living together. It was just sort of happening. She seemed happy to still have her own place, though, didn’t she?

“You do? When was the last time…”

“Hannah…”

“No! Seriously. You expect it now…”

“I don’t expect it..We have...an understanding.”

“AN UNDERSTANDING?”  Her eyes were wider.

“Come on, Annie, stop...I don’t wanna fight. I can barely see you right now…”

Hannah spun on her heel before he could stop her, stalking off to the bedroom. When she returned, she threw his glasses at him “Here. I’ll never touch them again.”

JC sighed to pick up the frames that had bounced off his chest to the floor. Putting them on, he let out a controlled breath. 

“Can you see me now?” She quipped

“Crystal clear.” His jaw was tight.

“Thank you. For everything. I’m lucky to have you.” He recited in monotone.

“So romantic,” she squinted her eyes at him.

He raised his arms to let them drop exasperated “...What I’m known for…”

She shoved him back with a push “Don’t be an asshole, Jace…”

He steadied himself as he caught his weight on his back foot, catching her wrists. “Why not...You like it…”

“Nope,” she challenged him, not moving. He dipped his head, biting her ear lightly. “Yep. I’m an asshole. Punish me.”

Hannah felt a shiver down her spine as her body betrayed her resolve. She wrestled her wrists free, wrapping her arms around him to dig her nails into his back. He inhaled a sharp breath. 

“That hurts…” he smirked.

“I’m just getting started…” she teased. 

He let his hands grip her butt, crashing his mouth down onto hers, hungry for her kiss. Hannah pulled away after meeting his hinger, lips swollen and eyes wild. She ran a hand between his legs and squeezed.

“Waiting for my apology…” she whispered.

He grinned, biting his lip at her touch “I’m. Not. Sorry” he said between kissing up her neck. 

She tugged at his waistband, pulling him toward her “Then I’ll make you sorry…”

Without a word, he bent his knees to lift her over his shoulder. “Brave words, mama...brave words…”

Hannah bit her cheek as he carried her to the bedroom and threw her onto the bed. Ripping his shirt off over his head, he pounced to straddle her with his arms. “Do your worst…” he grinned.

Hannah grinned back, stretching up to kiss him before grabbing his arms to twist him under her. 

Crawling on top of him, she slid down his shorts as she settled in and started to move. 

As he reached out to hold her hips, she stopped him, shaking her head slowly. “Uh uh...No touching…”

More Middle

Hannah stared blankly at the tv, laptop in place. A rare weekend with nothing to do, she was determined to get some writing done. She had her idea. She just had to execute it.

She stared at her screen as she reviewed the new paragraph she had written for about the tenth time. Why was this so hard?

Behind her, she heard the clatter of heels as Jade made her way to the door.

“Hannah what time is it?” Jade called out as she move her bag higher up on her shoulder.

Hannah glanced at the cable box in front of her “Uh...1:23…”

“CRAP. I gotta RUN.” Jade sounded flustered.

Hannah laughed at her roommate. “Is this an audition or a callback, again?”

Jade smiled “SECOND callback...I have a good feeling about this one...primetime drama…” Her eyes were glowing.

“You got this, girl...Just  be your charming self...but GO…” Hannah teased.

“Okay okay…” She glanced quickly at Hannah, hair a mess, pajamas still on.

“You have any plans today...You gonna see a certain dreamy-eyed former pop star?”

Hannah rolled her eyes “I have work to do, Jade. I set aside all day to write...and I have NO IDEA who you are talking about…”

“Uh huh…” she smiled, “Really...No plans? I feel like that’s your weekend thing now…”

Hannah huffed “My weekend ‘thing?” Jade...I told you..It’s not a ‘thing.’ We are two consenting adults. That’s it.”

Jade smirked “Whatever...All I’m saying is if I had access to a guy that looked like that...I wouldn’t be in pajamas on a Saturday afternoon…” she teased.

Hannah stared at her. “You’re gonna be late, Jade…”

Jade giggled at her flustered friend “I’ll be home in a few hours...Warn me if I need to call first.” She winked before shutting the door behind her. 

Hannah sighed as she turned back to her computer. She closed her eyes, letting her mind focus on the task at hand. Free-write! That’s it! She would free-write and make sense of what her brain gave her afterwards. With new inspiration, she let her fingers tap away at the keys until she had written two pages of material. Taking a deep breath and looking down, she frowned at what she had written, groaning to herself as she read the last paragraph.

Blue as the ocean. The power of those eyes was not lost on her as she stared at him waiting for her answer. His arms were at her waist, anchoring her to her spot. Words escaped her.

“Gawd damn it, Hannah…” she shook her head at herself. This wasn’t supposed to be a romance novel. Sighing to herself, she picked up the phone. May as well get rid of this distraction. He answered in 4 rings.

“Uh...Hey…” he smiled into his phone.

She blushed hearing his voice, realizing she had dialed purely on a whim. “Um...Hi. What are you up to?”

“Working, actually...Uh..Working on a song.”

“Oh..OH! Sorry, uh...I was actually gonna see if you wanted to come by. Didn’t know you’d be busy…”

She could almost hear the grin in his voice “It’s fine...I was just messing around, anyway...What are you up to?”

She took a breath “I’m writing, actually...Not getting very far, though…”

“...What are you writing about…?”

“Well...Nothing...and everything. Part of my problem, actually...Thought a distraction might be nice…”

“A distraction, huh? What did you have in mind?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know…” she settled in.

“Well...I can think of a FEW things that would be ...QUITE distracting…”

“So can I...Care to share?” she smiled into the phone.

“Well, for starters, my last memory of you is pretty distracting…” he grinned as he sat back in his chair in his studio.

Hannah smirked “Oh yeah? What memory is that?”

His voice got low “Your body on mine…”

Hannah felt herself melt into her couch “Seems familiar...Go on…”

She heard a low chuckle on the other end “The way your skin felt in my hands…”

Hannah smiled “The way you felt inside me…”

JC smiled on the other end, thoroughly amused “You want me inside you right now, mama?”

Hannah let out a breath “Mmmm...maybe…”

JC bit the side of his lip, an idea crossing his mind. There was a brief pause before Hannah heard the quick sound of a piano, followed by a sweet melody. She listened as his voice sang through the phone, smooth as silk …

“I know that look in your eyes….I don’t wanna say goodnight….. Holld on, holllld on...is what I’m doing...so strong...so strong...is what I’m feeling…” He finished the melody on the piano before he spoke again.

“Maybe?” he teased

“You don’t play fair, Chasez…” she teased back.

“Like what you hear, Annie…?” he charmed.

“When did I say you could call me that?” she played coy. 

“You want me to stop….calling you that?” he asked carefully.

“I don’t want you to stop...anything…” she answered. 

“Wanna show me?” his voice was gravel now.

“...Maybe?”

JC grinned into his phone “Come over tonight…”

Hannah stared up at the wall as her heartbeat slowed, allowing one hand to rest on her stomach. She closed her eyes as his hand slid over her own. 

“Distracting enough?” he teased.

She felt herself sigh and giggle at the same time “It’ll do…,” she teased back.

“Hmmm...Maybe I’ll try harder next time.” He wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer and nip at her ear. She shifted to face him, studying his face.

“Hmm…” she smirked.

“What?,” a lazy smile found his face.

Hannah shrugged “You’re just...not what I expected.”

His brow raised “And what did you expect?”

“I don’t know. Women lined up. Definitely not this much conversation.”

He grinned “Line’s closed. Position’s been filled. And I like talking to you.”

Hannah laughed and shook her head “You’re free to do whatever you want, sir…”

He smirked “...and I am...often.” 

“Jace I..meant what I said, I don’t-”

“...Date. I know. I got it, Hannah...I get it…”  He looked into her eyes. 

“No...promises.”

“No promises.” he repeated, kissing her quickly. 

“Okay,” she let out a breath. “I should go…”

JC smiled. “You should, but are you going to?”

Hannah blushed “Am I?”

He grinned, moving to rain kisses on her neck. 

She giggled softly “Ok, OKAY...I give...I’ll stay.”

He smiled, running lazy fingers around her belly button. “Good...Because I wanna hear what you wrote today…”

Hannah smiled “Get me coffee in the morning...and we’ll talk…”

He gave her a half smile. “Deal...Goodnight, Annie…”

Hannah let the instant smile form from her lips “Goodnight, Jace…”

He rolled over, falling asleep quickly, leaving Hannah alone with her thoughts. She should have left. Leaving was easier. Leaving left things less complicated. 

Instead, she was wide awake. His face was burned into her brain. The thought of his voice sent electricity through her as she remembered how he touched her. She would never be able to forget him. It was too late. She wanted to know more about him, but also knew that would just complicate things more. 

She felt safe with him, and that raised her guard. He made her smile against her will, and that worried her. They had a rhythm now, and that terrified her.