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She cleared her throat "Hotel is fine, and I don’t care If it’s hot and tastes good, I’ll eat it Nothing too fancy In fact, what I really want is a burger And fries"

She’d kill for both right now

"And orange juice," she finished in a rush

Alimmered on Ash’s lips but Jace was still utterly serious

"Hae juice I think I can handle that," Jace said Then he checked his watch "People will be cleared out in fifteen How much time you need to finish?"

She blinked "Uh, not everyone will clear out in fifteen uests of honor leave, people always hang out afterward Especially when there’s food and drink"

He cut her off before she could say one"

It was a promise It wasn’t speculation on his part

"How much time you need?" he asked iuessed

He touched her again, his fingers gliding over her cheek and up to her temple, where he toyed with loose tendrils that had fallen from her clip

"Then we’ll see you in thirty minutes"

Chapter three

Twenty-five minutes was how much time it took for her to realize she was out of her e mistake

Bethany washed her hands and then checked her pocket again to feel the folded bills The kitchen had died down andbehind on clean-up duty That wasn’t her gig, thankfully Her job was done

She hesitated as she glanced between the door leading to the alley and the door that led back to Ash and Jace

Jace hadn’t lied The ballroom had cleared in fifteen ed to pull that one off, but then he seeot what he wanted

Now all that was between her and a night of hot sex and good food was that door

The door to the alley swung open as one of the guys hauled a sack of garbage out to the trash bin A rush of cold air blew in, penetrating Bethany to the bone She shivered as chill bumps raced across her arms

That was her other option Cold Loneliness Another night of uncertainty

Put that way, door nuical choice

She pushed off the edge of the counter she was leaning against and walked toward the exit As she reached it, she took in a deep breath and let herself out

Jace stood there waiting, hands in his pockets, leaning one shoulder against the wall His gaze found her and penetrated as swiftly as the cold air had a moment earlier Only this time, instead of a bone-deep chill, heat spread like wildfire through her veins

"You ready?"

Even before she responded, heoff the wall and then he was next to her, his hand sliding around her nape, his thuht at her hairline

Damn but thecare of dinner"

She glanced up at Jace, for the first ti here?"

A smile twitched the corners of his ood a place as any to stay for the night"

He owned the hotel Okay, not that she didn’t know he and Ash were stratospherically out of her league, but hearing those words, I own the hotel, just reinforced that she should have chosen the cold over temporary warmth

"Obviously I didn’t prepare for this," she murmured as they headed toward the elevators "I don’t have any clothes orstuff"

She wanted to laugh because the entire conversation was absurd Even if she’d known, she wouldn’t have been prepared because she didn’t have stuff She had nothing except the hope of the next day being better than the last

Again, Jace’s lea elevator

"You won’t need clothes Orstuff"

Her hands trembled and her knees shook This was her last chance to back out He leaned forward to punch the button to the top floor The door was still open It would be easy to walk out, say she’d changed heras real

Jace suddenly looked at her, his gaze seeking, alhts in real tiainst the button to the floor When she ainst the far wall, still studying her as the doors closed

"You’re nervous," he said, still staring at her

She gave hiain He had a killer s seemed to cooing, flirtatious guy oet the impression that Jace was much of a smiler He seemed way , badass persona hit every single one of her buttons Because this was a ht He was ato be nervous about," he murmured as the elevator stopped

As she started to step off, he put his arm out to stop her and then he pulled her into his arled so their mouths were close So close she could feel the harsh exhalation of his breath

"Bethany, there’s nothing to be nervous about," he said again, that ly over hers

He trailed a finger down her cheek to the corner of her mouth just as the elevator started to squawk because the doors had been left open for so long He ignored it, focused on her, watching and absorbing like he could reach into her thoughts Or like he wanted to, at least

"I’m okay," she whispered

And then he smiled Really smiled Not one of those twitch movements where it looked like he was about to s sht Ultrawhite Million-dollar sht down to his shoes