wild star| ongoing

twenty-four

CHAPTER 24:
November 29th, 2015
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Brandy stood behind Ace, her hand gripping the towel tightly around her as Ace rummaged through his closet for something.

Ace's brown hair was damp and tousled from the shower, and his tanned skin radiated under the gentle light of the room. The towel hanging loosely around his waist displayed his toned form. And when he spun around to face Brandy, his smirk was laced with a challenge, daring her to resist whatever he had to say next.

Brandy's eyes widened slightly at the black dress he held up for her to see. It was tight in all the right places and short enough to make her legs look like they went on for miles.

As he handed the dress to her, she took it in her hands, turning it over to examine it from every angle.

"What's this for, Ace?" Brandy asked him, her gaze shifting back up to meet his. She searched his face for any hint of what was to come, but his expression remained unreadable.

"We're going out tonight. I have some deals to make, and I need my best girl by my side."

The words echoed in Brandy's mind, causing a light hue of pink to dust her cheeks. She had never been anyone's "best girl" before, and the fact that he bestowed that title upon her made her feel special somehow. "Really?" she said in disbelief.

Ace turned around to survey his closet, pulling out a fitted black t-shirt and a pair of well-worn blue jeans. "Why else would I keep you around, Brandy? I could have chosen some other chick, but you're..." He trailed off to think of his next word. "Loyal."

He moved past her to the bed, not before leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss to her cheek. The touch of his lips sent a shiver down her spine, and she couldn't help but smile at the intimacy of the gesture. He might have been the most arrogant man she knew, but there was something endearing about the way he acted with her that made her stick around. Maybe it was because he knew she was an addict, and he knew she was no good, but it didn't scare him off. He didn't treat her like the others – like her father or Keith or Grant.

Ace had no qualms about his body as he hastily got dressed, peeling off the towel to reveal his lean physique. His boxers and clothes were quickly adorned, and when he noticed Brandy's lingering gaze, he chuckled with amusement. "You like what you see, baby?" he teased, his tone dripping with playful condescension.

She instantly averted her gaze when she realized he caught her staring. Heat rose to her cheeks as she tried to compose herself. She attempted to quell her flustered state with a retort, however meek it may have been. "Stop being so cocky. There's nothing much to look at."

Ace moved towards her, his steps slow and purposeful. He stopped right in front of her. She could smell the soap from his recent shower, and it mixed with his natural musk to create a scent that was uniquely Ace. She tried to take a step back, but she was suddenly trapped as his arms wrapped around her waist. His lips brushed her earlobe, whispering, "You're lying. You know damn well there's plenty to look at."

"You're so full of yourself." The effect he had on her was obvious, but she didn't want him to know. It would go straight to his head.

"I seem to remember a certain someone begging for me to fuck her not too long ago," he responded confidently before leaning in to capture her lips in a heated kiss. Ace's skilled hands made quick work of the towel wrapped around her body, letting it fall away to reveal her nakedness.

He withdrew from their kiss, his eyes locking onto Brandy's bare form, sending a jolt of desire through her. What surprised her was how unabashed she felt being under his scrutiny, and how much she adored the way in which he looked at her body. He uttered a low curse under his breath. Every curve, every contour, was a tantalizing invitation that he yearned to explore. "Fucking damn it. You're so unbelievably sexy."