Bound to You

Chapter 49: Not a Challenge

There was a huge screen right there, a punching bag hanging in a corner, another pool, settees and a high platform. It was like the top of a hotel she once saw in a magazine. He grabbed a can of sprite from a mini fridge as she clumsily stepped off the hammock to take a look around. 

The view was magnificent. She could see the skyscrapers far away, dominating the night. She went on the other side and looked closer. She saw the hedge maze she once got into and the fountain in the middle. It looked so artistic from up here. 

"Jace, you didn't feed the fishes!" 

He laughed, yanking off his Halloween costume and tossing it to the sofa, "Don't worry about that. There's an automatic fish feeder in there. Come here! I think you'll like it!" 

She said with a smug smile, "Don't tell me we're going to watch a movie here!" 

"Nah..." 

She made her way behind the screen which was fixed to the platform and found him. He was shirtless...again. Ugh, come on! Didn't he even feel cold? He rapidly climbed up a ladder, reaching the top of the elevated platform and shouted, "You coming?" 

She held the rungs and each upward steps she took, she could hear her heart beats overshadowing every other sounds. Why was she following him? Why couldn't she help herself? He offered his hand and she gazed at him for a long second, wishing she knew what he really thought of her. 

And as he  firmly clasped her hand, helping her up, all thoughts vanished. She was thrilled to see a telescope. "Wow, you have one of those! Can I use it?" 

She didn't bother to wait for an answer. She crawled on the wooden roof, sitting cross-legged before the telescope, gently holding the end of the device as she slowly moved it, peeping and not seeing anything. 

He took off the lid covering the lenses and adjusted the telescope for her. He sat right behind her, pressing his chest against her back as he briefly explained to her how it worked. 

She was aware of his closeness, of his warm figure behind her, of his sexy voice which set her heart on fire. What was she doing with him for God's sake. Within herself, she was panicking. 

"Understood? Now check out the sky. It's all yours tonight." 

"Ye—yeah...Thanks."

Jace raised his can and drank a good amount of the soft drink. It felt so refreshing. He looked at the sky as she was admiring the lines and craters on the moon. "My God, Jace...this is so spectacular!"

Did she know she was more beautiful than anything? He gently gathered her hair, exposing her bare neck and he leaned in, grazing his lips against her skin. She shivered, tightening her grip on the stem of the telescope as she held her breath. She dared not move. Her senses were lost as he murmured her name before dropping a light soft kiss in the crook of her neck. 

He wondered if he deserved to be with someone as kind as her. He recalled how she had been scared when he had fought in the convenience store. Damn it. She literally saw him, drawing blood from another man. 

He took out his cigarette box from his back pocket and his lighter. He grumbled as he put a distance between them. He saw her relaxing, ignoring him as she resumed her activity. He looked elsewhere towards his koi fishes while he smoked. No girls had ever been here before. 

They might have been in the maze but not here, on the rooftop. He wanted to show her so many things, take her to places that would bring that look of wonder on her face... but it was probably not a good idea. She was too good for him. 

After long minutes of space exploration where she momentarily forgot about Jace, she drew herself away from the wonders she just saw. The craters on the moon were so beautiful. A pity she could not spot any planets tonight. She crawled to him and hugged him energetically from behind, "Thank you so much!"