Just The Right Black

Chapter 59

Ariana's sob had downed to a slight tremble and sniffles. One of her hand rested on his chest and her head buried in the crook of his neck and his arms wrapped around her in a protective manner.

"I-I'm sorry." She stuttered out in a low voice

"What for? You have to be specific." Jace said,

He felt a sigh leave her body.

"For being this way." She said, "I'm never like this."

Jace's grip tightened around her.
"There are a couple of things I can think of that you need to be sorry for, Ari. But letting out your emotion and being able to grieve isn't one of them. You should never be sorry for that."

Her hand slid up his chest and went to his shoulder. She pulled back only a little to look at his face. Jace looked down at her and met her now red eyes and nose. She looked so beautiful.

Ariana remembered that morning in her apartment before they took off to the safe house. She remembered what he had said. 'I just want you to know that I'm here whenever you want to talk about it.'

She swallowed.

Just as she opened her mouth to talk, her stomach interrupted her, growling and filling the silence in the room making her blush in embarrassment.

Jace smiled down.
"I guess you're ready to switch back to normal food." He looked at the tray which held the bowl of soup he had for her. "Pancakes?"

She smiled,
"Sounds perfect."

He kissed her forehead.
"Get dressed. We'll talk after you've had something to eat."

Ariana hopped off him and walked to his walk-in closet where her things were still residing. She pulled out her usual tank top and pulled on sweat pants. She walked back in the room to find Jace wasn't there and the tray he had brought.

She made her way out the room and down the stairs, her feet padding lightly on the cool tiles. She smiled when she saw him in the kitchen mixing the batter for the pancakes. She sat on the stool behind the kitchen island without making any noise and watched him.

She watched him till the final piece came off the pan.

"Honey or Maple?" Jace asked and she frowned,

"How long have you known?" She asked,

"Since you walked in." He said without looking at her as he put some pieces on a plate "Even if I were deaf, I'd still know when you walked into a room." He looked at her then, smiling as he placed the plate in front of her. "My body feels your presence and my soul connects with yours...kind of like a bluetooth connection."

She laughed at his silliness.
"Really romantic."

"Oh, I can be very romantic. I'd charm your pants off." He said

She rolled her eyes as she dug into the pancakes. Jace clenched his jaw at her eye roll. Damn, he wanted to be in her when her eyes rolled back. Ariana moaned as her taste buds got its first taste of the pancakes and he groaned.

"These are best pancakes I've ever tasted." She said, eyes closed, "They're so good."

"That's cause you're really hungry."

"Seems like this is my first meal is so many days."

"It is." He said, "You've been out for three days." Her lips stopped chewing as she stared up at him.

"What?!" She dragged

"That's what happens when you get beaten up... willingly I might add."

She looked down at the pancakes and got back to chewing.
"Not like I had a choice." She said,