"With you? No. It would be a pleasure." He grinned at me, pulling away.
"Hmm." I huffed. "You know Moo-moo is a part of the packaged deal right?"
"I get you and a cat?" He asked sounding startled. Did he think I was going to give Moo-moo away?
"Yes. You get me and Moo-moo."
"Well," he grinned a shit-grin. "Then I suppose I'm a rich man."
At this, Gabe laughed. It was the first time I'd ever heard him bust a gut over anything Jace said. It made me smile too. After everything today had thrown at us, we were still able to laugh. It felt good.
"I never thought I'd see the day Jace Rush became a cat man." Gabe slapped his hand on Jace's back and looked at me proudly. "You're breathing life into the man."
Jace smiled with love in his eyes. "She certainly is."
Chapter 20
I stared at all my stuff being brought into the penthouse, including Moo-moo in his cat carrier and smiled. Despite all the shit this day had started off with, it was ending great. I'd texted Trisha and asked her to come over to the penthouse. Jace decided to make the night a night of celebration. Karen, Jaylah, John and even Caleb were coming to dinner. He told me I should invite Trisha and anyone else I wanted. There was no one. I only wanted Trisha. She was really all I had. But she hadn't texted me back yet.
Jace walked through the front door and stared at the cat carrier Moo-moo sat in. He was hissing at Jace with venom, obviously blaming him for rousing his familiar territory.
"You know, he's going to have to get used to me sooner or later." Jace said as he slipped his arms around my waist, pulling me in close to him. He pressed his lips to the top of my head and I sighed contentedly.
"He will. Give him a few months. Cat's have a hard time adjusting."
Jace smiled and brought his lips to mine. The contact instantly made me melt. I'd felt robbed of him all day. With the letters and threats, we hadn't been able to enjoy our first official day of engagement. Not that we'd told anyone. But I didn't mind. If he didn't tell anyone, maybe I wouldn't feel so pressured to tie the knot in only two short months.
"Are you sure we have to host dinner tonight? I would rather ravish you." I tempted against his lips and he hissed in a breath.
"My little temptress, I'm sure we have to host dinner." He said with a grin. "But you can ravish me later."
I smiled. "For dessert?"
"For dessert." He confirmed. My purse started ringing, demanding my attention. I wriggled away from Jace and ran to the phone.
"Trisha!" I gasped for air when Jace caught me from behind, pulling me back into his chest.
"Yeah, it's me. What's wrong with you? You aren't running are you?"
"God no." I smiled. "Did you get my text?"
"Yeah, after I got home and noticed all your stuff was gone and mine was packed. What the hell is going on?"
"You're stuff is packed?" I looked up at Jace in time to see him wince. What did he do?
"Yeah," She sounded mad.
Jace snapped his finger in front of my face, holding his palm out for the phone. I thought about biting it off. "I think Jace wants to talk to you."
I handed him the phone and listened to him speak to her. "The writer is back. You're no longer safe living there. I've paid out your lease and found you a new place. You will be living in the same building as me and Olivia only a few floors below. So you will still be able to see her whenever you want." He paused and I felt him nod. "That was the deal."
What was the deal? I tried to turn and face him, but he held me tightly in place. I grumbled a moan and he chuckled, handing me back the phone.
"What was the deal?" I snapped.
Trisha laughed. "That when and if you moved in with him, I got to live close and see you whenever I wanted. He had to promise he wouldn't take you away from me. We're family."
I wanted to cry. "I love you."
"I love you too, chick."
"I know." I smiled. "So, are you coming over for dinner?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Nope."
"All right," she sighed a heavy, fake sigh. "I suppose I'll be there. But I'm bringing Trey."
"That's fine." I said excitedly. "I haven't seen him in a while."
"You haven't seen me in a while. You're always with the ogre."
"His name is Jace."
"Oh, I know." She huffed. "I'm only teasing. He's really not so bad."
"That means more than you know, Trisha." I said softly. Jace's hands moved slowly from my waist to my back. He rubbed each knot of stress from my body as I talked on the phone. It made me want to crawl into bed.