All Good Things Exposed(79)

"Did you need it?" He asked pointedly.

"No. But I wanted it." I started walking to the stairs. I knew he was following me, I could feel him behind me. "He's my friend."

Jace sighed. "I don't trust him."

"You don't have to. But I trust him and he is my friend. So until he does something unsettling, then he will continue to have my trust."

Jace grabbed my waist, pulling me into his back. "You are infuriating."

"Get used to it."





Chapter 22

"Good morning, Angel." Jace kissed me, warming my lips and body. "Wake up."

"No." I moaned. "I don't want to."

"I have something planned for us. I promise you'll like it."

I opened one eye. "I will?"

"I promise." He whispered with another kiss and I opened my other eye.

"Okay, I'm awake."

"Good." He pulled away and I pouted.

"That's how you're waking me up the morning after you proposed to me?"

Jace frowned. "If you get your sexy ass up I might take you in the shower."

My stomach clenched. Yes please! I bounded out of bed and bolted for the bathroom. I could hear Jace laughing behind me and as his hand wound around my waist, pulling me into his back, I squealed.

"You're so beautiful." He kissed the bare skin of my shoulder. "I'll never tire of looking at you."

"Never ever?"

"Not even when you're barefoot and pregnant." I stiffened immediately in his arms.

"What?"

"I didn't mean it like that." He shook his head. "I love envisioning you barefoot and pregnant. You're always going to be beautiful to me."

He thought I was shocked at the mention of gaining weight? Hell. No! I didn't want kids. I was twenty-two. I shook my head, pulling away from his arms and reaching for a towel. I quickly wrapped it around my naked body and he frowned. "What are you doing, Olivia?"

"Jace," I looked up at him with shimmering eyes. "I had no idea you wanted kids."

"Well, I've never wanted them before you. But I have you, why not have a baby?" He cocked his head. "Don't you think we can give a child everything we never had?"

Shit. "I think we could. But, I don't want kids, Jace."

Shock bled into his eyes. "You don't want them?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Never?" He breathed. Was this a deal-breaker? Did I have to have a baby to be with him? Oh, God! I hoped not. I'm not ready to be a mother.

"Well…I don't want them right now for sure."

"So you think you'll want them later?" He asked.

I shrugged. I had to be honest. "I don't know, Jace."

"Wow," his shoulders fell and his eyes lost a little light. I wanted to cry, but I settled for pulling the towel tighter around me. Jace scowled and ripped it away from me. "You don't put barriers between us, Olivia. Never any barriers. Every."

"Okay." I nodded, standing with my head hanging. I felt exposed and uncomfortable and wounded. I didn't bother telling him the pajama pants he wore was a barrier. I didn't need to say anything to make the situation more awkward.

"Can I ask why you don't want kids?" Jace pulled me into his arms and sat on the bench against the wall. I curled into him, needing to feel him next to me.

"I don't really know." It was the truth. "I've never wanted them."

"I think you would make an excellent mother." He confirmed.

"Thanks." I murmured. "Why do you suddenly want them? You said you've never wanted them before. Why now?"

"I want everything with you, Olivia." Jace said sternly. "I want the kids, the garden, the house."

"You want to move?" I squeaked. Wow, what other life changes had he concocted in his mind without first consulting me?

"I would like to purchase a house in the Hamptons for the summer. Where we spend our time with…" he trailed off. I knew he was going to say children. "I'd keep the penthouse for the winters."

"Oh,"

"Talk to me, Olivia." He tightened his hold on my waist. "Don't shut me out."

"Jace," I breathed. "You have it all figured out and I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the date of our wedding." I laughed shrilly. "We don't actually have a date. Not a real date. We have a time frame. Not a date." I was rambling now. But he'd hit me with a truckload of plans I had no idea how to install or even if I wanted to install them.

"I was thinking November 23."

"What?"

"It's a Saturday. And we would have a week before we have to go to British Columbia with Trisha."

"Oh. My. God." I breathed. "Okay."