Disclaimer: I do not own Mortal Instruments; this is a work of fanfiction. The first three paragraphs are quoted directly from Ms. Clare's lovely City of Bones for context. Fanart cover by Loweana.
"We should probably go downstairs," he said again. She was sure she was making him uncomfortable with the staring, but she didn't seem to be able to stop.
"All right," she said finally. To her relief, her voice sounded normal. It was a further relief to look away from him as she turned around. The moon, directly overhead now, lit everything nearly to daylight brightness. In between one step and another she saw a white spark struck off something on the floor: It was the knife Jace had been using to cut apples, lying on its side. She jerked hastily back to avoid stepping on it, and her shoulder bumped his—he put a hand out to steady her, just as she turned to apologize, and then she was somehow in the circle of his arm and he was kissing her.
It was at first almost as if he hadn't wanted to kiss her: His mouth was hard on hers, unyielding; then he put both arms around her and pulled her against him. His lips softened. She could feel the rapid beat of his heart, taste the sweetness of apples still on his mouth. She wound her hands into his hair, as she'd wanted to since the first time she'd seen him. His hair curled around her fingers, silky and fine. Her heart was hammering, and there was a rushing sound in her ears, like beating wings—
Jace pulled away ever so slightly, keeping his body as close to hers as possible. "Clarissa," he breathed close to her ear. The passion in the word, combined with the rarity of hearing her full name, sent tingles down her spine and through her fingers.
"Jace," she said in return, voice muffled by the soft cotton of his T-shirt. Everywhere their bodies touched felt like her skin had combusted. The hard outline of his muscles felt alien, forbidden, and erotic. She breathed in deeply through her nose: soap, metal, and Jace. He filled every inch of her mind.
Crushing his lips back to hers, Jace's hands began to roam, timidly at first with growing insistence. Her fingers twirled his hair, spurring him on, making him ache all over because they weren't close enough. His hand found the nape of her neck, tilting her head so he could slip his tongue through her parted lips.
She gasped in surprise, allowing his tongue free access to hers. They tangled immediately and, to Clary's surprise, twisted around in a most natural way. Jace tasted of apples and cheese, sweet and smooth, like nothing she'd ever tasted before. His hands resumed their downward journey, sliding over the curve of her hips to give her bottom a little squeeze.
Clary withdrew at that, protesting against his smirking lips, "Jace Wayland," she muttered.
"Yes, my angel?" he asked, honey-sweet like a spider to its prey.
She looked at him then, really looked at him. The moonlight turned his golden eyes a twinkling silver, lit with mirth and desire. His lips were parted in a careless grin; his cheeks were flushed rosy pink. His hands lingered on her waist, holding her in a secure yet gentle embrace. Being so close gave Clary a continuous rush of adrenaline, making her feel dizzy and drunk. She didn't even care if the staring was awkward. "Kiss me, you idiot."
He obeyed with a bruising and passionate kiss. Heat pulsed through her like embers smoldering in a fire. She was swept away by it, caught up in the scent of him, the feel of him, the thought of him. Above the teenagers, the moon shone its silver light over the rooftops of New York City.
Then his hand grazed a spot that made Clary nearly jump. Jace withdrew immediately.
"I'm sorry," he whispered through glistening lips. "You've probably never—"
"Been groped by a horny teenager? No. I haven't had the pleasure just yet." Clary met his eyes with an equally smug look. He wanted her, she knew it. She held the carrot on the stick. Something behind Jace's piercing gaze made her feel like he had read her mind. And Jace didn't like playing second fiddle.
"The pleasure is all mine, Clary."
Sweeping her up in a lip-locked embrace, Jace urged her back against the glass of the greenhouse. The feeling of being trapped in his arms sent thrills straight to Clary's core. She liked the feeling of his tongue against hers, the scent of him so close, and the strength of his arms as they held her. When she felt his hand at her waist, fumbling for the edge of her shirt, she did not protest.
His soft, slender hand blazed a trail of heat up her stomach—up her ribs, up her sternum—leaving tingles in its wake. She could tell by the way he hesitated that he was surprised to find she wasn't wearing a bra. He didn't hesitate for long before his finger traced a circle around her nipple, sending electric sparks to dance behind her eyelids and shoot down her fingers.
She didn't realize he had begun to nibble on her bottom lip until she felt a bit of sharp teeth. The sensations caused a blissful sigh to escape her lips before he claimed them once again. She moaned softly into his mouth, puddy in his experienced hands. Hers tugged softly, rhythmically at his hair like a cat pawing a fireside rug.
His hands fell to her waistline again, this time diving under to cup her bare bottom. Clary felt a strange sense of relief that he hadn't touched that spot again. His head dropped to her neck where he began to kiss his way across her quickened pulse.
She suddenly felt him on her thigh, pressing and urgent. "Ohhh," he moaned, a blast of air across her neck as he nuzzled there. "Clarissa," he whined, almost childlike, as he ground into her.
Clary flashed back to couples dancing in Pandemonium, their bodies close enough to have sex any second. She could tell he was ready for it, but she wasn't. "Jace," she sighed, feeling a pit growing in her stomach.
But Jace didn't hear her; he was panting her name like a mantra as he held her, bodies rubbing together. Clary just about pushed him away when he started to shake, thrusting more erratically against her thigh. "Clary," he gasped, moaning in pleasure.
Clary froze, knowing what was about to happen. "Jace," she hissed, roughly shoving at him. Snapping out of his trance, he withdrew with a look of horror mixed with embarrassment. He quickly schooled his expression, releasing her as though it pained him to do so. He planted his hands on the glass on either side of her head.
"Sorry," he said for the second time that night, resting their foreheads together. "You make me so—" He stared at her from beneath his lashes, pale eyes filled with heat. "Horny."
"Clearly," she tisked, letting her hands linger on his sculpted chest. Her face was suddenly serious. "I'm just ... not ready."
"I understand," he said with unusual gentleness, but she could see the strain on his face. "I have a better idea," he said, gingerly taking her by the hand.
Clary still heard her pulse throbbing in her ears while she lay under the starless sky. With her fingers laced with Jace's, legs tangled, she imagined that this was what after-sex cuddles must feel like. Jace traced aimless circles on her wrist with his free hand, humming an unrecognizable tune. She closed her eyes, breathing his scent in deeply. She knew this would not last forever, but she intended to enjoy it.
This was so different from lying in bed with Simon.
"Are you attracted to me?" Jace asked, out-of-the-blue.
Clary let a small, exasperated sound escape. "You already know the answer to that."
"True. Who wouldn't be attracted to me?"
Clary answered the rhetorical question in her head. No one. She remembered the Downworlder waitress at Taki's and felt a rush of heat to her face. She squirmed, feeling about two inches tall.
"Hey," he murmured, as if sensing her dark thoughts. "Come here."
She placed her head on his chest as he adjusted her in his arms. Her ankle ended up at an uncomfortable angle on the pavement, but she became caught up in listening to his heartbeat: strong and steady. He combed her hair with his fingers as his breathing lulled Clary to a peaceful, happy place.
For just a few moments, thoughts of demons and vampires and Shadowhunters didn't cross either of their minds.
At the sound of rustling wings, Jace tensed up momentarily, tightening his arms around her. "Don't panic," he said, "but we've got an audience."
If you made it this far, thank you for reading! I just finished City of Bones and I'm literally waiting for my Amazon delivery of the rest of the books. Jace and Clary make such a good couple, I was so sad to find out they were siblings :(( But that doesn't stop me from shipping them in AU fanfiction ;) Let me know what you thought in a review and have a fabulous day!
