I let out a relieved sigh when Jace pulled the car into the parking lot of an old motel. We had been driving non stop for over a day and we ahead of schedule, so we could afford to rest up for a few hours in a bed. Jace returned with two room keys as I took my overnight bag out of the back seat of the Mustang. He was unusually silent during our trek to our rooms, but I chalked it up to him being exhausted. After all, he was doing most of the driving.

I took a quick shower and pulled on another one of my tops. I wasn't planning on staying in a motel, so I didn't have any bottoms to sleep in. And I certainly wasn't sleeping in my jeans.

I thought sleep would come easy, since I was tired… but I was so wrong.

I paused to listen – there was come giggling, followed by a deeper male voice, and then the familiar sound of bedsprings bouncing.

"Oh, for fucks sake." I muttered, tugging the dingy sheets up higher to cover my head. I wondered if Jace could hear them across the hall.

He would probably swap with me, given I asked. Unless he was already asleep, which was a possibility.

I turned on my side and stared at the wall. Moonlight filtered in through the curtains that weren't fully closed, it was enough to illuminate the subtle pattern on the walls. I occupied myself for a while, imagining different patterns in the design, before a sudden bang against the far wall caused me to sit up abruptly.

The bang happened again, and again, and I realized it was the headboard from next door, repeatedly hitting the wall. A loud, pleasured wail confirmed it.

I scowled at the wall in annoyance. As if in retaliation, the headboard banged against it louder.

I huffed, throwing the sheets off and planting my feet on the floor. Jace had better be awake because I was not sleeping next to that any longer.

I crossed the hall and knocked twice on Jace's door, hoping no one would see me in a short top and cheeky underwear. He just started at me when he opened the door. He had obviously just gotten out of the shower, wearing only pants, hair wet and spiking in different directions. He looked more tired that surprised when I pushed past him into the room. He shut the door and turned to look at me with one eyebrow raised.

I sat on the edge of the bed and nodded my head towards the door. "The couple in the room next to mine are having a very good, very loud time. "

He made a face but said nothing as he walked around the bed and sat on the other side. He remained uncharacteristically quiet, leaning against the headboard on the side of the bed he clearly claimed.

"Well?" I ventured when it became obvious he wasn't going to speak.

He rolled his eyes and slid down deliberately, pulling back the covers and slipping under them. He turned and faced the opposite wall, his back to me. "You can stay, or you can go back there, but there is no way I am moving."

I opened my mouth ready to retort when Jace unexpectedly reached out and hit the light switch, plunging the room into darkness. The fact that he hadn't even attempted to fight me on this felt somewhat insulting.

"Hey!"

"Hey yourself," he retorted blandly. "Either shut up and get in, or head back to the orgy."

It really wasn't much of a decision. I absolutely knew that I wasn't willing to go back to lying alone in the dark listening to obnoxious sex. Still, I made a show of huffing and muttering for a while before I got under the covers.

Jace made no move to invade my space when I turned around and settled myself in the bed. Though his back was to me, I could feel the warmth radiating from him. It took a good amount of self-control not to move closer.

Even from the other side of the hall, if I listened hard enough, I could still hear the loud giggles and moans of the sex friends. In the silence of the room, I wondered if Jace could hear them too. I considered asking him, but he was so quiet that I thought he might have fallen asleep. I paused listening in the darkness, and sure enough, his breaths were deep and even.

He wasn't a peaceful sleeper – he twisted and mumbled and at one point turned over. His eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks; damp hair fell against his forehead, and I was suddenly struck by how incredibly handsome he looked.

The space between us was slightly less now, though not uncomfortably so. If anything, I found myself looking for excuses to close the gap. I reasoned that he was asleep and wouldn't notice if I were to consciously shift a little closer.

A particularly loud moan from across the hall jolted me back to reality and appeared to stir Jace. His eyes fluttered a moment, focusing blearily on my face. He didn't seem confused about my presence in his bed, despite just waking up.

He blinked, then smiled. I returned it, knowing well that there was a definite softness in my expression to match the one I could see in his. No grins, no raised eyebrows, or eye rolling.

As quickly as it began, the moment passed. His smile became a smirk, and he rolled onto his back and spoke to the ceiling. "You weren't lying. They're having a ball over there."

I hummed in agreement, unable to pull myself from this moment. It was already past one, and I still hadn't even begun to fall asleep. I could see Jace stilling back into unconsciousness already.

Before he could fall asleep entirely, however, Jace stretched his arm out across to me. I looked at it, then at him, blinking in confusion. His eyes remained shut, but I could see a small smile playing on his lips. It was an invitation, one which I regarded with suspicion.

Jace wasn't mean, but I wasn't entirely sure that this wasn't going to be some kind of last minute joke at my expense.

Finally, cautiously, I allowed myself to move closer to him. It was warmer on his side of the bed, which was already an improvement. He wrapped his arm loosely around me, and I needed no more encouragement to press against his side, seeping up his body heat and sighing, softly.

His grip around me tightened momentarily, some semblance of a hug, I imagined. It was short and sweet, and felt like a promise without words.

It was much easier to fall asleep this time, even to the soundtrack of the stamina-laden sex friends.