Jace woke up to the sound of a door closing and a lock clicking into place. Ten more minutes, please. He rolled over onto his front in an attempt to get more sleep, immediately regretting the action. Stupid mornings. He sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, silently cursing his morning erection and wondering why his nipples were so sore. The bright sunlight pouring through the east-facing window didn't help either. But he did appreciate the way it warmed his skin. His sticky skin that probably needed a wash. It was a moment before he realized his situation: stark naked in someone else's bed, said someone else noticeably missing from the studio apartment. Damn, morning sex would've been great right about now.
Glancing around the apartment, Jace was surprised by how tidy, for lack of a better word, it was considering how they had taken advantage of every available surface the night before. Up against the apartment door, the bathroom door, the sliding closet doors, on top of the kitchen island, the queen-sized bed, the coffee table, the floor between the coffee table and entertainment system, the window, the sofa, and the bed again. Wow, last night was fucking fantastic.
He got out of bed to stretch his legs, moseying around the small apartment. He liked how she decorated the place. The abstract painting above the sofa especially captured his attention as he noted subtle intricacies hidden within the chaos. That observation definitely applied to the apartment, making him wonder if it applied to the owner as well. After a few moments of admiration, he searched for his boxers, which he distinctly remembered losing somewhere near the coffee table. Nope, no boxers by the coffee table...or any clothes on the floor or furtinture for that matter. When did she possibly have the time? His search ended at the kitchen island. On it were a stack of his clothes, his wallet, a new toothbrush, a fresh mug of coffee, and a note. He walked over, drawn to the coffee, and very annoyed at his still-present-but-less-so erection. Putting on his boxers, he saw that the note was addressed to "Guy from Last Night." How oh so very clever. Leaning against the counter, Jace drank his coffee and began reading.
Good morning Guy from Last Night (I don't believe your name is Jon, sue me)
I'm sure you've noticed that I'm gone. Weird, because it's my place, right? I'm not so worried. I don't normally let strangers stay in after I've left, but you seemed like a decent guy. Apparently I have too much faith in humanity...and I gave up on trying to wake you. I didn't go through any of your things, so don't snoop around my apartment, that's just tacky and creepy. There's a spare key hanging by the door. Lock up when you're done and drop it off at the unit across the hall. Don't be an asshole who tries running away with it or you're shit out of luck. I gave them your phone and keys (sorry not sorry) so the only way you're getting those back is if you return my key.
Anyway, I'm assuming you're a reasonable enough person not to abuse my hospitality. Drink the coffee, get dressed, and get out :)
Stay classy,
Not whatever name I told you last night (I forgot, it happens)
P.S. Too bad you sleep like the dead. Typically, any guy that can get me to orgasm the morning after gets my name and number. But it was impossible to wake you. Morning sex would've been awesome for you ;) Btw, how are those nipples doing?
Jace groaned at the postscript, hardening a bit more as he imagined the different things she probably tried to wake him up. That probably explained the sore nipples. How did I not wake up for that? He was tempted to just palm himself right there in the middle of her empty apartment but thought better of it. That counted as creepy, right? But fuck, he couldn't stop imagining her slowly riding his cock, sheets pooled around their bodies. Squeezing her perfectly-sized breasts in his hands as she moaned above him.
"Well fuck me," Jace huffed out, folding up the letter and downing the remaining coffee. He sat at the island wishing his boner would go away, waiting for the caffeine to kick in. He wasn't usually a heavy sleeper or that exhausted in the morning, but figured it was a combination of jet lag and his encounter with the sex goddess last night.
Once he felt alert enough, he checked the time on the microwave and cursed loudly when he saw that it was already 8:52 am and rapidly started pulling his clothes on. Luckily for him there were no longer buttons on his shirt. One less thing to worry about. And the thought of his mother chastising him for his appearance got rid of his erection quickly. Pocketing his wallet, the toothbrush, and the letter, he bolted out of the apartment not caring that he didn't get to shower or brush his teeth. He definitely looked and smelled like a disaster in last night's ruined clothes. A string of profanities tumbled out of his mouth as he fumbled with the lock and key. Damn you, apartment 3E. Damn you.
Why the urgency? Jace needed to meet his parents for breakfast at 9 am. But hey, at least he had coffee?
The Idris Art Gallery and Studio, Clary's most favorite place to be and also her current place of employment. Idris opened two years ago. Serendipitously, Clary started there six months after its opening. Her boss, Len, was having breakfast at the diner where Clary used to work. She fell in love with a painting that hung on the wall. Asked who the artist was. Clary revealed herself. They got to chatting. Clary told her about her artistic background and her art degree. Len told her she just opened a gallery and art studio and was looking for artists who wouldn't mind being gallery assistants. A year and a half later, Clary was in love with her job, her coworkers, and her boss. How often does that happen?
After unlocking the place and setting down the provisions in the office, she got to work uncovering the art around the gallery. She was a third of the way through when Maia, a fellow coworker, walked in and gave her a hug. "Goooood morning!" Clary laughed at her chipper attitude. "Where's Len?" Maia asked as she helped Clary with the artwork.
"She's coming in late today. Something about something something," Clary responded with a shrug, earning a chuckle from Maia. "I brought coffee from Java Jones though. And Kaelie gave me a new batch of doughnuts to sample. They're in the office." But all Maia needed to hear were the names Java Jones and Kaelie before she dropped the covering and practically ran to the office. "Save some doughnuts for the boys!" Clary called out after her friend, shaking her head. But Clary understood the reaction. Coffee from Java Jones and anything homemade from Kaelie really were the perfect combination.
"Clary, there are a dozen doughnuts per box! And you brought two boxes! Did you really think I would eat all of them?" Maia asked a few minutes later with two doughnuts and a cup of coffee in hand.
"Yes. I would've eaten them all, but fortunately for you, Kae told me I had to share," Clary grumbled, finishing up the last of the coverings just as their two other coworkers, Meliorn and Raphael, arrived with armfuls of blank canvases for the art class this evening. It was a Monday after all.
"Kaelie is a godsend," Maia laughed. "Well, thanks for sharing with us lowly peasants instead of being a selfish doughnut hoarder!" And at the word doughnuts, the two boys ran for the office as well. Doughnuts definitely overruled unloading the rest of the art supplies from the van.
Len came in way later than expected, so Clary and Maia had to handle more business type things for the gallery than usual which meant they spent less time in the studio. There wasn't anything Clary desperately needed to work on and no deadlines to meet anyway. But by the end of the day, she was grateful that it was Meliorn's turn to lead the class. All she and Raphael had to do was walk around and observe, answering any questions or fetching more supplies as needed. Everyone seemed to be getting on okay so she slipped into Len's office and munched away on a doughnut.
"I knew I'd find you here," a voice called out from the door way, startling Clary, almost making her drop her treat. She turned and found her boss staring at her, an amused look on her face. "Those doughnuts were great, by the way. Do you think Kaelie would mind making me a dozen of the mango ones? They were divine."
Clary chuckled, finishing off her snack. "Yeah, definitely. She was worried about that one, but she'll be glad to know it was a hit." Clary reached for another one, splitting it with Len, who happily accepted. "Please don't rat me out to the boss. I hear she's a witch."
"You're hilarious. And useless. What do I pay you for again?" Len joked. Clary curtsied. "So Clary, how's the love life treating you?" Clary made a face at her sort of surrogate mother in this city. This wasn't an unusual topic between them. But Len knew Clary was in no hurry to find a boyfriend so she was confused as to why it got brought up again. When Clary shoved the pastry into her mouth to avoid responding, Len lifted one eyebrow, challenging the girl.
"Ugh, fine. I met a cute guy last night," Clary responded with her mouth full, thinking about the hot piece of man she left in her bed this morning, still upset she didn't get the morning dick. Okay, so she didn't want a boyfriend...she just wanted someone to fuck occasionally. And regardless of how close they were, Clary never talked about her sex life with Len. Dating, sure. Sex, no. She reserved those conversations for Magnus and Kaelie. "But other than that...these doughnuts are treating me better than love," she continued after swallowing what was left.
Len grinned at Clary, a glint of mischief in her eye, "Well, you knooow..." Oh, no. No, no no.
Clary pointed a finger at the older woman. "No. I know where you're going with this, and I refuse." Exit strategy. I need an exit strategy. "Oh, is that Raphael calling me?" Well that was original. "I better go. You don't pay me to sit around and eat fried goodness!" And she bolted out of the office, leaving a laughing Len behind. Bullet dodged.
New story! What do we think? This will be a multi-chapter with more smut along the way, so stick around!
And for those wondering about Locked Out...I'm working on it! Hopefully this new story helps with the waiting.