**ALL CHARACTERS AND EVERYTHING MORTAL INSTRUMENTS RELATED IS OWNED BY CASSANDRA CLARE**

When Clarissa woke up the next morning she found herself tangled up in a combination of sheets and limbs. Positioned on her side, she found that one leg was still draped over Jace's hip and the other was sandwiched between his two legs. His arms were warped around her waist. She opened her eyes to see a perfectly sculpted, golden chest. With her hand she slowly ran up and down his abs, knowing full well that it would wake him up.

"Mmmm," Clarissa was able to feel the vibrations ripple through his chest. "Morning, babe. That was some night." One of Jace's hands left her waist and found her face. He directed her face upwards to his and their lips met. Their tongues tangled instantly as Jace pulled her closer. The kiss was brief and soon enough they broke apart.

Clarissa untangled herself and sat on the side of the bed, her back facing Jace. Wanting to play around a bit, she looked over her shoulder and smirked at Jace and asked, "What's your name again?"

He was laying on his side and faster than she thought possible Jace had her back on the bed, hovering over her. "So that's how you want to play it, huh? Maybe I should," he ground his hips into hers, "jog your memory?"

Clarissa's hands found their way into his hair and she tugged on it as Jace's lips began his assault on her neck. "Yeah, I think you should."

His hands glided slowly up and down her naked flesh, sending shivers down her spine. She could feel that familiar heat begin to rise between her legs. Jace smiled against her skin as she moaned loudly at his touch. His mouth made a slow decent down her neck and came to a stop at her hardened nipple. He clamped his mouth over it and began sucking while swirling his tongue around it.

"Jace…" she let out a long moan and was answered with his chuckle.

"That's what I thought." He rolled right off of her and bed and stood before her in all his naked glory.

Clarissa's jaw dropped as she took his full appearance in, feeling herself get even wetter. He was even better than she remembered from last night. He was toned perfectly and it looked like he didn't have an inch of fat anywhere on him. His golden skin, paired with his gold eyes and blonde hair, caused him to look like he was shining.

"Is that a little drool I see, Clary?" He threw her a wicked grin before turning around and walking out to the hallway.

"You're such a tease!" Clarissa called after him.

"Back at ya, babe," she heard him yell from the front room.

Smiling to herself, Clarissa wrapped herself in the bed sheet and walked out to see Jace putting his clothes back on. She was surprised by the disappointment that she felt in her chest. "Leaving so soon?"

Jace looked up from buttoning his shirt, "Yeah, I figured we both have stuff to do. Plus, I'll be seeing you later."

She crossed her arms, as well as she could with the sheet bound tightly around her, "Oh will I? And what makes you think I want to see you later? Wasn't this," she motioned between them, "sufficient enough?" As much as she enjoyed messing with him, she secretly didn't want him to stop pursuing her.

"Clary, no one is asking you to fall in love. Would seeing me one more time kill you?" Without waiting for a response, Jace winked and walked out her door.

. . .

Jace waited a moment after he shut the door. He didn't know why he said that last line, it just slipped out of his mouth. Usually he didn't see a girl the day after sleeping with her. Hell, he usually didn't even stay the night. But no matter what he didn't usually do, he wanted to. He wanted to see her again; he wanted to stay with her last night. Nothing about this girl was usual so therefore his rule book went out the window.

"Well, fuck," he mused as he walked out of her apartment building, all the while thinking about the situation he was got himself into. He thought of the previous night, how comfortable he felt standing next to her, how perfect her lips felt against his, how she moved under him. Image after image flashed through his mind and before he knew it, he was standing in front of her favorite coffee stand. He didn't want Clary to see him there just yet so he quickly crossed the street and sat at one of the tables outside of a small café. He put his head in his hands and pulled his hair a little.

Why was she stuck in his head? He couldn't even identify the feeling that was deep in his gut. This has never happened to him before; he's never felt anything about any other girl.

"Well look who it is," said a familiar voice.

Jace looked up and saw a girl with a dark complexion and dark hair. "Maia."

"Jace. You okay? You don't look so hot." She sat down in the chair next to him.

"I'm fine. And I'm always hot," he smirked at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm meeting Jordan in an hour so I figured I'd get some coffee first."

"Well there's a coffee stand right across the street," he snapped. Jace suddenly didn't feel like talking to her anymore. There was only one girl on his mind at the moment and he wanted to sort out his thoughts before seeing her again.

"Aren't we testy this morning?" Jace noticed that she moved in closer and pushed his chair back a little. "Tell me, is it because you haven't been laid recently?"

Jace just gave her a look, "Quite the opposite, actually. Not that it's any of your business, Maia."

Maia just shrugged. "Doesn't matter, I like knowing. Anyway, what's wrong with this girl that's got you so worked up?"

"There's nothing wrong with her. Except for the fact that I can't get her out of my head."

"Wow, the mighty Jace Herondale finally likes a girl. So who is it?" Maia cracked up.

"Shut up. It's the girl from the art gallery. And I've liked girls before, just not like this." Jace put his head back in his hands.

"No, you've wanted to sleep with girls before. You've never actually liked them."

"Whatever, Maia. Go get your coffee and leave me alone, okay?" His irritation was growing the longer she sat there.

"Hey," Jace looked up at her and saw that she was standing. "I'm sorry that this girl got under your skin, even if it is highly amusing, okay?"

Jace was just about to say "sure" when Maia plopped down in his lap and pressed her lips to his.

Of course, instinct got the better of him, but then he realized who was kissing him. Jace roughly pushed Maia off his lap and stood up. "What the fuck, Maia!"

Maia just sat back down in her chair and gave Jace a smug grin.

"Get that look off your face. What about Jordan? What about - "

"Unlike someone else, Jordan isn't here." The grin never left her face.

Jace was just about to ask what she was talking about when a flash of red caught his peripheral vision. He whipped his head around just in time to see a small form with bright red hair walking away from the coffee stand.

"Oh, fuck no," he whispered to himself, and then turned to Maia. "What are you playing at?"

"Well, just because you didn't take Jordan's bet doesn't mean that we couldn't have any fun." She was completely calm, as opposed to Jace who was practically shaking from anger.

He must have realized that he was still standing and shouting because he sat back down and lowered his voice. "You hated the idea of Jordan and me placing bets on girls. Why make a side bet?"

Maia shrugged and said, "Just a little harmless fun. Jordan bet that you would actually go for the girl and of course get her; I chose the opposite and bet that you wouldn't get her. And it looked like I just won that one."

"Wrong on both counts. It's not harmless and I did get her; a lot of her." He smirked at the memories of the previous night. "But you know what? I'm through with your games. Stop messing with our lives." With that, Jace stood up and left Maia sitting by herself at the café.

Knowing what that scene must have looked like, he wanted to get to Clary so he could explain what just happened. He wasn't sure where Clary went, but he figured starting at her office would be a good choice.

. . .

Walking into her father's office building, Clarissa knew she wore an angry expression and ignored the looks from those also walking through the building. Once she reached her office she opened the door with such force that it slammed against the wall behind it, startling Izzy.

"Sorry," she grunted and made her way over to her desk.

"Clarissa, what's wrong? Something go wrong with Mr. Perfect?" Izzy came over and stood by Clarissa's desk; she didn't meet Izzy's questioning gaze.

"Mr. Perfect isn't so perfect." She wasn't looking at anything in particular, her mind kept returning to the image if that girl in Jace's lap kissing him. It was only a quick glimpse but it was enough to make her angry.

"Oh. You mean he was," Izzy held up her forefinger and thumb and held them so that there was a small gap between them. "Well, that's disappointing."

"No, Iz. In that department he was perfect." She took a dreamily sigh and let herself remember the previous night before shaking her head. "It was later this morning after I left my apartment that wasn't so perfect. Let's just say Mr. Perfect is more like Mr. 'Player'."

"I'm not really following you. What did he do after he left?"

Was she really going to have to say it out loud? "I saw him by my coffee stand. Kissing another girl, Iz."

"Oh, girl. I am so sorry."

Clarissa just waved her comment away, "It's fine. I don't know why I'm so worked up about it anyway; I'm the one who said it was a one-night stand."

"You like him." It wasn't a question. It was a statement, and Clarissa knew Izzy was right.

"I barely know him," even though Izzy may be right, that doesn't mean Clarissa couldn't deny it – or at least try to deny it.

Izzy sat down on the edge of her desk. "Does that really matter? You like him and don't even try fighting this one, it's written all over your face."

"I guess. But, Izzy - " A familiar voice cut her off and she turned toward the direction of her door. She froze instantly when she saw Jace standing right outside, asking another man for directions to her office.

"Can you tell me which office is Clarissa Fairchild Morgenstern's?" Jace waited to be told that he was standing right in front of it and in two seconds flat, he was standing just inside of her office. "Clary."

He sounded slightly out of breath. Did he run here? Is it because he knew she saw him with that other girl? Why would he care anyway? These plus other questions ran through Clarissa's mind. She wanted to ask him so badly, but for some unknown reason she just stood there blinking at him. Speechless.

It was Izzy who spoke up first. But she didn't ask a question Clarissa wanted an answer to, "What did you just call her and why?"

Jace rolled his eyes. "I called her 'Clary' because that's her name. Well, a nickname. Do you mind giving us a minute alone?" Jace just stared at Izzy with a look of annoyance. And never one to back down from a challenge, Izzy stared right back.

"Iz, it's fine." Clarissa spoke up, breaking the tension coming from Jace and Izzy.

"Alright, let me know if you need me though. I'll be right outside."

Once Izzy left the room filled back up with a whole different kind of tension.

"What do you want, Jace?"

For once, he didn't crack a joke or try to charm her with his smile. "What did you see?"

Clarissa sighed. "Does it matter? Last night was just a one-night stand. Why should I care if you kiss other girls right after or not?"

She watched Jace think about his answer. His facial expressions went from confused to anger to a steady, slightly scary calmness. "Fuck it," she heard him mumble to himself before addressing her. "Do you think if last night was only a one-night stand for me that I'd run here once I knew that you saw me? That girl means nothing to me. Nothing. In fact she's dating my best friend."

"Didn't look that way to me."

"I know, I'm sorry. Please, give me a chance to explain everything to you."

Clarissa turned back around and faced her desk. "And what if last night was only a one-night stand for me? Ever think about that?" Her voice gave her away; it shook slightly and Clarissa knew that Jace didn't believe her for a minute. She didn't even believe herself.

"That's not true. Clary, look at me." She turned around and found that Jace had moved in closer to her. "I…I like you. I've never said that to a girl before. I've never cared about a girl before. But you, you're different. You're beautiful and interesting and so much more than any other girl I've ever met. I know you feel the same way, Clary."

Clarissa was looking at Jace while he spoke and when he finished she broke the eye contact. "What do you want me to say Jace? We've only known each other for two days. How could you say that we have feelings for each other when we don't even know each other?"

"Then let's get to know one another. Isn't that how relationships start?" Jace must've felt like he was getting somewhere because he gave her that flawless grin of his.

Izzy's words rang in her head. You like him. It was true, she did. But she kept telling herself that it was sheer curiosity and physical attraction. Deeper feelings just don't pop up after two days…right?

Reluctantly Clarissa answered, "I guess…I mean it couldn't hurt right? Getting to know each other?"

"Right. Let me take you for lunch." Jace's grin widened, "Plus, I believe you still owe me that second date."

"I guess I do," Clarissa said as she wrote a quick note for Izzy about leaving for lunch.

She walked out of her office and the complex with Jace, wondering what it would be like to have Jace as her boyfriend.

Would this really work?

A/N: Short, late and all around crappy. I'm sorry for the delay. I don't really have an excuse. =\

On a lighter note: on my profile I've posted a small summary of the next story I will be working on. Let me know if you want a happy or sad ending. (I'd post a poll, but I don't know how)

And last, but certainly not least: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and added this to their favorites/alerts and of course to those who read this!

Hope everyone had a good holiday :)