Hi guys soooooo, here is chapter eight, I know it took some time but for those of you that didn't read the little note I put up, my computer had to be completely cleaned out after it got some really bad virus so I lost everything I wrote, all my music, documents and pictures. I had to write all this from the beginning. But personally I think that this one is better than the original… oh well.

So I will shut my mouth and let you read. Lol… :D

Enjoy!

8. The Cherry Blossom Tree

And I fell for you
like the blossom
from the cherry trees

-unknown

Her eyes were still closed when she saw the sparkling light of the sun reflected on her face through her closed eyelids. She felt the delicious warmth on her cheeks as it poured in through the window where the drapes had been removed and set aside the night before and she had forgotten to replace them.

The night before.

Clary burst up in bed as everything that had happened; the smooth caresses, tender kisses and whispered words flooded her mind and a slow smile spread across her face. All the things that she had told Jace and he had told her still sent tingles through her body. She knew, in all honesty, that this little fling could not last. Eventually she would have to face the truth that regardless of how much she might like him, or how much her body most obviously craved his, she couldn't have him; she owed it to her father.

Clary turned her gaze to the clock beside her bed and noticed that it was just past seven. Therefore, getting up she rushed to the bathroom, more than a little excited to see Jace. How would he act today? What would he do now that they had both agreed to ignore everything they were being told and just embrace their feelings like they had wanted to do for so long? Only one way to find out.

She turned the water on in the shower and nearly ran inside. Clary had an hour, at most, to shower, fix her hair and find the perfect outfit that made her look sexy yet classy. Something that seemed like she didn't try too hard or spend forty-five minutes in front of her closet picking clothes as if she were going to meet the queen.

She rushed out of the bathroom and dried off quickly flying over to her curling iron. It was the fastest alternative to tame her rebellious head of curls. After fixing several soft curls that fell lightly down her back and landed just above her butt, she headed to her closet. Now to find the tightest pair of jeans she owned. But that was easier said than done because at the moment she was having one of those 'I have no clothes to wear' crises. Every girl has them when, even as she stood in front of her walk-in closet that was probably only slightly smaller than a miniature MacDonald's, she still had no clue what to wear.

So she walked to stand before a color coordinated wall of blue, from lightest to darkest, and shuffled through all the different pairs of jeans.

"Nope… no… too loose… too tight… makes my butt look squared… makes my butt look too big… make it look like I have no butt." And the list went on and on and then she ran across the third to last pair and looked at it, analyzed it a bit and with a smile and only one thought on her mind she slipped them on. They were an extremely fitted pair of jeans and after adding a, what she hoped was classy, cardigan over a dark blouse and a very comfy pair of flats she headed downstairs.

Clary kept her steps silent, carefully going down each one and avoiding the loud clanking noise that shoes so often made. Her eyes focused on the space before her as she stepped into the foyer; it was still early so most lights were turned off or dimmed to provide at least a fickle of illumination in case someone wanted to snack in the middle of the night.

That particular habit started awhile after a small, well maybe large would be a better word, incident with her father. Luke had gone downstairs but tripped on god knows what and had nearly broken a hip. After a trip to the hospital and a few very long weeks in bed he had a series of lights installed throughout the house that were set to be turn on at night. Clary laughed at the memory although at the time it was anything but funny. As she cleared the stairs and walked through the living room, she finally stepped into the kitchen, the lights still dimmed like they were the night before proving that no one had been there.

Grabbing a cup she made herself some coffee and sat down letting her thoughts and memories float freely. She had denied herself so much in the past few weeks, they both had. Every though she knew she shouldn't be having, especially those that involved minimal clothing and crude language, she had blocked out or ignored. And when all else failed and they still wouldn't stop Clary had proceeded to finding a nice sturdy brick to hit herself in the head for even considering the thought. But now after her talk with Jace, after their kiss, she didn't know if she would be strong enough to continue doing the same.

"Good morning" a deep, beautiful and very familiar voice whispered in her ear. His warm breath gliding over her skin, sending goose bumps down her back and nearly making her jump out of her seat in what was a very pleasant surprise.

Clary turned around and found Jace in a pair of low slung jeans and a blue shirt that was just clingy enough to hint at was underneath; she could see the cut line of muscle. The sleeves of his shirt though were up to his elbows, completely hiding the tattoo on his biceps and Clary wondered, for just a moment, if perhaps he was ashamed of them.

"Good morning." She whispered right back, spinning herself around in the seat to face him. A broad smile stretched across his face as he caught sight of her and immediately his hands went to her hips and his feet pulled him closer to her, moving to stand between her legs. "How did you sleep?"

He had now moved his head closer to hers, nuzzling her neck as he whispered "better than ever." She could feel the corners of his lips turned up in amusement and just his closeness made the hairs on her neck stand on end and the most amazing, yet unexpected, thrill shoot up her spine.

"Good, it was a pretty… unique night" she said, a light blush spreading across her pale skin at the reminder.

He pulled away from her but made sure to catch her eye in the space separating them "I meant every word I said. God knows my father, hell, our fathers, will probably murder both of us, but I just don't care anymore Clary. "

"Jace," she started not sure how to start with so many strange emotions in her. On one hand Clary wanted to grab his shirt and drag him into her and then proceed to kiss him senseless until she couldn't breathe. But on the other hand, she wanted to pack up and leave him before they both got too attached and the inevitable separation came like she knew it would. "I like you. I mean that's no secrete, but it's a lot that we're risking here. There's too much on the line, are you really willing to jeopardize that?"

Jace's eyes glowed "First of all, they don't have to find out" he smirked, the ever so sexy smirk that only Jace could do perfectly, blossomed once more, she hadn't seen it in a while and it was nice seeing it again—ok well, maybe it was more than nice. His hands landed on her waist once more before bringing both their bodies together. "And second of all, whatever is 'on the line' will be worth it if I get you."

Clary's breath caught in her throat and she had the undeniable urge to shout 'awwwww' very loudly but thankfully before she had the chance his lips descended on hers and before she knew it, she was kissing him back. It was all soft, and wet and so very warm. Her entire body seemed to be on fire, from head to toe. Clary knew a few things for certain: no one else's kisses could do to her what Jace's could, no one's words could ever make her breath catch in her throat and no one, not even her soon-to-be-husband, because saying fiancé made everything feel so much more real to her, could make her feel this intense heat radiating from every pore in her body.

She could feel herself getting lost in his embrace but the reminder of exactly where it was that they were still sat in the back of her mind, of course, it was blocked out by so many other thoughts to the point where it was almost nothing but a faint echo. "Jace?" she murmured against his lips.

"Mmmm" his lips still moved against hers and his arms still held her tightly as if he were just as unwilling to release her.

"Jace, my dad or yours could come down at any moment and then they'd either take you away from me or lock me in a small room until the wedding."

He pulled away just far enough to rest his forehead against hers "I checked on your father and he was sleeping, well technically he was snoring like a locomotive."

She giggled, actually giggled like a school girl. "What about your father or my sisters or the work staff."

"god, why the hell do you people have so much going on in this damn house" he said "it's almost impossible to, say, kiss my secrete girlfriend without attracting some sort of attention."

Clary laughed "I bet. Come on before your dad comes downstairs and finds us." And then pulling his hand, she slowly brought him out of the kitchen. "There's something I want to show you."

Clary knew just where she wanted to take him, the one place not many people knew about in the gardens where she would go to sit and draw and forget that she was responsible for running half of a worldwide corporation.

Their hands hung between them, tightly intertwined, as Jace followed her throughout the house. Past the living room, family room and finally through the sliding glass doors that lead to the backyard, which in reality was a bit more like a small park. They passed the most beautiful flower bushes, flawlessly carved trees, the cutest paths that Clary just loved. Before she knew it they had gotten to her favorite space. It consisted of a small bench and a couple flowers but the centerpiece of the area, the reason she loved it so much, was the cherry blossom tree with its extended branches dripping pink flowers and the breeze that swept through the tree seeming to make it come to life as it swayed in the breeze, dancing to the sound of nature.

A small smile spread across Clary's lips as the wind and peacefulness overwhelmed her and she turned to face Jace who just stood behind her, curiously watching.

"You seem so happy here."

"I Am." she said, walking to stand in his arms as he enveloped her in his embrace, just drowning in his scent. Clary looked up at him to catch his eye and she smiled as he smiled back.

"Tell me about this place." Jace whispered.

"Well, when I was younger mom and dad would be out a lot. At work functions, meetings and stuff like that, Aline, Izzy and I would be left home alone with some nanny. They were older so they'd do their thing while I'd stay in my room bored to death." She grinned a bit at the memory and caught Jace's smirk too. "So one faithful day I decided I was tired of being in my room and headed out to, you know, explore a bit and I found this place. I must've been six at the time. I've come here ever since."

Clary had truly fallen in love with the small garden when she first saw it, not many people knew it was here, just her and her father, even the gardeners didn't know. It was just her little piece of heaven.

"How about these flowers?" he asked pointing at the copious arrangement surrounding the bench.

"I planted those a long time ago. It was mostly my favorite color at the time but when they had grown out I already liked a different color so I'd plant one more flower."

"You were a very indecisive girl weren't you?" He teased as they both laughed "should I be worried that you might change your mind and dump me?"

Clary stretched on her tip toes to reach his lips, softly kissing him and whispering against his mouth "you have nothing to worry about."

"Good." He said before pulling her in and she melted into him until a loud buzz and the vibrations coming from her behind made her jump so high if it hadn't been for Jace's arms around her she'd have hit the floor. Pulling out the offending object and cursing whoever it was for interrupting their moment, she looked at the screen her brows pulling together as she noticed the name flashing back at her, her father.

"It's my dad." she said and Jace looked back, a questioning look on his face as Clary pressed the talk button.

"Hi daddy."

"Clare, where are you honey we've got a few people here to see you."

"I was just showing Jace around the lands… and who's here to see me?" she asked, more than a little skeptical.

"Just a few business people. Hurry back."

"What? Dad, who is it?" but the line was already dead so she turned to face Jace "apparently there are some people there to see me. We have to get going."

"Who is it?" he asked.

"I don't know, dad didn't tell me and just when it was getting good."

One of his eyebrows quirked up "Remind me to talk to your dad about timing later."

She laughed before tugging on his hand to bring him along the same path they come by. "Jace, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Why do you hide your tattoos?"

She heard him inhale and stiffen slightly before speaking up "I got them when I was a teenager so it's not really something I like to exhibit and well, in our line of work tattoos are somewhat frowned upon." He said, rather carefully Clary noticed.

"Oh." The conversation died from then on and they walked along the path in a peaceful silence, hands intertwined. That was another thing Clary loved about him, the way talk was unnecessary, she never felt the need to fill the silence with useless chatter the way she did with everybody else. Jace pulled her to him as they neared the back door and kissed her once more.

"I wish we could do this in front of everybody else." He said "but I can't so this'll have to do."

"I wish you could too." Clary released his hand and they walked through the door side by side, Jace's hand brushing hers from time to time sending little shivers up her spine. But that all died as she saw who stood beside her father, talking as if they were life-long friends.

"Hello father. Hello Raphael." She said trying her hardest to keep the venom out of her voice as she said his name and caught the expression on Jace's face that seemed to scream murder. She took in the deadly glances both the man by her side, the one she was falling in love with and the man before her, whom she was forced to marry were sending each other. Great, just great and her morning had started off on such a good note but the saying must be true after all, all good things really do come to an end, she thought bitterly.

000000000000-000000000000

Jace could feel his fists clench the moment he caught sight of Raphael Garcia. He had always had pretty violent tendencies, leftovers from his days as a teenager being in places and doing things he probably shouldn't, but even that was nothing compared to the fury coursing through him at that very moment. He wanted to pull Clary into him, to protect her from the eyes of this vile man, but he couldn't do that, not in front of her father. This was all happening because of him and his father, then again if Stephan hadn't insisted on keeping Graymark corporations all to himself he wouldn't have met Clary.

So pushing aside his irrational urge to pummel the idiotic man before him, he stepped forwards and shook his hand. "Mr. Garcia." It was a simple greeting but he just couldn't risk saying anything else without accidently speaking the words crowding his mind at the moment and those were more along the lines of 'stay the hell away from Clary if you don't want to lose a few appendages!'

"Pleased to meet you, I was just passing by to speak with my fiancé." Jace's jaw clenched as he turned around to see Clary, who looked less than pleased to be seeing him. This made Jace happy; very, very happy.

"Actually," Clary spoke, her voice sending slight thrills through him "I kind of had some important things to be doing at the office later this afternoon." He sighed internally out of relief that she wouldn't have to go with this man, for now at least she was his and he was hers.

"I'm sure that can be postponed." her father said

"Truthfully daddy, I spoke with Hodge and said I would help him go over some rate sheets for the meeting Thursday. You know I'm the best one for that." then she seemed to be thinking something over before turning to Jace "now that I think about it, didn't you say you'd help me Jace?" she asked, a gleam in her eyes.

This girl was a genius; he thought and nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah, I almost forgot." He said going along with her plan, thinking how impossible it was since she had already gone over those sheets maybe two weeks ago.

"Oh, well in that case…"

Clary beamed before walking up to her dad and kissing him on the cheek like an eager teenager before shaking hands with Raphael, who had to quickly change his expression from the scowl directed at Jace to a warm smile, a warm forced smile. Clary though didn't notice as she grabbed Jace's arm dragging him outside and looking around obviously searching for his car, the car that she would not find because just a few days ago he had turned in his BMW for something much better.

"Jace, where's your car?" she asked still searching and jumping slightly on her heel in her hurry to get out of there, he completely understood.

"It's gone."

"What do you mean gone?" Her eyes widened "you do have a car right?"

"Not exactly." He grabbed her hand pulling her into the garage and grabbing a sleek black bike from under the tarp covering it before turning to look at Clary with a smirk on his face.

"Holy shit, when did you get a motorcycle?" he chuckled and grabbed her waist pulling her into him.

"I've always been a motorcycle type of guy. I only gave them up after I started working at the corporation,"

"So you know how to drive this thing?" she looked at him hopefully.

"What?" he said raising a hand to his chest in mock hurt "Are you doubting my skills Clary?"

"No, it's just that I'm too young to die in a motorcycle accident."

Jace brought his lips to hers, not kissing just connecting as he spoke against her skin, trying his hardest to push away the emotion in him and the electric, almost fire-like spark that ignited at their contact. "I would never let anything hurt you," he whispered "I promise."

"Good" she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him to her and all at once their smooth and gentle kiss turned deep and so very passionate. Jace had never felt anything like this before. The pounding in his chest and that strange sensation in his stomach, it was all so new to him. He'd been with girls, lots of girls, but never had one elicited this type of response from him.

Now kissing Clary and feeling her small pliant body against his, how perfectly she molded to him, he didn't know what the hell he had been doing before without her. She pulled him closer, always closer, as his hands held her face and her lips parted for him. That was all he needed. His hands went from her face to her hips and lower still as he grasped her behind and she gasped into his mouth as a soft shiver raced through her. Jace moaned deep in his throat. God, what was this girl doing to him.

Her hands went under his shirt, tracing all the ridges of his abs before Jace, taking hold of her thighs, hoisted her onto the motorcycle behind him. Her legs wrapped around his waist pulling him into her. His lips left hers as he turned his attention to the delicate skin on her neck placing kisses all over her jaw, nibbling on the skin.

"Jace… my dad could see us here at any moment." She mumbled, her breath leaving her in pants as she spoke.

"Yeah, you're right" he finally removed his lips from her, which was most definitely the hardest thing he had ever had to do.

Planting one more chaste kiss on her lips, he held her waist and lifted her up off of the bike setting her on her feet. Jace reached to the side and picked up the only helmet hanging off the handle bars and handed it to her.

"What about you?" she asked.

"Don't worry babe, I told you I'm an amazing driver."

Clary giggled. "That's right. How could I have forgotten?" then she put on his helmet and he almost passed out because if he thought she looked gorgeous every time he saw her, she looked absolutely drop dead sexy at that moment.

"What?" she asked.

"You look nice." He said and loved the blush that spread across her cheeks. He had meant what he said about liking the color on her. So getting on his bike he waited for her to get on as well before starting the engine and hearing the familiar growl, he had missed it all this time. The bike lurched forward and Clary squealed, her arms tightening around his waist as they exited the garage and the sun's rays shone through.

A large smile was on his face as he zoomed past the front gates and into the streets, feeling Clary behind him and, all in all, she was the only reason he was smiling, Jace knew now that whatever thoughts he had of not falling for her, were gone because however many times he wanted to deny it, he already had.

000000000000-000000000000

Well there it is. I don't know if you guys noticed all that foreshadowing. I mean there was a whole lot… bucket full's of it.

But in case you didn't, Jace has a very big secrete he's keeping from us and he's only told me! ;D LOL!

Anyway… if you read the last chapter (7) then you know the somewhat detailed explanation of Jace's tattoo, but I'm changing it so if you want to go back and read it, feel free but if not then I will be posting a picture of it on my profile very soon. That is, if I can figure out how to do it. But well if I can get some help with that please PM me when you get a chance… please and thank-you.

Oh and if you didn't notice, I changed Raphael's last name because my friends pointed out how he was supposed to be Hispanic and that was not a Hispanic last name (I'm Cuban and English is my second language so I would know). I will be going back to the previous chapter to fix those boo-boo's.

Bye-bye till next time.