Chapter 4
I felt better than I did the last time I woke, but that could have had something to do with the arms wrapped around me. I opened my eyes and knew immediately I was on Jace's bed. He was resting up on one elbow, looking down at me.
"I knew I made girls swoon, but you are the first one that's flat out fainted on me." His cocky smirk prevalent on his face.
"You are infuriating," I groaned.
"And sexy," he continued for me, smiling and leaning in closer; his body making mine hum.
"Hmmmm, maybe a little."
"Just a little?" His body hovered over mine making me warm and causing me to shiver at the same time.
"Shut up and kiss me, Jace," I said, finally tired of the game, needing to feel his lips against mine.
When we finally connected, my whole body erupted in tingles. I let out an embarrassing whimper as he began to move his lips against mine. I kissed him back, following his lead. I had never kissed anyone before—and he had kissed plenty. I could feel my face start to tense. I willed myself to stop thinking but I couldn't. I tried to keep moving my lips but I could feel them hard and no longer working toward the common goal. My body became rigid and he pulled back looking down at me confused.
"What happened?" he asked. I was humiliated, tears welled up in my eyes and I turned my face away from him. "Clary, what? What did I do?" His voice was earnest, the most genuine that I had heard it and it only made my cry more.
"I've never kissed anyone before," I wailed. Everything about this moment made me want to die. I was beyond mortified and suddenly my demon attack didn't seem nearly as scary as right now.
Jace burst out laughing and my sobbing morphed into anger. I looked at him and smacked his arm, which only hurt me and caused him to laugh louder. And damn it, if it wasn't infectious. I started laughing right along with him. My pride was still wounded so I tucked my hand into my chest, cradling it with my other one and I pouted.
"You were doing fine before you started thinking about it," he offered, turning serious again.
"Yeah, but you've kissed so many girls. I was worried that you would compare." That I wouldn't measure up, I finished in my head.
"The ones before don't mean anything. It's the one I'm kissing now that matters." He gave me an honest smile, but I had to wonder how many girls had gotten that smile while lying in his bed.
"So you're saying that when the next one comes, I won't mean a thing?" I countered, partly teasing but more wanting to hear the truth.
He looked shocked at my deduction and then shook his head. "Red, you'll always mean something."
"Why?" I inquired skeptically. "What would make me different from all those other girls?"
He ducked his head down and looked almost shy for a moment. When he spoke, his words were soft and sincere, "What makes you different, is I actually like you. You are unlike anyone I've met."
I looked at him for a moment. "Oh, you are good," I laughed. "But I don't care right now. I just want to try kissing again."
He looked up at me and laughed. "Red, I'm going to kiss you until you believe me."
"You have a lot of work ahead of you then, Blondie," I teased back. The comment earned me a growl right before he brought his lips down on mine again.
Kissing Jace was unlike anything I had ever experienced, and while I had never tried crack, I was willing to bet this was just as addictive. My hand got lost in his mess of curls and I gripped the back of his head. The delicious weight of his body pressed against mine, causing my breaths to become heavier. Warm fingers crawled up my side, forming themselves around my ribs. I moaned wantonly, my head falling back with the need for air. Jace's lips never left my skin; they glided over my chin and down my neck on a path of sheer pleasure.
"Clary," his voice pleaded with me as his hand raised higher, causing me to arch my back.
"Jace," I answered, my voice needy.
"Clary!" Knock. Knock. Knock.
I moaned.
Wait. What?
Knock. Knock. Knock. "Clary!" Isabelle's voice called through the door again.
Jace groaned and grumbled as he rolled off, letting me up. I sat up and straightened my shirt before going to the door. Jace lay back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. When I opened the door, Isabelle stood there with a phone in her hand and an annoyed look on her face.
"About time," she said rolling her eyes as she took in my flushed face and Jace lounging on the bed. "Your parents." She thrust the phone at me and took off down the hall.
I looked over to Jace, my eyes wide, feeling like we had just been caught making out by said parents. He nodded at my hand and I looked back at the phone.
"Hello?" I said meekly.
The ensuing chaos was hard to understand. Mom was yelling, then Luke was yelling, then they were both reasoning, asking if I was okay, and then mom was yelling again. And finally one of them spoke to me.
"What were you thinking?" Luke asked. His voice was more disappointed sounding than angry. Bloody guilt trips, they were the worst.
"I'm sorry…I…" The phone was ripped out of my hands before I was able to finish.
"Your daughter fought brilliantly and bravely, you should be proud," Jace said. "This is Jace Lightwood…Yes, Ma'am…Of course Ma'am…Will do, see you soon." He pulled the phone back and hit end.
I looked at him, unable to determine what was more shocking. The fact that he did that, or all the politeness.
"What did they say?"
"They are coming to get you. I think they were just more worried than anything. You'll be fine." He turned so that his back was to me.
"They are coming now?" The idea not as welcoming as I would have thought. Jace and I had kissed, but where did that leave us? We lived half a world away. I assumed, I still didn't know where I was. "Where are we anyway?"
Jace chuckled a little. "New York."
"So what now?"
"I guess now we say goodbye."
