Jace's POV

I felt so horrible how much she was hurting and that I was the cause of her pain. I let her cry for a long time. Eventfully her sops subsided and her body stopped trembling. I continued to hold her tightly, tucked under my chin, and gently reassured her by rubbing her back and stroking her hair.

"Clary I am so sorry. I didn't know. I never meant to hurt you. I do love you. I think I've loved you since that night in the garden on your sixteenth birthday. I was just young and stupid and Izzy and Alec thought I couldn't be serious about someone, and I listened to them. They were probably right at the time, I probably couldn't have been then, but I never stopped thinking about you Clary. I never stopped caring about you. I just thought you'd be better off without me in your life, but I don't think I can live without you. Not anymore. I brought you out here because…well…there are a couple of peach rose bushes here…I thought maybe I could recreate that moment in the garden. I think about that night a lot."

"You do?" Clary whispered into my chest.

"I can picture it so clearly. You had on the prettiest sundress and you looked so beautiful in the moonlight. I watched you smell all those flowers as you quietly hummed. Then, you came over to me and took my hand and brought me over to that peach rose bush. You were throwing out Shakespeare quotes like you had all the books memorized. I was speechless. I'd never met a girl like you. You didn't swoon over me the second you saw me, you laughed at me. I felt so strange. I never cared about impressing a girl, or wondering what she might think of me, not until I met you; God I just never cared until I met you. I remember that kiss. You can't tell me that wasn't a perfect kiss…Then you were gone, and it was like the warmth from the sun was gone and I was cold and alone." Clary tilted her head back from my shirt, tears still streaming down her face. Her eyes looked soft and tender. She was smiling. She looked almost happy, besides the tears, and her face was red and blotchy, and her eyes were bloodshot; well if she didn't look like she had just been bawling she would have looked happy. I felt miserable that I had caused her so much pain. She looked into my eyes. I felt like she could see right through me. I hoped she could. I hoped she could see how sorry I was, and how much she meant to me. She stretched her arms up and wrapped them around the back of my neck. The words just tumbled out.

"Eyes, look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! And, lips, O you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss." I had thought about those words so many times over the last two years I eventually memorized them.

"Then kiss me." She said softly. My breath caught. I couldn't believe what she had said, but I didn't hesitate long either, I brought my lips to hers gently, tentatively. Her eyes closed and her hands held the back of my neck firmly to her. She parted my lips with hers and my tongue eagerly responded. She leaned her body deep into mine and pushed her fingers through my hair. I ran my hands up her arms and over her back. Charges of excitement were pulsing through my body. Our lips and bodies moved against each other with a need and a want they longed to fulfill. I slid my hand up under her shirt and over her bare lower back, her body arched against mine. She was driving me crazy. She placed one hand against my cheek and the other hand against my chest. She pulled her lips from mine.

"I want to go." She said softly. I leaned into her hand, my face fell. I couldn't believe this. Was she pulling away from me?

"Clary?" She pressed her lips to mine hungrily, but quickly. Gasping as she pulled away. She looked into my eyes with a mischievous smile. I couldn't help but smirk.

"No. I mean I want to go back." She pressed her lips to mine again and I kissed her back fiercely. My mind was processing her words much slower than my body. She wasn't pushing me away, she wanted me. She pressed her hand to my chest and detached herself.

"Now!" She demanded. Some small part of me wasn't so sure that was a good idea. I shook my head slightly, her hand still against my cheek.

"Jace I've spent two years thinking about you, wanting you. Now I have you, I don't want to think anymore." She snaked both her hands behind my neck and curled her fingers into my hair and pulled my lips to hers. She kissed me intensely. She moved her hands to the hem at the front of my shirt and slid them up my abs and chest, her hands running over my bare skin felt amazing, and set off every nerve in my body. She moved her lips from mine, to the corner of my mouth, across my jaw, down my neck, across my collarbone, and back up my neck to my ear, kissing slowly. My body reacted to her, every place our bodies touched felt like fire. When she got to my ear she whispered.

"I'm done riding horses Jace. I thought you said I had some other options?" Oh God my body craved hers. She nipped my ear lightly and my eyes fluttered closed, I groaned softly. Oh God, I loved what she was doing to me. Against my will, Alec's voice was in my head, Don't. That's not what either of you need right now. I had to concentrate hard; I had a little self-control, but not much, just a little. I cradled her face with my hands and kissed her tenderly. I pulled away, but kept her face in my hands and gazed adoringly into her eyes. I took a deep breath.

"You're killing me over here. You know that right…It's getting late. We probably should go. Izzy's going to be expecting you for a girl's night, and I have plans to hang out with the guys. As much as I want you, and I do want you Clary, I don't think…God I can't believe I'm saying this...I don't think jumping into bed right after you just spent the last half hour crying is a great idea. If you want, you can sleep in my room tonight, you seem so fond of my bed already." She smiled and I chuckled.

"We can talk, and we can see what happens. Even if we just sleep, I would love to hold you in my arms." I pressed my lips gently to hers and she returned my kiss. I hoped she understood. As much as I wanted to be with her, I didn't want to rush this. I wanted it to be right.

"When did you become so responsible?" She chuckled.

"I know. Tell me about it. I'm kicking myself already." I kissed her cheek and took her hand, I grabbed Wayfarer's reins in the other, and led him over to a large rock and we both climbed back on. I loved the way Clary felt in my arms. I held her securely with my arm tightly around her waist. I suddenly wanted to know everything there was to know about this angel in my arms. I had known her for two years, but I felt like there were so many things I didn't know about her. I asked her every question that popped into my mind.

"So, what's your favorite color?" I kissed Clary's right shoulder and she giggled.

"I don't know, it varies, probably golden right now, like your eyes." She laughed.

"That sounded cheesy didn't it?" She shook her head.

"It did, but I won't hold it against you." I kissed her hair.

"What's your favorite flower? I'm going with peach roses, but correct me if I'm wrong." I kissed her neck on the right side.

"Yes. I love peach roses. So are we playing twenty questions now?" She chuckled.

"I just want to get to know the girl I'm madly in love with better, is that a crime?" She glanced quickly over her shoulder and her cheeks were bright red. She had since wiped away all traces of tears, and she hardly looked like she had ever been crying, except the smudged mascara.

"Shoot." I kissed the crook of her neck on her left side.

"What's your favorite movie?" I tickled her side quickly and she jerked and let out a high pitched laugh. It was adorable.

"Hey. Stop that." She chuckled.

"God. I'm such a girl. Probably Ever After. It's been my favorite for a while now." I kissed her left shoulder.

"Never heard of it." I kissed further down her shoulder.

"Yeah it's probably not your kind of movie. It's a Cinderella Story." I kissed her right shoulder.

"I'd watch it with you, if you wanted." I kissed the back of her neck.

"That's very sweet." I peppered several kisses down her neck on the right side. She sighed softly.

"Are you even paying attention at all to where we're going? We're going to get lost." I kissed the back of her neck.

"Wayfarer knows his way back. He's just following the trail." I kissed her left shoulder.

"What? No more questions?" She teased.

"What's your biggest goal in life right now?" I kissed her just behind her left ear.

"Getting heavy aren't you?…God, I think I just want to be happy." I tightened my arm around her.

"Well I hope I can help make you happy then." I whispered softly. Her head nuzzled into me and I kissed her hair.

"Who is your best friend?" I kissed the crook of her neck on the right side.

"Skip."

"What? No way. No skipping." I tickled her side again and she let out a peal of laughter.

"Ok, ok, fine, stop…Well Izzy is probably my best female friend, but I wouldn't say she was my best friend. If you had asked me two years ago I would have said Simon in a heartbeat, but now I'd probably say Alec. Though, if you tell Izzy or Simon that, I'd deny it." She shot me a quick glare over her shoulder. I kissed her forehead.

"Your secret's safe with me…What should I know about you that I'd never think to ask about?" She turned forward as she gasped and her body tensed. My thoughts immediately went to her mother and step-father. That was probably a stupid question. I shouldn't have asked.

"We can skip that one." I said quietly and kissed her right cheek.

"No. You said no skipping…There are two things that come to mind…One of them…well…it's just hard for me to talk about…so I'll tell you…I will…just another time ok." She took a deep breath. I knew she was thinking about her mother and step-father, I just knew it. I wondered if I should let her know I already knew, at least I already knew they were dead, I didn't know the details. Maybe I should just let it go and wait for her to be ready to talk about it, but before I could decide she started talking again.

"The other one…well…" She glanced over her shoulder and gave me the oddest sheepish look, bit her bottom lip, and her face turned a deep shade of red. Her head snapped forward.

"Never mind. Next." There was something in the way she looked at me and the sound of her voice that I just couldn't bring myself to taunt her. Ok, maybe I would stay away from the more serious questions for right now. I kissed the top of her hair.

"What do you hate most about the dating process?…So I can avoid it." She laughed. Her body seemed to relax. I was hopeful the awkwardness had passed.

"Don't worry. I'll let you know when you screw-up." I kissed her right cheek.

"When? That's so harsh. You have to give me more than that." I kissed the left side of her neck.

"Ok. I'm not a fan of second dates." That was random.

"What's wrong with second dates?" I kissed her right shoulder.

"Guys always expect at least something on a second date. I rather just leave it at a first date, kiss is completely optional, and nothing else is expected." I nodded, more to myself then for her benefit seeing she was looking forward. I kissed her left cheek.

"Well I guess that doesn't really pertain to us."

"No I guess not." She giggled. I kissed her left shoulder.

"What's your favorite way to spend a Saturday?"

"In bed." Her reply was immediate, no thinking involved. That perked my interest.

"Oh yeah?" I kissed the right side of her neck passionately. Her body arched forward and she moaned quietly

"I meant that in a completely innocent way. I like to just sleep-in or lay in bed. Maybe watch tv and just veg out."

"Sure." I teased. She giggled.

"Do you have any pet peeves?" I kissed her just behind her left ear.

"Yes. Sarcastic, arrogant, egotistical men." She shot me a quick glare over her shoulder.

"Try again." I kissed her neck on her left side.

"What?"

"I don't believe that is a pet peeve of yours. I know the guy you're seeing." She giggled. I kissed the crook of her neck on her left side.

"Fine. I don't like liars and cheaters and players." She huffed, but she really didn't sound upset.

"I don't like liars either. We have that in common." I kissed the top of her hair.

"Actually I also like to spend my Saturdays in bed. So we have that in common too." I kissed the left side of her neck passionately. Her body arched again and she let out a small moan. I loved the way that sounded.

"If you keep doing that, I'm not going to let you go out tonight." She turned and smiled over her shoulder at me and I couldn't help but smile an enormous smile back down at her. She was Clary, and she was so beautiful, and she was in my arms. I was happier than I had ever been before in my life, happier than I ever imagined a person could be. I loved her so much. I brought my lips to hers and gave her a soft tender kiss.

"Maybe I've just been trying to get your attention so I could gaze into those beautiful green eyes and kiss those perfect lips of yours." I kissed her lips again and this time my lips lingered. I kissed her nose, and her cheek and her jawbone and her neck and the crook of her neck.

"Marry me?" I murmured quietly between kisses. It just kind of came out, but it didn't sound like a terrible idea. I saw her blush as she turned forward. I felt her breath catch, and her heart rate soar. I smiled to myself, she was getting excited. A moment later she let out a little chuckle.

"I can't believe you're being serious for one second. Where's my ring?" She shot me a playful smile over her shoulder. I kissed her lips gently and gazed into her eyes.

"Hey. If I thought you'd say yes…I'd run right out and buy one." She blushed deeper and turned forward again. I kissed her right cheek.

"You're crazy. We've spent like what…a half of a day together. I think you're suffering from heat stroke." I kissed from her shoulder to the crook of her neck on her left side.

"I'm not crazy. I've loved you for the last two years. We're adults. Isn't that what people do when they're madly in love? I don't want to risk losing you." I kissed her left cheek.

"This is the 21st century, people our age only get married if they're knocked up, otherwise they just live together in sin." She was shaking her head. I kissed the crook of her neck on her right side.

"I see you may still need to be wooed…I'm open to compromise…We can live in sin…Spend all our Saturdays in bed together." She chuckled. I kissed her neck savagely and her body arched as she let out a moan.

"Jace. You're not helping my frame of mind. Weren't you just being all responsible and telling me I was being a naughty temptress." I could almost picture that outfit.

"God that sounds hot. I bet you there's a costume you can buy naughty temptress." I kissed her neck again savagely and her body arched as she let out a slightly louder moan. That tiny little noise sent shock waves of exhilaration through my entire body.

"Jace." She said with a breathy sigh, she had just a hint of warning in her tone. I reluctantly detached my mouth from her neck and glanced down to see a small purplish blotch.

"Oops, that's going to leave a mark." I mumbled as I kissed her neck softly.

"JACE!" She scolded.

"What? I figure only one of us needs to be responsible, and it's your turn." I teased. She pulled away trying to get out of my reach, though she couldn't move far and my lips followed her, peppering her shoulders and neck with butterfly kisses. Oh God I never wanted to let her go. The ride back to the sable continued the same. I asked her every question I could think of, staying away from any subject I thought may be upsetting, and continued to kiss her hair and her shoulders and her neck and her lips, sending little currents of excitement through my body. I loved the way her breath caught, or she'd gasp or moan, or her heart would start to race. I just loved every minute of being with her. About a half hour later Wayfarer was eating in his stall and we were climbing back into my car.


Ever After (1998)

William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet: 'Eyes, look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! And, lips, O you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss.'