She pressed her fingers to her lips, still tingling from almost touching Jace’s. She had no idea what had come over her in that moment. She wasn’t shopping for a boyfriend, or looking to get tangled up in another potential disaster, but she didn’t seem to have her usual iron clad control when he was around her. All she had really wanted to do was thank him for being so open and understanding, but somehow words didn’t seem to be enough, and her body had taken over.
She leant against the cool wooden door, her breathing unsteady.
“You’re home early.”
Isabelle jumped at her Dad’s voice.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” he said as he approached, his hands held up in a placating way.
“It’s fine,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders. “You didn’t need to wait up though.”
He smiled at her proudly. “You’re my little girl. No matter how old you get, I’m going to wait up to make sure you’re home safe.”
Love burst through her body and she surged forward to wrap her arms around her Dad - just like she used to when she was little.
“I love you, Daddy.”
He held her close and stroked her hair. “Everything OK?”
No. Not at all, and they both knew it.
“Its fine,” she told him with a bright smile. “I’m just going to head off to bed.”
His eyes scrutinised her face for a moment. “Is that a red mark on your cheek?”
s**t. Kimberley’s hit hadn’t yet bruised but must be visible enough to arouse suspicion.
“It’s a blush,” she said quickly. “Jace walked me to my door like they do in the movies and my cheeks just flared up.”
After a brief pause he patted her shoulder. “I’m here if you ever need to talk. You know that, right?”
He was really saying, please talk to me about Tate and your sudden mood swings, please let me try and help you.
She smiled at her Father tightly. “I know.”
She walked away with tears in her eyes. No matter how much she loved her Dad, there were just some things she couldn’t tell him. Ever.
She trudged up the stairs with a heavy heart, her Father’s eyes burning into the back of her skull.
As she moved into her room and let her body fall limply on the bed, she looked over to her balcony doors thinking of Jace. She had no idea what exactly she felt for him, there didn’t seem to be one exact emotion to cover it. Obviously there was an attraction there because she was a little damaged – not blind. But that attraction came with weariness because she had come to learn that pretty faces weren’t always to be trusted.
God, now she was obsessing about this guy she barely knew and acting like a total head case as she fought against the pull she felt for him.
She paced backwards and forwards trying to burn off the sudden energy surging through her body. She was not going to fall in love with him, she decided with a firm resolve. Crazy cat ladies weren’t as taboo these days and she was willing to take some sewing classes so she could make the critters little outfits. She definitely had the crazy part down already.
Sighing deeply, she cracked her knuckles unconsciously, trying to relieve some tension from her body. Why was she even so worked up about this? It was a mere flirtation she had romanticised out of proportion and it was going to end tonight. She was going to shower off his lingering smell then keep her distance - at least emotionally.
After a few more minutes pacing her room and pulling some pyjama shorts over her legs, she settled herself in bed, telling herself over and over again that Jace meant nothing to her.
She repeated the words like a mantra, working to convince herself it was the only way she ever had a chance of recovering… yet she could not bring herself to shower.
And she slept wrapped in his jacket.
*
The next morning came too soon, beginning with the incessant ringing of her phone.
Tate was calling her again? It must be Sunday.
As she blindly felt around for her phone under the pillow, she was overcome with the sense of being watched, the hair rising on her skin.
Whipping around, her eyes wide, she found a smiling Maia sitting on the bean bag on the floor.
“You’re pretty popular; your phone’s rung six times since I’ve been here.”
Isabelle clung to the sheets, her mind working to process everything that was happening.
“What? How long have you been here?” she managed to ask as she pulled the crust from her eye lashes.
“Twenty minutes or so,” Maia replied casually.
Isabelle’s eyes widened. “And you didn’t think to wake me?”
“I’m trying to work on boundaries - interrupting your sleep and shaking you awake seemed a bit early for our friendship.”
Isabelle threw her hands over her face as she lay back down, completely flabbergasted.
“And watching someone you barely know sleep for twenty minutes is so much less intrusive?” she said sarcastically.
Maia clearly didn’t get it, instead she looked thrilled. “Exactly! Jace told me I was over stepping but I knew you’d understand.”
Having never had any siblings, Isabelle had no idea if this kind of behaviour was normal or if she was completely justified in being pissed off and slightly uncomfortable.
When she finally talked herself down enough to look over at Maia she found her smirking.
“What now?” Isabelle groaned.
“Not a morning person, huh? No wonder you and Jace get along. Speaking of, cute jacket you got there.”
Isabelle closed her eyes, mortified. She had completely forgotten she had slept in Jace’s jacket, comforted by the distinct boy smell it carried, and secretly thrilled that she had some of his scent on her skin now too.
So much for taking a step back.
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