The Forever Girl (Wildstone, #6)(53)

“A lot has happened since then.”

“It’s been a week.”

“It’s been years,” he countered. “And you’re not a ‘one-and-done,’ Maze. Not by a long shot. Not for me.”

She stared at him, then slowly let out a breath and shook her head. “We already tried it the other way. It didn’t work out.”

“We were young and stupid.”

“Yeah, well, some of us are still stupid,” she said, pointing to herself. She straightened her T-shirt and gave him one last look filled with both dazzling, erotic hunger and exasperation. Then she shook her head like she still couldn’t believe he’d messed this up for them and slipped out of the room.

It took him a minute to gather himself and cool down parts of his body. He thought about going back to bed, but sleep wasn’t going to happen, so he pulled on some jeans and left the bedroom, seeking a shower.

Someone had beaten him to it.

He waited outside the door for his turn, but whoever was in there didn’t seem to be in a hurry. He knew that later was some fancy lunch at a restaurant in San Luis Obispo near where Dillon worked because his coworkers were throwing him a wedding shower. Caitlin apparently didn’t like any of Dillon’s coworkers, therefore she’d decreed they all had to go as well to keep her company.

Fine. He could use a distraction both from what had just happened and from wondering when Maze was going to sign the papers.

And if it bothered her or hurt her to do so . . .

Just like whoever was in the shower, he was in no hurry to get the divorce. It was important to him that it be Maze’s decision, not his. As for what he wanted, well, that was simple. He wanted to never be hurt like that again. His whole life he’d been forced on people. He wasn’t going to force anyone to love him.

But that kiss . . . Damn.

Moving down to the end of the hall, he looked out the open sliding glass door to the upper deck to take in the morning and found something totally unexpected.

Heather and Jace kissing.

Heather broke free with a gasp at the sight of him. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” She covered her eyes. “See, this! This is why I can’t have secrets. I never learn! And now she’s going to kill me. I blew the secret.”

“Which secret?” Walker asked dryly. “The one where you and Jace have a thing for each other, or that Jace and Maze aren’t really together?”

Heather winced. “To be fair to Maze, the first one might be my secret, not hers.”

“This isn’t on you,” Jace told her, rubbing a hand up and down her back while watching Walker. “It’s on me.”

Walker shook his head. “Oh, I think you can both share the blame with a certain redhead.”

“Are you mad at me?” Heather whispered.

Mad? That the woman he wanted beyond all reason or logic or sanity was in fact not involved with someone else? “I’ve never been mad at you.” He proved it by hugging her to him, studying Jace while he did.

“Whatever you’re thinking,” Jace said, “I deserve it.”

“You should’ve waited,” Walker told him over Heather’s head. “Maze had you here with her for a reason.”

“You don’t understand.” Heather pulled back and looked up at him earnestly. “I kissed him. I did it because Maze had already admitted that she and Jace are only friends. She said he was one of the best men she knew and that I could do a whole lot worse. And we both know I have done worse, so . . .”

Walker shook his head. “This isn’t any of my business. As long as you’re good, I’m good.” He looked at Jace, who wore an expression that said he knew he was going to get no such free pass. “So to clarify,” Walker said, “you and Maze aren’t—”

“Aren’t. Never have. Never will,” he said. “We’re good friends and we work together. I’ve got her back, no matter what, but I have her okay on this, so maybe you can stop planning my murder now.”

“I was never going to murder you.” Walker paused. “Maybe cut off your balls and force-feed them to you, but you could’ve survived that . . .”

Jace looked like he was just managing to not cup said balls protectively in his hands.

“I’m so sorry,” Heather said to Jace. “I know I jumped the gun. I shouldn’t have kissed you like that, especially without asking first.”

Jace smiled. “Are you kidding? It was the best thing to happen to me in months.”

Heather smiled back. “So . . . we’re okay?”

“Very,” Jace assured her. “And as soon as my pretend girlfriend and I have a talk, I’m hoping maybe you’ll even kiss me again.”

“You do realize what I am, right?” Heather asked. “A single mom who’s a hot mess almost all the time?”

Jace ducked a little to look her in the eyes. “I like you exactly as you are. Look,” he said to Walker, “I don’t know too much about what you and Maze have been through because she’s so private, and I’d never pretend to speak for her, but I’d bet you everything I’ve got that she’d lay her life down for you, for all of you.” He’d met Walker’s gaze straight on, earning him some serious points. “So maybe you can try to understand what she did and why, and find a way to . . . I don’t know, start over?”