Embers of Torment (Power and Passion #2)

Chapter 10

Jace

A fter confirming which floor the marketing department was on via the directory in the lobby, I headed to the elevators servicing the second through tenth floors. I couldn't help pacing as I waited.

Will Della regard my presence here as a negative, thinking I'm behaving too forward?

Damn, I hoped not because I liked Della—a lot. But she was still acting standoffish, even though I'd turned up the charm. Thankfully, I'd seen the look in her eyes that told me she was at least slightly interested.

But was it enough?

Taking the elevator to the third floor, I continued to question my wisdom in coming here. Deciding to move forward with my plan, I followed the signs and stopped in front of a double door. After several calming breaths, I entered the office and approached the receptionist. The woman appeared to be cleaning up her desk in preparation to go home. She shut off her computer and swiveled to face me.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm here to see Della Nash."

"Did you have an appointment?"

"No. I'm a friend of hers."

"I see." The woman studied me for a few seconds. "I'll see if Della's still here. Can I have your name please?"

"Sure. It's Jace Welch." I shifted my weight, the woman's scrutiny making me nervous.

"It's okay, Connie. I can take care of this gentleman."

Startled, I swung around to see Sofie Morgan closing the door.

"Jace, it's a pleasure to see you again. Is Della expecting you?" The corner of Sofie's mouth edged upward, and her eyes lit with amusement. Whether she was humored by my showing up to see Della or my apparent unease at being here was yet to be determined.

"No, she's not. I was supposed to meet her and Adam down the street. I thought I'd catch up with them here instead." I shoved my hands in my pockets, becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

"I'm sure Della will be pleasantly surprised. Follow me. I'll take you to her office." Sofie scanned her badge on a security device and opened an inner door.

I followed closely behind as we passed a standalone workstation on our right and a conference room to our left. We turned down a cubicle-lined corridor and stopped in front of a trio of offices. Sofie led me to the one at the far end. I stood outside the door and watched Della pull her purse from a drawer and set it on her desk. She looked up and spotted me in the hallway. Her eyes instantly widened, and she slowly leaned backward in her chair.

"You have a visitor," Sofie said, sounding gleeful.

"Umm, I can see that."

"You two have fun tonight." Sofie's smile was ear to ear as she walked away.

Della wrinkled her forehead. "Jace, what are you doing here?"

"I thought walking to the bowling and game center with you guys would be easier than trying to find each other there. Plus, I had to walk by this building anyway, so I figured I might as well stop and wait." I crossed my fingers that Della was okay with my explanation and that my visit wasn't too huge of a surprise.

"Okie dokie. That makes sense. We should go downstairs since Adam is meeting me in the lobby in five minutes."

"Perfect. Lead the way." I kept my voice calm, although I was thrilled that my sudden appearance hadn't become a problem.

We left the marketing department and waited in the corridor for the elevator. Della was silent as I stood by her side. Then I caught her peeking at me.

Becoming worried, I asked, "Hey, are you sure it's okay that I'm here?"

"Yeah, it's fine. You floored me when you showed up. I don't think anyone who wasn't job-related has ever come here to see me."

I was about to tease that her comment made me feel special when the elevator dinged and the doors opened. I groaned at the business-attired bodies packing the car.

A gentleman standing in front motioned for us to get in. "We can make room. Come on." He shifted his position and leaned against the wall.

I put my hand on Della's back as she stepped inside, and I squeezed in beside her. My heart rate jumped when she turned toward me, her head inches from my shoulder.

"Sorry. I don't have much room," Della whispered.

"I don't mind." I peered down at her, our eyes locking. Then I saw her stare at my mouth while she licked her bottom lip, her move dangerously enticing.

The doors opened, and Della bolted from the car. I caught up to her, standing by a small seating area in the lobby.

"Are you all right?" I tried to read her expression but couldn't, although I could see she was breathing faster than usual.

"Umm…I'm fine. The elevator felt suffocating." Della abruptly spun in a circle, her eyes searching. "There's Adam. He's getting off the elevator."

I turned to see Adam coming from another car. He waved when he saw us.

"Hey, Jace. I didn't know you were meeting us here."

"I thought it would be easier."

"That's cool," Adam said offhandedly. "Now we won't have to find you at the venue." He led the way toward the exit.

Reaching the complex housing the bowling and game center, we took the escalator to the second floor. Entering the establishment, we followed one of the employees to a wooden table for four by the bar. The place was busy, and a mingling of voices filled the dark, windowless room. Checking out our surroundings, I saw tennis playing on one television monitor while soccer, baseball, and golf played on others. I browsed the menu while we waited for our server.

"I'm getting the buffalo chicken pizza and a Sam Adams. Does anyone want to share with me?" Adam glanced between Della and me.

"Sure, I will." I set my menu down and turned to Della. "What are you having?"

"Mmm. I'm going for the fish tacos and a Blue Moon."

Della stacked her menu on top of mine, which she handed to our server after we ordered our dinner and drinks.

"So when is the next movie night?" I asked, wanting to broach the subject. I had enjoyed the last one and was excited for another, especially if it meant I could cuddle with Della.

"I'm up for it whenever you two are." Adam raised a brow at Della. "Are you ready for another evening hiding under your hood?"

"Oh, hush. There's no need to rub it in." Della shot Adam an irritated look. "I can handle it, so go ahead and make the arrangements for whenever you want."

"I wouldn't mind hosting." I figured I'd better jump back into the conversation and voice my proposal before Adam planned another evening at his apartment. "How about we do it next Friday at my place? Neither of you has been there, and it's convenient for Della." I hoped they'd both go for it. If I hosted, Della wouldn't be spending the night at Adam's, and it would allow me to spend some alone time with her. That was my intention, anyway.

Adam and Della stared at each other. I wanted to coax them into agreeing but was afraid to sound too eager. If Della caught wind of my ulterior motive, I was sure she'd give me a hard time and might refuse to come over. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and checked my email, trying to act more relaxed than I was.

Adam shrugged a shoulder, his attention still on Della. "It would make it easier for Theo. He could unwind in the living room after work instead of retreating to our bedroom since he's not into our kind of movies. Plus, he always thinks he's intruding even though I tell him he's not."

"But that would mean I'd have to go home after the flick and stay by myself." Della wrinkled her nose as she thought about it. "I don't know. I tend to freak out when I'm alone."

"We could watch something that isn't so scary. It would eliminate the problem." After I made the suggestion, I wished I hadn't based on how thoroughly Della scrutinized me. I waited for her to call me out for having some dastardly plan up my sleeves.

Della pursed her lips and nodded at Adam. "All right. I'm in. Movie night at Jace's apartment."

Relieved, I grabbed my beer and took a swig as soon as our server set it on the table. I stayed silent as Adam and Della discussed which movie we should watch. Della wanted something more entertaining than scary, while Adam argued that it defeated the purpose. Della ultimately won, choosing the cult classic, Hocus Pocus .

Dinner included a robust debate about thrillers and which ones Della and Adam considered the best and the worst. I spent most of the time listening while I watched Della's animated use of her hands when she talked. She was full of energy and absolutely adorable. The more I got to know her, the more I liked her uniqueness and strong character. Della was the type of person who knew what she wanted and went for it. And once she got going, Della was a tenacious lioness, refusing to give up.

They ended their conversation with Adam conceding several points and agreeing to disagree on the rest. Della grinned, looking pleased with her victory. Frowning, Adam rolled his eyes like he frequently did during their friendly banter.

Adam nodded toward the doorway. "Della's going to try her luck with the crane machine in the arcade. They have a two-person Pac-Man table over there. Do you want to play?"

"Yeah, why not. I haven't played it in years. I'm not sure how decent I'll be, but I'll give it a go."

Adam paid the bill, insisting it was his turn, and we headed to the room next door. Della went to the crane machine while Adam set up our game. From the onset, it was clear I was rusty at Pac-Man, and Adam was an expert. He racked up the points. I kept getting eaten by the ghosts. After kicking my butt, Adam moved to the single-player Pac-Man. I joined Della.

I studied the pile of stuffed animals and dolls behind the glass as Della started the crane. "Are you trying to get a specific toy?"

"Yep. See that Wonder Woman cloth doll? I want to get it for Sofie's daughter. I think she'd love it." Della grimaced as she snared the Mario doll lying on top of Wonder Woman, only to have it slip through the crane's claws. "Shoot. I wanted to snag that one so it would be out of the way, but I'm back where I started." After several attempts, Della gave up and went for one of the Luigi dolls with easier access. She made a triumphant fist pump as Luigi dropped into the hole.

I eyed the pile of toys. "You want me to try to get the Wonder Woman doll?"

"Do you think you can?" The uncertainty in Della's voice told me she was skeptical.

"Maybe. You moved the Mario doll enough that Wonder Woman is at a better angle. Can't hurt to try."

"Okay, smarty pants. Go for it." Della used her game card for another round.

Figuring I'd use one of the tactics I learned when I was younger, I put my hand on the lever and moved the crane so it hovered above Della's desired toy. Tapping the button, I watched the claw begin to lower, then quickly tapped it again right when the metal prongs touched the doll. That maneuver stopped the downward movement, keeping the claw from getting buried in the pile, which tended to skew its angle. The jaws closed, clamping firmly around Wonder Woman. The doll dropped into the hole.

"Yes! Woohoo, we got it!" Della did a little dance and retrieved Wonder Woman from the bottom of the machine. Still hopping up and down with excitement, Della turned and hugged me. As soon as our bodies made contact, she jumped back, her face flushed as she looked away.

Disappointed that she'd ended the hug, I wondered if she'd felt the same surge of sizzling energy I had when our bodies touched. I hoped so, but more than that, I wanted her to do it again. I couldn't help envisioning my arms around her waist as I pulled her close for a tender kiss, the titillating image interrupted by Adam.

"Theo sent me a text. He finished a little earlier than expected, so I'm taking off. Can you walk Della home?"

"Sure. I don't mind." I fought to keep my enthusiasm down, delighted by the turn of events. A peek at Della's frowning face told me she wasn't as pleased. "Hey, thanks again for paying for dinner. Tell Theo I said hello."

"I will. Della, I'll see you Monday." Adam spun around, hurried toward the exit, and disappeared.

Della stood, her body rigid, staring at the now-empty archway. She turned to face me, her lips stretched into a thin line. "Umm, that was unexpected. I guess I'm ready to call it a night. Can you walk me home now?"

"Yeah, I can. Are you all right, though? Your mood shifted."

"I'm fine. I…umm. I have my dance class tomorrow, so I should go."

"Hey, why don't you give me your cell number? That way we can meet in the fitness center in the morning. We can get coffee or something after your class again."

"Sure." Della distractedly rattled it off while I programmed it into my phone.

She was quiet as we took the escalator to the ground floor. We crossed the street at the intersection, our apartment building on the adjacent block. Peeking at her, I could tell she wasn't going to say anything. I figured it was up to me to break the silence.

"So…what other things do you like to do besides darts, watching movies, and playing arcade games?"

"I don't know."

"Okay. What relaxes you when you want to chill? Do you read? Take walks? Or do something else?"

Della shrugged. "Read, I guess. And I like to paint. I've taken classes a few times."

"Aha. An artist. I bet you're the next Leonardo de Vinci." I playfully nudged Della with my elbow, determined to draw her out of the funky mood she'd fallen into.

"Yeah, right." Della bopped me with her hip. "Like that could ever happen. But I am better than when I started. My canvas doesn't come out like one massive blob anymore, and the last time I painted, you could almost tell the image was a flower. Although the instructor did call it a moon."

"Oh, so you're creative too. You paint moonflowers." I laughed, envisioning Della's painting. It was undoubtedly as colorful and full of character as her.

Della snorted, and a smile lit up her face. "Moonflowers? Cute, Jace. Very cute."

"I thought so."

Entering our building, Della hurried past the concierge desk and hung a right to the elevator lobby. I sidled up next to her.

"What are you doing?" Della eyed me with what looked like a mixture of curiosity and wariness. "You told me your apartment was on the seventeenth floor. Your elevators are that way." Della pointed across the lobby. "You can't get there on these. They only service my side of the complex."

"I know. I thought I'd walk you to your door. Is that a problem?"

"Umm…I guess not. But you don't need to do that. I doubt anything will happen to me from here to the sixth floor."

"Regardless, I'd feel better walking you to your door."

"Fine." Della sighed, almost looking defeated.

The elevator arrived, and Della was strangely silent as we took it upstairs. I followed her down the corridor, perplexed by her return to such a quiet mood.

"This is my apartment." Della stopped in front of her unit, which, based on the building's layout, I assumed overlooked Seaport Boulevard. "Whelp, thanks for escorting me to my door. Have a good night." Della placed her two dolls from the crane machine on the ground. Then she rummaged through her purse for her keys and dropped them.

I took a step forward and retrieved them from the carpet. Straightening, I saw Della had turned toward me with our bodies now inches apart. Her pupils had dilated, and I could see her chest rise and fall with her quickening breaths. I studied her face, my gaze locking on her lips, which glistened with her purple-tinted gloss.

I inwardly groaned when the tip of her tongue darted out and skimmed her bottom lip, which I desperately wanted to kiss.

"Crap. Is he going to kiss me?" Della said, her voice a breathy whisper.

"Yes, I am." I closed the gap between us right as Della jumped backward.

"Holy moly. Did I frigging say that out loud?" Della stared at me like she couldn't believe she'd done that and was on the verge of a meltdown.

I grabbed her hand as she tried to turn away and pulled her against me, her palms making contact with my chest. She gasped, her "doe in the headlights" expression telling me she was ready to run.

"You did say it out loud. And, yes, I intend to kiss you like I've wanted to do for a while." I bent down, my lips softly brushing hers. When she didn't pull away, I deepened the kiss, a sizzling bolt of something magical shooting between us. I felt her mouth open, allowing my tongue to explore. Our bodies surged together as I pulled her closer.

Della twisted from my grasp, her chest heaving. "No, no, no. We can't do this. I don't know what the bejesus I was thinking."

"Why? I like you, and you like me. And I planned to ask you on an official date before the night ended. So…go out with me. Let's see where this relationship takes us." I took a step toward her and reached for her hand.

Della jumped back, tucking her arms behind her. "No. I can't do that. We're friends, Jace. Just friends. I…umm. I don't think of you any other way."

"That's not what your kiss told me."

"Well, that's umm… It's umm… It's because you caught me by surprise. That's why." Della lifted her chin defiantly. "We're friends. Nothing more."

Della's stance and hardened expression told me now was not the time to push. She wanted me as much as I did her. That was obvious with the way she kissed me back and virtually melted in my arms. But what was holding her back and making her defiant, I couldn't guess. Maybe she needed time to come to grips with our sudden kiss and the possibility of something developing between us. Either way, I had to give her space or risk destroying my chances.

I lifted my hands placatingly. "Fine. We're friends. I won't kiss you again unless you want me to. Fair enough?"

"Yep." Della vigorously nodded.

"I better go. I'll be downstairs in the fitness center at nine o'clock tomorrow morning if you want to join me. Have a pleasant night." I took several steps down the hall, then spun around, catching Della off guard. "Just so you're aware. I like you quite a bit, and I truly do think you're a treasure." Pivoting, I headed to the elevator.

I wasn't going to give up.