I swear, Jace and I have probably broken world records with how much sex we are having. But we can't get enough of each other. He's all I think about now. And when October rolls around, nothing has changed. But, part of me wants it to.

I know I should be sticking to my plan, but casual sex isn't enough for me anymore. He comes to my place, I go to his, and it's great. But I want more. I want excitement. I want another night like the time we almost fucked on the balcony of the mansion. I hate to admit it, but I think I want some strings.

It's like Jace reads my mind because a text from him flashes across my phone screen.

JACE: Halloween party tonight. You better come.

I don't even hesitate.

ME: I'll be there!

Jace and I are friends. We've established that. I've been sticking to my rules. I've gone out to bars with Hadley a couple of times and flirted innocently with a few men. Anytime they offered to take me to their place, I turned them down. I don't know if that was the right move. Maybe I should have a little one-night stand with a random guy. Only thing is, I don't want to.

The only man I want to have sex with is Jace. The only man I want to think about is Jace.

He picks me up for the Halloween party in his truck wearing a black suit and red devil horns on his head. He has smokey black makeup around his eyes and I swear I've never seen a man look so sexy in my life.

"Wow," I say on a breath. Blushing when I realize I said that out loud.

Jace laughs. "You look cute." He motions to the cheerleader outfit I'm wearing.

"It's cheesy, I know." I roll my eyes, closing the car door. "Hadley lent it to me. Tonight was so last minute, I had nothing to wear."

"I think it's hot," he smirks, driving out of the complex.

The sky is completely dark and there's not a star in sight because of the thick dark clouds hanging heavily above. But it's cool out. Not as humid as most nights. Being here with Jace honestly makes it better.

He shoots me a quick glance. "I've always wanted to have sex with a cheerleader."

I snort and laugh, biting my lip quickly because the thought of the roleplaying foreplay honestly gets me wet. "I guess it's your lucky night. Because I made a deal with the devil."

We end up at the Phi Beta frat house which is definitely the place to be tonight. The brothers hired a DJ and there are probably a hundred people here. The house is off campus because they are a newer fraternity so they have a huge pool in the backyard. I can't even call it a house. It's a freaking mansion. It looks like a huge cabin plucked out of some woodsy town and placed in Florida.

I told Jace that he doesn't need to hang with me all night, but I'm the one that's choosing to be glued to his side and I don't plan on leaving him anytime soon.

His hand is on the small of my back, guiding me through the house until we reach his friends.

"Loni," Kaden greets me with a hug.

"I got you guys some drinks," Asher hands us a couple of beers.

"Where's Ty?" Jace asks after taking a long pull of his drink.

Kaden rolls his eyes and scoffs. "Where do you think?"

"He and Valerie were going at it when I left the apartment," Asher responds nonchalantly like this is a normal occurrence for the two of them.

The conversation doesn't linger on that subject for too long. The three of them are talking about sports and then the girl Kaden hooked up with last night. It's funny, really. I like Jace's friends. They seem to like me too because they don't stop asking me questions about myself.

"That Adam dude needs to chill the fuck out or I will personally go to your professor and get him kicked out of the group. Hell, I'll get him kicked out of this school," Kaden jokes after I tell him about the Adam drama.

I should let it go already, but I can't. I wish I put him in his place when he first got in my face because now, at every meeting, he treats me like shit. I've handled my anger and frustration with sex with Jace, so there's no need to scream and pound my fists into Adam's face now that I have a new coping mechanism.

"I'm going to get another drink," I say to Jace, pointing at my empty beer bottle.

"I'll get it for you."

"No, you stay, I'll get it."

Before he can protest, I push my way through the hordes of people. The kitchen isn't any less crowded. My body vibrates with the bass of the music. I plunge my hand into the cooler filled with ice and pull out a beer. Twisting off the cap, I take a sip, pressing my freezing cold hand to my forehead and the feeling sends a shiver down my spine.

It's no wonder why girls like to wear as little as possible to these things, it gets hot a fuck.

"Well, I guess it's my lucky day, wanna do a cheer for me?" an obviously drunk guy says behind me. He's dressed in a blue and white football jersey which aren't our school colors. But he's built like he could be on the team.

"There's probably twenty other cheerleaders here that would be happy to. But I'm not the one."

I try to walk past him but he grabs my arm, pulling me towards himself. "Now hold on there, little lady. I asked you nicely."

Looking down at his meaty hand that's wrapped around my arm, I scoff. "And I said no. Now let go of my arm before I shove my pompoms up your ass."

He raises his brows. "Oh, you wanna get kinky, baby?"

"Let go of her, Zeke," Jace says from behind me.

My face flushes. I can't see him, but I can feel his eyes watching me.

"Awh, come on, man, I'm just having some fun." He takes my beer out of my hand, taps the brim of the bottle against my nose, and takes a sip.

Fucking dick.

I open my mouth to say those exact words, but Jace cuts in before I can.

"Well, you're not going to do that with her." Jace pulls me out of Zeke's grip and against his chest. His body is tense and I can feel it with each shaking breath.

Zeke grunts and stalks out of the kitchen but shouts at another girl over the blaring music.

"I'm sorry about that," Jace murmurs into my ear as he leads me out of the kitchen.

"You knew that guy?"

"He's an old buddy from high school. A very sloppy drunk."

I nod, silently thanking Jace for showing up when he did because I could feel that situation turning ugly.

"I have to go to the bathroom."

"Okay, let's go."

"I can go alone," I laugh, wiggling out of Jace's grip but he grabs my hand.

"Not a chance," he laughs.

I hum out a long breath and shrug. I trudge through the house with Jace on my heels as we hunt down a bathroom. There's one downstairs but the line is so long. Someone is pounding on the door. I turn around and point toward the stairs.

It's a lot less crowded upstairs and the music fades a bit.

"So why were you friends with a guy like that in high school?" I ask as we saunter up the stairs. "He seems like such a tool."

"Yeah, well, back then I was a tool too."

I glance over my shoulder. "Sure you were," I say mockingly.

"I told you I was."

We reach the bathroom.

"No, you hinted that you were a player. I've heard some rumors. But you never told me the specifics of what you actually did." I cock a brow and step into the bathroom.

Jace is close behind me and steps inside before I can shut the door.

"Why are you trying to dig up my past?"

"I'm just trying to know more about you. You know about my ex. You knew about operation sex fest."

"Operation what?" He laughs.

I smile but quickly wipe it away. "Come on, tell me something. I feel like I don't know you at all."

"I thought talking was against the rules." He grins and his brows peak.

I fluff my hand in the air and flap my lips. "I'll make an exception." I jump up on the vanity counter, resting my hands on my knees, leaning closer to his face.

He sighs, shaking his head. Rubbing the back of his neck his eyes lock on mine. "I fucked any girl I could get my hands on. Started in high school and lasted up until last year. Whatever rumors you heard about me, they were probably true. I didn't care about anything other than getting laid."

"What changed? Why did you stop?"

His expression turns grim and his eyes darken. "I hooked up with this girl last year. I don't even remember her name. I don't even think I got her name, that's how fucked up I was. But she told me she had a boyfriend." He lets out a shallow breath. "And I didn't care. I was determined to get with her. So I did. And she wanted me to." He swallows hard before continuing, ignoring the knock on the door. He lowers his voice. "As we were in the middle of... Well, her boyfriend caught us. He beat the shit out of me and then he beat the fuck out of her. The poor girl ended up in the hospital all because of me. Because I was a stupid prick that didn't give a damn about anyone but myself."

My mouth is dry as I look into his glossy eyes. I take his cheeks in my hands. His skin is cold under my palms. "Jace, I—"

He shakes his head. "You don't have to say anything. I know it's fucked up. But since that night, I've changed. I've snapped back into myself. Back to the person I was before..." He trails off.

"Before what?"

He shakes his head again, placing a kiss on my forehead. "That's a story for another day, pretty girl."

I flash a sympathetic smile. "Well, whenever you're ready, forget the fucking rules and tell me, okay?"

He laughs and a grin stretches he'd across his face. "I'll hold you to it."

For a moment, time seems to stand still. The dull hum of the music can no longer be heard through the closed bathroom door. The murmurs of people walking up and down the stairs fall completely silent. There's just me and Jace. Staring into each other's eyes. Breathing synchronized breaths.

Tingles run down my spine and my face inches closer. My nose brushes against his. I am doing everything I didn't want to do. My heart is beating so fast in my chest that I swear the people downstairs can hear it over the music. It's ready to break free of my body and completely surrender to him.

If I'm about to get my heart broken, Jace has all the power.

"We should get back to the party," Jace murmurs.

But I don't care.

Jace could break my heart a thousand times and I think I'd still fall for that brown-eyed stare.

"Wait," I say, grabbing his arm before he can walk towards the door.

I slam my lips against him. Taking in his sweet yet masculine scent with each labored breath.

His tense body instantly relaxes into me. His hands tangle in my hair, pulling my head back, exposing the skin of my neck. My body quivers as his lips connect with the delicate flesh.

A moan escapes my lips and Jace stops. He pulls his mouth from my neck and looks deep into my heavy-lidded eyes. "Don't you make a sound," he whispers with a smug grin.

I nod at his command.

Jace connects his lips with my skin again. Sucking the tender flesh until I'm writhing beneath him in sheer pleasure. His teasing hand reaches under my top and his thumb brushes against my nipple.

I moan loudly, biting my lip.

He stills. Removing his hand from my top and his lips from my neck, he looks at me again. "Make another sound and I'll stop." He glances down at my skirt. "You'll be dripping for me." He reaches his hand between my legs, grazing my slit with his fingers through my underwear. "But I won't touch you." He pulls his hand away and a desperate breath cracks in my throat. Holding his finger to his lips, he gives me a wink.

I nod, agreeing to his terms. Ones I swear I won't break.

I'm still sitting on top of the vanity when Jace falls to his knees. His hands trail up my ankles, over my knees, and up my things. Teasing me. Killing me. Depriving me of his touch as his fingertips toy with the hem of my red skirt.

My legs widen for him. As he grins up at me, I toss my head back, looking up at the shadow-covered ceiling. I can't look at him. If I do, I might scream out his name and give everyone at this party a free show.

I bite my lip when his fingers dip under my skirt. My legs open for him. Subtly, my hips rock against the counter. I need him to touch me. Just the thought of what he is going to do to me is enough to bring me to my orgasm.

The tip of his index finger runs over the fabric of my panties. Up and down. So fucking slowly. Before I can draw in my next breath, my underwear is hanging from my ankles and his tongue is where his fingers used to be.

Slowly, the tip of his tongue circles my clit. It takes everything in me not to scream with pleasure. Especially when he inserts two fingers inside me. Pumping in and out of me slowly, torturous flicks of his tongue, it's all too much. And the fact that I can't make a fucking sound, makes the sensation building in my core even greater.

My hands grab his back. I dig my nails into him. I know he feels it too by the way he grins against me. The back of my head presses against the mirror and my back arches. I grab his head and press his mouth deeper against me. My mouth hangs open as I try to strangle my moans of pleasure. Clenching my eyes tight, my hand flies up and covers my mouth, muffling my cries as I come apart all over his tongue and his fingers.

Even when I finish, Jace continues to rub my overstimulated clit. I try to close my legs, but he pushes them open. Watching me with amusement as I quiver from the pleasure that just ripped through me.

He stands to his feet and cleans his moistened fingers with his tongue. I can't help but get horny all over again at the sight. It makes my mouth water. That, and the fact that Jace Maxwell has some of the sexiest hands I have ever seen.

Hands have never been something I used to take notice of when I check out a guy. Normally it's their hair, the eyes, their abs. Jace as all those things. But his hands. Fuck. He wears three silver rings on his right hand. It's hard to make out what's on them from the dim lights of the bathroom, but whatever they are, is hot as hell.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" His voice snaps me out of my trance, one that is locked right on his hands that I wish were exploring my body again.

"Nothing," I stammer, shaking my head. "I've never done anything like this before. Other than the night on the balcony."

"Never?" His brow arches with intrigue, but the corners of his mouth turn into a displeased frown.

I shake my head. "Nope," I pop my lips.

"Have you ever been touched before? By Eric? I mean before that one night?"

My cheeks go hot, but not from the embarrassment of telling him. From the fact that I thought I was in love with a guy who has never made me feel this kind of pleasure. "We never did anything in public. And he always just seemed to rub my left lip when we fooled around."

Jace tries to hold in a laugh, but it explodes out of him. I laugh too, realizing how stupid I sound. Hating myself a little bit for dealing with a guy like Eric. Or any guy in general. They were always so selfish. But Jace is different.

He wipes his eyes with his fingers, ridding his skin of a few fallen tears from laughing so hard. "Well," he starts once he's got himself under control. "I'm happy I was able to rectify that situation." His hands grip the vanity on either side of me and he leans forward.

"You certainly did," I grin.

His breath on my cheeks is making me want to act up again. But I know I can't. Not now. Not when his groin brushes against me and I can feel his obvious need.

Now, it's his turn.