Shades of Desire

Ivy

Jace and I have been spending more time together at his apartment. It feels good. He can't seem to keep his hands to himself, and honestly, I'm not complaining. His hands on my body feel like they're made to be there, exploring every inch of me, finding new places that make me shiver under his touch. It's addicting.

He's been insisting on seeing my dorm room and meeting my friends, but I've been avoiding it. The thought of him running into Ethan feels too messy. I see Ethan around campus—it's inevitable—but we've been pretending the other doesn't exist. It hurts, more than I thought it would. I never wanted it to turn out like this.

"Come back to bed, babe," Jace murmurs, his voice husky from sleep as he reaches out to me from under the sheets.

"Yeah, coming," I reply, a smile creeping onto my face.

I slide back into bed beside him. He instantly pulls me close, his lips trailing soft kisses down my neck. His hands are already slipping beneath my shirt, fingers grazing my bare skin. Every touch feels electric.

"Can't get enough of you," he whispers, his mouth now moving to mine. The kiss deepens, and I feel the familiar rush of heat flood through me. His hands roam lower, and I gasp as his fingers tease me in just the right way, sending shivers down my spine.

We lose track of time, wrapped up in each other until the blare of my alarm pulls me back to reality. I groan, pushing myself up from the bed, grabbing my clothes. Jace, still sprawled across the sheets, watches me with a lazy smile.

"You leaving me already?" he teases, his voice heavy with sleep.

"Some of us have to go to class," I smirk, pulling on my shirt and leaning down to kiss him softly before heading out.

The professor is droning on about some philosophy topic I can't focus on. My mind keeps drifting back to Jace, to the way his hands felt on me this morning, to how his kiss left me craving more. I shake my head, trying to clear the thoughts, but it's no use.

"Alright class, make sure you've read chapters 4 and 5 for the next lecture," the professor announces, snapping me back to the present.

In the cafeteria, I'm sitting alone, absently pushing food around my plate when Mia and Jess plop down beside me.

"So... how's it going with Jace?" Mia asks, a sly grin on her face.

I shrug, trying to play it cool. "It's... going good."

But the truth is, I'm still not sure if I made the right decision. I mean, it feels right when I'm with him. But then there's this nagging doubt I can't shake.

Back in the dorm, Mia and Jess are all over the idea of a girls' night out. I hesitate at first—I've been spending so much time with Jace that my social life outside of him has pretty much vanished. But when I realize how much I've been neglecting everything else, I reluctantly agree.

We're sprawled across the floor of our dorm room, Mia pouring drinks and Jess flipping through a magazine. The conversation quickly takes a turn toward the dirty—Mia's specialty.

"So, Ivy..." Mia starts with a mischievous smirk. "How many times are you and Jace, you know... doing it a day?"

I laugh, feeling my cheeks heat up. "Umm, let's just say... more than once."

Jess raises an eyebrow. "More than once? Girl, you need to spill! Is it like, morning, noon, and night?"

"Or is he the type to wake you up at 3 a.m.?" Mia adds, wiggling her eyebrows.

I take a sip of my drink, feeling the buzz of alcohol starting to kick in. "He's... persistent, I'll give him that. It's like, any chance we get."

"Oh my God," Jess groans. "I need that in my life. What's the wildest place you've done it?"

I think for a moment, biting my lip. "Probably... the shower at his place. That was—"

"—steamy, right?" Mia finishes for me, giggling.

"You have no idea," I admit, feeling the laughter bubbling up inside me.

"So, is it like... every time you're with him?" Jess leans in, clearly wanting details.

"Pretty much," I laugh. "He can't keep his hands off me."

"And you're totally fine with that?" Mia asks, her tone playful but with a hint of seriousness.

I pause, taking another sip of my drink. "I mean, yeah. I'm into him, but... sometimes it feels like that's all we're doing."

Jess nods. "You need balance, Ivy. Don't let it be just about the physical stuff."

"Yeah," Mia agrees. "But if the physical stuff is that good, you've gotta enjoy it."