The PinUp Coffee Shop

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Start of Something New

After they got back from the penthouse with Jonny, Clary went to make dinner. She had it mostly prepared and ready to just be made since she knew they were going to get back late. It was a chicken ravioli enchilada casserole.

Her ability to do pretty much anything and everything amazed him. She was always busy doing something, taking care of someone else, and putting herself on the back burner. He was desperate for her to realize that she needed to take care of herself first sometimes. He was determined to prove to her that he could help take the stress off of her. As much as he could, he would do anything. He set the table so that she wouldn't have to, he filled cups so she wouldn't have to, he helped move the dinner to the table, so she didn't have to. And when it came time for Jonny to take a bath and bed Jace was prepared to help with that too, but Jonny had fallen asleep on the couch, on Jace's legs, watching Toy Story while he played with his Buzz Lightyear and his giraffe.

Clary smiled and stood up to stretch after the movie and taking Buzz Lightyear, so it didn't fall and wake him. Jace sat a bit longer there, trying to avoid waking the sleeping child. When he did finally stand up, laying Jonny down on the couch with his blanket and giraffe, he stretched his arms, and went in search of Clary. She was standing over the sink, finishing up the dishes and putting them in the strainer. He had told her to wait for him to do those, but as usual, she ignored it, and did them anyway. It made Jace shake his head out in exasperation.

He went up behind her silently as a cat, wrapping his arms around her waist. He was expecting her to tense up like she usually did, which he completely understood why. Only she didn't. She leaned into him making him smile in surprise. He moved her hair to the other side of her head with his left hand, letting it fall over her other shoulder and he returned his arm to her waist. Bringing his lips down to her ear with a smirk, his whisper made his breath ran over her neck, making her shiver. "I told you I'd help with those."

Clary smiled to herself. "I know, but I figured I'd just do them anyway."

Jace's smile widened at her stubbornness. He ran his nose over her cheek and down to her neck, his lips brushing over her soft skin. "You are so stubborn." When his breath hit her neck creating a patch of wet heat, he pressed his lips down lightly, making sure not to push at her, and he closed his eyes. He held himself there for a moment. He was going to pull away and let her go, but he felt the slightest movement from her as she tilted her head to the side a smidge, giving him permission to continue. So that's exactly what he did.

When he lifted his mouth from her neck, he licked his lips and pressed them back into her, only this time, he pressed a bit harder. As he trailed his kisses over her neck, he moved in closer to her throat and collarbone, kisses littering her skin. He felt her tilt her head farther to the side as his mouth moved over her skin and falling back into his chest and shoulder. He could also feel her breathing and her heartbeat pick up as if she were running, and he was sure that she was unaware of the light noises of pleasure coming from her mouth. But that only encouraged him more.

The sensation of his lips on her made her eyes close instinctively and let out a breath, and she tilted her head, giving him permission to keep going. She wasn't exactly sure what she was doing or how far they were going to go from here or what this meant for them, but what she did know, was that she didn't want him to stop. And when he didn't stop and pressed on, moving his mouth along her body, she felt herself go limp against him. At that moment, she was thanking God, for the fact that he had his arms around her, because if he didn't, she might have hit the ground.

She felt her head hit his shoulder and felt a small groan come from her throat without permission. She hadn't even gotten a second to feel embarrassed over it like she was going to, because Jace pressed his mouth into her skin deeper and she felt his teeth run over her. Clearly, he liked the noises that she was making, as he bit down and flicked his tongue over her skin, sucking on small patches of her flesh making her eyes roll back. It was what made her groan out again, but this time, she felt no embarrassment about it. He was obviously enjoying this as much as she was.