I walk past him and head straight for the kitchen, where I wash my hands and then open the cabinet that holds the plates. I grab two and set them on the table.

After we each put a slice on our plate and open a beer, I ask, “What were you and Adele talking about earlier? You two looked chummy.”

Ace takes a bite and grins as he swallows it down. “You, actually.”

I raise my eyebrows, shocked by how easily he admitted to talking about me, but now my stupid curiosity is piqued. “What about?”

He shrugs. “About your mother—how you went off to New York, how she hates Tanner. You know, basically your whole life story.”

My mouth gapes open. Damn. I guess Adele was just a wealth of information for him, and that isn’t like her.

I push the pizza around on my plate. “If you wanted to know something about me . . . why didn’t you just come and ask me?”

I know that isn’t a fair question, seeing as how I just Internet stalked him, but I would’ve answered any question he asked me openly. Unlike him, I have nothing to hide about myself.

He shrugs. “I didn’t go prying, if that’s what you’re thinking. Adele just told me all of that stuff.”

Ace is quiet for a moment, and then he asks, “What’s going on between you and that Tanner guy? Are you seeing him?”

“No!” I blurt. “God no. He was my boyfriend back in high school and for about six months after until he decided he wanted to start screwing every coed on campus that would have him when he went off to college.”

“I see.” He nods, like the little show Tanner and I put on in front of him and Adele now makes sense.

He takes a long pull from his beer, and I can’t help but notice the way his sexy mouth works against the bottle. It causes a shiver to run down my spine, remembering how his lips felt on mine and how electric we seemed to be together.

“Iris . . . about us.” His russet eyes meet mine, and I see nothing but sincerity in them. “I want you to know, that what happened in the shed—”

“Please,” I whisper, not wanting to hear his reasoning why we can’t be together yet again. “You don’t have to apologize. I shouldn’t have been so forward. I kissed you. I started it. I should be the one apologizing to you, but I can’t say I’m sorry that it happened.”

I wish I could just come out and tell him that I already know what he’s hiding. I don’t care why he’s running from his life, because his career isn’t him, he’s got the right to decide if he wants to quit.

I want him to know that nothing will change the way I feel toward him—the desire I have for him has nothing to do with his fame, if that’s what he’s worried about. I lusted after him before I found out who he was.

He reaches across the table and threads his fingers with mine. It’s a small gesture but an intimate one, and it immediately makes me smile. “I’ve been pushing you away since I got here, and I’m sorry. It’s just I’m so insanely attracted to you that I know once I have you, it’ll be all over for me. Today, just watching that guy beg you to go out with him—it made me so fucking jealous. I wanted to tell him to take a fucking hike because you weren’t available, but I didn’t have the right.”

“He’s not the one I want,” I say, hoping he will catch the hint in my voice.

An expression of relief floods his face as his eyes soften. “Good, because I’ve decided I have to figure out a way to make you mine.”

The beautiful admission coming from his mouth causes a swarm of butterflies to take flight in my belly.

I bite the inside of my bottom lip but then allow the goofy smile I’m trying to hide shine through. “You did?”

He brings our interlaced hands to his face and he kisses my knuckles. “Yes. I’m willing to do whatever I have to do in order to be with you.”

I reach up and stroke the side of his face with my fingers, and he closes his eyes and leans into my touch, clearly enjoying the comfort of it. I need to try to make him understand that what he’s hiding . . . it doesn’t scare me. “I don’t care what it is you’re running from, Ace. I’ll be with you anywhere. I’m yours.”

In one swift movement Ace is up on his feet, pulling me with him. He yanks my body flush with his and wraps his strong arms around my waist. I sigh as I melt into him, overwhelmed that I’m finally getting what I want: him.

Both of his hands glide up my back before he brings one around to trace the line of my jaw with his index finger. “Stunning.”

That’s all I manage to let him say before I attack him with my lips. There’s no resistance in his kiss this time. He cups my face and his greedy tongue seeks entrance into my mouth. I part my lips, allowing his hot, slick tongue to slide against mine, and they begin their sensual dance of foreplay.

Every nerve inside me is alive with need for this beautiful man before me. It’s not just his amazingly good looks that turn me on, but how he’s been there for me the past few weeks, helping me whenever I seem to need it the most.

My fingers walk their way up the coarse material of his jeans and then slip under the hem of his T-shirt to play with the soft skin on his waist.

A low grunt sounds in the back of his throat and he yanks my hips into his even more, allowing me to feel the growing erection inside his jeans against my belly. Turning him on like this excites me. I throw my fingers into that beautifully messy head of bronze hair and continue to kiss him.