"I'm aware of that."
"Asphyxiation via feathers."
I smirked. "Oregon State Senator Jace Brevik found dead in Hawaiian hut, surrounded by chicken feathers and Viagra."
His amusement faded before my very eyes. "You don't think she put more… stuff in my tea do you?"
"Why?" I scooted across the bed and lay down next to him. "You feeling inspired again?"
"Inspired makes it sound like I'm rarely inspired, which is ridiculous because I'm inspired a hell-of-a-lot more than usual."
"Maybe it's me," I offered. "Then again, it could be the chickens."
"Not the chickens, not the pool toys, not any of those things." He reached for my hand and sighed. "I'm sorry, you know."
"For what?"
"Everything."
The room was completely silent except for my stupid heart as it rammed against my chest. He kept holding my hand, and I wondered if it was because he wanted to give me the fairytale, or if it was because he actually wanted to hold it.
"I shouldn't have run," Jace whispered.
"What are you talking about?"
"Prom." He squeezed my hand harder and then pulled me into his lap. "I should have stayed."
"And done what?" I laughed nervously. "Fought for my honor?"
"Something like that."
He dipped his hand into my hair and ran that same warm hand down my neck, sending chills to my toes.
"It was never that I didn't want to fight — I just hate letting people down. In theory, it sounds good. I don't like people being disappointed in me, but that's only partially the truth. I hate disappointment, but it's only by those I deem worthy of approval in the first place. And because I didn't know you, other than the taste of your lips and heat of your mouth, it wasn't worth it to me. You weren't worth it."
"Are you trying to make me cry?" My chest felt like an elephant had just decided to camp on it and invited all his friends and family.
Jace's eyes softened. "I'm trying to apologize."
"Try harder," I urged.
"Second chances are rare."
"Unless you're Grandma and have God's ear. Then you have as many chances as she allows, until she kills you herself."
"True."
What was happening, exactly? Was he apologizing for high school, or was he apologizing for now? And why was he looking at me like I'd just declared my undying love for him? Yes. I liked him, possibly loved him now that I'd gotten to know him, but it was more of an irritating love. The kind that pokes you until you finally give up and accept your fate. And I wasn't ready to admit anything yet, especially to the one guy I knew would be walking away from me in a few days.
"You're my second chance." Bomb officially dropped.
I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to cry tears of joy or slap him in the face. His grin was cocky, as if I should be thankful that he was finally bleeding his feelings all over the place. I wasn't thankful. I was irritated. Irritated that his epic speech wasn't that he couldn't live without me, but that I'd finally worn him down, like some sort of cold that takes control of your immune system.
"Say something." He kissed my mouth.
It was a tie between wanting to kiss Thor back or throw him in the bathtub with his hammer on.
"Was that it?" I asked calmly.