Chapter Fifteen

JC didn’t want to leave Kiora’s side and stayed in bed with her, quickly falling asleep.  They slept all day and through the night.  The next day Kiora woke to find JC sound asleep next to her.  She glanced at the clock and rubbed her eyes, that couldn't be right.  She took a look at her watch and realized that they had both slept for over twenty hours.  Kiora knew she needed to get back to her place and get some things in order.  Quietly she slipped out of the bed and silently pulled on a shirt.  She heard a rustle from the bed and a groan that signaled that JC had woken up.  She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and turned around to see JC watching her through sleepy eyes.

“Stop staring.”  She teased,

JC shifted to his side with a sleepy grin, “I can’t help it, you’re gorgeous.”

That sleepy grin made her heart skip a beat. “I know.”  She threw a playful smile over her shoulder.

JC chuckled, “And you tease me about being modest.”

“I was raised in LA, it’s a requirement to be gorgeous, right?”  She teased and flopped down on the bed.

“Not your type of gorgeous, you’re naturally gorgeous.”  He said caressing the side of her face,

“You haven’t seen me when I first wake up, oh wait, you have.”  She giggled,

“Many times over.”  He added,

“What can I say?  I really like your bed.”  She stretched out next to him,

JC gave her a skeptical look, knowing that it wasn't his bed that was keeping her here, “My bed, huh?

“Yeah, it’s really comfy.  Especially the built-in bed warmer.  That’s a plus.”  She said poking him lightly,

JC leaned over her, “That’s all I am, a bed warmer?”

“You have other functions.”  She grinned and he grabbed her pinning her underneath him,

“And what would that be?”

“Good pillow.”  She answered mischievously,

“Excuse-” He was interrupted by her kisses, which were long, slow and mind melting.  It took some effort, but JC pried away his lips, “That’s not fair, you’re playing dirty.”  He said kissing her again, unable to resist her inviting lips.

“Like you’re complaining.”  She replied kissing him one last time before pushing him off and getting up,

“Hey!”  JC protested, he wanted to keep playing the game they were playing.

“Hey, what?” She turned around placing her hands on her hips.

JC pointed a finger at her, “You shouldn’t be getting out of bed.”

She rolled her eyes, “I’m fine.  We slept all day.” She looked at her watch again, "And all night."

He gave her a playful grin and moved towards her on the bed, “Who said anything about sleeping?”

She laughed and backed up from him, “As tempting as that is, I’ve got to meet Russ.”

“I’m beginning to get jealous of Russ.”  JC pouted, hoping that his tactic would get her back in bed with him.

“You shouldn’t, I’m not fucking Russ.”  She teased and he frowned,

“Glad to see you think so highly of me.”  He said laying back on the bed.  For some reason she had hit a real sore spot with him, with that comment.

Kiora sat down next to him, noticing the abrupt change of mood, “Jace, I was teasing.”  She said gently.

There was that voice again, he wasn’t going to let her work him with that voice, not with something like this. “Yeah, well some days that’s all we are.”  Here he was wearing his heart on his sleeve for her and he felt like hers was buried under a mountain in a locked chest.

“No Jace—” She protested, but he interrupted her,

“Do you care about me?”

“I…” Why couldn’t she say the words?  Did she want to say the words?

Her hesitation pissed him off even more, “Thanks.”  He retorted throwing back the covers and getting out of bed.

For once in her life, Kiora didn't know how to fix the situation. “Jace, come on, don’t be mad, please.”

JC spun around to face her, “Why shouldn’t I?”

“I’m sorry.”  She said turning her head away, “I’ll just go.”  This was going to be hard to explain to her father, but she was getting in too deep.  It was too risky.

JC walked over to her, “I don’t want you to leave, but I want to know you’re feeling this as much as I am.”

“Why can’t you be a normal guy?”  She questioned,

JC was taken aback by that question, “What do you mean?”

“Most guys are happy with a fuck.”  She tried to explain,

“Sorry, I’m not.”  He said with a roll of his eyes,

“I’m not used to that.”  She said honestly and looked up at him.  It was true, most guys didn't want more than that from her.  For most of her life she had been surrounded by people who just used her and discarded her when they didn't need her anymore.

JC’s heart softened at the vulnerableness in her eyes and kneeled in front of her. He took her face in his hand, “Kee, you’re worth so much more than that.”

She shrugged, “No one’s ever wanted more.”

JC's heart broke at the tears that were swelling in her eyes.  This was his Kiora, “I do.”

She shook her head, “I don’t get it.”

“There’s nothing to get, just let me care about you.”  He didn't know how to explain it to her any simpler.

Kiora sighed and looked away, “I, I have to get going.”

          JC stopped her and forced her to look him in the eye, “I’m not looking for a good time in bed Kee.  That’s easy to find.  You’re worth more than that and anyone who never thought that about you before was a fool.  I just need to know that I’m not in this relationship alone.”

Kiora bit her lip, “I want to be with you.  I like being with you and spending time with you.  I, I,” She paused and took a deep breath, “You’re not in this alone.”  She said and took a couple more deep breaths. 

JC kissed her forehead, “This is really difficult for you.”

She nodded and looked away, “I’m sorry.”

JC made her look at him again, “Don’t apologize, at least I know you’re trying.”

“You’re worth trying for.”  She admitted softly,

“Thanks honey.  That means the world to me.”  He pulled her into a hug and she sighed against him.  This was the most difficult case for her.  How did she let herself care this much about him?  How was she going to let him go at the end?  Could she let him go?

She pulled away from him, “JC, I really have to go.”

He looked at her, “See you tonight?”

“Maybe.”  She said standing up from the bed.  She needed to take a break and get her head straight.  She knew that she wasn't going to be any good to JC if she was wrapped up in her emotions for him.

“Maybe?”  He questioned with a frown, “What’s going on?”  She was pulling away from him again.  He didn't want to let that happen.

“I don’t know.”  She said pulling on her jacket, “I may be working late, but most likely I’ll be here.  I’ll pack a bag.”  She said and slid her bag on her shoulder.

JC didn't like the tone of her voice, it wasn't very convincing.  He needed to have a more permanent situation with her, “Kee, you really should just move your stuff here.  It’s pointless to keep going in between.”  He said walking over to her and holding her hips,

“I’m good really.”  She said and JC read her eyes, knowing what she was thinking.

“I’m not asking you to move in with me.”

She shrugged a shoulder, “I know.”

“It would just be easier for you, because you tend to spend all your nights here.”  He tried to reason with her.

“I know, but I’m fine, really.”  She protested and he knew that she would have to be dragged kicking and screaming.

JC thought a moment, trying another tactic, “I’ve never seen your place.” If she wouldn't stay here with him, he'd go to her.

“It’s nothing special.  It looks like a hotel room.”  Her phone rang and she looked back up at JC, “That’s Russ, he’s probably wondering where I am.”

JC finally relented and sighed, “Okay, call me later?”

She gave him a small smile, “Yeah, sure.”

“Bye honey.”

“Bye Jace.”  She said kissing him quickly before running out the door.

---

Kiora burst into her apartment, “Russ, I can’t lie to him.”

Russ looked up from the papers he had been reading, “What?”

 She dropped her bag on the floor, “I can’t lie to JC.  It’s weird, I try and I can’t.”  Kiora complained and flopped down into one of her overstuffed chairs in her living room.

Russ looked at her over the paper, he was used to her tirades by now. “Why is that bad?”

Kiora groaned and covered her eyes, “Did you take fucking stupid pills this morning!  How the fuck is that NOT a bad thing?!”

Russ realized that this was bigger than one of her tirades.  JC must have hit a sore spot with Kiora for her to be this upset.  He put down his paperwork, “Whoa, Kee, calm down.”  Russ soothed, “You’re going to be okay.”

She shook her head, “I really don’t think I can do this.  I need a few days off.”

That wouldn't work, especially after the incident with the manager, “But…”

Kiora turned her pleading look on Russ, “I’ll work on the case, but I can’t see him.  Please, Russ.”

She was putting distance between herself and JC because she was really starting to care for him. “It’s okay for you to care for JC, Kee.”  Russ said softly,

“I can’t lose my objective in this case.  I do that and he dies.  I’m taking a few days to gather more evidence.  Have Jackson cover him.”  She told him and got up from her seat.

Russ knew that she needed to be with JC, “But he’s not…”

Kiora cut him off, “We haven’t had a threat in two weeks.  He’ll be okay with Jackson and I’ll be around, just not in person.  I need these few days to solve this case.”  She said leaving no room for discussion.

“Okay.”  Russ reluctantly agreed knowing there would be no way to change her mind at this point.

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