It seemed to take ages for the rest of the camp to put out the fires and make their way to their respective tents, giving Mal plenty of time to think over her decision. Throughout the previous day, the tension between her and Jace rose until Mal could barely stand it. Drawn out eye contact, subtle smiles, light touches; all enough to make a woman go crazy. There would be no sleep for her tonight. And if she was right, Jace would have none either.
So Mal was going to make the most of the long night.
Slipping quietly out of her sleeping roll, she glanced at Tally, who continued to snore softly. Tip-toeing her way through the small camp, she snuck past Amon, who was on watch duty, and entered Jace's tent. It took only a second for him to sit upright, hand around the sword that had been laying by his side.
"Mal...?"
Mal pressed her finger to her lips, shaking her head in warning. Despite herself, just the sight of him made her heart beat faster. He was topless, his toned stomach and broad chest visible even in the pale darkness of his tent. There was a light dusting of black hair across his chest, matching the tousled black nest atop his head. The slim woman glanced at the other man, who was snoring loudly, his back towards them.
Backing out, she gave Jace a mischievous grin, beckoning him after her. Hurrying through the camp, she got past Amon easily enough. She waited in the shadows of the forest, starting to wonder if she had gotten the wrong impression and that Jace didn't want her as much as she wanted him. But shortly, Jace came into the clearing. Amon stopped him and they said a few words before Amon nodded and Jace entered the woods.
Mal let him wander further in, following silently from a distance. He finally stopped at a tree, turning this way and that, a frown on his face. Moonlight filtered through the treetops, causing his skin to shimmer in the pale blue light. She left the shadows and Jace's eyes found her instantly. He growled, stalking towards her and gripping her head in his large, callused hands. For a moment, neither of them moved. Stormy blue and forest green eyes stared into each other, searching, understanding. A smirk played on his lips, and suddenly he bent down and pressed his lips to hers. The salty taste of his lips excited her, and Mal reached up, pulling Jace's head closer. He pressed her hard against a nearby tree, the rough bark rubbing through her thin shift dress.