"Smoking Tensions"

As Lila's eyes sparkled with amusement, Jace felt a flicker of annoyance, but beneath that, he couldn't deny the attraction that still lingered between them. The flicker of tension that danced in the air whenever they were near each other was hard to ignore. Ethan, seeming to sense the shift in mood, excused himself to go grab another drink, leaving Jace and Lila alone. Lila, still grinning, reached out and snatched the cigarette from Jace's fingers. "You know, you're not very good at this whole 'not wanting to dance with me' thing," she said, her voice husky as she took a long drag on his cigarette. Jace raised an eyebrow, feeling a flush rise to his cheeks. "I'm just trying to set boundaries, Lila," he said, trying to sound stern. Lila chuckled, a low, throaty sound that sent a shiver down Jace's spine. "Boundaries?" she repeated, exhaling a stream of smoke into the air. "You're not very good at those either, are you?" Without thinking, Jace reached out and took the cigarette from her lips, his fingers brushing against hers. "Give me that," he said, trying to sound casual. Lila's eyes locked onto his, a spark of attraction dancing in their depths. "No way," she said, playfully tugging on the cigarette. Jace's eyes narrowed, and he took another drag on the cigarette, feeling a surge of satisfaction as he inhaled the smoke. But as he looked at Lila, he knew he wasn't going to win this game. She was a master manipulator, and he was starting to realize that he was more than happy to play along. With a sly smile, Lila reached out and took the cigarette from Jace's lips, her fingers wrapping around his as she did. This time, instead of just taking the cigarette, she leaned in close, her breath whispering against his ear. "Let's make a deal," she said, her voice barely audible over the music. "We'll smoke each other's cigarettes, back and forth." Jace's heart skipped a beat as he looked at her, his mind racing with the implications. But as he met her gaze, he knew he was in trouble. He was drawn to her, hard. And the thought of smoking her cigarette, of feeling her lips on his, was suddenly very appealing. Without a word, Jace nodded, his eyes locked onto hers. Lila's smile grew wider as she took another drag on his cigarette, her eyes sparkling with mischief. And then, in a move that sent shivers down Jace's spine, she leaned in close and took the cigarette from his mouth, her lips brushing against his as she did. The spark of attraction between them flared to life, and Jace knew he was in trouble. He was playing with fire, and he was starting to realize that he was more than happy to get burned.