Shattered (Book 2)

Chapter 14

Ivy

"Ivy Elizabeth Lane. I'm in love with you," Jackson declared.

I froze, my current movement halted in place. The rain pelted hard against the ground around us, my eyes laser-focused on Jackson's gray ones. Like me, he was drenched from head to toe, but that didn't stop us from standing here, outside in the pouring rain, declaring ourselves to one another. He looked at me like he saw the sun for the first time, and I wasn't sure if I'd heard the words that had escaped his mouth correctly.

I backpedaled. "What did you just say?"

"I'm in love with you," he repeated.

If my heart was still beating, I was sure it would have burst through my chest.

"Jackson..."

He took a step forward. "Ivy, I can't sleep at all. You're constantly on my mind. The thought of losing you is unbearable, and you're the first person I think of when I wake up. Everything you do changes me."

My mind was swirling, and I tried my best to grasp his honesty. "I..."

"With you, everything makes sense," he added.

"What if we don't fit?" I asked, anxiety vibrating through my words.

Jackson took another step forward until he was inches from my mouth. "I'm willing to risk it all for you. For us."

As if time seemed to slow down for both of us, Jackson closed the distance between us, crushing his lips to mine. My whole body was engulfed in pleasure so powerful I wrapped my arms around him to keep balance. He grabbed the back of my thighs and lifted me into his arms, our lips mirrored each other perfectly. Jackson carried me up the stairs, over the broken glass, through the threshold, and downstairs to his bed, placing me gently on top of the sheets as we continued to kiss. He pulled back slightly from my mouth to reach with one hand behind his back to rip his wet dress shirt off, the cuff links snapping off with the tie. The water from his damp hair dripped on my face as we continued our embrace. His hands moved all over my body as he reached around to unzip my dress. Desperate to feel each other; the remaining clothes began to discard from our soaked bodies, hitting the floor. Jackson began to kiss down my neck, our bodies pressed together. His tongue dipped in between my breasts, licking and sucking some of the blood off me from tonight's surprise feast. Deep within me, I wanted so much more. I wanted all of him. His tongue swirled in my mouth, claiming mine without hesitation. He knew what he wanted, and so did I. Jackson's hands found all the right spots that made me arch my back, colliding harder against his bare chest.

My hands acted on their own accord, traveling south to his private area. We moved in sync, grabbing, squeezing, kissing, and biting, a never-ending cycle.

Jackson suddenly stopped, hovering over me, breathing heavily. "Ivy—"

"Don't stop, please," I begged, scratching my nails down his back.

He groaned in response, continuing his assault on my mouth.

Our naked bodies molded into one, the sensation lighting my dead, cold skin on fire. Jackson lifted one of my legs around his waist, easing further into me as I gripped the sheets, getting lost in our own personal ecstasy. We gave in to each other like a bad habit, forever addicted.

"I love you too," I whispered into Jackson's ear. Because the truth was I did.

I let him take control, all of my doubts fading as we rose higher into the clouds.

***

Jackson curled his arms around me, resting my head on his bare chest as he stroked my hair. The feeling was pure bliss, and I was terrified someone would try to ruin it. I just wanted this moment to last forever.