Eversea A Love Story

myself to get it all out before I lost my nerve. “And I don’t want any regrets. I’ve never been ... frivolous, never done anything without weighing up the consequences. I feel like I’ve always had a heavy heart ... Nothing—no one,” I amended, “ever seemed worth taking a risk for.” I took a deep breath and shored up my nerves. “This is. You are. I can’t explain it. I—”
    Jack’s mouth parted slightly, although I had no idea if that was good or bad. His gaze roamed over my face to my mouth, effectively cutting off my words.
    I didn’t finish talking, but let my hand drift around to the back of his head and pulled him down to my mouth.
    He didn’t resist.
    I let out a soft sigh as his lips met mine. It was so right. This felt so right. It was like it spoke to me deep in my soul. I opened my lips to him and accepted the soft slide of his tongue and heard him groan deep in his chest. I wound my hand into a fistful of his hair. I could feel this kiss through my whole body, and my heart swelled in my chest and my legs shifted to get closer.
    I wasn’t sure who instigated the move, but suddenly I had a leg across his lap and his hand on my thigh was dragging me astride him.
    He’d lifted me effortlessly.
    I let out a heavy breath as my skirt rode up, and I pressed my whole body to him.
    “God,” Jack groaned.
    My head tipped back, gasping, as Jack’s mouth found my neck.
    He was hard and swollen beneath me. Moaning, I rocked forward against the rough ridge of his jeans.
    “Christ,” he hissed out. His arm locked around my waist and pressed me down hard against him.
    I whimpered. Couldn’t help it.
    He dragged his lips up to mine and plundered my mouth as we rocked against each other. There was no argument in the world that could have convinced me Jack shouldn’t be inside me at that moment.
    “Take me home,” I managed, between kisses. He pulled his mouth away from mine, breathing hard, and searched my eyes. His gaze, made luminous by the sunset we were missing, was piercing. I knew what he’d said to me last night and this morning, and I knew I faced rejection again, but I had to try. I wanted this. I wanted him. And I wanted him sealed in my heart forever. No matter what happened.
    “Please ... make love to me, Jack.”
    He closed his eyes tight and let out a breath, dropping his forehead to mine. After what felt like an eternity, he drew me into a tight embrace, his face buried in my neck. I wound my arms around his head and shoulders holding him tightly back. If this was all I could have of Jack, I would take it with my heart wide open.
    He was going to say no. I mentally prepared for his answer and tried hard not to let the feeling of rejection unfold inside me. I knew I should take the words back and take the decision away from him before he had to tell me no again. It wasn’t fair of me to ask him to reject me again when we’d already talked about this.
    I pulled back. “Neverm—”
    “Yes,” he said at the same time.
    “What?” I whispered.
    “Yes. Let’s go.”
     

 
    T W E N T Y – S E V E N
    We roared past my house. Jack had asked me if I needed anything from home. I didn’t. The short drive to the beach house took hours. I tried not to think of the last time I left there. It was only yesterday afternoon and it felt like eons ago, like I was just a little girl back then.
    Finally, we stowed the bike, took our helmets off, and laughing, raced up the stairs to the house. Jack fumbled with the door lock, but finally we were inside.
    I laid the backpack down, and he hauled me back and spun me around pinning me against the wall with his hard body. I did some crazy moan-gasp thing, and looking me deep in the eyes, he hitched my leg up against his thigh and pressed against my center.
    Holy shit.
    My heart was beating hard in my chest, almost in my throat. I clutched at him. I wanted to feel his strength, so I pushed his jacket off his shoulders.
    He let go of my bare thigh for a moment while he shucked off his jacket and let it fall to the floor.
    I kept my leg hooked around him, reluctant to lose contact for even a moment. I reached for his t-shirt, but he grabbed it behind his head and pulled it off, our gaze only breaking for a millisecond.
    My cold hands found Jack’s warm, smooth skin.
    He tensed under my touch, his eyes now slate grey in the darkened hall.
    Jack’s hand came up to my face, and his thumb brushed over my lips like when my tongue had accidentally