by Sofia Sawyer
“Holy shit!” Natalie said, “If I knew dancing could be that hot, Hari and I would have started sooner.”
“Yeah. You guys are ’ship goals. Your chemistry is unbelievable,” Maritza commented.
Jackson turned back to her—his hand still holding hers—finding her cheeks flushed and eyes wild.
Her lips tilted upwards—just the slightest smile—something that told him she shared whatever dirty, insanely sexy thoughts were going through his head.
But as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her smile becoming full-blown and making her eyes turn into those little crescent moons, he realized something else.
He was in love with Elena Lucia.
20
Elena
Elena was on fire. Her heart thumped in her chest at a record-breaking pace. Who knew Jackson had those moves? Every touch and every look was deliberate, made to entice. To tease. To flirt.
Normally, she would have felt embarrassed to have danced like that—dripping of pure sex—on display for all to see. But her brain couldn’t even think straight to worry about it. All it could focus on was how she could get Jackson to touch her like that again. For real this time.
Alone.
The rest of the evening had gone well, even though every bit of her wanted to rip her clothes off and jump Jackson. It was erotic to be so close to him, wanting him so badly, but having to keep it together because they were in public. After a quick drink with the group after filming, they’d all gone their separate ways to enjoy a night on the town.
Finally, she had him to herself.
As he took her hand and led her down the quiet side streets of downtown on the way to meet Mae at a dive bar, she wondered what his reaction would be if she dragged him into one of the dark alleys and had her way with him.
She flushed at the thought. This wasn’t like her. She wouldn’t say she was vanilla in the bedroom, per se. But she was more of a lady in the streets sorta girl, not one for public indecency. But with Jackson, she wanted to abandon all reason. He made her feel wild.
And horny. So horny.
It wasn’t just that, though. Sure, the dance had her feeling all sorts of things towards him, but it was the week in general. She was discovering sides of him she didn’t know. He was no longer a childhood friend turned frenemy in high school. He was no longer the guy who took the hoodie off his back when she was cold, or got into trouble or picked on her.
He was something else. Someone completely unexpected.
He was thoughtful, encouraging, sweet. He challenged her, teased her, and played with her. More importantly, he got her to feel more like herself than she’d been in a long time. And when she did show that side of her, he made her feel worthy. Cared for.
Loved.
As they turned another corner, he looked back at her, his slow grin that curled her toes rose on his lips. She gave a coy smile back.
Elena wondered what was going through his head. Did he feel the same chemistry between them as she did when they were dancing? Was it all just to keep up his end of the bargain, or was it something more?
No. You can't fake that kinda stuff, right?
“Here we are,” Jackson said as they strolled up to a nondescript bar on a quiet street.
She could hear the music pulsing from inside as she waited for the bouncers to check their IDs. Even though faint, she recognized the song as a cover from Something Corporate.
After tucking his wallet into his pocket, he took her hand again and led her into the bar. The space was small, tight, and packed. Aside from the colorful lights lighting up the small stage, the rest of the bar was dark.
“Elena! Jack!” Mae called out when she saw them, trying to wave her hand above the crowd.
Jackson dipped down to Elena’s ear as they made their way over. “Want a drink?”
Her stomach flipped, loving the feel of Jackson’s warm breath on her neck. “Vodka soda.”
He nodded and headed to the bar.
Mae pulled a beautiful blonde girl towards Elena. “This is Carolina!” she yelled over the music.
From what Elena could see in the dim light, Carolina had a kind face. Her complexion was perfect, even with minimal makeup, and her smile was genuine. “Hi. I’m Elena,” she said while shaking Carolina’s outstretched hand.
Mae wrapped her arms around Carolina’s waist and kissed her shoulder. “I figured it was time to bring her out and about.” She looked at Carolina. “We’ve been seeing each other for what now? A few weeks?”
“About a month.”
“You guys look happy,” Elena commented genuinely.
Jackson strolled up a moment later, carrying a beer and her drink. He passed it off to Elena and took a long pull from his bottle. They swayed together and laughed as the band played song after song from their younger years. Third Eye Blind. Finch. Trapt. Dashboard Confessional. Taking Back Sunday.
Back to a time when things were good between her and Jackson. Back when things were simple.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the lead singer said into the mic. “We have a very special guest with us tonight.” He turned in their direction. “Jackson, man, get up here.”
Everyone turned to look at him as he paused mid-sip. He shrugged and grinned at Elena before making his way through a small path in the crowd. Jackson hopped up on stage and stood next to the singer, rubbing his neck as if embarrassed.
“It’s a rare occurrence to have our very own Jackson St. Julien in town on a night when we have a show. But, the stars have aligned, and now we’ll be able to make this a very special event. Jackson, how about you sing with us for old time’s sake?”
Jackson nodded, still looking a little bashful. The crowd cheered.
The singer laughed at the reaction. “Your choice of song.” He handed Jackson the mic and stepped aside. Jackson turned to the band and gave them instructions. After a few nods. He turned back to the mic and took a slow breath, his eyes flashing quickly to Elena.
And then the music started. “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World.
Jackson grabbed the mic tightly and closed his eyes as he sang the first couple lines. He was nervous, Elena could tell, but after a few seconds, he found his rhythm again. Maybe he hasn't performed in years in this capacity, but it seemed like it came right back to him.
He opened his eyes and scanned the crowd, stopping directly on Elena as he sang the line about not giving up and just being yourself, and how it didn’t matter if it was good enough for anyone else.
Elena’s breathing slowed as he looked directly in her eyes and sang those words. She had heard this song a million times while growing up, but having him sing it to her now gave it a whole new meaning. He chose this song for her. She knew it. Every single lyric felt like it was written specifically for her.
The music swelled, picking up tempo and intensity. Jackson pulled the mic from the stand and moved along the stage; his stage presence a mixture of sexy and fun. The band members were smiling and laughing as they watched Jackson do his thing, making the crowd go wild. Mae and Carolina were jumping around and dancing while scream-singing the words.
He was in his element. Elena watched in awe as he sang his heart out, his voice addicting. But every time he turned back to her to sing specific lyrics, his blue eyes pierced hers, rooting her to the spot. He winked, and she swore her insides melted.
Suddenly, everything made sense. Everything clicked.
All these years she had worried so much about being an outcast, trying her hardest to blend in so people wouldn’t see how different she was, she had buried every little bit of her that made her who she was. Her ambition, her passion, her humor, her flair.
Her heart.
This whole week, Jackson told her she needed to let all of that go and how important it was to share who she was with the world. His words penetrated her psyche, breaking down those walls and long-rooted expectations she had set for herself. She felt herself wearing down, yet she still wasn�
�t ready.
Now, watching him, completely uninhibited, entirely himself—as he had always lived his life—she realized she was. As he sang with all his heart, those words finally broke through the last bit of unnecessary and unrealistic expectations she’d clung to.
She didn’t want them anymore. She wanted this. Him.
He sang the final words of the song, his gaze still locked on hers.
The music stopped, and the crowd went wild. Their hands reaching out to high five and grab at him like he was the lead singer of Jimmy Eat World. But Jackson didn’t notice them. His eyes were still firmly on Elena’s, even as he handed off the mic back to the band.
He jumped off the stage, pushing through the crowd that was praising him on his performance and asking for an encore. He moved through the sea of people, a man on a mission, stopping right in front of Elena.
“So, what did you thi—”
Elena jumped up, wrapping her legs around his hips. Surprised, he caught her and held her up. She crushed her lips against his, putting every ounce of heart into it.
He paused for a second, trying to figure out what happened, but soon followed suit. If she thought the kiss on the boat was hot, this broke the scales. Jackson’s mouth moved over hers, nipping and sucking her bottom lip. She moaned against his lips at the feel of his tongue tangling with hers.
The band kicked off the song “Hands Down” by Dashboard Confessional, giving them the perfect soundtrack to their kiss. Their first real kiss with no pretenses, no cameras, and no expectations.
Jackson slipped one hand from under her and placed it on the nook of her neck, holding her head in place so he could get more access. His body relaxed as he kissed her more deeply as if he had been holding his breath, waiting for this exact moment, and now he could finally let go.
Elena broke the kiss, her breath ragged, her heart pounding. She pressed her forehead against his, closed her eyes, and breathed him in. “Thank you,” she said quietly, just barely heard over the music.
He stroked her hair. “For what?”
“For making me see there’s another way. Showing me I can live my life the way I want to.”
Jackson pulled away, capturing her gaze. He trailed his thumb along her jaw tenderly, examining her face. “Anything for my girl.”
She smiled at that.
His girl.
Sure, he had said it a few times during this week, but now it held a new meaning. It was just them in this crowded bar. They didn’t need to pretend. Could he be feeling the way she felt for him?
He kissed her again, deeply and desperately. The kiss went from hot and sexy—a kiss to release the sexual tension simmering between them these last few days—to one of longing. In that kiss, Elena could feel his need for her. It was more than sexual chemistry, there was something underneath all the layers.
“Aww...eww.” Mae made a disgusted noise. “I was super excited because that was a pretty sweet scene, but it just dawned on me that you’re my brother and my best friend. Gross. I’m conflicted.”
Carolina leaned a head on Mae’s shoulder and looked them over. “I think it’s cute.”
Mae shivered as she made fake barf noises.
Jackson reluctantly let Elena down but grabbed her hand immediately after her feet hit the floor as if he didn’t want to let her go. Not completely.
Mae leaned over to talk quietly into Elena’s ear. “It’s about time you let yourself go and gave into what you wanted.” Mae eyed Jackson over Elena’s shoulder. “Even if it’s my brother. You look happy. That makes me happy.”
“I am.”
“So what are you waiting for? Get your man.”
Elena didn’t need any more encouragement. She looked up at Jackson and smiled before dragging him straight out of the bar.
21
Elena
Lightning flashed overhead, cracking and sizzling the way Elena’s body was for Jackson. This past week, there had been a slow burn inside of her, awakening her, reminding her of feelings she had forgotten.
Jackson took her hand, pulling her along Broad Street, stopping every few moments to duck into a doorway or alley so he could kiss her with such intensity, she was sure she would catch fire.
He pushed her against a brick wall in the privacy of an alleyway, shrouded in darkness by the lush trees and shadows of buildings. The dark clouds overhead were oppressive, save for the occasional lightning flash that gave Elena a quick glimpse of Jackson’s face.
He was a hungry man, devouring her mouth with every kiss.
She grabbed him, pulling him closer, and pushed her hands under the hem of his shirt. She needed to feel his body, the warmth of his skin, and the way the muscles in his back moved under her fingertips as he kissed her deeply.
Elena paused at another rumble of thunder, putting her hands against Jackson’s chest to break the kiss.
His eyes fluttered open, looking dazed. “Everything okay?”
“This summer storm is about to dump right on us.”
No sooner did the words escape her mouth that the skies opened up and pummeled them with heavy rain. Within seconds, they were drenched. Elena pushed wet hair out of her eyes, watching the rain batter down on Jackson. His shirt clung to him, showing off the lean, muscled physique from years of surfing.
She ached to touch him. Bare skin against skin.
Lightning flashed, quickly followed by a clap of thunder. “That was close,” Jackson yelled over the rain. “Stay here. I’m going to flag down a taxi.”
Moments later, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the backseat of a mini-van taxi. The driver looked at them, likely displeased by the fact that they were soaking wet in the back of his car. Jackson smiled, a light laugh escaping his lips as he cupped her face, pushing away her mess of hair and wiping away the makeup from under her eyes.
Elena shook her head, trying to find humor in the situation. “I look like a mess.”
“You’re beautiful, Elena.”
Her heart raced as she took in the look on his face. Earnest. Tender. And yet mixed with hot lust.
She peered out the window, trying to make out where they were through the heavy rain. The taxi driver crawled through the streets of downtown due to limited visibility and the usual flooding. Finally, he turned down her block but stopped short a few houses down. “Road is flooded down there. I have to drop you off—”
“No problem,” Jackson cut in, shoving cash in the driver’s face.
He pulled open the door, jumping out, and grabbed Elena’s hand to pull her with him. They raced through the rain and deep puddles, laughing like two idiots as sheets of rain came down even harder.
Climbing the stairs to her apartment, she gasped for air as she fumbled with her keys to unlock the door. She pushed through the front door, Jackson hot on her heels. Before she could even close it, he was spinning her towards him. He captured her body, his hands around her hips, pressing her against him. Jackson kissed her, trailing small kisses down her jaw and neck. He slipped a strap from her dress down her arm, his lips following the curve of her shoulder.
Elena reached for his shirt, undoing the buttons as fast as she could, her frantic pulse radiating through her body. His fingers massaged the small of her back, making it hard to concentrate. She needed him so badly, she thought she might pass out before she even had him. Frustrated, she pulled at the hem of his shirt, opting to pull it overhead than bother with buttons. She slipped him free, tossing the shirt to the side.
A huff sounded. Elena turned to find the shirt had landed on the head of a very disgruntled Marley.
Jackson reached out, plucking the shirt from her head, and pat her with affection. “Sorry, girl.”
She gave them both a disapproving look and scampered away to her bed.
Elena let out a quiet laugh and pressed her forehead against his, breathing him in. She ran her hands along his bare skin, her fingers exploring the roundness of his pecs and the ridges of his abs.
&n
bsp; “Elena,” Jackson exhaled, a look of pleasure crossing his face as he watched her hands trail lower. “Are you okay with this?”
She nodded, biting her lower lip. “I want you, Jackson,” she whispered.
The look of hunger returned to his face as he bent down to capture her mouth again. His hands reached for her ass, lifting her up, so her legs were wrapped around his waist. Her mind short-circuited at the feel of her bare thighs touching the warmth of his torso.
Teasing her mouth, he nipped and sucked her lips. He placed her on the island in her kitchen, knocking over the random mess of cups, notebooks, and pens onto the ground. Elena frantically reached back, trying to find the zipper to her dress.
Jackson reached around her, moving her hands away so he could take over. He grabbed the tiny zipper and slowly pulled down, his fingertips trailing the exposed skin. The shift from frantic to slow torture was incredibly sexy, causing her to shake with lust.
She tilted her head up, taking in the darkness of his blue eyes. He watched her, his eyes trailing over her face, mouth, shoulders, and the swell of her breasts. He was admiring her, trying to memorize every inch of her skin. Moving his hands to her shoulders, he slipped the last remaining strap off, peeling away the fabric of her dress inch by inch, freeing her.
A mixture of a groan and a growl sounded deep in his throat as her breasts were exposed. “Christ,” he said. “Perfect. You’re perfect, Elena.”
Normally, a string of self-doubting thoughts would flood her mind if anyone said something like that. But by the way Jackson was looking at her—his raw emotion and arousal plain as day—she knew he meant every word of it.
And that only made her want him more. No man had ever looked at her like that. No man had ever made her feel like that. She needed him.
He wedged his way between her legs, pushing her dress up her along her thighs, just stopping short of revealing her soaked panties—and not from the rain. He dipped his head down, capturing a nipple in his mouth, gently nipping and licking her into oblivion. She gasped, her body arching involuntarily towards him, a silent cry for more escaped her lips. Elena shoved her hands in his hair, tugging him to her. The feel of his tongue and warm breath on her body caused goosebumps to travel along her bare skin.