“I can pick locks, but stop avoiding my question, Eve.” He replies as he leans back and places his hands on either side of my face as his thumbs wipe away my remaining tears. “Why were you crying?”
Closing my eyes I bow my head.
“I just miss him.” I whisper.
“I get it, but from now on you don’t have to hide. You don’t have to hide your tears from anyone, especially not me. Out of everyone I understand what you’re going through the most.” Jayce replies gently.
“How did you get past all of this?” I ask him quietly.
“It wasn’t easy for me but after a while I realized that I hadn’t actually been in love with her. I realized that she wasn’t everything that I had thought she was.” Jayce explains.
“I also realized what a selfish person she was for leaving me the way that she had.” He adds.
His words made complete sense.
If I would have been completely in love with Cole then I never would have spent a night with Liam, I never would have cheated on him.
And Cole had been selfish for taking his own life.
He had left so many broken hearts behind, not only my own. He had broken his parent’s hearts and Liam’s.
“Do you think I’ll be able to get past this?” I then ask.
I don’t know why I was placing this on his shoulders but I figured he would be able to tell me the honest truth.
“I think you will, just don’t do anything stupid like I did.” He replies.
I nod and place my hand over his chest where his scar was. There was no way I would let myself forget what had happened to him.
“How did you survive?” I whisper as I search his eyes.
“I nearly didn’t. When I wrecked my car I messed up my heart pretty badly. When they rushed me into the hospital they prepped me for a heart transplant.” Jayce explains softly before closing his eyes for a moment.
“Since Alyssa had been an organ donor they gave me her heart. She saved me from death even though she didn’t save herself.” He whispers with raw emotion.
“The worst part about it all was the fact that if I would have checked Alyssa for a pulse I could have saved her. She had died in the hospital just moments before I was brought in.” He adds softly.
“That’s terrible, Jayce.” I reply softly as I place my hand against his cheek.
He leans into my touch as he closes his eyes again.
In the next moment his hands hold me close before his lips descend upon mine.
We get swept away, and before I know it Jayce is lifting me into his arms while wrapping my legs around his waist before carrying me out into the bedroom where he then lays me down before hovering over my body.
His eyes were heated with want.
I was almost certain that my eyes held the same intensity.
After searching my eyes for a moment Jayce asks the question that I was more than ready to answer. “Do you want this?”
I nod. “I do, Jayce. I want this with you.”
And honestly at this moment he was what I wanted. He was the step that I needed to be able to move forward.
If we did this I was certain that I would be able to leave all thoughts of Cole and Liam behind.
My full attention could be focused on him.
Jayce searches my eyes for one more brief moment before grinning. A second later his lips crash into mine again while his hands slide just under my shirt.
Their warmth sets my body on fire as his tongue tangles with mine in an intimate dance of passion.
I moan softly and he takes that as his cue to tug my shirt up and then off of me while his lips turn to assaulting my neck which only elicits more moans to fall from my lips.
In turn I reach for his shirt and tug it up and over his head before tossing it to the floor absently.
Jayce then unbuttons my jeans before slipping them off of me while I work on unbuckling the buckle on his belt.
Once I get it undone he helps me slip his pants off before he resumes his spot hovering over me while his lips snake a trail down my bare body.
My fingers dig into his skin lightly as he positions himself between my legs while he stares down into my eyes, searching once again for my response.
Even now, I was still all in.
It surprised me a little since I didn’t really know Jayce all that much, but I knew we would have more than enough time to figure all those details out later.
Right now I was going to live in this moment.
Wordlessly I move my hands down Jayce’s back before firmly grabbing his hips pulling him forward just enough that he would get the silent message I was sending him.
With a low grunt Jayce meets my demands with a swift move which leaves me gasping with pure pleasure.
Every thought in my mind fades away as pure bliss fully encompasses my body.
I was his.
His name leaves my lips on the wave of a small moan. “Jayce…”
Jayce responds with a low groan of pleasure as he continues to move, his bare skin heating mine as he presses his body further into me.
Staring into Jayce’s eyes I get utterly and completely lost.
It only takes a moment but I close my eyes and then open again only to find myself staring up into Cole’s dead eyes.
I’m barely able to hold the scream back that wanted to leave my lips.
“You said you loved me.” His dead lips whisper.
Shaking my head I close my eyes tightly and silently beg for this nightmare to end. Why couldn’t he just leave me alone?
Thankfully when I manage to find the courage to reopen my eyes I find myself looking into Jayce’s.
His eyes are filled with question and worry.
“Are you alright, Eve? I’m not hurting you, am I?” He questions gently.
“You’re not hurting me, Jayce. I just had a bad moment, that’s all. We can continue.” I reply honestly.
“Are you sure? We can stop if you need to.” Jayce suggests.
I shake my head. “I don’t want to stop.”
Smiling he nods his head before moving within me.
I moan softly but that feeling of bliss had disappeared. The moment between us had been ruined, at least from my side it had been.
Jayce didn’t seem a bit bothered by what had transpired, but that was because he hadn’t just seen his dead girlfriend staring back at him.
I couldn’t shake that image no matter how hard I wanted to.
Cole was going to be stuck in my memories forever.
“I hate to leave you like this, Eve, but your dads are going to start wondering what we’re doing up here all alone.” Jayce sighs as he buttons his jeans.
Sitting on the edge of my bed he leans down to press his lips against mine for a tender kiss.
As he pulls back I smile. “They wouldn’t mind as much as you would think. If they were really worried they would have barged in here already.”
Jayce laughs lightly. “Either way I don’t want to test my luck.”
Tugging him down I manage to get one more kiss from him before he stands to his feet.
“I’ll be back later, okay.” He grins and I nod.
A moment later he walks to my door before glancing back at me once before then leaving my room altogether.
Sighing softly I cover my face with my blanket as the door shuts.
When the door to my room opens again I scramble to cover myself with an extra blanket as Eric walks in.
His eyes scan over me with a knowing look as he comes to a stop in the middle of my room.
“I really hope you know what you’re doing.” He sighs.
“I do and I’ll be careful, papa bear.” I reply.
“Be careful with your heart, Princess, and don’t let him steal it if you’re not ready to give it away.” He adds.
I nod my head in understanding.
I would guard my heart, but I wouldn’t be able to let it go until I was able to let Cole go first.
&nb
sp; To hold onto him while giving my heart to another wouldn’t be fair. It wouldn’t be fair to only give a part of myself away.
When I finally did give my heart away I wanted to be able to give myself wholly to whomever it was that I had come to love.
“Now, why don’t you get cleaned up and dressed. Matt has dinner waiting for us downstairs.” Eric grunts, changing the subject.
I nod. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
Eric nods and then points towards the bathroom. “Be careful, okay. I don’t think I could handle another accident again.”
With that he leaves my room shutting the door behind him.
Sighing I roll out from under my blankets and make my way into my bathroom.
This time as I step into the shower I focus my mind solely on Jayce and what we had just done together.
I think over what it meant.
My life was changing.
And I believed that just like before when I had come to live here that this, me and Jayce, was a gift and a blessing for me.
I would move forward.
Another tomorrow would come, hundreds of tomorrows were coming.
For once I really saw my future.
And it was beautiful.
Chapter 18
Dear Diary,
Why does it seem like the ground falls away from my feet every time things seem to be perfect? I swear I’ll never find happiness again…not without you.
“Are you ready?” Jayce asks as he walks into my room unannounced.
I was far from ready considering I was only wrapped in a towel, but that was what he had been aiming for.
He had perfect timing for coming over early before school just so we could have a little time to ourselves before we actually had to leave.
“Do I look ready to you?” I laugh out.
Wrapping his arms around me Jayce places his chin on my shoulder to look into the mirror with me. “You’re beautiful, you know.”
Spinning around in his arms I grin. “Just shut up and kiss me already.”
Grinning widely he does just that…until a loud knock sounds out a moment before Ben walks into the room with Maggie following close behind.
I rush to pull my towel tighter around me while Jayce thankfully steps in front of me to help give me some privacy.
“Haven’t you heard of waiting to be let in, brother?” Jayce questions as I peek around him.
Ben’s eyes go wide as he takes notice of my state of undress.
“Oh, crap, I had no idea. I’m sorry, Eve, I thought you would be ready.” Ben stutters over his words.
“Why are you two even here?” Jayce then questions.
His voice was filled with annoyance.
Ben and Maggie were cutting into our time.
“Maggie insisted that we come over.” Ben answers while motioning towards Maggie.
She bows her head as all eyes turn to her.
Jayce grunts in response before turning his attention back to his brother. “Not to be rude or anything but could you take your girl and go back home so that my girl can get dressed for school, Ben?”
Ben nods and then motions for Maggie to leave.
After a glance in our direction she nods her head once before turning to walk out of the room through the door that Ben had already opened for her.
“Again, I’m sorry, Eve.” Ben apologizes before following after Maggie.
Once the door shuts Jayce groans as he steps away from me.
When he turns back to face me he sighs as his eyes scan me from head to toe. “You should go ahead and get dressed.”
His words were almost cold.
I nod my head and move over to my dresser to gather my clothes for the day.
Once I’m done I turn back around just in time to watch Jayce walk out my door without a single word.
Shaking my head I sigh and then begin getting dressed.
He would return as soon as I was ready.
Twenty minutes later I head downstairs.
I search the house for Jayce until I reach the kitchen where Matt and Eric were already eating breakfast together.
“Do you know where Jayce is?” I ask curiously as I move around the kitchen filling a plate full of bacon and scrambled eggs.
“He left here a while ago, Princess, didn’t he tell you where he was going?” Eric replies.
I sit down and fill my mouth with a fork full of eggs while I shake my head. Jayce hadn’t said a word to me.
“Was there something wrong?” Eric then questions.
I shrug my shoulders in response. “I honestly don’t know. He did seem a little off after Ben and Maggie came over.”
“It’s probably nothing.” Matt chimes in.
That’s what I was hoping, but my stomach told me that there was something wrong. Something had happened in my room but I didn’t know what.
I would find out sooner or later.
Jayce would explain himself when I saw him next.
Once I finish my breakfast I give both Eric and Matt quick hugs before grabbing my bag and heading out of the house.
I walk down the sidewalk and then across the street before making my way to Jayce’s house.
As I normally did I knock on the door and wait patiently for someone to let me in.
Ben answers the door. “Hey, Eve, you just missed Jayce.”
“He left already?” I ask, confused.
“Yeah, he took Maggie to school early for me.” Ben replies and then gives me a questioning look. “Didn’t he tell you?”
I shake my head. “He didn’t say a word to me after you left.”
Ben’s brows furrow in thought until he shakes his head. “That’s odd, but anyway he wanted me to drive you to school today for him.”
I nod. “Oh, okay.”
“I’ll be ready to go in just a few minutes if you want to come inside and wait.” Ben replies as he steps to the side.
I nod again and walk past him and then into the living room.
A few moments later Ben walks into the room with his bag over his shoulder and a set of keys in his hand.
Wordlessly he motions over his shoulder before turning to lead the way through the house and into the garage where Jayce’s car was waiting for us.
It was all odd.
“Did Jayce take Maggie on his bike?” I question as I open the passenger’s side door.
Ben nods as he looks at me from over the top of the car. “Yeah, he did so that I could take you in the car. He was afraid of you having one of your blackouts.”
I nod once again and then quietly slip into the car before shutting the door.
Everything made sense, but at the same time it felt wrong.
From the moment in my room until now Jayce’s actions seemed to be nothing like him or what he would normally do.
I had hoped for more from him at least.
The ride to school is short and thankfully quiet.
Ben pulls into a parking spot before shutting the car off with a long sigh.
A moment later we both climb out of the car and begin making our way towards the building. Once inside we pause to glance at each other.
“I’ll see you later, Eve.” Ben grunts before walking off down one of the hallways off of the main hall that I was still standing in.
Even Ben’s demeanor was suddenly different.
Shrugging it all off I head down the hall and to my first class of the day.
Sitting down in my seat I quietly pull my books from my bag before turning to drape my bag over the back of my chair.
Unfortunately I catch Liam’s attention.
Instead of the snarky attitude I had expected he ask me a simple question. “Are you alright, Eve?”
Shaking my head I turn around to face the front of the classroom.
“Eve, if he’s done anything…” He trails off as I turn around quickly to glare at him.
“He hasn’t done anything to me, Liam. Jayce is a good guy.” I growl out before turnin
g back around in my chair.
His warm breath fans over the back of my neck as he leans in close. “I’m here for you no matter what happens, Eve. If you need me just shout.”
His words surprisingly made me feel better, like I wasn’t spinning out of control.
But I couldn’t allow him to get to me.
This whole thing with Jayce was just some sort of misunderstanding. I was over thinking it and imagining problems that weren’t actually there.
When I saw Jayce he would put things back into perspective.
I had to trust him, and trust that everything was fine between us.
“Have you seen Jayce yet today?” Ben questions as he sits down beside me at our normal table in the lunch room.
I shake my head as Liam moves to sit down across from us.
“I haven’t seen him at all today. I hope something didn’t happen.” I reply as I turn my full attention towards Ben in order to ignore Liam.
“He would have called if something had happened, but it’s strange that Maggie didn’t show up for school either.” Ben sighs.
“Or maybe you two have been taken for a couple of fools.” Liam chimes in around a mouthful of food.
Turning my attention towards him I give him my best glare.
“Where’s your girlfriend?” I question, trying to turn the conversation around to put him into the spotlight instead of me and Ben.
Bowing his head Liam looks up at me through his dark lashes. “We broke up. Well, I broke up with her.”
“Oh, when did that happen?” I ask curiously, against my better judgment.
“I did right after we talked last.” He answers simply.
I nod my head and quickly grab something out of my lunch bag to eat in order to keep myself from saying anything else.
I knew if I said another word I would end up digging myself into a hole with Liam that I wasn’t ready to deal with just yet.
By the end of lunch Ben pulls out his phone and pushes a few buttons before holding it up to his ear.
I lean in closer to listen in.
The phone rings three times before Maggie’s voicemail picks it up.
Ben pulls the phone away before glancing at me as he then punches in Jayce’s number before hitting the call button.
When Tomorrow Never Comes Page 12