Shehadn't heard him sing in what felt like forever. She had forgotten how deep and smooth his voice was. It wrapped around her slow, like silk, draping over her and holding her tight. He sat sure and confident in his seat as his hands moved effortlessly over the keys. Every now and then his stark blue eyes would look up to her, striking her like lightning under their weight.
Life is hollow on its own
But since you, I’m not the same
Now everything I touch feels right
Every path, every fight
It’s all for you
"Fuck, I forgot the bastard could sing," Ethan whispered, causing her dad to laugh.
But Ebony couldn't look away. Around her everyone else had disappeared as she watched Gavin. Every word had felt like it was meant for her. What terrified her wasn’t the song. It wasn’t the look in his eyes that electrified the room and made the hairs on her arm stand on end. It was how much she wanted him to mean it. Wanted him to want her. Wanted to drag his attention back, selfish and unashamed, and hold it the way she used to, before he walked away and took her world with him.
"I'm going to eat your leg."
Ebony blinked, her thoughts vanishing into the wind as she focused back on reality. Across from her, Gavin was staring at her with a raised brow while holding the last turkey leg—her turkey leg.
Putting two and two together she smiled and nodded. "Yeah, you can have it."
No sooner were the words out of her mouth, he was biting into the leg. They stayed like that for hours camped in the den, watching various movies while the fire danced and Duke dozed on his cushion.
Buther thoughts still churned. Looking over at him, she watched as he stared at the screen, her gaze drawn to the strong line of his jaw. To the way his golden lashes curled just slightly. He was absolutely beautiful. Not for the first time, she found herself wondering what traits he’d inherited from his biological mom, who had supposedly left when he was a toddler.
Sensing her staring at him Gavin turned and gave her a smirk. "What?"
Ebony bit her lip with a frown. She didn’t want to argue but she couldn’t shake the sudden pestering thought.
Gavin shifted to sit up straighter. He sat forward, holding her gaze. "Whatever it is, say it."
That was easier said than done. Looking away she glared at an invisible spot on the floor. This moment—right here—was everything she had wanted for months and somehow more. It was as if she was getting some secret part of him that she had never known existed. There was an intensity to him now that hadn’t been there before, in the way he touched her, held her, slept beside her every night since their talk on the boat. It was all so achingly perfect.
She never wanted it to end. And yet… a small part of her feared the perfection. Like she’d wake up and it would vanish. Like this was all some beautiful dream she wasn’t meant to have. The thought made her ill. What if tomorrow came and he was cold again?
She licked her lips and forced herself to speak. "You…you said you pulled away and were mean to me because…you were jealous, right?" Essentially that was what he had said, right? That he was jealous.
"Yes."
Ebony wasn't sure what she was expecting but his swift unapologetic agreement wasn't it.
"But…what's to stop you from doing it again?" The wound deep in her heart she had carried for months at his sudden change still ached. "What's to stop you from getting jealousabout something else, someone different?" She could feel herself getting worked up, a desperate edge tinging her words. But she needed to know. She couldn’t survive that again. She couldn't. She wouldn’t let him put her through that a second time.
Old anger mixed with new mounting fear made her restless and she began to push back the covers so she could stand. She needed a moment to collect herself to push down the growing panic.
Gavin moved without warning. Before she could move, he was caging her beneath him. Each arm was planted beside her head, holding him above her with a stillness that vibrated the air. Bright blue eyes that seemed to glow in the low light of the room looked down at her.
Shifting his weight to one arm with ridiculous ease, Gavin pushed some of her curls from her face letting the tips of his fingers linger on her skin. “Jealousy isn’t a possibility. It’s a guarantee. You don’t even know what you do to people. What you do to me.” His voice dipped. "But don’t worry, I won’t step back. Never again. Do you understand me?” Ebony nodded, too overwhelmed to do anything but. “I’ll step in so deep you won’t see anything else. I’ll fill your world until there’s no room for anyone but me."
For a moment she just stared at him speechless, knowing she should push him away. She didn't. She sucked in a breath as he settled himself between her open thighs and laid his head against her breasts. She could feel his steady heartbeat against her stomach and wondered if he was listening to hers beat frantically. He wanted more from her. He wanted everything. And she hated how badly she wanted to give it.
In a blink the winter break was over and before she knew it, they were back in classes, slowly marching toward graduation. Things were finally back to normal. Every day Gavin smiled at her across the kitchen counter as he made them their morning coffee and she couldn't be more grateful. They were back to talking every chance they got. Random texts here and there. Driving through town together with the windows down and the music blaring while the winter wind whipped through their hair. It was perfect. Like she was finally releasing a painful breath she had been holding in. This was how it should be…well almost how it should be.
There was one change.
Like an ember catching on a leaf, a slow smoldering feeling was igniting inside of her, starting from the moment she woke up. Gavin's huge body seemed to engulf her each morning while his heavy arm flung over her waist kept her close. In the beginning, it was fine. She could manage the odd stirring feeling curling in the base of her stomach like smoke. It was easy to push away and ignore. But even in his sleep Gavin commanded attention, forcing her to feel—him.
A sound pulled her from her thoughts and Ebony smiled politely at a girl handing her papers before turning and leaving the room. Ebony stared at the computer. She was in the student council office trying and failing to work on the last details of upcoming prom but her mind was helplessly pulled back to him.
