My eyes snap to her blonde hair as she emerges from the stairs, and her eyes find mine instantly. She stops on the middle step, her throat bobbing at the sight of me. Her eyes are red, and even from this distance, it’s obvious she’s been crying.
You’re such a fucking idiot, JJ.
I never want to see her like this again. I should have been the one comforting her, pushing those tears away. Not Isaac.
My chest rises rapidly at the strong energy surrounding us. Ivy blinks once and then frowns at my presence. “Why aren’t you at the party?”
Her fingers pick at the chipping bannister; I register her anxiety.
“You’re upset,” I state pathetically.
“I’m not upset.”
My jaw ticks at her defensive words. “Don’t lie to me, Ivy.”
Ivy’s eyes ripple with tears again, and her chest heaves irregularly. Her body turns rigid, and she refuses to speak. I take one step closer, but there is still so much distance between us.
“What Daisy said?—”
She scoffs loudly and plucks her fingers away from the bannister, crossing her arms instead. I watch as she trembles with the action, she’s trying to be brave, but I know deep down something is eating at her.
“I really don’t care anymore, JJ.”
“What she said isn’t true,” I say with sincerity.
She blinks at my statement, clutching her fists together that rest over her chest. “Then why did she say it?”
I sigh and brush my hand over my head, eyes shutting briefly. “I didn’t mean it. I said it becau?—”
“It’s fine, JJ.” Her voice cracks, and I hate the way she says my name with a clipped tone. “I know you like her.”
My expression falls because I’m astounded by her words.
“Like her?” I snap suddenly, my face twisting into a scowl. “You think that I like her?”
Ivy rubs her eyes viciously and sighs. “I’m too tired for this conversation right now.” She deflates and takes a step back up the stairs and towards her bedroom.
Before I know it, I’m right behind her. A couple of steps. That’s all that closes the distance between us.
“Why do you keep doing that?” I demand. “Run when you get the chance.”
Ivy keeps walking as she approaches the upstairs hall. She turns around and stares me down with her burning green eyes. Emotions of rage, hurt, and confusion shine in them. “Because I don’t know what the fuck is going on with”—she flicks her hand between the two of us—“this.”
“Oh, so there is a ‘this’ now? Because I was under the impression you were trying to shut me out despite what we both felt the first night we met.”
Her eyes burn and she takes a shuddering breath. “What we felt was lust. Nothing more.”
“Lust?” I laugh sourly and take two steps forwards, her eyes watching me with thick intensity. “You think what we felt that night was lust?”
Ivy takes a step until her back hits the wall, stabilising her. I stop directly in front of her, close enough that our chests brush when she breathes. Her eyes are now dilated like the night sky; there might be lust, but I know it’s more.So much more.
My gaze travels down to those perfectly plump pink lips. The ones I’ve tasted before and craved ever since. She follows my eyeline, and a small whimper escapes her mouth as I pin her against the wall until there’s no space left.
“I dare you to tell me thisonlyfeels like lust.” I lower my face to her level, whispering against her jaw.
With one hand, I grip the side of her cheek. I tilt her face towards mine and lay my lips over hers. At first, she’s stunned, utterly stunned, but when I coax her mouth open with my tongue, she answers by gripping onto my T-shirt.
I clasp my other hand around her jaw and twist my head, brushing my lips against hers in yearning strokes. My tongue glides into her mouth, and she releases a moan of bliss. I push her further into the wall with gentle force, her fingers still latched onto the fabric of my top in a death grip.
