“But I don’t want you to, not with me, not ever.”
“Lily, you are the most precious thing in the world to me, and I want nothing more than to have you in a way that should have always been ours. To give us back what was taken, but for that to happen, I had to do something first.”
“I don’t care about anything other than you, Jaxon. I don’t need anything else.” Trepidation laced her plea.
“I know, all I need is you too, but this, this was something I needed to do, okay?”
“Okay.” She smiled with understanding.
“There’s a garment bag in my closet. I need you to put the dress on and meet me out in the living room.”
“You bought me a dress?” Her brows furrowed in confusion.
“I sure did. Trust me, remember.” I winked.
“But I can’t go anywhere looking like this?” She looked down at her towel-covered body while running a hand over the back of her head. “My hair is wet, and I don’t have any?—”
“You’re gorgeous, Lily, and the only person who is going tobe seeing you tonight is me, but I’ll give you an hour to get yourself ready. Does that work?” I asked.
“I won’t need that long, but yes, thank you.”
I pressed a chaste kiss across her lips before I retreated to Jameson’s old bedroom to towel myself off, change, and then head to the kitchen, where I waited anxiously for my girl to be ready. The temptation to pour myself a shot of whiskey to help steel my nerves was great, but I didn’t want anything to alter my senses.
Especially not tonight, of all nights.
Instead, I leaned myself against the kitchen counter and thought ahead with great anticipation to the night that was undoubtedly going to change everything between us forever. Where our hearts and souls would finally collide and rewrite our fate in the stars for eternity.
Chapter Fifteen
Lily
Ashiver of nerves ran up my spine, and butterflies stirred in my stomach when I stepped back and saw myself in the bathroom mirror, wearing the white lingerie I’d bought to wear for Jaxon.
The bra and panty set I ordered online from La Perla was not only out of my comfort zone but also came with a price tag to match. And yet, I couldn’t help but splurge on the purchase, and I was so glad I’d had the foresight to order it when I did. It was truly exquisite and luxurious. The silk fabric felt cold, soft, and almost weightless against my skin, making me hyperaware not just of the fabric but of myself.
Jaxon had already seen my body and voiced how much he loved it. He’d never been one to hold back his feelings, to the point that he was often unapologetically vocal. Still, I couldn’t always quiet that nagging voice in the back of my head. Sadly, that was the price I paid for dating someone who betrayed my trust and stripped me of my dignity. A result that changed theway I carried myself, influenced how others saw me, and, most of all, affected how I saw myself.
While my ex had only ever tried to tear me down, Jaxon had only ever wanted to see me shine. I trusted him with every inch of my being, and by letting him see me in a vulnerable state that had once been used against me, I wasn’t just confronting old scars; I was stripping them of their power. And in doing so, it not only unraveled the unforgiving grip that betrayal had once had on me, but it turned into something that couldn’t hurt me anymore.
My past no longer deserved that kind of control over me.
Being with Jaxon again after all these years gave me the courage I needed to move beyond the shadow of who I’d become. I wanted to be the best version of myself for him—the man who had always been there for me without expectations in return.
The man I respected, loved, and couldn’t live without.
The man, who was—simply put—my world.
With the hour mark nearing and my imagination running wild with possibilities on where the night might lead, I rushed to Jaxon’s closet, anxious to see what he had picked out for me to wear tonight.
I gasped when I lowered the zipper on the garment bag. “Jaxon, what are you up to?”
My eyes took in the spectacular mermaid cowl-neck, floor-length silk gown in a rich, dark green hue. The dress was so similar in color and style, almost a near replica of the dress I’d chosen to wear under the black graduation gown ten years ago.
“But how could he have known?” I wondered out loud to myself, since, to my knowledge, he’d never had a chance to see my original dress.
I lifted the hanger off the rail and walked over toward the bed, pulling the garment bag free along the way. I was absolutely speechless, staring down at the dress that brought tears to my eyes, making me clasp my hands over my mouth and a sob to break free.
The sound of heavy footfalls hadn’t pulled me back from the edge of my emotions, but Jaxon’s panicked voice sure did. “Lily, what?—”
