The sun had fully broken through the clouds, casting golden light across the beachside mansion. Outside, the ocean shimmered, calm now, a gentle breeze carrying the salty tang of the sea. Inside, however, the air was thick with heat, laughter, and the lingering tension of two bodies that hadn’t let up since the storm had passed.Ivy leaned against the kitchen counter, hair damp from a quick shower, towel still loosely wrapped around her. She smiled as she watched Jace pacing the room, bare-chested, tattoos glinting in the sunlight. His dark eyes never left her, full of playful hunger, that same dangerous intensity she had learned to crave.“You’re watching me,” he said, voice low, teasing, as he leaned casually against the doorway, one hip cocked.“I…” Ivy bit her lip, pretending to look away. “I was… um… making sure you weren’t planning anything?”He smirked, that cocky, infuriating grin that made her pulse spike. “Oh, I definitely have plans,” he murmured, stepping toward her. His f
The mansion was quiet, drenched in the soft aftermath of the weekend storm. Outside, the rain had faded to a gentle drizzle, the waves lapping lazily against the shore. But inside, the storm between Ivy and Jace hadn’t softened—it had only settled into a simmering, undeniable heat that neither of them could ignore.Ivy wondered if things would ever go back to being what they were before she and Jace... When her mother got back, what were they going to do? She didn't want to think that. When they got to that bridge, they would know how to cross it. She lingered in the doorway of the master bedroom, wrapped in a towel, damp hair clinging to her skin. She had tried to be normal, to pretend the tension wasn’t there, but she could feel it—thick, potent, rolling between them like a tide that refused to recede.Jace was leaning against the dresser, shirt open, tattoos dark in the soft morning light, and eyes smoldering with a mixture of desire and something raw—something that made Ivy’s kne
The mansion was quiet, drenched in the soft aftermath of the weekend storm. Outside, the rain had faded to a gentle drizzle, the waves lapping lazily against the shore. But inside, the storm between Ivy and Jace hadn’t softened—it had only settled into a simmering, undeniable heat that neither of them could ignore.Ivy wondered if things would ever go back to being what they were before she and Jace... When her mother got back, what were they going to do? She didn't want to think that. When they got to that bridge, they would know how to cross it. She lingered in the doorway of the master bedroom, wrapped in a towel, damp hair clinging to her skin. She had tried to be normal, to pretend the tension wasn’t there, but she could feel it—thick, potent, rolling between them like a tide that refused to recede.Jace was leaning against the dresser, shirt open, tattoos dark in the soft morning light, and eyes smoldering with a mixture of desire and something raw—something that made Ivy’s kne
The mansion was quiet now, the storm outside reduced to a soft drizzle. But inside, Ivy felt the storm raging more fiercely than ever. Every time she moved, she felt Jace’s gaze burning into her, a smoldering mix of desire and possessiveness that left her trembling.She had thought she understood him—the rough dominance, the teasing, the heated touches—but today had proven otherwise.It started innocuously enough. Ivy had wandered down to the kitchen for a late breakfast, still in her damp clothes from a morning shower. She hummed softly, trying to pretend she didn’t notice how Jace was lounging on the counter, arms crossed, tattoos gleaming in the soft morning light, eyes dark and unreadable.“You’re up early,” he said casually, voice low and dangerous. “Or maybe… you just want to see me", he teased, looking to see how she would react. Ivy bristled, cheeks flushing. “I’m not here for you,” she snapped, trying to sound firm, but her voice betrayed her.He smirked, that cocky, infuria
The sun rose reluctantly over the storm-battered mansion, casting a pale, gray light through the gauzy curtains. The world outside was damp, glistening, washed clean by the tempest of the night before, but inside Ivy’s room, the air was thick with tension, heat, and the aftermath of everything that had happened.Ivy stirred under the blanket, curling into herself. The scent of him still lingered in the sheets—the heat of his skin, the faint smoke and salt of his presence—and she felt a shiver run down her spine. She had thought she could hide, she had thought she could push him out of her mind, but the memory of him claiming her, rough, insistent, and yet somehow tender in his own way, clung to her with the weight of a storm.Then the door creaked open, slow and deliberate. Ivy tensed instinctively, heart hammering.“Morning,” Jace said, voice low and teasing, like gravel sliding over silk. He leaned against the doorframe, wet hair clinging to his forehead, droplets sliding down his n
The storm had become relentless, a perfect mirror for the chaos building inside the mansion—and inside Ivy. The wind rattled the windows, rain slamming against the glass, and the sea beyond crashed like an untamed beast. Inside, however, it was the tension between her and Jace that felt most dangerous, most consuming.They were alone. The power had gone out again, leaving shadows and flickering candlelight to paint the walls in amber hues. Ivy had tried to avoid him, tried to hide in her room, but the mansion was smaller than she’d imagined, and he had a way of finding her, of cornering her, that made every escape impossible.“Ivy,” he said, voice low, rich with hunger as he appeared in the doorway of her room, leaning against the frame, arms crossed. His tattoos were dark and striking against the candlelight, and the set of his jaw made her pulse leap. “You can’t hide from me.”“I’m not hiding!” she shot back, though her voice trembled. She wanted to deny the heat pooling low in her