Page 69 of F*cking Shattered

“That is the day she wanted me to go with her to meet you.”

He nods. “I had been hearing about you since the first time I met her. I was practically in love with you before we met.”

My eyes fall back to his list. “Meet me on the beach.” This is on my list too.

“I think she was trying to set us up. She told me that she was trying to trick you into going to Miami with her. It wasn’t until I saw your list that I put two and two together. Since we couldn’t meet that day, she was going to trick us into meeting in Miami.”

My heart begins hurting all over again as I look at his list. Kiss a girl on the dance floor, did she set all this up? Was she hoping I would just happen to go to the same club to dance in public and we would meet?

“Did you go there looking for me?” I finally allow myself to look up at him.

“Not exactly. I mean, after you kissed me and walked away, I knew I had to find you again. I had no idea I’d run into you that night, but I’m glad I did.” He moves to his knees on the floor in front of me. “Don’t you see, Jovi? Katie wanted this. She knew we were meant to be together.”

Part of me wanted to give in, to believe him, but then I remembered why I was hurting. “But all of this is built on lies. Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”

His hands land on my cheeks softly, forcing me to look at him, to see all the love and pain he holds within himself. “I couldn’t. I knew if I told you she was my sister, that would cause you to run. I wanted you to see me for me, not just Katie’s brother. I didn’t want you to feel more pain from looking at me, I wanted to take that away from you. I wanted you to be free, not held back. I wanted you to let your guard down. And you did. You did all of those things. You checked everything off your list.”

“There is still one thing on my list,” I whisper.

Lines appear on his forehead as his hands fall from my face. “There is?”

I nod as I lean over and pull the list from my bag. I flip to the first page and show him.

“Fall in love,” he reads before he slumps back, looking defeated. His eyes fall to the floor as his jaw tics.

“Do you have a pen?” I smile as I’m saying the words.

He looks back up at me before his lips crash against mine. His fingers tangle into my hair, pulling me closer. A tingling sensation forms in the pit of my stomach. It lights every nerve ending as it spreads through me like wildfire, completely consuming me.

I don’t know how he got to me, but he did. And he buried himself so deep inside my heart, there’s no way he’s ever leaving it. He went from a stranger who annoyed the fuck out of me, to becoming someone I love and long for.

He pulls away quickly.

“What are you doing?” I ask in a rush.

He pulls a pen from his pocket and hands it over to me.

I smile as I take it. Placing the pen to the paper, I slash through the last item on my list. I did it. I fell in love with my best friend’s half-brother. And it’s all because of her. She knew what I needed better than I did. She knew my heart when I didn’t.

Before I remove the pen from the notebook, River’s mouth is back on mine as he covers my body with his.

His hands travel from my face to my neck while I wrap my arms around him. I need to feel him against me. I lie back on the bed, pulling him up my body as I do so. He settles between my legs, pressing himself against my aching sex.

A whimper leaves me and I feel him twitch against me

He gets up to his knees and yanks his shirt off as I pull my shirt away. He’s towering over me, pushing and pulling clothes from his body. When he’s down to nothing but his white boxer-briefs that highlight the V between his hips, he lowers himself against my body again, eyes darkening and locked on mine like an animal stalking its prey.

His body is hard as it covers mine. His mouth trailing over my heated flesh teases me and causes my body to break out in goosebumps. His big hands firmly slide down my stomach, to my hips where he pushes my shorts down my thighs.

My hands are just as greedy as they tug down his boxers until his hard cock springs free and stands at attention.

When we’re both completely bare for the other, he lays me back down, taking his place on top of me.

“I love you, Jovi,” he whispers against my lips.

“I love you too, River.” When the words leave my mouth, he rears back and slams into me, making me call out.

He grinds against me, making every muscle in my body tense as my orgasm rises. I’m quivering with need as he slowly brings all our shattered pieces together, forming one picture perfect future together.

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