Chapter 15
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 the way 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—”
I jumped and turned with my heart pounding to find him standing before me dressed in a sharply tailored black tuxedo, with his hair effortlessly styled, and the perfect amount of a five o’clock shadow grazing his jawline.
The only thing that was out of place was his expression, which was etched heavily with concern.
“Are you okay?” His brows furrowed with panic before his eyes widened taking in my state of undress.
I stood, breathing in his crisp, clean cologne, with an edge of cedar, while an effortless smile lifted the corners of my mouth.
Jaxon’s eyes dropped to my lips, and suddenly the room seemed to hum with anticipation.
His breathing was no longer tight with worry, but thick with a lustful potency that threatened to obliterate the tiny scrap of silk between my legs.
“I’m more than okay,” I hummed.
“Good, that makes one of us, because I’m most definitely not okay.
” He reached for my hand, lifted it above my head, and with a heart-stopping smirk, encouraged me to spin around until we were chest to chest again.
“Lily, you take my absolute breath away,” he said as his hands wrapped around my hips.
“I could say the same about you.” I beamed with glee and an abundance of worship. “This dress, it’s—” I glanced quickly down at the bed. “How did you know?”
“I have my ways.” He squeezed my hips before clasping my hands that were resting on his chest. “So, what do you say, Lily, will you be my date to graduation?”
I nodded impatiently as the weight I’d carried for so long unknotted in my chest and finally let go as a laugh caught on a sob escaped me. It was like a veil lifting on a wedding day, seeing everything you’d ever wanted so clearly, finally in front of you.
“Now, while I’d love nothing more than to spend time appreciating you in this sexier-than-fuck lingerie,” his eyes dipped to where my nipples were pebbled behind the thin layer of silk covering my breasts, “we’ve got to get going.”
“You in a rush for something, Detective?”
He groaned and shamelessly adjusted himself before lifting his hand and brushing his thumb across my lower lip. “Why does hearing you call me that sound so fucking hot crossing these luscious, pouty lips of yours? But the answer to your question is yes. Yes, I’m in a rush.”
Jaxon stepped back and reached for the dress on the bed before lowering himself down on one knee. I knew he was just helping me step into the dress, but that did little to stop my heart from fluttering against my chest as the moment stole my breath.
With one hand resting on his shoulder, I lifted my right leg, then the left, stepping carefully into the dress as he held it open for me.
The silky fabric felt like heaven as it hugged my skin, gliding up my legs and over my hips, until Jaxon’s fingers lingered, slipping under the straps he’d positioned over my shoulders.
He wasn’t just dressing me; he was clothing me with reverence.
“Perfection. You are absolute perfection.” He proudly beamed.
“And you . . . you’re,” I stammered, unable to find a word that could adequately express how I felt.
“You have me doubting if—”
“God, no. I’m sorry. Is it wrong of me to think that you’re even more impossibly handsome than you were in my fantasies of when I pictured you on this night back in high school?
I’d never seen you dressed formally, so I had an image of you drafted in my head, but this version of you, the real-life one .
. . nothing could ever compare to this. It honestly should be illegal for you to look this ridiculously attractive. ”
Jaxon threw his head back and laughed. “Not wrong at all—I’ll take the compliment.”
“Oh, so someone likes me stroking their ego?” I playfully smirked.
“That’s not the only thing I’d like you stroking.
” I couldn’t contain the smile that lifted my cheeks so much my eyes squinted at his words.
“But what I meant was I know exactly what you mean about how you envisioned our original graduation night going. Back then, we were still discovering who we were together, and I, for one, was nervous as fuck I was going to be clumsy and disappoint you.”
“You could never—”
“But now, there’s a confidence that comes with age and perspective.
Every moment we experienced together and apart, our growth, our missteps, it all led us to exactly where we’re meant to be, standing here with each other.
Everything feels more intentional now, not because we didn’t mean the world to each other back then, but rather, we know what it feels like to live without the other.
We might have lived the last decade apart, but I know without a doubt the feelings I have for you are stronger today than they’ve ever been.
What we share is a connection so special that it deserves to be cherished. ”
I wiped away the few errant tears that crested over my cheeks. “I love you so much, Jaxon. I never stopped.”
Jaxon cradled the back of my head and kissed me slowly. “Same. I love you, Lils. My heart only beats for you, in this life and every other.”
I stood on my tiptoes and ran my hands up his chest to his shoulders. My feet then left the ground as he straightened to his full height and lifted me into his arms, closing the distance that separated us.
“Who knew getting out of this house would be such a challenge?” he said, his voice muffled against my neck.
“You’re the one so determined to leave. I’m more than happy to stay right here,” I countered, wrapping one arm around his shoulders and running my fingers through his hair.
“Once you see where I’m taking you, you’ll understand.” He leaned forward, lowering my feet to the ground, and dropped a quick kiss to my lips.
“Okay, lead the way, handsome.”
I had no idea where Jaxon was taking me when he led me out of the house not long ago, but after a couple of turns, our destination became clear.
With his hand holding mine the entire time, I was giddy with excitement and touched that he had been so keen on re-creating the night he had always intended for us.
“Still wish we hadn’t left the house?”
“No,” I blurted out with eagerness. “Will you let me go inside this time?”
“If memory serves, I think it was you who passed on the invitation.” He lifted an eyebrow at me.
“I was overwhelmed by everything,” I said with honesty.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you don’t need to apologize for anything. It was all me. I was sad and felt weighed down at the time because I was finally facing the past. It was tough and took a lot out of me, but it was also necessary. It was healing, cathartic even.”
“And now?”
“Now, I’m beyond ready to see what you’ve built and designed.” I’d been to the lake house twice and had yet to set a foot inside. Both times, it had felt like the safest decision, but now I was excited and feeling rather impatient to see how the vision had come to life.