revealing Jace, barefoot in a pair of jeans and a dark grey tee, its thin fabric stretched
across his muscled chest and bulging biceps. Visions of Jace leaning over her, arms rippling, hips snapping
as he fucked her filtered through her mind. Oh, God.
“Isla!” Jace’s astonished tone was easily detected. “What—what are you doing here?”
She swallowed hard. “I needed to see you.”
Her simple reply appeared to surprise him for the tiniest of moments. With a stiff nod, Jace steeled his
facial expression and stepped aside. “Come in.”
As Isla slipped past him, she caught the tantalizing scent of his soap and his uniquely male smell. Her
tummy flip-flopped as she remembered his sudsy hands caressing her curves and sliding between her
thighs. The door shut behind her, and it took every ounce of her willpower not to shove him up against it to
ravish him. She inhaled a settling breath and turned to face him, hoping she could find the right words to
say what needed to be said.
Jace leaned against the door looking ever-so-devilishly handsome. She could feel his heated gaze raking
over her ruffled blue skirt and orange tank top. Their eyes met briefly and quickly separated.
“So,” Jace said carefully, “you needed to see me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
An amused smile playing upon his lips, Jace cocked his head. “Because?”
This was it. Isla lifted her gaze to his face and locked eyes with him. “Because I think I love you.”
Jace’s arms fell to his sides. Shock registered on the hard lines of his face. His lips faltered as he tried to
speak. His jaw ticked. “Think or know?”
There was no question. She knew absolutely and unequivocally. “I know.” She took a timid step
forward. “I love you, Jace.”
He put up his hands, as though unwilling to accept her admission. “Isla, the curse—”
“—is done. Finished. Jace, I love you, and sure, maybe it took that curse to push us together, but I truly
believe we would have found our way to one another eventually.”
Jaw tightening, Jace gulped. Isla thought she saw the faintest watery glimmer to those slate blue eyes.
“Isla,” his voice was strained, “are you sure? Please be sure.”
Finally understanding how incredibly afraid he was of rejection, Isla crossed the space between them.
Her hands shook as she cupped his face. His gaze bore into hers. “Jace, this is all me, and I’m telling you
that I love you.” She pressed a trembling kiss upon his lips. “I love you,” she whispered.
Jace made a sound of utter and complete desire that thrilled her to the very core. His arms wound
around her waist, crushing her to his hard body as his lips finally claimed hers in that kiss she’d been
craving so badly.
As their tongues danced, an electric shiver of white-hot heat rippled through Isla. Instinctively, she just
knew this was the universe’s way of confirming their fate as a couple. However bizarre their start, this was
simply meant to be.
When Jace’s hand slipped under her tank, Isla shuddered. His rough warm hands slid across the flat
span of her tummy and up toward her breasts. Already her tingling nipples stood fully erect, poking
through the cotton fabric. She’d worn no bra and was so incredibly glad she hadn’t. Jace cupped the weight
of her left breast and rubbed his thumb across the stiff peak. She sucked on his lower lip and ran her hands
down his washboard abs. Her fingers wasted no time in unsnapping the button closure of his jeans or
lowering the zipper.
With an impish grin, Isla slipped her hand into his pants and groped his erect penis through his boxer
briefs. Jace groaned against her mouth. The low rumble made her melt. She squeezed her thighs together as
her pussy clenched with need.
Later , Isla thought, and slowly knelt in front of Jace. He’d made her feel so good so many times. Now
she wanted to return the favor.
As if unwrapping a present, Isla peeled down