Prologue

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IVY

Three years ago...

"Girls as sweet as you should be kept locked up from guys like me."

Just hearing his smooth voice made my legs buckle. I slammed my palm against the wall to steady myself, afraid of crumbling to the floor. His warm breath tickled against my neck and made me tremble. I had never been this close to him in all my life. I always felt more in control watching him from a distance, flirting with cheerleaders, throwing a football, or driving around town in his pickup truck.

He let out a low chuckle and twirled a piece of my golden curls between his fingers, "Does your brother know you're down here?"

All I could do was shake my head. I hated nothing more than my voice choosing to betray me right now. I waited too long for this moment to finally speak to the hottest guy I had ever seen.

"I didn't think so." His deep, sexy whisper made the tiny hairs on my neck stand up.

We both knew my older brother Eddie would be furious if he found me down here. He made it clear that my junior self was unwelcome at the Dalton High senior class graduation party. He had spent countless hours begging our parents to let him host the party in our basement. It was a minor miracle when they finally agreed.

Despite my better judgment to not piss off my burly brother, somehow, my hormones got the better of me. I couldn't resist a chance to see the one guy I could never seem to get out of my mind. Mainly because I knew tonight may be my last chance before he left our small hometown of Moose Creek, Montana, on a college football scholarship at the University of Southern California.

Once I could speak, I turned around to face the unbelievably gorgeous Rhys Wyatt. His piercing blue eyes flickered intensely, and his lips curled in amusement. He was as beautiful as he was arrogant, but he enthralled me. Rhys was the kind of guy girls knew they should stay away from, especially if they didn't want their hearts smashed all over the floor. But when push came to shove, every girl in this town would drop her panties if it meant spending one night with him, including myself. Everything about him made me dizzy, and the closer he got, the more my body felt like it was about to collapse.

"I'm only down here because I need something from inside my dad's office," I lied, staring at his perfectly plump lips. They were so close I could force them onto my mouth and taste them if I wanted to.

"Is that so?" Rhys said, inching closer. I swear, the burning hunger in his eyes made it seem like he almost dared me to make a move. "What are you looking for, exactly?"

You. I thought and wished he could somehow read my mind.

"A pencil," I nervously swallowed. "I'm studying for a final exam and realized I didn't have one." I lied again and bit my lower lip. "Please don't tell Eddie I was down here. I will be in my room when I get what I need."

Rhys straightened up a bit but still held a playful grin. He was perfect and too pretty for his good. Even his damn teeth were flawless: straight and pearly white. He ran his thick, strong fingers through his dark brown hair, leaning close enough to fill the tiny space between us.

"You're always studying. Every time I see you, your pretty little face is stuck in a book." He grazed his index finger along my collarbone. I felt my breathing stop, and I quickly reminded myself to exhale.

I wasn't always studying; that was only half-true. I was studious, sure, and overly cautious, but I wasn't academically obsessed. Of course, I was the complete opposite of what Rhys Wyatt looked for in a girl; he preferred tits for brains.

I placed my hand on the brass knob and locked my green eyes with his blue ones. He was way out of my league. I was a tiny eleventh grader with hardly any curves, and Rhys Wyatt only slept with – wait - correction, only fucked, our town's finest beauties, and I was not one of them.

When his thumb gently grazed my cheek, I gasped for air.

Go for it, Ivy. It's either now or never.

I reached up with a quivering hand and slowly peeled off the strap of my dress. Rhys's eyes widened in disbelief. Even I couldn't believe I'd done something so reckless. But being around Rhys like this made me want to do crazy things. Everyone, including Rhys, thought I was so innocent and untouched, and maybe I was, but I didn't want to be that girl anymore.

"Fucking hell," Rhys growled.

I reached behind me, opened the door and stepped backward inside the dark interior of my father's office, never taking my eyes off Rhys. He was the only thing that was completely dangerous to me. He made my insides turn, sending chills up my spine every time I looked at him. The dirty things that ran through my mind at the slightest thought of him would make anyone blush. I didn't trust myself, but it felt good, especially now that I had him right where I wanted, alone.

Rhys whispered, "Don't think I don't see how you look at me, Ivy. Trust me, I like it. Like a lot. But I can't let you mess around with a guy like me."

"But I promise I'm just like all the other girls." My breathing turned quick and heavy, and I dropped my gaze to the floor.

"You are nothing like the other girls, Goldie. Trust me." He placed his index finger on the bottom of my chin and titled my face upwards. Then he gave me a wink from one of his clear blue eyes that got all the girls in our town swooning over him.

"Goldie?" I said and innocently bit my lower lip.

Rhys gently tugged on a few strands of my long blonde hair. "Yeah, I like your pretty blonde curls, and of course, other things..." he said without looking up from my chest.

"Instead of drooling over them, why don't you just touch them already?" Rhys made me feel wild. I never said things like that to...well...anyone. Where was this self-confidence I typically lacked coming from?

He chuckled in amusement, then lifted his eyes to meet mine. "Oh, trust me. You don't want this Wyatt brother, especially when my little brother Blaine worships the ground you walk on."

"Blaine and I are just friends...I don't want him like that," I said so desperately it made me wince with embarrassment. I just wanted Rhys to want me like he did all the other girls. I didn't wear as much makeup and tight skirts as they did, but I knew I was far from ugly. So, what the hell was his problem? I was practically begging him.

"Not if Blaine had his way," Rhys whispered in my ear so close I felt his lips moving against my skin.

My chest rose up and down as he slowly pulled away from the side of my face and brushed his stubble against my cheek. "I don't care what Blaine wants-" I exhaled. My lips froze when his hands cupped my butt, squeezing each cheek in his fingers as he picked me up and placed me on top of the desk. His sparkling blue eyes bore into mine. Rhys had been my fantasy for so long that I couldn't stop the throbbing between my legs, and when I felt his hard groin press against my body, it only made the ache more intense.

I ran one hand along his muscular forearm and his stomach. I felt the ripples pressing through his shirt, and Oh. My. God. they were the tightest abs I had ever laid my hands on. I had only ever imagined him completely naked in front of me, and now it was going to happen.

The music vibrated, pulsed from the family room, and swirled around us to remind me we weren't completely alone. But before I could even take another breath, Rhys's fingers wrapped themselves in my curls, and he sucked at my bottom lip. Both his hands slid down my neck and grazed my shoulders. I shuddered from his touch and nearly gasped when his warm hands travelled up my body and cupped my covered boobs; all the while, his delicious lips never left mine.

I let out a tiny moan and felt his hands slide to my shoulders. He slipped off the straps of my dress to expose my black lacey bra.

"Fuck Ivy," Rhys growled as he let his lips linger beside mine but still managed to keep his eyes focused on my cleavage.

"Rhys..." I moaned.

I just wanted his hands all over me, and he was wasting perfect time studying my boobs as if they were the first pair of breasts he'd ever seen. I knew despite his awe over my chest, that he had slept with loads of girls. But I didn't care. I just wanted him to be mine, even if it was for only this one night.

"Fuck Ivy. I shouldn't be touching you like this." Rhys moved his fingers under the hem of my dress and slid it up to my waist. "But God, it's real hard not to."

"Rhys, please. Don't stop." I breathed.

He moaned in frustration against my neck like he was struggling with his conscience. Panic set in as I felt his resistance, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him backward to help lay me down on the wide oak desk. He let out a tense breath, wedged his fingers up either side of the fabric, pressed his skillful hands against my bare skin and slowly peeled my dress off my body, gently yanking it over my head. I was ready for him to do whatever he wanted with me.

Rhys lowered his lean, muscular body over top of me and locked his lips back on mine. His kisses were the most stimulating thing ever to touch my lips, and he tasted so good and smelled so fresh. I was lost in his smell, his touch, his kisses and the way he moaned my name like he never wanted to stop tasting me. My heartbeat picked up speed, and heat blossomed between my thighs. I never felt anything close to this erratic need Rhys made me feel. I could hardly see him, but I could feel him. Everywhere.

"Fuck. I can't do this." Rhys's lips ripped away from mine, and he quickly pulled away. He abruptly stood up and put a safe amount of distance between us. My bottom lip trembled as I watched him tensely run his hand over his face and let out an angry moan.

"Rhys- "

"Put your goddamn dress on," he growled.

What the hell? I quivered at the throb he left between my thighs and quickly sat up on the desk. Rhys reached behind me, snatched my crumpled dress from the floor, and thrust it into my hands. He pinched the bridge of his nose and refused to make eye contact with me. Every ounce of self-esteem I had left was now completely gone. What was I thinking trying to seduce Rhys Wyatt?

"Jesus, Ivy. I said put on your dress," he repeated.

No, please do not do this to me. I silently cried to myself. This was humiliating. He wouldn't even look at me.

"Just grab the pencil you were looking for and go back to your bedroom to finish studying for your exam."

"No, Rhys, I want this, I swear. I am ready." I pleaded like a pathetic fool. I was beyond destroyed. My wholesome, studious self just turned into a frantic, love-struck lunatic in a matter of minutes.

"You'll never be ready for this – with me." His breathing was deep and heavy as he ran a hand through his hair. "This was a huge mistake."

He turned away from me and walked over to the door. I slid on my dress as fast as I could and slipped off the desk. I somehow stood on my two bare feet, even though they felt like Jell-O.

When Rhys placed his hand on the doorknob, it felt like my whole world had shattered beneath me. I choked back the tears that threatened my eyes. He looked at me and said, "Don't let me catch you down here again. I don't want to have to tell Eddie his little sister keeps sneaking downstairs to ruin our party."