Shattered: A Salvation Society Novel Bella Emy (best ebook reader for laptop .TXT) 📖

swings open. As it does, it gives way to a much larger room, like a garage. Tens and tens of boats and ships line the area.

He walks in front of me, letting go of my hand. “Check this out… isn’t she a beaut? One day, I’ll have my very own boat and sail out onto the sea.”

I love how he’s so passionate about this stuff. His eyes glow with a twinkle in them whenever he talks about life out on the sea. I can see the wheels turning in his head. He has a vision, a dream, and I know he’ll get there one day.

Finally he turns around to meet my gaze, and I smile softly at him.

“That’s wonderful, Kalen.”

Smiling back, he walks up to me and takes both my hands in his. “Would you come with me someday, Lexi? Would you sail out onto the waters with me? Just the two of us together?”

My smile never fades, but I get choked up inside at his request and I can’t form the words. He doesn’t wait for me to say anything though. Instead, he pulls me forward and we walk through the garage of the store.

“Come, babe,” he says.

We walk until we reach a rowboat on its side in the back of the room. With its bottom right-side-up, Kalen lets me go, willing me to walk around it. “After you, Miss.”

I furrow my brows. “What? Back there?” There doesn’t appear to be much room between the boat and the wall.

He chuckles nodding. “It’s not as snug behind there as it appears. Trust me.”

I take his word for it and make my way around the boat. To my surprise, there is a small workbench against the wall, hidden from sight on the opposite side. I take a seat on the bench, and he joins me.

I watch him fumble with his fingers as he looks around. “I know it’s not much. Honestly, it’s nothing. But at times, when it’s raining or the creek is not so quiet and there are people there, I come here, right in this corner of the world and imagine I’m out on the seven seas, sailing away from the rest of the world. And I think. I could literally stay here for hours and be content.”

Kalen must really love boats and the ocean for him to come here and stay as long as he does. It’s definitely cool to be able to come here when there’s no one around and just be alone. Sometimes, getting to spend that time with yourself is so soothing. At least I’ve always thought so, and I guess Kalen does, too. I don’t always get time to myself. When I’m at home, anyone can come into my room at any given moment. Of course, my parents knock, but it’s not the same as being completely remote, away from it all. And away from their bickering, which lately is constant.

As Kalen leans against the wall, I turn my back crashing into his chest, and his arms wrap tightly around me.

“Oh, Lexi. I could stay like this, here in this moment with you forever.”

His confession brings a smile to my face because honestly, I feel the same exact way.

I giggle softly, but he doesn’t hear me.  “I could, too, love.”

His hands run up and down the length of my arms. It feels so good when he does this. “Lexi?”

“Hmm?” I tilt my head to the side and meet his gaze.

Kalen’s eyes land on my lips, and it feels like he’s going to kiss me. Instead, he then looks back into my eyes, and as he takes in a deep breath, he slowly says the words, “I love you.”

I swallow thickly as every emotion I’ve been feeling inside comes to light. I do love him. These feelings for him are real. I know they are now because he’s said the same. I didn’t think they could be, but knowing that he is feeling the same way I am lets me know I’m not crazy and that it is possible. Even if we’ve only known each other for a few short months.

But my every waking thoughts are of Kalen. My every single minute of the day is spent thinking of him if I’m not with him or talking to him.

And the way he went right in and saved Kennedy from that little episode that night at the frat party? I think I fell more in love with him because of his actions there. It’s not just his good looks and charming ways. It’s his heart of gold and amazing personality that keeps drawing me deeper and deeper into him.

I want to tell him that I feel the same way about him, that I love him, too, but before I can bring those words to life, he grabs me and gently spins me around so that I’m lying with my chest against his.

I swallow hard yet again. The atmosphere in the room is changing around us. The space between us feels different, but I don’t want to pull away. I don’t want to move. I want to get lost inside of his gaze and lose myself inside of his touch.

I’ve never gone further than second base with a guy before, but that’s always been my choice. The guy has always wanted to, but I was never ready to take that next step. I always wanted to save myself for the right one.

And now, I’m glad I have. Now I’m glad I’ve never gone that route with anyone else because I want to go there with Kalen. I want him to be my first. I want him to be my last.

I want him to be my everything.

I want to give him everything, and I’m ready to give him all of me right now.

He lowers his head down, and our lips smash into one another’s. What has always been soft, delicate kisses between us is suddenly becoming a hard, lustful devouring of lips, mouths, and tongues. I’ve never felt