End of Day (Jack & Jill, #1)

by Jewel E. Ann

“Can you hear that? It’s Satan cackling as the inferno flames lick our asses because we’re close, buddy, really close. As we speak, there are babies being born that will be calling us walking fossils in thirty to forty years. Your toenails will be yellowed and six inches thick, and I’ll be using a tree spade to remove the whiskers from my boar chin.”

“Strength acknowledges weakness, it doesn’t ignore it.” She stood, looking up at her brother, no longer trying to hide the agony in her eyes. “For now I’m going to acknowledge it and later I will be stronger for it. Okay?”

It was too fast and too slow, too much, yet not enough. It was in her head—he was in her head.

He had something so vital to her survival that walking away would feel like a slow death.

Jillian laughed to herself. She didn’t think it was possible to find someone functioning in society that was as messed-up as she was. Wrong!

Truth? He was somebody’s knight in shining armor. Luke had once said people are exactly what they say they’re not. Expectations demand accountability and accountability only matters in the presence of another. Denial is the road to solitude.

“I want to tell you that I prefer long dark hair, heavenly amber eyes, and a petite body: seductive, sexy, torturous. I want to tell you that a few minutes ago I would have rather gone blind than not looked at your naked figure. I want to tell you that I hate wine, yet I can’t go to sleep until I’ve had one sip because that’s what your lips tasted like that night we kissed. But I can’t tell you any of that because what I want more than anything is to help you, and I can’t do that from the bedroom.” Luke rested his hands on her cheeks and his forehead on hers. “Because, Jessica, I know if I had you in my bed I would never … ever … want to leave,” he whispered.

Sometimes emotions matter more than the right words, and if you overthink every goddamn word it’s like suffocating it until all the emotion is gone.”

“So, a kiss is an RSVP to your vagina that says: I. Will. Be. There.”

It takes a lot of strength to give unconditionally because the ego is a savage, demanding beast.”

“I’m so … very … one-hundred percent … madly in love with you.” Relief flooded from her eyes in uncontrolled tears. He pulled her into his arms and held her like his life depended on it. “What if⁠—” “Shh.” He kissed her just below her ear then whispered, “No what-ifs. I’ve got this. I’ve got you—I’ll always have you.”

“This is happening … We are happening,” he said it like a warning and a promise.

loved her which is why the word suddenly feels monumentally inadequate for you. I gave her my love, but you … you took it. You took everything. I never had a choice. You tore into my life … into my heart, wrecking all sense of the man I was before you. Being with you is the best part of my day … every day. You think you’re broken, but you’re not. And if you were … it wouldn’t matter. I love every. Single. Piece of you.”