by North, Cara
“He’s good for May. He loves his kids. Especially my oldest nephew though he isn’t his biological dad.” Ivy led them to the kitchen where she began cleaning up the remains of lunch. He helped. She said, “Do you think I should go back to work?”
“Do you want to?” He didn’t need a degree in psychology to tell him that she knew the answer to the question and no answer he gave would be the right one.
“I don’t know. I’ve only been out of work for a few months. I don’t want to keep doing what I am doing. I don’t want to keep playing these same women over and over again.” She looked up at him.
“Then take the break. Tell your agent you want something else. She’ll find what you want or she will find a way for you to do what you want on your own. We don’t work in the same system we used to. She knows that.” He began loading the dishwasher.
She nodded at him. “You’re right.”
“Wait a second.” He stopped loading the dishes and fished his phone out of his pocket. He looked at her and pressed record, “Say that again.”
She wasn’t looking at him; she was putting containers into the refrigerator. “You’re right. I know the kind of work I want to do and…Bo!”
“I just wanted to get you telling me that I am right on the record.” He laughed as she tossed a hand towel at him. It fell short and landed on the counter. He put his phone back in his pocket.
“You are right about a lot of things.” She smiled.
“Man, I put the phone away too soon.” He winked at her. She made her way over to the dishwasher and handed him the last of the items as he put them in place.
“Do you miss working?” she asked as he shut the dishwasher and turned it on.
“I work every day.” He shrugged.
“I’ve been with you and I never see you work.” She put her hands on her hips.
He arched his brow and looked at her suggestively.
She amended her statement with, “Well there is that, but I mean your profession not our…”
“Our what?” He wanted her to define it.
“Union.” She screwed up her expression in distaste at her own label. He couldn’t agree more with the expression, but he settled for the obvious conflict she was having about her feelings for him. He had to keep reminding himself that she might be grown, but she didn’t know anything about being in love. Hell, she didn’t know anything about being in lust. He was sure she felt both after her reaction today.
He grunted a ‘hmm’ sound as a response and moved on to explain, “You see me work all the time, you just don’t know that is what I have been doing.”
He pulled out his phone and then showed it to her. He pulled up the text messages and her eyes widened a bit. He then pulled up the e-mail and she said, “Oh.”
“I don’t have to be there in the day to day operation, but I still have to keep on top of things and make decisions as they come in. I pop in every now and then. Sometimes I’ll go to the office for a week straight, but then no one tells me anything. It’s this new generation. They communicate with technology.” He propped his hip against the counter and folded his arms. He wasn’t going to be the one to initiate physical contact with her.
“I don’t communicate with technology.” She propped her hip against the counter and folded her arms as if mirroring him. He almost laughed, but held it back.
“How do you like to communicate?” He looked her over. She had changed into a bathing suit when the kids got into the pool though he never saw her put more than her legs up to her knees in the pool while she sat with her sister at one side of it.
She had pulled on shorts and a tank top when they were preparing to go. He loved the look of her long tan legs. He liked the feel of them wrapped around him even more. By the time his gaze made it to her eyes, she was breathing heavier, the exposed flesh on her chest and the apples of her cheeks were tinted pink. Her arms moved and her hands found the hem of the shirt and began the familiar pattern he now recognized when she was anxious about something. He asked, “Do you want to go for a swim?”
“You’re not wearing a suit.” Her voice was whisper quiet. He knew she wanted to do something else. He did too. He also knew that they had to find common ground that didn’t include procreating.
“I think I can manage.” He lifted from the counter and started for the back door.
“I thought we might…”
“Come on Ivy,” he said and motioned for her with one hand as he opened the door with the other. She pouted. He chuckled. It did feel pretty good to be wanted by her. It would feel great to know that she wanted more from him than just sex. “You can tell me about this dragon you need to focus on.”
“I think we’ll save that one for another day.” She blushed so deep he was afraid to probe any further on the topic. For now.
Chapter 6
New York…
It had been a week. A full week since Bo had touched her sexually. She wondered if her dad said something to him at lunch that made him back off. She wondered if her family just turned him off completely. He had made it a point to do a lot of talking, a whole lot of talking. Her quiet guy had turned into a chatterbox. He also went in to work, went to the gym, and did other things to occupy his time and give them distance.
Ivy had taken Shay’s advice and signed up for yoga classes. It had helped her find a balance she had been missing. It wasn’t perfect. She was still working on adapting to all this healthy living. She had reluctantly taken May’s advice and started thinking more about ‘the dragon’.
Ivy was sure she could loosen up some. As long as he didn’t try to make her face away from him, put anything in or near her butt, call her names, or any of the other stuff she had seen or heard about. Okay, so she wasn’t doing so great with the taming of the dragon. She hadn’t seen the dragon in a week. How could she know what to do with it?
She had realized that Bo was going through some stretches and poses of his own every morning in the back yard. She tried to join him this morning, but the sight of his bare chest, muscled thighs, and outstretched arms were too much. She didn’t want to stretch anything other than her body over his. The entire flight she thought of nothing but them naked. It was awkward.
She slid her hand into his as they exited the airplane. He looked down at her with a smile. Ivy wasn’t short by any means, so it was nice to be with a man that physically overwhelmed her. Bo mentally overwhelmed her too. He was smart. He read a lot. She looked at his e-reader and realized he was reading the new Stephen King book.
Ivy was feeling pretty dumb when he asked her what the last book she read was and she rattled off the name of the magazine she had picked up in the airport. Among other things, she realized how much she had thrown herself into work and how little time she took for herself. She vowed right then to make time for herself. She would carve out a little piece of each day just for her.
“This place is crazy,” she said as they grabbed the bags.
“It’s New York.” He laughed. “You have admirers.”
“Those aren’t fans, they are paparazzi.” She growled. She had hoped they could at least get to their hotel and maybe have something to eat before being tailed. “I had hoped they wouldn’t know we were here at least a day or two.”
He looked down at her and his brows drew in concern. “How did they know? I booked the tickets online, made the reservations myself, and didn’t tell anyone other than my mom where I was going.”
“I don’t know.” They made their way to the driver and she really began to wonder. “I know Mathis didn’t. He’s on a mission to find me a wedding dress in Paris or somewhere out of the country. He’s having a blast, so where I am is the least of his concern right now. I told Dahlia, of course…”
“She’s leaking it,” he said simply and sat back with a huff of breath in the town car they had reserved to pick them up.
Ivy frowned. She looked at her phone and then pulled up the text messaging. She told Dahlia an intentional lie. She typ
ed in that they were going to dinner at a luxury restaurant with the rest of the people they were meeting up with in the city, to include Jonas Gunner. Nothing caused a media frenzy like the mention of that man’s name.
The part about meeting up with Jonas wasn’t exactly a lie. He and Frankie were in town for Shay’s premiere. So was the rest of the Gunner family. They were all going to meet up for dinner, but not tonight. Tonight they were meeting Shay and Jed for dinner. Then there was two days of just her, Bo, and the city. “Let’s see how that goes.”
“How what goes?”
“I just sent her a test message.”
“Did you say test?” He tilted his head as he looked at her.
She laughed. “Yes. I sent her a text that is a test. If they are there tonight, I know I need to have a talk with her when we get back.”
“Don’t tell me you told her where we are going tonight.” He looked so disheartened by it.
“No,” she assured him and sat her hand on his thigh. “I gave her a false location. We can go by around that time and see what we see.”
“Well, well.” He sat his hand on top of her hand. “I’m impressed.”
“I don’t like her handling me that way.” Ivy said it with a confidence she actually felt for once. Bo seemed convinced that the right opportunity would make itself known. She had to have faith in his belief, because after all, that is how she got him. He was in the right place at the right time. “In fact, I don’t like anyone handling me, but you.”
He snorted a light laugh and said, “Sweetheart, I haven’t handled you yet.”
Something crackled the air between them. She leaned in against his side and tilted her face up to him as she said, “Then maybe you should.”
He didn’t laugh at that. He looked at her with those whiskey-rich eyes. The intensity of the stare was at once seductive and alarming. She suspected there were things about their bedroom affairs he hadn’t talked to her about. His dragon obviously did have needs she wasn’t meeting.
They had talked about anything and everything but that. Whenever she tried to insert sex into the conversation he would shift the topic back to the original content or change it entirely. She knew he was avoiding it for a reason, she just hadn’t had the courage to ask what it was.
He leaned in enough to let his lips brush against hers and said, “Maybe I will.”
Then he kissed her. The spark tingled from the connection of their lips and jolted straight down her spine before bursting out in all directions. She was surprised that such a brief moment could have that impact, but she had wanted him for a week, so it seemed that everything he did these days turned her on.
She sighed lustfully and gazed up at him without caring if he knew how desperate for his touch she had become. She did put up her best front to seem unaffected by the downshift of their sexual relationship. She had played that role all week. All it seemed to get her was crazy dreams and cold showers.
The rest of the ride she could only focus on the feel of his lips on hers, the strength of the muscled thigh under her hand, and the tenderness of the large masculine hand covering hers. She lifted her wrist and then rolled her hand so that it was face up. Her fingers slid between his, slowly, purposefully.
Her heart was thundering, the anticipation building with every second. His fingers curled to hold her hand securely. She looked up at him. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as she did. He looked at her, through her, seeing into her rather than seeing her. She gulped. Heat flooded. Wetness pooled. She was about to lean up and kiss him again when the car came to an abrupt stop as it lurched into the space in front of the hotel.
He actually chuckled at her frustration. He pulled her hand up to his lips and opened his mouth enough that she could feel the wetness, the heat. She remembered just how good that combination was in other places on her body. She was breathing harder. He kicked up a seductive smile and said, “Tonight.”
The one word pounded through her ears. He let go of her hand and got out of the car. She took a fortifying breath. The hotel staff had already taken the luggage. He held out his hand to her and she took it. He helped her out of the car and she stood on anxious and trembling legs.
Once they were in the hotel room she was sure he would change his mind. She made it a point to be as open as possible. She had stepped into the shower with him, but he was done so he rinsed off and stepped out. She had made little effort to tie her robe. He focused on unpacking his clothes.
Sure, they had only an hour before their scheduled dinner plans, but she didn’t care if they were late. She didn’t care if they didn’t go at all. Shay and Jed were also newlyweds, surely they would understand.
He crossed the room with the towel wrapped securely, but low on his hips. As he passed her, she reached for the material and grabbed a fistful. He stopped. When he looked down at her she became a little anxious and asked, “What are you wearing tonight?”
“Slacks.” He slid his hand over hers and tugged it away from the towel. “I think you should wear the black dress. No, I’m positive. Wear the black one with the silk top.”
Her flesh prickled with renewed excitement and she teased, “What if I want to wear something else?”
“Something else, huh?” He let go of her hand and grabbed the neck of her robe. He pulled the material until it was barely on the edge of her shoulders. Her entire front was exposed to him. He leaned in and she lifted up to kiss him. He didn’t kiss her on the lips. He kissed her neck, licked. She was ready to explode, but he simply pulled back, looked her over with lascivious intent, and then repositioned the robe. “Wear the black one.”
She nodded. It was all she could do. She wanted to attack him. She found her voice and asked, “Is this some sort of game? I’d like to know.”
He seemed a bit shocked by the question. “I don’t understand.”
“This,” she said as she motioned between them. “Kissing me, then not kissing me. Telling me to wear the dress and then…well you know.”
“I know we have an hour before we are meeting Jed and Shay for dinner. This is her only chance to go out, remember? You keep teasing me. I’m just returning the favor, sweetheart.”
“Teasing you?”
“Yeah. Little touches, that look, but you never initiate anything more so…” He grabbed the towel and then pulled it free. He was fully bared to her. She realized he was just as turned on. “Make no mistake about it, Ivy. I want you. I always want you.”
She started to take a step forward and he let a deep rumble of his humor escape in a light laugh. “But we have to get ready to go.”
“We can be quick.”
“It’s been a week. There is no quick in what I want to do to you tonight.” He reached out and stroked the side of her face with his hand. His thumb slid across her lips. She could feel everything inside and out of her pull tight. He let his hand drop and he moved towards the closet. “This just might feel like the longest dinner in history.”
***
Dinner…
The waiter was at their table taking drink orders in no time. Bo was able to navigate the menu and remain allergy free for the evening. She tried to focus on the conversation as it progressed from one topic to the next. Bo made it difficult. He took every single opportunity possible to torture her.
His foot accidentally bumped into her. His knee touched her knee. Sure the seating was cramped for the ladies, they shared the table with two large men, and the touches were more like bumps that were followed by quiet apologies.
Ivy excused herself to the ladies room and Shay tagged along in traditional female fashion. “Thanks for the yoga advice. It has helped.”
“I’m nervous.” Shay blurted out.
Ivy looked at the supremely confident woman, the one she never knew to have a moment of fear or anxiety and wondered, “Really?”
“I’m scared to death. I mean there are no do-overs. I can’t take any mistakes back.” Shay explained.
“Hey,” Ivy looked at
the woman. Shay was one of the most beautiful women Ivy had ever seen in person. She was shorter than Ivy, built like a goddess, and had the most startling green eyes. “You are going to do just fine.”
Shay nodded. “And if not, I still have Jed. He doesn’t care if I’m successful as an actress. I mean he does, but he doesn’t. He’s more excited about the clothing design. I think that’s because I don’t have to kiss anyone else when I’m making clothes. He’s so possessive.”
“And you like that?” Ivy was surprised. Shay was a force to be reckoned with. The thought of her deferring control to Jed was just…intriguing.
“Yeah,” she admitted. “I never in my life thought I would let a guy lead me, but he just…gets me, Ivy. He understands me like no one else in my life ever has.” Shay was so sincere about Ivy knew they were both feeling a bit emotional.
“Was it scary?” Ivy gulped. Shay wasn’t her sister. She wasn’t encouraging her to tame the dragon. She was talking about the deeper level. The one Ivy was trying to figure out if she was really on. The scary place where love meant love and the potential to be heartbroken loomed on the other side of that admission.
“Hell yes!” Shay laughed. “I wouldn’t even let him say nice things to me. He used to tell me I looked hideous because I would freak out if he called me beautiful. He still does in the morning, but I know better because he always punctuates it with a kiss.”
Ivy was feeling such relief from this conversation. “How did you know when to…?”
“I love him. At some point it just felt right to let him… I don’t know I guess to let him be a man, take control, you know, to overwhelm me. Size be damned, Ivy. I know he looks like a hulk, but I have dated men is size before. I swear I have never felt as safe or as whole as I feel when I am right there in his arms.”
Ivy didn’t know what to say. She was still trying to figure her feelings out. She knew she cared about Bo an awful lot. She was still afraid to admit she loved him. She just wasn’t sure that what she felt was love. She needed something to really help her figure it out. She just didn’t know what it would be or how it would happen.