“Ian.” It’s a warning, but it’s also her talking to me.
I grin against her neck. “Yeah, babe?”
“Let me go, you evil bastard.” Laughing, I do as she demands. She turns in her seat, glaring at me. “When I give you the silent treatment, you’re not allowed to do that.”
“All bets are off now that I’m here.”
“Keep on and there will be no sex for you tonight for sure.”
My dick hardens just thinking that she was planning on us having sex. “We’re not having sex tonight, so you can’t hold that over my head. Nice try, though.”
Her brows pinch together. “What?”
“Do you usually have sex on the first date, Sydney?”
“No, but—”
“It doesn’t matter that it’s me or that it’s us.”
“Yes, it does,” she argues.
“New normal, babe. That means we hold out.”
I see the moment it dawns on her face. “So, that’s why you haven’t tried…”
“Yeah. How are you going to trust me if that part doesn’t change too?”
Sydney grabs my face and kisses me. Even after all this time, her kisses are the same. They start tentative and slow until they build into a demanding kiss as she gives in and takes what she wants. I pull her into my lap, which is when she pulls away, damn it. “Take me home and let’s make out, then.”
She doesn’t have to ask me twice.
Logan texted me that Savannah was knocked out already, so instead of waking her up for the sake of moving her home, he said he didn’t care if she spent the night. That means it’s just Ian and me in his apartment. We’re fully dressed, lying on his bed, and making out like we’re teenagers. Knowing that we’re not having sex anytime soon is not helping because now, more than ever, it’s all I want. But I love that it’s part of our new normal for a bit.
“I’m nervous about living with you,” I mumble, kissing him hard before he can respond. That’s how this make-out session has gone so far. We kiss and talk and kiss some more. I shift my hips over the bulge I feel through his jeans.
“Babe,” he groans as he grabs my hips to keep them still. His eyes flash open and steal my breath from the intensity he sets on me. “Are you trying to kill me?” I nod my head and he chuckles. “I’m nervous, too.”
My shoulders sag. “Lie to me, Ian!”
“Fine. It’ll be an easy adjustment. There won’t be anything we do to annoy each other. You’ll feel right at home from the very beginning. You’ll love every second of it. Keep reminding yourself of the perks: I’m here. You’re here. We can kiss whenever we want.” With that, he starts kissing me again. He rolls us so I’m on my back and he gets on his hands and knees. He laughs at me when my body arches off the bed and I groan in frustration because I don’t touch anything.
“You’re an ass.”
“Gotta stick to the game plan somehow, gorgeous.”
Ah, so he needs space. I relax into the bed, my hands wrapped around his wrists that are on either side of my head, and I savor the kiss he gives me. He slows things down dramatically. All I can do is lie here and melt into the bed. Ian’s mouth leaves mine to blaze a trail along my jaw and down my neck.
“I’m scared about quitting my job.” This has me more worried than anything else, if I’m honest.
Ian stops, leans back, and sits on his haunches. “Sydney, I’ll take care of you and Savannah.” There’s so much seriousness and also that signature warning of his that says not to push him.
I sit up and place my hands on his chest. I know how important it is for him to have that capability. It’s why I can be honest when I say, “It’s not that. I know you will.”
“Then what is it?”
How do I explain? My gaze drops to my hands, but Ian hooks a finger under my chin and makes me look at him. “I mean, I’ve been working since I found out I was pregnant. The only time I wasn’t working was right before and right after I had her. I’m supposed to stop and let you take over?”
“Yes,” he answers simply. “It’s only until you finish school. That’s this spring, right?”
“Well, I don’t know. I was thinking of going for my master’s, but maybe I should wait? My parents aren’t paying for that anyway, so if I wait, I can save up, work, and then go for it. I don’t need it at this point.”
Ian cups my face. “If you want to go now, go. I—”
“Don’t you dare offer to pay for it. I draw the line at that.”
“Okay. So, what do you want to do?”
With the interning and shadowing I’ve been doing already, I’m a little hesitant about going for my master’s because I’m so ready to start teaching. I was thinking I should just get it now because it’d be easier to keep going, but I know I’ll have the drive later. “I think I’ll hold off. I’m ready for the next phase.”
“Are you sure that’s what you really want to do?”
“Yes,” I answer without hesitation.
“Then stop worrying about not working for a few months. Put in your notice tomorrow and start searching for your teaching job so you’ll have it lined up.”
“Okay. I’m done talking now. Kiss me.”
“Thank fuck,” he mutters, but it’s with a smile. Ian kisses me into a frenzy before pulling away and saying it’s time for bed like a tease. Then again, anything that happens with us for the foreseeable future is teasing because we’re holding out from sex.
Man, I can’t get over that. I never thought I’d see the day where Ian Rhett would tell me we are not having sex and that he has a good reason for it. I started to worry about it because it wasn’t like us. Then, he clued me in. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier about not having sex in my entire life. The simple fact that he’s willing to wait for us to settle into this new relationship speaks volumes.
And if I haven’t said it already: I like it.
When we finally settle into bed to sleep, Ian is lying on his back and I’m on my side with my head on his chest like always. This whole thing is still scary to me, but I’ll be damned if this moment right here isn’t the happiest I’ve been since right before I told him I loved him for the first time. That was actually the last time, too, because I haven’t said it since. Ian’s told me many times, especially when he was trying to convince me that we should be more, but I’ve never said it back.
“Ian?”
“Sydney.”
The brief sense of bravery disappears. I don’t want to jump the gun here and get ahead of myself just because things are good on week one. “Nothing.”
“Tell me,” he pushes, which is very typical behavior and for some reason, that’s comforting.
“So far, so good,” I whisper.
He kisses the top of my head. “Only going to get better, gorgeous.”
I sure hope so. I can’t afford for him to break my heart again.
Thanks to the accident, Logan is out of work for a bit, which means he’s my go-to babysitter for the next two weeks. He comes to the apartment to watch Savannah two nights in a row since I have to work and Ian has back-to-back games. The plus is he gets to go home once Ian gets there.
“Do you know what today is?” Ian asks as I put sausage links in the oven.
“It’s Sunday,” I answer.
“Nope.”
Frowning, I look over my shoulder. “Yes, it is.”
“It’s Valentine’s Day, babe.”
I reach over to pick up my phone and look at the date. Sure enough, it’s the fourteenth.
“Our first Valentine’s Day,” he continues. “You aren’t making breakfast.”
“I’m not?”
“No. Not alone, at least.” He looks into the living room where Savannah is watching TV. “Get in here, little Miss!” She runs into the room and Ian picks her up to sit her on the counter. “Do you know what day it is?”
“Nope!”
“It’s Valentine’s Day, Savannah! You spend it with the people you love most, so
I get to spend it with you and your mom. And I was thinking we could make pancakes for breakfast. Do you want to help?”
Her eyes widen. She doesn’t get the chance to help in the kitchen often because it stresses me out to think about keeping an eye on her while cooking at the same time. She only helps if someone else is in the kitchen with me and there’s something she can help do. “Really?” she whispers with awed excitement.
“Yes, really!” Ian confirms. “We’re going to make red, heart-shaped pancakes with sprinkles!”
Savannah gasps and for a moment, I don’t know who is more excited. “I wanna help!” Savannah decides.
“Good!” Ian starts mixing the pancake batter while telling me to grab the food coloring and sprinkles. “Okay, just one bottle to start with and you can help me mix it. Then we’ll see what color it is and if we like it.” He hands her the food coloring.
Savannah grins while she pours it in. She stirs the batter with a look of pure amazement on her face as it changes color. Ian eventually takes over and then lets her pour the sprinkles in. She pours too many because he lets her do as many as she wants, but he doesn’t say a word about it.
“How are you planning to make them in the shape of a heart?” I ask as I prepare the griddle.
“Look in that bag on the table.”
I hadn’t noticed it yesterday, but there’s one there. Inside are three cookie-cutters in the shape of a heart. He’s a genius. They’re a decent size that they’ll make a good sized pancake, too.
“What next?” Savannah asks.
“That’s all you can help with,” Ian tells her. “You can watch TV until it’s ready.” He sets her down and she rushes back to her cartoons. Ian starts on the pancakes while I watch since he won’t let me help. “We’ll eat breakfast, I’m going to practice, and then we’ll take her to the movies or something. Think about what you want us to do, and we’ll do it.”
I stand next to him and sling my arms around his waist. “Are you this awesome to all your girlfriends?”
He scoffs as if that idea is totally absurd. “No.”
“Really?”
“I’m not doing this shit for just anybody, babe. I don’t want to do it for anyone but you, so no, I wasn’t this nice to other girlfriends. I didn’t care if they stayed with me or not.” He pauses and glances at me. “So, I’m still doing good?”
I nod. Ian grins and gives me a quick kiss. A loud “Ewww!” comes from the living room. I’ll be glad when Savannah is used to seeing him kiss me. Otherwise, I’ll be breaking into a smile during our kisses more often. It’s just too cute that she does that. Ian thinks it’s cute that I smile mid-kiss, which earns me another kiss and another “ew.” It’s a terrible cycle.
“My mom and stepdad are coming next weekend. They want to check on Logan and meet grown-up Ian. Is that okay?”
“Yeah. It’ll have to be Saturday, though. I have games Friday and Sunday. You can take them to a game, if they’re interested. If not, no worries. Which reminds me.” He nods toward the living room where Savannah still is. “We should sign her up for skating lessons. When Z and I took her, she really liked it and was fascinated by this figure skater. I’d love for her to know how to skate.”
“I feel like there’s a but.”
“There is.” He flips the pancakes. “I obviously can’t take her to every lesson, so it’s definitely your decision. I have information packets around here somewhere. Will you look at them at least?”
“Of course. She’s not too young?”
“No. She’s the perfect age. Hell, she could’ve started learning as soon as she started walking good.”
“Language,” I remind him. Savannah may be in the living room, but those little ears could still be listening.
“Sorry.”
Soon, we’re sitting at the table eating breakfast. Savannah is tickled pink over her red heart-shaped pancakes. She ends up sitting with Ian and eating his because she doesn’t want to mess up hers. I think Ian has gotten more comfortable with her now that he’s seen our routine and how I do things. Ian follows my lead in most cases.
What’s surprised me the most is how he seems to discipline her without realizing he’s doing it. She threw the mother lode of tantrums just this morning. It was one of those crying tantrums rather than an angry one. At first, his eyes were wide and he kept glancing back and forth between me and where she decided to park her bottom and cry. But then, he picked her up, held her, and waited for her to finish crying. When she was reduced to hiccups, he said, “Done crying, little Miss?” She nodded and he proceeded to explain why we weren’t going swimming today and especially not first thing in the morning. He kissed each of her cheeks, and that was that.
“Hop down, Savannah. I gotta head out.”
“Where you go, Daddy?” she asks.
“Work, but only for a little bit. When I come back, I’m taking you and your mom out on a special Valentine’s Day date, so you better be ready when I get back, okay? Tell me bye.”
“Goodbye, Daddy. I love you.”
“Love you too, little Miss.” He kisses her forehead and helps her out of his lap. His gaze swings to mine, turning hot. “Come tell me bye, gorgeous.”
“You’re leaving. You come tell me.”
He grins as he stands, comes to stand behind me, and leans over to kiss me. Three, two, “Ew!” I smile, breaking our kiss, and Ian laughs. “What do you think she’d do if I added some tongue?” Our kisses in her presence have been very PG. I don’t know if there’s a particular reason, other than the fact that she seems to be paying attention to us.
“Let’s not find out right now. We’ll be ready when you get back.”
He gives me another quick kiss before grabbing his keys and phone and leaving. I finish my breakfast before cleaning up the dishes and wrapping up Savannah’s untouched pancakes. To make sure we are ready by the time he’s done, we do that next. I’m not sure what I want us to do today. I planned on being at home all day and napping at some point because I have to work tonight. Maybe we should see some kids’ movie, find a place to eat, and call it a success.
Savannah and I are sitting on the couch, watching some cartoon, all ready to go. I worried about how she would take the move, but she’s been doing fine so far. She misses her Lo-Lo and Carey, but she likes having her own room. We just have to check for monsters. It’s Logan’s fault we do that to start with. When she goes to bed by herself, he tucked her in one night and asked if he should check for monsters. Now, we have to because if we don’t, she’s worried they might get her. She was perfectly fine before that.
“I have presents!” Ian announces as he walks through the door, holding two little red bags in one hand.
“Daddy!” Savannah yells, running toward him. “What is it?”
“Come on, let’s sit with Mommy and find out.” He takes her hand and leads her back to the couch, sitting next to me and pulling her into his lap. “I couldn’t get Mom a Valentine’s Day present and not get something for you, too.” He gives her a bag and hands me the other one.
I watch her pull out a velvet box and Ian helps her open it. Savannah immediately oohs.
“It’s a bracelet,” Ian tells her as he holds it up.
“Mommy! It’s like yours!”
My eyes water as I see the gold bracelet that is a mirror image of mine with a bunch of tiny infinity symbols linked together. He hooks it around her little wrist and says nearly the same thing to her that he said to me.
“This is the infinity symbol. Means forever. You get this because I’ll love you forever.”
“Thank you!” She hugs him.
“Welcome, Savannah.”
They both look at me. “What’d you get, Mommy?”
Right. Ian probably doesn’t even realize how sweet what he just did is. With a deep breath to clear away my emotions, I pull out a smaller jewelry box. My heart hammers. Either there’s a ring inside or earrings. There’s plenty of relief when I see a pair of diamond earrin
gs. They’re beautiful.
For some reason, the only thing I can think about is how the only jewelry left to buy is a ring, and what is he going to buy me after that. Jewelry is Ian’s go-to gift. When I questioned him about it after he gave me the bracelet, which was the third piece of jewelry, he tried to say he didn’t know why at first. A minute later, he confessed it was because hehoped I wore them all the time and it was like a part of him was with me even when he wasn’t. Which was the exact reason I never took them off.
“Babe?” I lift my head. “Do you like them?”
“Yeah, they’re beautiful. Thank you.”
He pushes my hair behind my ear. “You going to wear them?”
“Of course.” Once I remove them from the box, they are in my ears.
“Pretty, pretty, Mommy,” Savannah says.
“Thanks, buttercup.” I lean over and kiss Ian on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“Totally worth it. Have you decided on what we’re doing?”
“A little shopping and dinner. I have to work tonight.”
There’s a curse just waiting on his lips, but he holds it back. He must have forgotten. “I’ll be glad when you’re done. Let’s go then.”
Ian takes us out and treats us like queens. We go to dinner to a kid-focused place where Savannah is able to play, go out for ice cream, and he stops by a toy store, so Savannah can pick out a toy. It’s nice, even if it does mean we get back later than I’d like. But when we do return to the apartment, he tells me to take a nap and he keeps Savannah quiet and in the living room for me to get some sleep since I’ll be up for most of the night.
I’m a bit ashamed of myself for not giving him his second chance sooner. We’re two people who can’t manage to stay away from one another. That should be a pretty big and obvious sign that I should try. I’ve been so worried about getting hurt. That’s what held me back. Things have been so good so far. If this is what life with Ian is like, then I’m so excited about what’s to come.
It's Our Time (Carolina Rebels Book 4) Page 8