“Stay here and don’t move.” She’s out of breath but she’s still barking orders at me. “I’ll be right back. Don’t even think about falling asleep on me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” My speech is slurred, and she shoots me a worried glance before darting into the kitchen. My eyes feel so heavy. All I want to do is close them and drift into a peaceful oblivion.
“What did I tell you?” Her voice is stern as she strides back into the room. I blink as a cool cloth touches my forehead. “Eric, you have to stay awake.”
“Okay…” I mumble against her hand as the cloth passes over my lips. Shep sticks his nose in between us as he goes to town licking my face. Now I’m awake.
“Shep, get down,” Ivy scolds him, clapping her hands to enforce her command. “I have to sterilize your master’s cuts. I know you love him, but don’t go infecting them on me, okay?” When she turns to me, the warmth leaves her voice. “Eric, where do you keep the rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide? In the bathroom upstairs?”
I nod once and her eyes darken. I’m running her ragged. For someone who was about to break up with me, she seems to be at my beck and call. It must be killing her inside to have to wait on me, but she’s staying. That has to count for something, right?
I hear her footsteps dash up the stairs while the buckles on Shep’s collar jangle behind her. I could get used to this, having her treat my house like it’s her own. Like this is where we belong together.
She returns to my side, making quick work of disinfecting the scrapes on my face. It hurts like hell and I grit my teeth trying not to show it. It burns like a motherfucker. One cloth is soon covered in bloodstains, so she moves on to another. There’s no way I’m anywhere close to falling asleep when the stinging sensation travels down my forearms as she tends to the cuts she finds there.
“You’re going to have to take your shirt off.” She says it in such an offhand manner, like she could care less if I get partially naked in front of her.
“Okay.” My hand shakes as I start to undo the buttons. It’s hard to be coordinated when the room is still spinning before me. I’m doing a terrible job of it.
“Let me,” she commands, sliding her hand next to mine before swatting it away. She begins to unfasten the buttons one by one and my breathing increases. As she parts the two sides of my shirt, her fingertips lightly brush against me, causing me to dig my nails into my palms. I want to respond to her touch so badly. Her hands glide inside my shirt before landing on my shoulders. Gently, she starts pulling it down. Her fingers find my wrist, and she can no doubt feel my racing pulse as she draws one arm out and then the other. I shiver as I sit exposed before her. I don’t even look down to examine my injuries. My eyes are locked on her expression as she takes in the appearance of my bare chest, despite herself.
“Oh, Eric,” she sighs as she lightly caresses the bruises that are forming under my neck and across my ribs. “Where does it hurt?”
“Everywhere.” I chuckle, but she doesn’t join in. She’s looking at me with concern.
“Let me make it better.” She leans forward and her lips bestow a line of butterfly kisses up and down my torso, creating a heady mixture of pleasure and pain. Pushing back on my heels, I press my body into the couch, letting my neck relax against the headrest. She moves with me, remaining perched between my knees.
“Does that feel good?” she asks, but her eyes still appear dead to me, like she’s only doing this for my benefit.
“Yes.” I exhale loudly as her kisses travel just above my belt buckle. I want to remain still but my body betrays me as my hips rise to meet her lips.
“Well, don’t get used to it because that’s all you’re getting.” She extends her arms on both sides of me, pushing herself up.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I say the words before I can even think. My body wants nothing more than to claim hers, but she’s teasing me in the cruelest way possible. She’s deliberately driving me wild while taking away the one source of relief.
“You’ve had enough. Don’t get any ideas.” She straightens her dress but I close my knees, trapping her between them. “You must be feeling better. Too bad you’re the last man on earth I feel like sleeping with.”
“Oh, I think I could convince you otherwise.” I sit up straight, grasping a handful of her dress. “The 911 operator did say you have to keep me up all night.”
“Eric, don’t…” I can feel her tremble, her resistance weakening. Her breath is warm on my face. She’s so intoxicatingly close. “I can’t…not after what happened with Lauren.”
I reel back as if I’ve been slapped. There’s no getting around the issue. It has to be dealt with. The timing is way off and I don’t think the fuzziness in my brain will let me make a cohesive argument. All I can do is provide the facts and allow her to decide how she wants to proceed.
“It’s not what you think, Ivy.” I don’t loosen my hold on her even as she tries to squirm away.
“I’m not an idiot, Eric. I know what I saw.” Finally, there’s some fire in her gaze. I haven’t lost her yet.
“Let me finish. I promise you can say whatever you want when I’m done, okay?” She nods petulantly, like I’m forcing her to do something against her will. She’s not going to like what I have to say, but it has to be said. I’m sick of hiding things from her. She deserves to know the truth.
“It was around the holidays and I was feeling really low. I was making progress, but when it’s the off-season at the garden center, I tend to have too much time on my hands, too much time to think.” Ivy doesn’t look at me, but at least she’s listening. “I was at the point where I didn’t get out of bed for three days when Lauren called. It was a Friday night and she was working late. She invited me down to the office to figure out my spring marketing plan. Immediately, I thought it sounded kind of funny that she wanted to discuss ads for potting soil and seeds when there was snow on the ground, but I was lonely and desperate for company so I foolishly took her up on her offer.”
Ivy is stock still in my arms, but when I mention that I dropped everything to run to Lauren, she flinches. It isn’t going to be easy to finish this story. There are a lot of details that are going to upset her, but I keep talking.
“When I arrived, there was no one in the office. It was the weekend before Christmas, and the parking lot was empty except for her car. I rang the doorbell even though the place seemed deserted. I was a little pissed at having driven all the way over there, but at the same time I was relieved that maybe Lauren had changed her mind. Just when I was about to walk away, the door opened. It was Lauren, and she was wearing nothing but a camisole and a tight skirt even though the temperature was in the upper teens. If I had any doubt as to why she called me, her appearance confirmed my suspicions. She was holding a bottle of wine in her hands, and she invited me up for a nightcap. She thought we could celebrate the holidays and talk business at the same time.”
Ivy’s hands drop to my wrists, pushing them with all her might, but I don’t budge. If she runs away now, she won’t know the whole story. She needs to hear it all.
“We ended up on the couch in her office. She actually had a list of the advertisement placements she wanted me to run, but before I even realized it, the bottle of wine was empty, the paperwork was on the floor, and she was on top of me.” I hate letting Ivy down. I have to keep telling myself this all happened before I knew her. When I was alone and missing Cassidy and there was no hope of a new beginning.
“Things happened that I wish didn’t. But I was drunk and not thinking clearly. She was eager. She’d doggedly pursued me for months and now that she had me where she wanted me, she made it known that she was ready to give me whatever I asked for. I just wanted to forget, get lost in someone else for a while. Regardless of how dangerous the situation was. I didn’t have a condom, and she’d been practically stalking me before all of this. If I slept with her, there’d be no pretending like it didn’t happen. And if I got her
pregnant, I’d be tied to her for life.” For the first time, I can’t look at Ivy. I close my eyes as I confess what I did.
“I helped her remove her camisole. She had nothing on underneath. That’s all the encouragement she needed as she worked at removing my jeans. I was ready to let her blow me if that’s what she wanted to do. But her finger got stuck in my zipper and she broke a nail. Instead of just ignoring it, she made a federal case out of it. She cursed and ran to her desk for a file or clippers or something. But her outburst brought me back to my senses. I couldn’t go through with it.” I raise my eyes again, but Ivy is still looking down, undoubtedly trying to process what I’m telling her. It’s a lot to handle.
“So you didn’t have sex with her?” Her whispered question is barely audible.
“No.” I bend my head and place it against her stomach, urging her to forgive me.
“That explains so much.” She sighs and I feel a whoosh of air leave her lungs. “She always gets what she wants, one way or another. Why didn’t you tell me before tonight?”
“I thought I could get away with it, that you’d never have to know. I believed it would only hurt you if you knew how close I came to sleeping with her. I never imagined she would go to such lengths to get back at me for turning her down. When she threatened me, I panicked. She said she’d fill your head with all kinds of things that didn’t happen and that you’d never believe me if I denied what she told you.” I freeze when Ivy’s fingers thread through my hair as she yanks my head back to face her.
“But why did you have to kiss her tonight?” The hurt in her eyes is torturing me. I made such a terrible mistake in doubting her faith in me.
“She made a deal with me as soon as I got there. She said she wouldn’t embarrass you at the gala by revealing what happened between us. I didn’t want you to be humiliated in public because of my lack of judgment. I thought I could get away with a couple of kisses and explain it all to you later. But of course, Lauren took things too far, like she always does.” Ivy is hesitating and I can’t say that I blame her. I don’t know how I’d react if our roles were reversed. I hate the thought of anyone touching her but me.
“Eric, you have me so confused.” She slumps against me and I trace circles against her waist with my thumbs, trying to soothe her. “I never wanted to be a part of something so complicated. All my life, all I ever wanted to be was Will’s girlfriend. That’s it. But you’ve made me feel so much since I’ve met you that it scares me.”
“You don’t have to be afraid of me, Ivy. I promise.” I smooth a strand of hair away from her face and let my palm settle against her cheek which is now wet with her tears. She’s shaking as she silently begins to sob. “Please, baby, don’t cry.”
She finally gives me an indication that she’s letting down her guard when she throws her arms around my neck. When she falls on top of me, I groan as the tenderness of my bruises surfaces. “Oh, Eric! I’m so sorry.” She tries to slide away from me but I hold my hands firmly against her back.
“I’m a big boy. I can take it.” Tilting my head up, I capture her lips with my mine. There is nothing delicate about this kiss. It’s raw, intense, ravenous. It’s like our tongues are battling each other for dominance. There is a ferocity in the way she’s kissing me, like she’s still trying to work out her anger. She hasn’t completely forgiven me yet. She’s going to make me earn it.
The pain I’m feeling from my injuries becomes a driving force. The only way I’m going to lessen the hurt is by feeling how my body responds to what she’s doing to me. The competing sensations are driving me insane. It heightens every touch of her hand, every flick of her tongue, every breath from her mouth. I growl when she breaks away from me, allowing a surge of agony to rip through me.
She’s trying to unzip the back of her dress but she’s struggling as the skirt rides up her thighs as she straddles me. She has her arms behind her head, lowering the zipper little by little, but as she does so, she’s inadvertently rubbing against me. Her knees are gripping the sides of my hips as her legs are spread over me. I jerk in an attempt to meet her motions. She rolls her head back, exposing her neck as she rides the rhythm she created, the wetness of her panties sliding over the bulging crotch of my pants again and again.
I don’t want to assist her with the zipper. My hands are digging into her waist as her grinding motions get harder and faster. She’s going to come and we’re still practically fully dressed. She releases her hold on the broken zipper and digs her nails into my shoulders as she nears the tipping point. We’re like two adolescents who are able to get off by dry humping each other. This is crazy. Even if she never lets me touch her again, I’ll die a happy man reveling in how incredibly hot she is right now.
She rubs against me. I rub against her. And she comes screaming my name before collapsing on top of me. That’s all it takes and I explode beneath her. Gasping for air, she laughs as she realizes what just happened to me. It was total show of dominance on her part. She didn’t touch me with her fingers or her mouth, yet she brought me over the edge, begging for more. It’s been a long time since a woman has worked me over like that.
Her laughing causes more friction between our bodies and my cheeks redden as I immediately start to get hard again. She can feel me straining against her, and she picks her head up to look me in the eye. “Impressive, Mr. Young.” She bites her bottom lip and I thrust my hips against her.
“Take it off. The next time I come, there’s no way in hell I’m going to be fucking outside of you.” The tone of my voice is commanding. She may have won round one, but I intend to even the score.
“Well, you’re a strong man. If you get this damn zipper down, I’ll be happy to oblige.” She smiles at me seductively from beneath her lashes. Reaching up, I spin her around so she’s facing away from me. Trailing my hands up her back, I find the offending zipper and give it a sharp tug. It won’t move. She sighs in frustration, wiggling above me. This won’t do. I need her naked, now. Throwing caution to the wind, I rip the seam of the dress, splitting the zipper. She gasps in surprise as it pools around her waist. She quickly covers her breasts with her hands as I lift her up and tear what remains of the dress from her body.
I am liking how that felt and I don’t plan on stopping with the dress. She’s working her hips over me again in an attempt to show me who’s boss, but she’s got another thing coming. I remove her hands from her breasts and rip off the adhesive bra cup on the right before doing the same with the left. The surprise move on my part causes her to stop what she’s doing. Knowing I have the upper hand, I push her up until she rests on her knees. Tossing away the shredded remains of the stick-on cups, I start to undo my belt, but she groans. With her hair falling over her shoulder, she pouts back at me.
“I wanted to do that.” Her arms are still crossed suggestively over her breasts, hiding her nipples.
“I have other plans for you.” I don’t hesitate as I lower my zipper. Arching my back, I yank down my pants along with my boxer briefs, but not before snatching the condom out of the front pocket. “Put it on.” I order, holding it up to her. She slowly lowers her hands and takes my offering. I hear her open the wrapper and I guide her hands back to me. She’s still facing away from me as she slides the condom over me, and it’s sexy as hell as she feels her way through getting it on. I give it a final tug before taking advantage of the opportunity her lowered hands present.
My palms immediately cup her uncovered breasts as I play with her nipples with my thumbs. Her back gets ramrod straight as the sensations engulf her from my surprise attack. She molds her body against my hands, writhing in my touch. She feels so fucking good. This time, she’s closer than I am. I better be careful or she’s going to be spent before I make my move.
Lowering one hand across her stomach, I guide her back onto me. When my tip nears her opening, she moans, widening her legs even more. Who knew we’d be so inventive in our positions? And it’s just our first time. If this is only the beginni
ng, I can’t wait to see where we go from here. She seems game for anything, which is more than I expected.
I slide into her and she’s so tight. I still myself a moment, letting her get used to me. I’m already in pretty deep but in this position I know I can go even farther. Her elbows have dropped to the couch and she’s on all fours before me. I feel her contract around me and I can no longer stop. I begin moving inside of her, in and out. She grasps my knees, trying to remain upright. Now that I’m where I need to be, my hands find her waist as she bounces on top of me. For a brief moment, I let them find her jiggling breasts again and my pace increases. I can’t keep my hands here as my grip tightens. Reluctantly, I lower one down her back and across her butt until I find the place where we’ve come together. Moving my hand to the front of her entrance, I massage her there as I continue to pump in and out of her from behind. The dual sensation of my other hand tugging at her nipple sends her over the edge and she comes again.
Her spine weakens as she collapses onto the couch, but I’m not done yet. Holding her in place, I forcefully thrust into her while tilting my pelvis upward. She’s like a rag doll in my arms, totally spent. I don’t even feel my bruised ribs as I strain with everything I have to hit my climax. She leans back just a little as her hair tickles my stomach and that’s all it takes. I’m gone. “Fuck,” I cry as I press my face into her shoulder.
We’re a contorted mass of limbs as I catch my breath and start removing myself from inside of her. “Don’t,” she whispers, clasping my wrist to stop my action. She wants me to stay where I am. Despite just coming undone, I feel myself twitch. It won’t be long until I’m ready to go again.
“Hold on,” I say against her ear. Taking her with me, I lie back on the couch, keeping her on top of me. Injured or not, it’s a more comfortable position than being bent at the waist. With every breath, the smoothness of her back chafes against the hair on my chest. My fingers wander to her belly button, tracing patterns against her stomach. Her ear is against my lips as the stubble forming on my chin scratches her neck. She stretches, bringing her hands to rest in my hair. We’re splayed out all over each other as I intertwine my legs with hers.
Take Me Now Page 14