by Quinn, Taryn
“I’ve never been a minute man, Ivy.” She fisted her hand around me and I groaned. “I could be, but it’s a point of pride.”
“Stuff your pride inside me, Rory Ferguson.”
“Jesus, you are a dirty little fairy.” I pushed her panties aside and slid inside of her with a low groan. “I didn’t want to do this for the first time here.”
“That little bump between us belies a first time for anything.”
I laughed. “I meant without a condom. For real. Not the tease in the car so long ago. But sinking into your sweet,” I groaned, “perfect body.” The warm clasp of her after months without her just about put me on my knees. “Jesus, you are like heaven.”
Her nails dug into my ass. “Chase heaven faster before someone comes.”
“Someone or me?”
She laughed and then groaned when I thrust into her again. “As long as I get to come too, I don’t really care.”
My eyes crossed as she squeezed me with all those glorious internal female muscles. “You feel even more amazing. I didn’t think that was possible.”
“Perks of pregnancy.” She dug harder into my ass. “Harder, LC.”
My thighs burned as I lowered myself enough to match up with her. “I don’t want to nail you to a tree, dammit.”
“We’ll do it up proper when we get home. Just please. Now.” Her dark eyes were full of love and lust in equal measure.
I prayed that the sweater wrapped around her would survive us. I lifted her enough to get her legs around me and slid home again and again. I swallowed her cries, growled against the release chasing me like a rabid dog.
When she sunk her teeth into my shoulder, I finally let go. I held her tight to me as I came. My world went silent for a moment. In its wake was my heartbeat thundering in my ears with the overwhelming love I couldn’t quite contain.
We kissed as the sunlight beamed and birds chirped around us.
Laughter bled into the moment I’d forever hold inside me as I lowered her to her feet and stuffed my cock back into my jeans. “People sound really close.”
“Let them watch,” she said with a sigh.
I scraped my teeth down her neck. “That sight is only for me.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes.”
She grinned up at me as she fixed her dress. She winced a little. “How bad do I look.”
Her hair was wild and there was a rip in the shoulder of her dress. “You look perfect.”
She rolled her eyes. “I look just fucked, don’t I?”
“Maybe a little. We can stop at the car. I have some clothes in the trunk.” I held her hand and led her to my car then grabbed the bag still in the boot.
People passed us by as more and more cars parked. The taproom was overflowing with people as the new baby became a reason to celebrate. We stopped in to use the bathroom to clean up the best we could.
When I swapped out my own ravaged sweater for a T-shirt, I found the little black jeweler box beside my toiletry case. The bracelet I’d bought with my sister nestled inside.
I tucked it into my pocket before zipping my suitcase closed.
I met her by the bar. She had a can of diet soda in her hand and was filling a bowl full of fruit. Ivy’s outfit had been a lost cause, but she was still tiny enough to use one of my gray button down shirts as a replacement. It even looked like the style was on purpose with the little violet sash from her ruined dress.
She’d even managed to get her hair into a braid. She was a damn vision.
And she was all mine.
She smiled up at me. “Feel a bit more human?” She tucked a piece of watermelon into her mouth.
I nodded.
“I do too. Though I’m pretty sure I’ll be sleeping like drunken frat boy soon. I’m whipped.”
“We can go.”
“No, we are going to meet the baby, then we’ll go.”
I sighed. “All right.” I stole a piece of pineapple. “If we must.”
There was a line of people waiting to see the new family. We finished our food and drinks while we waited. Ian was preening as he held the baby in his arms. He was holding his phone up and speaking. Probably talking to his brother.
I pulled Ivy aside. “Before we go in.”
“Again?”
“No. Even I’m not that bad.”
“Oh.”
She looked disappointed enough to make my nerves even out. “I know it’s not the time, but I have something for you.”
Her eyebrows shot up as I pulled the box from my pocket. “Rory.”
I flipped it open. “Not quite that ill-timed, love.”
“Oh.” Again, the bit of disappointment made my heart race. Had she been hoping for a ring?
Did I dare hope to be able to ask her? It was just a matter of connecting the dots in my mind. Owning up to loving her was far scarier a prospect than forever as odd as that may be.
“I got it in Ireland. I was going to give it to you later, but it seemed fitting to give it to you here.”
She traced her fingers over the little white gold beads and bars of the bracelet. “It’s lovely.”
“Lots of little shops in Ireland, but this one spelled out words using Morse code.”
Her eyes went misty as she looked up from the box to me. “What does it say?”
“A ghrá.”
“Oh, Rory. Before you even told me.”
“The words have been sitting in my chest since I met you. Seemed a special—oof.”
She flung her arms around me. “I love it. It’s so perfect. So different.” She stepped back and held out her wrist. “Put it on, please.”
I smiled down at her. The clasp was small as hell and I fumbled it twice before finally setting it to rights on her wrist. “There.”
“Thank you,” she whispered and went onto her toes to kiss me.
“Have you hidden yourselves away long enough? We have a baby to introduce you to.”
Ian’s voice made me turn. My fingers grazed down Ivy’s arm to link our hands. “Thought you and Zoe might need a minute.”
“More likely that the two of you needed one.” He tipped his head. “You look…at ease.” He rocked the baby in his arms lightly. “Did you go off and get laid while my wife-to-be toiled through afterbirth and learning to breastfeed?”
I coughed. “Jesus, Ian.”
“What? Get used to it, bub. This is going to be your life too.”
I smiled down at Ivy. “Yeah, it is.”
“Oh, well, will you look at you? Totally at ease with the miracle of childbirth now. You were pretty green a little bit ago. White as a sheet.”
“Like you noticed.” I stepped forward to look at the tightly wrapped baby. A shock of dark hair whorled around the front of his head. “Wow. That’s a lot of hair.”
“I know, right? Takes after his da, right, little man?” Ian nuzzled the baby’s cheek. The baby let out a squall. Ian sighed. “He keeps doing that.”
Ivy crowded in next to me. “Babies cry. Don’t they?” Her voice was gentle and easy with almost a song-like quality to it. The baby settled and tried to drag her finger into his mouth. “Hungry little—what’s his name?” She peered up at Ian.
“Elvis.” Ian’s smile was wide and proud.
“Pardon?”
“It took some doing, but Zoe finally capitulated. I mean, how can he not have such a rock and roll name, right? Especially with this pompadour.”
“You named your child Elvis?” I slowed my words to make sure I had that right.
“Yeah.” Ian’s eyebrows waggled. “It’s perfect.”
I looked down at the little bundle of pink in the muslin blankets. “Of course it is.”
“Right? Simon is still making fun of me, but he’s coming around.” Ian swayed back and forth in that way people had when they held a baby. The baby started to fuss then Ian sighed. “Come on, come see the one who created this little miracle.”
We followed him back into the b
arn and Zoe was now settled into an oversized leather chair with a huge sandwich half eaten in front of her. “Have you finally brought my child back to me?”
“I was showing him off.”
“As if you did any of the work.” She pushed the small table to the side and held her hands out.
“He’s beautiful, guys.” Ivy was smiling as she gripped my hand tightly.
“Yes, utterly perfect. The name though.”
Zoe sighed. “I tried to fight him on it, but the hair.”
“You do know Elvis was a blond.”
She laughed and smoothed the baby’s hair back. “I know, but the hair really cinched it. Even I couldn’t deny this idiot his request.”
“The baby will hate you.”
Zoe grinned up at me. “I know. Isn’t it great?”
“You two are very odd.”
Ian laid a gentle hand on Zoe’s shoulder. “Yeah, we know. But we’re never boring.”
I couldn’t fault them there. “That’s the truth.” I cleared my throat at Ivy’s sudden death grip. Right, being a best friend. I cleared my throat. “Thanks for letting me be a little part of this.”
Ian came around and hugged me hard. “Of course. You helped me so much.”
“I didn’t do a damn thing.” But I hugged him back.
He eased back and slapped me in the arm. “It’s called moral support.”
“Right.” I guess that was exactly what it was. “Just so you know, I’ll need it in return.”
“As if you had a choice in it, mate.”
I laughed. No, I guess I didn’t.
We spent a little more time with them, but it had been a damn long day and I was anxious to get my woman home. We had much to discuss and I had a lot of plans to make.
This was just our beginning.
Twenty-Six
July 4th
It had been a whirlwind week. After we got back from the orchard, we were consumed with ice cream truck preparations.
The bonus? Long, hot nights at Rory’s room at the Hummingbird’s Nest. He’d even stopped hiding from Sage. Sort of.
We spoke of the future and the past.
I learned about his family and his childhood.
I introduced him to my parents—yeah, that was a rough afternoon. But my mom and dad were surprisingly good with him. My mother was fascinated with his accent. My brother Caleb kept trying to get Rory to give him Gaelic words to use for picking up women.
August was reserved.
He didn’t like that things were still so nebulous when it came to the future. We didn’t know where we were going to live yet. Rory was forever on the phone trying to rearrange his schedule and work with clients over Skype.
I knew that would need to be figured out. There were almost five months to go in this pregnancy, and he had to leave me eventually. Even if it was for a few days to get his affairs in order.
But right now, it was all about Rolling Cones.
We’d had the soft opening for the employees of Brewed Awakening as a trial run. I might have had a meltdown in the middle of the truck when we ran out of It’s Only Rock n’ Raspberry.
Rory had dusted me off and helped me make a batch of it that night for the opening. He was good at being level-headed even when I was spinning out with stress and nerves. He was also good at distracting me when I couldn’t sleep.
Really good.
And today was the grand opening. I could hear children’s laughter across the way in the park. It was the holiday weekend and there would be fireworks over the lake. But for now, the sun was shining and the light breeze off the water kept my truck from being a complete oven.
“What are you thinking, ginger fairy?”
I turned toward Rory’s voice. He was standing at the opening of the back of my truck, outfitted in the rainbow ball cap with my logo on it. The new logo he’d put a rush on for the opening. I didn’t even want to think about how much he’d paid.
I let it go. It was a gift.
I didn’t have to do all of this alone.
I’d been better at asking for help. August had hauled over my backup trays of ice cream and my newly tested custard I’d decided to offer as a surprise for the afternoon crowd.
Everything was in order.
My family was taking turns doing shifts today in the truck, but Rory was there for the first one.
His smile was full of pride. “What are you thinking right now?”
I tied my apron strings behind me. “I’m thinking how excited I am to do this for real.”
“You’re amazing. The whole town will be knocking at your window. In fact…” He crooked his finger at me. “Have a look.”
“Rory, I’m opening in an hour.”
“I know. Which is why this is such a wonder and you need to see it with your own eyes.”
I sighed. “If this is to look at your cock, we’re going to end up in a fight.”
He laughed. “You already had a view of my cock this morning. And I appreciate being your cure for insomnia at three am.”
I blushed. “Orgasms put me to sleep.”
“Say it a little louder, love. I don’t think the whole of the town heard you.”
“No one—wow.” I stepped down to see a line of people waiting on the sidewalk. In fact, the line was around the building Macy was renovating for her new secret project and past the stationery store. “They’re waiting for me?”
“Yep.”
“But I don’t open for another hour.”
“I know.”
“Should I open early?”
“Nah, let them wait.” He lowered his mouth to mine in a sweet kiss. “Gives me a minute to be selfish.”
I grinned into his kiss. “I like when you’re selfish.”
“I hope so.”
I cupped his face. The scruff was becoming a part of him. Not quite a beard, but definitely not as Los Angeles as he’d been when I first met him. The little smile lines next to his eyes were blooming and his skin was getting tan from working on the truck during the long summer days.
“I love you.”
“Ah, fairy queen. I’ll never tire of hearing that. In fact, I’m certain of it.” He dropped to one knee and my stomach went into a free-fall.
“Oh my God.”
“I know today is your day and God knows I’ve tried to figure out the perfect time to do this, but in the end, all I can think about is getting my ring on your finger. I love you madly, completely, and with everything in me.” He pulled a black box out of his pocket and flipped it open. “Marry me, Ivy Rose Beck.”
The ring was…huge.
“Holy shit.”
Epically huge with the widest diamond I’d ever seen in all my life.
“Big ring for a big love, right?”
“Rory, my God.” I didn’t even know what to do with a ring like that.
“You’re killing me here.”
“Yes!” I crouched in front of him and wobbled a little, thanks to a baby screwing with my center of gravity. “Yes, a million times yes. I’ll marry you.”
He slid the ring on my finger and I was literally blinded. Tears made it shine even brighter, if that was possible. I wrapped my arms around him.
Someone in the line must have figured out there was a proposal going on. The clapping started and wolf whistles followed as he helped me up.
“All right, thank you.” Rory waved and ducked his head.
“You’re the one who asked me in front of the whole town.”
“Yeah, it seemed better in my head than the reality of it.”
I stared down at my hand. “Yes, well, the reality of it is crazy and,” I sniffled, “Rory Ferguson, you surprise me every damn day.”
“That’s a good thing, right? I know today is your day and all. And I shouldn’t have horned in.”
“No.” I went up on my toes and kissed him. “No, it’s absolutely perfect.” I stared at the ring and had to use my pinky to straighten it since the stone was so large it kept
twisting.
“Besides, I want the whole town to see a ring on your finger. Once they start tasting your ice cream, they’re going to try to steal you from me.”
I laughed. “Never.”
“That’s what I like to hear. Now maybe we open a little early?”
I looked down at my watch. It was just after eleven. “Ice cream for breakfast isn’t a bad thing, right?”
He rubbed his belly. “I know it works for me.” He walked around to the front of the truck and waited at the edge of the shutters we’d put up to keep some of the details a secret. Most of the town knew, but we’d added a few new flavors after some taste-testing.
I went to the other end and we lifted them up, securing them with the huge hooks August had installed for me.
After jogging to the front of the truck, I turned on the music, using the app on my phone that Rory had made work with the ancient radio. I pressed play on “Start Me Up” and it blared out of the speakers.
I slipped into the back of the truck and opened the window to peek out. “Rolling Cones is open for business.”
I turned to find Rory next to me, ice cream scooper at the ready.
“I’d like a banana split, please.”
I laughed out loud at my brother’s voice. He and Kinleigh were waiting in front of the window.
“You know we had to be your first customers.” Kinleigh put her hand on August’s shoulder to boost herself up a little. “I’d like a Paint It Black Cherry cone please. You know, in honor of the Stones.”
“Coming right up.”
“What would you like for your flavors on the banana split, sir?”
August’s lips twitched. “Traditional. I’m that kind of guy.” He smiled down at Kinleigh, who quickly removed her hand.
“Boring. Look at all those flavors.”
“I like what I like.”
Hmm, that was odd. Kinleigh and August’s teasing had an extra layer of snark today, and the look they exchanged had been almost…sparky.
What the hell?
I didn’t have time to think about it. The orders came fast and furious after that. I scooped so much ice cream that my shoulders ached. More sprinkles and caramel got caught in my ring than anything.
And everyone asked about it. Including my brother when he wound back around later in the afternoon.