7. Ivy
CHAPTER 7
Ivy
“This is the tiniest and cutest bottle of champagne I’ve ever seen in my life.” I hold up the bottle from the minibar for Ford to see as I crouch on the floor. “I must drink it.”
“That is extremely tiny and cute,” Ford agrees, dropping down beside me in a squat. “And probably costs forty bucks.”
“I put my room on Brad’s credit card.” I try to twist the top off of the champagne but nothing happens. “I figure paying for me to get to South Carolina with tiny champagne bottles along the way is the least he can do.”
“I agree. In fact, we’ve just found our snacks for the road tomorrow. Why pay two dollars at the gas station when we can pay twelve here?” Ford holds his hand out to me as I continue to struggle to untwist the top.
Without thinking, I pass the champagne bottle over to him. “That is very true.”
He opens it and hands it back.
I’m startled to realize we just silently communicated with each other.
Granted, it wasn’t like a mind meld—it was just non-verbal cues, but still…it’s intriguing to me. Being around Ford is so easy, comfortable.
“Thank you,” I tell him.
He’s digging around in the minibar as I sip the champagne.
He turns back to me. “For what?”
“Being here. I appreciate it.”
“I’m happy to be here.”
“Me too,” I say softly, and I actually mean it. “Happy you’re here, that is.”
“Open your mouth,” he says. “But first, close your eyes.”
Sexy. That’s another thing being around Ford is.
When did Ford become so damn hot?
He looks exactly the way he always has. Attractive, fit, with a warm smile.
But now I know more about him.
He’s caring, compassionate, fiercely steadfast and loyal, and he’s patient. I spent the majority of the day wanting to throttle Liam and Harrison, but Ford remained calm and collected.
He also makes me feel safe. And cared for. He was looking out for me, making me eat and drink, letting me nap, and I felt like I could just be . I didn’t have to worry. Or do anything for anyone.
I never felt that way with Brad. I always worried. About how he was feeling, what he was thinking, if things were going the way he wanted them to, if I was pleasing him.
I frown. When had that become my life?
I shake it off. Fuck Brad. I’m here with Ford now. And I’m in very good hands as long as Ford’s around.
“Is this a trick?” I ask Ford. My tone isn’t suspicious, it’s flirty.
I’m flirting with Ford without planning to.
But now that I’m aware of it, I don’t really want to stop. It feels freeing to be here with him.
“No. It’s a treat. See if you can guess what I put in your mouth.”
He has his hand behind his back. I assume it’s chocolate or nuts or candy, but the phrasing makes me giggle.
“Absolutely not. I fell for that one in high school,” I joke. “Along with my boyfriend asking me if I wanted a facial for my birthday. Imagine my surprise when the time came.”
Ford gives a choked laugh. “Wow. Okay, fine. I’ll show it to you first.”
I raise my eyebrows. “That still sounds dirty.”
“Everything sounds dirty if you think about it too long. Take fruit, for example. Ripe with sexual innuendo.”
“Ripe.” I giggle. “Juicy. Peach. I get what you’re saying.”
Ford holds his hand up in front of me and unfurls his fingers to reveal the chocolate in his palm. “It’s a chocolate and hazelnut truffle. Tell me if you taste anything else.”
He gently eases it between my lips, and I take a small bite. The chocolate melts in my mouth and overpowers the sweetness of the champagne. I flick my tongue over my lip to catch an errant crumb, but I also catch the tip of his finger. He sucks in a sharp breath.
I swallow the chocolate, heat suddenly pooling between my thighs.
His thumb strokes over my bottom lip. His gaze sweeps over my face before studying my mouth.
It feels like the most natural thing in the world to close the distance between us and kiss him.
For a brief second, when my mouth covers his, I hesitate.
Maybe I read him wrong. Maybe he’s horrified or offended.
But then Ford kisses me back.
It’s not a friendly kiss. Or a sure-why-not kiss.
It’s commanding, hot and confident.
It’s an unexpectedly fierce and demanding tangling of his tongue with mine, his fingers climbing into my hair to grip the strands tightly as his mouth dominates mine. He draws me onto his lap on the floor and a wave of heat floods my body, settling in my core, and weaving its way out.
When I gasp, he growls.
I never would have taken Ford for a growler. I shift my arms around his neck, grind myself deeper into his lap, the distraction welcome, wanted. “ More .”
But Ford draws back, breathing heavily.
“ Ivy .” He runs his thumb over my bottom lip. “This isn’t what you want.”
“Yes, it is.” I reach for him.
But he resolutely eases me off of his lap and stands. I’m face to face with his very hard, very large erection. My nipples harden even as my cheeks flood with heat. I’m angry he’s turning me down when he so clearly enjoyed the kiss.
“Let me rephrase that. Maybe you want this—and trust me, I fucking do too—but your relationship with Brad just ended. I don’t want you to wake up and have regrets tomorrow.”
I sip my tiny champagne. It’s almost entirely gone.
What the hell am I doing? My emotions have been all over the last forty-eight hours.
He’s probably right, damn it.
It confirms that Ford is a nice guy.
I nod. “That’s fair.”
Ford holds a hand out to help me to my feet. The touch of his hand is light, and he’s put space between us. But he digs in his pocket and comes out with my engagement ring.
The giant diamond startles me, makes me feel off-kilter.
“I’ve been walking around with this in my pocket since you gave it to me. It’s been a lodestone, reminding me not to act on the attraction I have for you. I think you’re incredible and gorgeous and funny as hell and I’ve thought that since the first time I met you.”
I suck in a breath. I don’t know what to say.
“When you ask me for the ring back, I’ll know you’re ready to do whatever this is.” He points between the two of us. “Do you want the ring back?”
For a second, I almost say yes, because I want to feel Ford’s lips on mine, have his taut muscular body moving over me, making me forget the sting of Brad’s rejection.
But the thought of taking that ring makes me hesitate, and I know Ford is right.
I shake my head. “Not yet.”
He nods and slips it back in his pocket.
“You’re a wise man, Ford. And like I said before, you have a strong moral compass.”
Ford drags his hand over his beard scruff. “I hate myself for that right now, but I try to do the right thing.”
I give him a smile, to let him know I appreciate his stance. “It’s orange,” I tell him.
“What?”
“The hint of flavor behind the hazelnut. It’s orange.”
The corner of his mouth turns up. “Bingo. Beautiful and a foodie. I’m officially an idiot for hitting the pause button.”
The magic of the moment is broken, but it doesn’t feel awkward with Ford. I just give a soft laugh. “Thank you for dinner. Goodnight.”
When he leaves, I wait for the door to close with a soft snick and I lock the deadbolt behind him. I sigh as I take in the takeout boxes and the minibar mess.
Being a jilted bride sucks.
“I’m driving today,” I announce, as Harrison and Ford meet up with me in the hotel lobby at eight the next morning. “You two can take the backseat.”
Maybe if we split up Harrison and Liam, they won’t bicker nonstop.
I actually slept well and I feel refreshed today. Maybe all the stress of the last couple of days has caught up with me and I slept hard. Or maybe Ford’s kindness reminded me that there are decent men in the world still.
God, Ford is a great kisser.
Which is confusing.
Or is it? Why wouldn’t he be a great kisser?
But it is confusing that I did it in the first place.
I just was staring at him and it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
But he broke it off and left my room and he was wise to put a halt to it. I don’t need to hook up with my ex-fiance’s best friend and complicate my life any further.
At first, when he pulled back, I was angry at what felt like yet another rejection, but that’s not what Ford intended. He was worried I was behaving impulsively, which I was.
If we’d had sex, it definitely would have been a rebound situation.
And yet I sneak a peek at Ford, who is glancing down at his phone. Given that kiss, I can only imagine what else he could do with that tongue…
“Works for me,” Ford says with a smile.
I’ve forgotten what we were even talking about.
Right. Me driving. “I’m ready to take on the rest of this road trip and sell the hell out of the house I never wanted,” I tell them.
Harrison just gives me a grunt of acknowledgement, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his shorts. He’s wearing sunglasses.
Ford gives me a smile. “Wise move,” he murmurs, leaning in closer to me. “Harrison is hungover. Apparently, he decided to stay in the hotel bar last night and try to drink Liam out of his system with some bikers from Wisconsin. It didn’t go well.”
“Oh boy,” I say, smiling back at Ford.
I’m grateful he’s not being awkward around me in the aftermath of that amazing kiss.
“Where the fuck is the coffee?” Harrison mutters, glancing around the lobby.
“They don’t do breakfast here. We can grab some on the road.”
My answer draws a grimace from Harrison. I hand him my Stanley cup. “Have some water. You should hydrate.”
He doesn’t take the cup from me but he does lean over and puts his lips around the straw and takes a sip. His sunglasses slip down his nose so that I can see his eyes, which are locked on me. He has deep brown eyes that are usually filled with mischief. Right now, there is something else there…
Holy shit.
I’m startled to feel a bit of heat sizzle between us.
Maybe it’s just how close I am to his mouth, or maybe it’s because he’s an attractive guy.
Maybe it’s because I’m suddenly single.
But for whatever reason, I am suddenly very aware of men.
These men.
This man.
That other man two feet away.
How can I want to kiss both Ford and Harrison?
I fight the urge to swallow audibly.
Once Harrison stands up straight, I take my cup back and head toward the front door resolutely. I text Liam to let him know we’re on our way. I have yet another text from my mother that is a picture of a kitten, inexplicably with a herd of elephants. “This is tough, but you’re tougher!” the meme declares.
I know she has no idea what to say to me right now, but I have no clue how to respond to this either. I just send her back a kiss emoji and start driving.
As we pull up to the motel, Liam is standing outside with a cup of coffee in his hand.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Harrison mutters from the back seat. “He has coffee.”
“He told you they have free continental breakfast here,” Ford says.
“No coffee for us?” Harrison complains as Liam gets in the passenger seat and closes the door.
“Why would I bring you coffee when you’re staying in the Winslow, Arizona, version of the Ritz? You should have had a fancy coffee maker in your room.”
There were no coffee makers in the rooms, a fact Liam knows because I texted him to complain about it this morning. But then I remembered there was an iced coffee in the minibar and that had satisfied my caffeine craving.
Clearly, the bickering is going to continue.
“How was your bagel?” Harrison asks.
“I had a fresh waffle, bacon, eggs, and fresh fruit. It was quite delicious, thank you.”
Harrison grunts. “We’re still standing on the corner,” he says. “I want to take a picture.”
“No.” Liam sips his coffee and sighs in exaggerated delight. “Damn, this is good coffee.”
“Pull over here,” Harrison says, pointing to the town center, where several people are gathered around the Route 66 sign.
I obey, because I slept great and Harrison’s enthusiasm is always contagious. I also realized again this morning I do feel genuinely grateful that the wedding didn’t happen. Brad clearly didn’t want to marry me and if I’m attracted to both of his friends, I shouldn’t be marrying him either.
“I’ll take the picture,” Ford says, getting out of the car.
Harrison's ability to enjoy himself even when he’s hungover and craving coffee makes me appreciate his zest for life.
Even now, the first thing he does is offer to take a picture for an elderly couple who are standing under the street sign attempting to take a selfie.
“Okay, say rock ‘n roll,” he tells them when he holds up the man’s phone.
“Rock ‘n roll!”
“Thanks. Let us take your picture now.” The older man gestures to me. “Hop on in here with your friends, sweetheart.”
“Yes, perfect, thanks, man!” Harrison shoves his sunglasses up onto his head and throws his arm around me.
On my other side, Ford slips into place and his hand immediately rests on the small of my back. They’re both leaning in and I feel very crowded by muscular men. It’s a…pleasant experience.
“One, two, three…okay, one more.” The man finally lowers the camera.
Harrison removes his arm to take his phone back. He gives the man a handshake and waves to his wife as we head back to the car. Liam is silent in the passenger seat.
Harrison passes his phone to me from the backseat. “Want me to post this and ruin Brad’s day? You look like you don’t have a care in the fucking world.”
It’s the picture of us.
I’m wearing loose linen pants and a sleeveless tank in ivory. I look tanned and relaxed. My hair is cascading over my shoulders and both Harrison and Ford are leaning into me, protectively. When I zoom in, I see my nipples are hard.
“Sure,” I say, striving for casual as I hand Harrison his phone back. “If you want.”
Liam shakes his head, frowning a little.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing.” He looks down at his phone. “Let’s go. We need to get to Texas by tonight.”
“Are you our navigation princess?” Harrison asks.
Liam ignores him.
Which doesn’t do anything but make Harrison more determined to get some kind of response. “I’ll give you fifty bucks for the rest of your coffee, William.”
“Seventy-five.”
“Done.”
Liam hands his coffee back to Harrison.
“There’s only like two sips in here!”
“You didn’t ask how much I had left.”
“I’ll pay both of you two hundred dollars to drive in silence for the next two hours,” Ford says. “And Ivy picks the playlist.”
I glance at him in the rearview mirror and mouth, “Thank you,” with a smile.
He smiles back and I feel my stomach swoop.
Eight hours, three memes from Mom, and two more bribes by Ford later and we’re Somewhere In Texas.
I spot a honky-tonk on the side of the road with a giant sign that declares, “BBQ, live bands, and bail bonds.”
This obviously needs to happen. I pull into the parking lot, which is filled with trucks.
“I just found our dinner plans, boys.” I grin happily at them one by one.
Liam looks horrified.
Ford looks uncertain.
And Harrison looks thrilled.
Which, let’s face it, makes this place perfect for this road trip.