Chapter 46 Ivy
IVY
My arm stays linked with his the whole way to the hotel after dinner and drinks. Teddy doesn’t comment on the way I sway slightly when we reach the elevator. I’m tipsy, not wasted or out of control. I’m looser and warmer with my chest full of all the lovey-dovey feelings I’ve been holding back.
We walk down the hallway in silence, save for the sound of our boots and the keycard clicking when I let us into the room.
It’s dim inside, the faint yellow glow from the bedside lamp I left on earlier reflecting in the space.
Our bags are where we left them when I brought mine over before dinner.
My medals catch the light as I shrug out of my coat and set it on the coat stand near the entrance.
Teddy closes the door behind us and I turn toward him, heart pounding. He’s still wearing his sunglasses and I ache to see those gorgeous eyes again. I gently touch his hand, dragging my fingers over his knuckles and he lets out a shaky breath when our palms meet.
“I don’t want to wait to have you,” I tell him.
“Ivy—”
“I’ve had only a few drinks,” I point out quickly, reading the tension in his posture. “It doesn’t change how much I want you.”
He lifts my hand and kisses the center of my palm. “You deserve better than something rushed because we’re caught in the high of tonight.”
“This isn’t about tonight or the champagne I drank. This is about you and me.” I move closer, hands finding his chest. “I need to feel you against me.”
He groans, the sound filled with regret. “I don’t have any condoms.”
“I’m still on the shot and haven’t been with anyone else as we’re together.”
“Then let me touch you everywhere you’ve been aching for me.”
The second the words leave his mouth, I’m on him, kissing him hard enough to make my pulse skyrocket. He responds instantly, his mouth moving against mine like he’s been starving for this. His hands slide up my sides, guiding me closer, sending heat curling low in my belly.
He reaches for the hem of my top and lifts the fabric over my head, tossing it aside before his hands move to slip off his sunglasses. My breath catches at the sight of his eyes—those stormy blue-green swirls I’ve missed so damn much.
“Damn,” I murmur, unable to hold it back. “You’re more than I ever thought I could have.”
His throat works on a swallow, and I swear he’s blushing under my praise. “You’ll never know what it does to me, hearing those words from you.”
The room is warm, but I shiver in anticipation. My hands graze his chest, tracing the lean muscle beneath the healed skin; there’s no more bruising or cuts. His body is familiar and new all at once. I strip down and he takes every piece of clothing off.
Then his hands are everywhere—they skim my sides, spread over my back, and tease down the curve of my backside.
His mouth trails kisses across my collarbone and lower, his wicked tongue making me moan.
When he licks a path over one pierced nipple, my knees nearly buckle.
He steadies me with strong arms, groaning as though the taste of me is everything he’s been starving for.
“You still okay?” he asks, voice rough with restraint.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
“Then get on the bed for me. Lie back and spread wide,” he orders low.
I do as he says. He grabs a travel-sized lube from the nightstand, slicking his fingers before sliding two inside me.
I gasp at the sudden fullness, rocking against his hand as he works me open.
His thumb teases across my clit, deliberate strokes that make my thighs quiver.
The tension winds tight inside my belly.
The overwhelming sensations stack higher and higher until I can barely think. My skin is on fire, my pulse hammering in my ears. I feel myself teetering on the edge, suspended between unbearable pleasure and the desperate need.
Then he presses just a little harder and everything unravels at once.
My back arches off the mattress as a strangled cry tears free from my lips.
Every nerve feels molten, my body pulses around his digits as heat surges through me in bursts.
I ride out the release until I collapse back against the sheets, shivering through the aftershocks.
Coming down from the high, I sit up and reach forward.
Wrapping my fingers around him, I glide them over his hardened length.
His breath catches every time I run my thumb over the sensitive pierced head glistening with precum.
The slick metal drags deliciously against my palm with every stroke.
I watch his chest rise and fall faster, each breath a plea for more.
He’s leaking steadily now, slick and hot in my palm, and I love how responsive he is.
“On your back, Theodore.”
He obeys instantly, his chest rising fast as he lays down. My hands trail over the toned muscles of his stomach, and I stroke his cock again. I climb over him, his hands gripping my thighs. The unrestrained hunger between us crackles in the air.
Straddling him, I take his hard length in my hand before guiding the thick, pierced head to my entrance.
My thighs quake with anticipation as I sink down, inch by inch, until I can’t take more of him.
The stretch makes my toes curl. As I rock my hips, his mouth drops open and a guttural groan comes out.
His fingers dig into my hips hard enough to leave marks, but I welcome the dull pain.
“Ivy,” he breathes, my name a prayer on his lips.
I ride him slowly at first, then faster.
Teddy thrusts up to meet me, his piercing dragging inside me again and again until I’m crying out with every stroke.
The sound of our bodies colliding fills the room, raw and desperate, like neither of us can get enough.
He’s so deep, and the sensation is borderline unbearable in the best possible way.
“I’m close, Ivy. Fuck, I’m so close—”
“Me too,” I gasp. “Come for me.”
His head tips back, another groan tearing from his throat as he comes, following my command.
The wrecked sound sends me spiraling right after.
I clench around him with a loud cry as pleasure crashes through me, leaving me shaking above him.
My nails bite into his chest, leaving crescent marks as I shatter.
His lips find my shoulder, murmuring endearments against my damp skin.
Entwined in our post-orgasm bliss, we’re breathless and whole, as though letting go would undo both of us.
With one arm tucked behind my back, the other smoothing damp hair from my face, he holds me close.
I curl into him, one leg hooked around his hip.
I press a kiss to his bare, tattooed shoulder. “I’m glad you decided to come to Lake Placid.”
“So am I. I feel like I can breathe again.”
Tears prick my eyes at the honesty in his words. “You’re everything to me, Teddy,” I say fiercely, my hand splaying over his heart as if to keep it safe inside my palm.
His lips brush my temple. “And you’re my light, guiding me forward.”
The words unravel me, because he truly means them. I cup his face, kissing him deeply. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” he murmurs against my lips.
After a few more kisses, I peel myself off him, laughing softly. “We’re a mess.”
I slip into the bathroom, wet a washcloth, and return to clean him. He lets me, his chest rising and falling steadily as I drag the cloth over his skin. There’s something intimate in the way he leans into it, as if this small act matters as much as everything that came before.
When I’m finished, he catches my wrist, pressing a lingering kiss to it before taking the cloth from me. “I’ve got you,” he says quietly.
I sink back against the pillows, watching him, my heart bursting with admiration. His palm holding the towel trails down my chest to the slope of my waist, followed by the curve of my thighs. The path he takes is unhurried, worshipful; every pause reminds me how much he relies on touch.
My chest tightens at the reverence in his movements and the way he makes me feel wholly safe in his hands. No one has ever cared for me intimately like this, and I have never loved him more than I do right now.
The last stroke of the cloth gives way to his hand, resting on my thigh before he bends toward me. His mouth follows a slow path, leaving kisses along my lower stomach. My breath catches as I thread my fingers through his hair, needing that tether to him.
He moves slowly up my body, trailing soft brushes of his lips over my sensitive skin. The last kiss finds my lips, lingering there, sealing everything we’ve just shared. He gathers me close and I curl into him, safe and warm in his arms.
The snow is falling thick past the large window of the hotel room when I wake the following morning.
It’s the kind of day that makes you want to stay in bed, limbs tangled, responsibilities forgotten.
Teddy is asleep beside me, chest rising in slow, even breaths.
His arm is slung across my waist, his fingers resting under the hem of the sleep shirt I put on after the second round of sex.
His face is relaxed and unguarded, peaceful in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen before.
I slip out of bed carefully, trying not to wake him.
His fingers twitch at the loss of contact, but he doesn’t move.
I pad over to the desk phone and order us breakfast—plain pancakes with maple syrup and butter.
I tack on some coffee, orange juice, and a side of fruit for myself.
The woman on the other end is too chipper and loud for my liking at this hour, but I still thank her and hang up after the confirmation of my order.
Sliding under the covers, I curl into the warmth of Teddy’s strong body. His cologne lingers on his skin and I inhale deeply to breathe it in. He stirs when I stop.
“Mmm,” he murmurs into the pillow. “What time is it?”
“Too early.”
“At least you’re warm.”
“So are you.” I press a kiss to his shoulder, then to the line of his jaw. “I ordered breakfast.”
“What kind?”
“The best kind.”
He turns and opens one eye slowly. “Pancakes?”
“With maple syrup and butter.”
“God, I love you,” he sighs with contentment.
“You better because I love you, too.” I nuzzle into his neck, as my chest swells with gratitude. Every time he says I love you, it feels like a promise he’s carving into my skin.
We laze around until there’s a knock at the door. I answer it, grabbing the room service tray and tipping the bus boy with a quick thank you. I carry our food to the bed, lifting the lid with a flourish.
“Voilà.”
Teddy sits up, tousled and shirtless. He runs a hand through his hair. “This is the dream,” he declares with a beaming smile. “Waking up next to you and eating pancakes in bed.”
I laugh softly, propping the tray between us, and pour the syrup over both of our plates. “I’m glad you’re easy to please.”
He lets out a small moan taking a bite. “Perfect. One day, I’ll make you my wife, because you get me better than anyone else ever has.”
I freeze mid-chew, a piece of melon halfway to my mouth.
My heart does a wild flip in my chest. He’s still chewing, like he didn’t say something that rearranged the air around us.
I’ve spent so much energy chasing medals and sports victories, I never let myself imagine a future beyond racing.
But here’s Teddy, handing me a clear portrait of what I want with a single sentence.
The exhilarating truth is that I want all of it. Him. Us. Forever.
“Do you mean that?” My voice is smaller than I intend, but steady with hope.
He nods, seeming confident about the direction of our relationship. “Yeah. I do. I’m not in a rush, but when the time’s right, I’ll get down on one knee and ask you to be my wife, Ivy Sunday Campbell.”
He sets the fork aside and reaches for my hand, running his thumb over my bare ring finger. I’ve never pictured myself in white or daydreamed about vows or proposals. With him, it feels like the most natural thing in the world. My chest aches with the realization, but in the best way.
“That—that sounds good. I’m not in a rush either.”
He squeezes my hand, smile deepening. “Just so you know, I’m picturing our future together with pancakes every Sunday, you stealing the best slices of fruit.”
“I do not.”
“You do.”
“I definitely do,” I admit, laughing.
We eat slowly, enjoying the moment. He drips syrup on his chest and mutters a curse under his breath. I swipe it away with a napkin, but my fingers linger on his skin. It hits me then: we’ve made promises without ceremony. It might be fast, but I couldn’t care less right now.
And instead of feeling trapped, I’m free.