Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Wyatt
“They look so happy,” Ivy whispers.
I follow her gaze to where Nash and Paisley are slow dancing under the fairy lights, arms wrapped around each other, swaying to a country song.
The garden looks even more magical than it did last night with strings of lights woven between the trees and lanterns flickering on tabletops, casting everything in a warm, golden glow.
“Yeah,” I say, watching them. “They really do.”
She tilts her head up to look at me, and I lean in, brushing a kiss across her lips.
“You good?” she asks.
I smile. “Better than good.”
She smiles back and nestles against me again, her arms around my waist, her legs tucked beside mine on the outdoor sofa. I wrap an arm around her shoulders and press a kiss to the top of her head, letting my gaze drift over the garden.
The dance floor is still buzzing with people spilling off the edges, their feet bare as they dance on the grass, their shoes abandoned hours ago.
Cade and Sophie are near the bar, laughing with Seb and Taylor, all with drinks in hand, and at a nearby table, Ash cradles a sleeping Hunter while Ben leans in close, murmuring something that makes her smile.
It’s been one of those rare, perfect days, the kind you know you’ll remember for a long time. Watching my brother marry the woman he loves… it meant everything. And I couldn’t be happier for the two of them.
My mind drifts back to the ceremony earlier today, and while they say everyone should watch the bride walk down the aisle, and Paisley did look stunning, I couldn’t stop looking at Ivy.
She looked breath-taking in that sage green bridesmaid dress, her dark hair cascading in waves over her shoulders, and her fingers wrapped around a bouquet of white peonies.
She was glowing. She still is.
And somehow, she’s mine.
“Dance with me?” I say, my voice low against the hum of music and laughter.
Ivy lifts her head from my chest, a slow smile spreading across her face.“Absolutely,” she whispers, slipping out of my arms and rising to her feet.
I take her hand in mine and guide her toward the dance floor. A slow song drifts through the air, and I pull her close, my hands settling at her waist as she melts against me.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look today?” I ask, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
She grins up at me. “You have. But I wouldn’t mind hearing it again.”
“You took my breath away, baby. When you walked down the aisle, I couldn’t look anywhere else.”
“You look amazing too,” she says. “The tux was great, but this?” She leans back in my arms, her eyes traveling over me, taking in my loosened tie, jacket gone, and sleeves rolled up. “This is my favorite look. Your arms… they’re just so sexy.”
I chuckle. “You’ve got a thing for my arms, huh?”
She nods, her eyes not leaving mine. “I do. I love your arms. They make me feel safe… wanted.”
My chest tightens, the truth in her voice hitting me hard. I pull her a little closer.
“God, Ivy… I love that I make you feel that way. You have no idea how much I want you right now.”
“Probably about as much as I want you,” she whispers back. “Will you stay at my place tonight?”
I hold her gaze and nod. “I don’t ever want to sleep without you.”
She smiles, but something in her expression falters.
“What is it?” I ask, brushing her hair behind her ear.
She shakes her head, eyes dropping from mine. “Nothing. I’m just being stupid.”
“No, you’re not.” I lift her chin with my fingers so she’s forced to meet my eyes. “Just because I want you doesn’t mean there’s any pressure. We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for. I’ll wait however long it takes, Ivy. I mean that.”
She gives a small shake of her head. “It’s not that,” she says. “I’m ready, Wyatt. I want to be with you.”
Emotion coils in my chest at her words. “You are?” She nods. “Then what is it?”
She sighs, pressing her forehead to my chest. “I’m going to miss you so much when the season starts. I know we haven’t been together long, and I shouldn’t be feeling this way, this fast, but I can’t imagine not seeing you every day.”
Her words come out in a rush, like she’s been holding them in, and I feel her exhale against me.
“Hey. Look at me.”
She lifts her head, and I make sure she sees the truth in my eyes.
“It’s not too fast. I feel the same way. I’ve been thinking about it too, but we’ll figure it out. We have to, because there’s no way I’m letting this go. I’m going to miss you like hell, but I’ll come home as much as I can, and you can visit me in Phoenix. We’ll make it work.”
“Thank you for being amazing.”
Then she pulls me down and kisses me like I’m the only thing keeping her grounded.
I’m not expecting anything from her tonight, whether she’s ready or not.
I’ll wait, but just the thought of being with her makes my pulse race and my thoughts blur.
She’s everything. And I hope she’s starting to realize how much she means to me.
Before I can say anything else, the music cuts out, and a voice calls across the garden.
“All right. Gather round, ladies. Time for the bride to toss the bouquet!”
I smile against her lips. “I think you’re needed.”
“Oh God,” she groans. “Do I have to?”
I laugh. “You’re one of the bridesmaids. I think it’s part of the contract.”
“Urghhh.”
She steps out of my arms, and I watch as she crosses the lawn to where a crowd of women is forming. There’s laughing and pushing, some clearly eager to catch the bouquet.
Paisley stands in front of them, her bouquet in her hand and a wide smile on her face. Turning around, she starts a countdown.
“Three, two, one.”
She tosses the bouquet high into the air, and time seems to slow for a second. Ivy’s standing a little off to the side, not really trying to catch it, her arms barely raised, and somehow it goes straight toward her. It hits her square in the chest.
The group erupts with laughter and cheers as Ivy catches it awkwardly, her eyes wide. She holds it up, then laughs and hides her face in the flowers as the teasing starts.
I’m already on my feet, moving toward her with a smirk.
“Didn’t even try and still caught it,” I tease as I reach her.
She looks up at me, the bouquet clutched to her chest, and her cheeks flushed. “I swear, I wasn’t trying.”
“Maybe it’s fate,” I say, wrapping my arm around her waist and kissing her temple. “Not that I needed a bouquet to tell me.”
Her eyes soften, and she rests her forehead against my chest. “God, I hope we find a way to make this work,” she whispers.
I hold her tighter. “We will, baby. We already are.”
Ivy
It’s late by the time Wyatt and I slide into the back of an Uber, heading toward my place.
I’m exhausted in the best kind of way. Today has been everything.
Emotional, unforgettable, life-changing.
Watching Paisley get her happy ending after everything she’s had to overcome felt like watching the universe finally get something right.
She deserves every bit of that happiness, and so does Nash.
Their day was perfect, and I know it was everything Paisley ever dreamt of.
“Ready for bed?” Wyatt asks as we walk hand in hand into the house.
“Yes,” I say, my voice soft. “But I’m suddenly not that tired.”
I close the door behind us, locking it with a quiet click before slipping my fingers through his again and leading him upstairs.
He pauses as we reach my room. “You’re sure?” he asks, his eyes searching mine.
Instead of answering straight away, I push open the bedroom door and tug him inside. “I’m sure.”
Maybe it’s the wine, or maybe it’s just him, but something gives me the confidence to reach for the zipper at the side of my dress and slowly ease it down.
Wyatt doesn’t take his eyes off me as the fabric slips to the floor, leaving me standing in nothing but a strapless white bra and matching panties.
He closes the space between us in two long strides, his hands finding my waist before sliding up to cup the back of my neck. “Jesus, Ivy… do you have any idea what you do to me?”
Before I can respond, his mouth is on mine, hungry and intense, his kiss setting my whole body alight. He grazes my bottom lip with his teeth, and I gasp, opening for him, our tongues tangling together.
My hands fumble with the buttons on his shirt, desperate to feel his skin.
I tug it free from where it’s tucked into his pants and glide my hands over his chest, his muscles flexing beneath my touch.
He exhales sharply, his breath ragged against my lips.
Sliding my hands up his chest, I push the shirt off his shoulders, watching as it falls onto the floor.
Wyatt laces his fingers through mine and takes a few steps back, gently tugging me with him as he climbs onto the bed. He guides me down beneath him, his body settling over me as his lips find mine in a slow, tender kiss.
His mouth begins a trail of soft kisses, moving from my lips to my jaw and down my neck, each touch igniting sparks across my skin. Heat gathers low in my belly, spreading like wildfire with every breathless kiss.
“Can I take this off?” he asks, his finger trailing over the edge of my bra.
I nod and lift up slightly, his hand going behind my back and undoing my bra. He slowly peels the material from my body, his gaze hot with desire.
“Jesus, baby. You’re so fucking beautiful.”
I slide my arms around his neck, tugging him closer. “So are you,” I murmur before lifting my chin and capturing his mouth with mine. I kiss him like I need him to breathe, and he answers with the same urgency, like he’s been waiting for this as long as I have.