41. Ivy
Chapter 41
Ivy
W yatt’s arm is slung over my hip, and he’s snoring like a chainsaw. I can feel the vibration through his chest, and it’s a miracle I’ve gotten any sleep at all, considering. Holt is starfished on the floor, one arm still reaching for me. I smile at the two of them, all rumpled and peaceful. I don’t want to wake them, but I can’t help it.
I have to pee and I have no idea where the bathroom is.
So, I reach over and poke Wyatt in the ribs.
“Mornin’, City Girl,” he mumbles, eyes still closed. “Goin’ somewhere?”
“The bathroom. Hopefully.”
Holt stirs on the floor, a sleepy grin spreading across his face. “She’s still here? Damn. Thought we scared her off.”
“Not yet,” I say, trying to keep my voice light. “But there’s still time.”
Wyatt stretches, his arm tightening around me. “Don’t suppose you want to go back to your cabin this mornin’, huh?”
I bite my lip, not wanting to admit how right he is. I’m not ready to go back, not yet. “It’s so early,” I say instead. “And I’m starving.”
Holt sits up, rubbing a hand through his messy hair. “Guess we’ll have to take you on that date after all.”
“Thought I’d have to beg,” I tease, even though the idea of spending more time with them makes my heart do funny little flips.
Wyatt grins and finally opens his eyes, all warm brown and mischief. “We can arrange that if you want.”
He smirks, voice still thick with sleep. “C’mon, City Girl. Let’s find you that bathroom before you start threatening me with bodily harm.”
He hauls himself up, stretching with a satisfied groan before offering me a hand. I take it, letting him pull me up from the too-small bed. The cabin is still warm from the fire Mason must’ve stoked in the early hours, the scent of burning wood mixing with the faint aroma of coffee.
Wyatt keeps a hand on my lower back as he steers me through the dim space, his touch easy and familiar. “This place is a maze,” I murmur. “How do you even find your way around?”
“Mountain man instincts,” he teases. “That, or I just know where Mason keeps the shitter.”
I stifle a laugh as he nudges open a door, revealing a small but clean bathroom. “Your throne awaits, princess.”
I roll my eyes but step inside, grateful for the privacy. When I return, Wyatt is leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching me, cataloging every little move.
“Mason and Lily are up,” he says. “Figure we oughta say our goodbyes before we head out.”
I nod, my stomach twisting—not with regret, but with something else. A reluctance to step back into the mess waiting for me up the mountain. Wyatt must see it on my face because he tugs me in close, pressing a lingering kiss to my forehead.
“C’mon, let’s go break the bad news.”
Mason and Lily are already moving around the kitchen, Lily pouring coffee while Mason rifles through a cabinet. They look up when we enter, and Lily beams. “Morning,” she chirps. “Hope you all got some sleep.”
I glance over my shoulder at Wyatt, who’s rubbing a hand over his face like he’s still half-asleep, and Holt, who’s finally dragged himself off the floor. “Some,” I say with a grin.
Mason snorts. “Guess that means you’re headin’ back soon?”
Wyatt sighs, resting his hands on his hips. “Yeah. Figured we’d make our way up before the roads get worse again.”
Lily steps forward, wrapping me in a quick hug before I can process it. “I really am sorry. I didn’t mean?—”
“It’s okay Lily. I told you I don’t blame you. Just don’t go telling the rest of the mountain. I don’t need the paparazzi finding me here.”
Lily laughs, squeezing me once before letting go. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
Mason nods, his usual gruffness softening just a fraction. “Be careful on those roads. Snow’s comin’ in again soon.”
Holt claps him on the shoulder. “We’ll be fine. Just gotta make sure this one doesn’t try to make a run for it.” He jerks a thumb in my direction, and I roll my eyes.
“Please,” I scoff. “If I was running, you’d never catch me.”
Wyatt chuckles, looping an arm around my waist. “That so? Pretty sure we already did.”
I elbow him, but it’s half-hearted. He’s not wrong.
With a few more goodbyes, we head back to grab our things. Wyatt slings on his coat while Holt stuffs blankets back into the closet. I lace up my boots, the heaviness growing the closer we get to leaving.
The truck’s already warming up outside, steam curling up from the hood into the cold air. I pause at the doorway, glancing back at Mason and Lily one last time. They look like they belong here, like this cabin is more than just four walls—like it’s home. I wonder if I’ll ever feel that way about a place again.
Wyatt tugs my hand, snapping me out of it. “C’mon, City Girl. Let’s get you and the cubs fed.”
I huff a laugh, shaking my head as Wyatt helps me up into the truck. “Cubs?”
He grins, shutting the door behind me before climbing in on the driver’s side. “What? They’re mountain babies. Gotta call ‘em something.”
Holt hauls himself into the passenger seat, rubbing his hands together for warmth. “Could be worse. He could’ve gone with Possum and Squirrel.”
Wyatt snaps his fingers like that’s the best idea he’s ever heard. “Damn. Why didn’t I think of that?”
I groan, dropping my head against the seat. “Absolutely not. They are not being named after woodland pests.”
Wyatt just smirks, throwing the truck into gear. “We’ll see.”
There’s a fresh layer of white over everything, just a dusting of dry snow. The road ahead looks slick, but Wyatt handles it like second nature, his hands sure and steady on the wheel.
Wyatt reaches around me to fiddle with the radio. “So, where’re we takin’ her, Hotshot?”
“Somewhere fancy,” Holt says, nudging me with his shoulder. “Might even have cloth napkins.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m overwhelmed.”
Holt glances at me again, his smile softening. “What are you in the mood for, CG?”
“I desperately want waffles for some reason.”
“Her first craving!”
Wyatt smacks the steering wheel like this is the most important news he’s ever heard. “Hell yeah! Waffles it is.”
Holt chuckles, shaking his head. “First craving and it’s waffles. Could’ve been worse.”
“Could’ve been pickles and ice cream,” Wyatt agrees.
I scrunch my nose. “That’s not a real thing.”
Wyatt winks. “Give it time, City Girl.”
I groan, already regretting bringing it up, but Holt just grins and pulls out his phone. “There’s a diner about twenty minutes out. Place does a mean stack of waffles.”
Wyatt nods, tapping his fingers against the wheel. “Perfect. Waffles for the cubs, coffee for me, and a damn minute to breathe before we deal with Hank.”
The mood in the truck shifts, but I try to hold onto the warmth from before, the easy teasing. I know what’s waiting for us up the mountain, but for now, I lean back, resting my hand on my stomach.
The restaurant is a tiny place in a town I’ve never heard of, the kind that makes you feel like you’re stepping back in time. The waitress shows us to a table in the corner, and I can’t help but notice the way people glance over at us, curious but not gawking. Not like I’m used to. With Wyatt and Holt, I’m just a girl on a date. It’s nice. It’s strange.
“Too fancy for you?” Wyatt asks, his knee bumping against mine under the table.
“Way too fancy,” I say, smiling at him over my menu. “They don’t even have burgers.”
Holt chuckles. “We can go somewhere else.”
I shake my head. “No way. I’m not passing up my first cloth napkin experience.”
Wyatt grins and leans back in his chair. “See? She’s easy to please.”
The waitress brings our drinks, and Holt watches me over the rim of his glass. “You’re awfully quiet, CG.”
“Just thinking.”
“Careful,” Wyatt says, his foot nudging mine. “That’s dangerous.”
I kick him lightly. “I was thinking that I haven’t felt this way in a long time.”
“What way?” Holt asks, his voice softer now.
“Happy.”
The word hangs between us, and I can tell they’re both trying to figure out what to say. I don’t give them the chance. “It’s weird.”
Holt laughs. “You’re weird.”
Wyatt winks at me. “We like you anyway.”
By the time we finish, I’m still not ready to head back. Mason’s right, the snow is coming. But not today according to the radio forecast. So, we spend the afternoon driving around, stopping at a few shops and acting like tourists. I’m careful not to let my mind wander too far ahead, but it’s hard not to think about how much I want this to last. I haven’t had anything real in so long, and I’m terrified that if I believe in it, it’ll disappear.
But I’m starting to see they’re really in this.
“So, how does this work exactly?” I ask after a while.
Wyatt’s hand squeezes my thigh. “How does what work?”
“This. Me. You guys.”
Holt glances at me, then back at the road. “What about us? I think we made our feelings very clear, baby.”
“It’s not exactly normal.”
He shrugs. “Normal’s boring.”
I smile despite myself. “You guys have an answer for everything, don’t you?”
“Pretty much,” Wyatt says, his lips brushing my ear.
As the sun starts to dip a little lower, we head out of town, the car winding through roads that seem to lead nowhere. Eventually, we pull off the main road, bumping down a dirt path until the world opens up around us.
The view is breathtaking. Mountains stretch across the horizon, the sky a bright, endless blue. It’s beautiful, and I feel small and insignificant in the best way. Wyatt wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me back against him. Holt grabs my calves and lifts until they’re angled across his lap.
“Not bad, huh?” Wyatt says.
“It’s amazing,” I breathe, wishing I could stay in this moment forever. I look at the two of them, and my chest tightens. I can’t believe they’re here with me. That I’m here with them.
We sit there for a while, just taking it all in. I try not to think about all the things I’m still avoiding. Wyatt makes it easy when he presses a soft kiss to my neck. Then I can’t think of anything except how good it feels.
Wyatt’s hand slides under my shirt, his palm hot against my skin. Holt watches us, his eyes dark with want. He presses his thumb into the seam of my jeans, rubbing it against my clit until I gasp.
“Too much?” he asks, a wicked grin on his face.
“Not enough,” I say, my voice breathless.
Wyatt laughs softly, his lips moving to my shoulder. “She’s greedy.”
“Better do something about it,” Holt says, his fingers working the button of my jeans.
Holt kisses his way down my thigh, his stubble rough against my skin, as he relieves me of my jeans and panties. More clothes are shed, more kisses shared. I’m not sure how I end up straddling Holt’s lap, but I don’t care.
“Fuck, Ivy,” Holt groans as he slides his hands up my thighs. “You’re something else.”
I don’t know how to answer, so I kiss him instead. He tastes like syrup and coffee from breakfast. His mouth is hot and insistent, his tongue teasing mine until I’m dizzy and panting.
Wyatt tugs my shirt over my head, his lips trailing down my spine. I shiver, my body arching into him. I feel him grin against my skin, and then his fingers are sliding between my legs, rubbing my clit in slow, torturous circles.
Holt’s hand moves to my breast, pinching my nipple through the lace of my bra. I moan, pressing harder against Wyatt’s fingers, desperate for more.
“Think she likes that,” Wyatt says, his voice low and amused.
Holt chuckles, a deep rumble in his chest. “Think she likes both of us.”
I don’t just like it. I love it. I’ve never wanted anything this much, and it scares me how right it feels.
Wyatt pulls me back against him, and I can feel how hard he is, pressing against me through his jeans. His hands move to my hips, holding me tight as I rock against Holt.
The world narrows to this moment, to the three of us tangled together. I’m not sure where I end and they begin, and I don’t care. I just want more.
“Please,” I whisper, not even sure what I’m asking for.
Holt’s hands find the clasp of my bra, and he pulls it off, tossing it aside. He looks up at me, his eyes burning. “Please what?”
“Everything.”
He grins and pushes his jeans down, kicking them off. “You heard the lady, Wy.”
Wyatt’s hands slide lower, his fingers brushing against my ass. “I got her,” he says, and I can hear the heat in his voice.
Holt holds my hips, guiding me down onto him, and I gasp at the feel of him stretching me. He’s thick and long and he fits me oh so perfectly.
“Fuck,” he groans, his head falling back against the seat. “So damn tight.”
I move slowly at first, getting used to the feel of him inside me, but it’s not enough. I want him deeper, harder. I want everything. Wyatt’s fingers press against my ass, and I let out a shaky breath, nodding, needing to feel him too.
Wyatt presses his finger harder against that tight ring of muscle until he’s sliding into me. I cry out, the sensation overwhelming. He moves in time with Holt, thrust for thrust, until I’m sure I’m going to come apart. I reach out, gripping Wyatt by the base and squeezing.
Holt’s hands dig into my hips, holding me in place as he pounds into me. “Fuck, Ivy,” he pants. “You feel so good.”
I can’t answer, can’t think, can’t breathe. Wyatt’s mouth is on my neck, his teeth grazing my skin. “You gonna come, City Girl?” he murmurs, his finger pushing deeper.
I nod, my body trembling. “I—I can’t?—”
“Yeah, you can,” Holt says, his voice rough and urgent. “Come for us.”
Wyatt’s thumb finds my clit, flicking over it, and I shatter, the orgasm ripping through me in waves.
“God, yes,” Holt groans, thrusting harder. He pushes deeper, and I feel him pulse inside me, painting my walls with his release.
Wyatt’s mouth crashes against mine, and I taste his moan as he comes too. I collapse against Holt, my body spent and shaking, and I wonder how I ever thought I could go back to anything else.
Eventually, the world starts to come back into focus. My heart is still racing, and I can feel Holt’s pulse thudding against my chest. Wyatt’s breath is warm in my hair, and I don’t want to move. I don’t want this to end.
“Still with us, City Girl?” Holt asks, his voice a lazy drawl.
“Barely,” I manage, my lips curving into a tired smile.
Wyatt’s fingers trace patterns on my back. “She’s gonna be trouble, Holt.”
“Always is,” Holt says, his hand sliding up to cup my cheek. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I close my eyes, letting their voices wash over me. I don’t know how long this will last, but for now, I’m not going to question it. I’m just going to hold on and hope.