Chapter 31
SAWYER
“ H ey guys! We made it, Ivy in tow, just like Mom demanded,” I deadpan to the group containing my family and some friends sitting around the large table outside. “Hey, Dad. How you feeling today?” I say as we approach my father, who’s sitting relaxed in one of the patio chairs.
“Oh, I’m fine. Cut it out. Get your ass out of the way so I can see our girl.” The stroke left him with a bit of a slur, but it doesn’t seem to bother him when communicating and he rarely gets frustrated with himself, at least not in front of us. He’s been the best role model for how to take punches and bounce back from life knocking you on your ass. The five of us kids are lucky to have him. I press my hand to Ivy’s lower back to scoot her forward, stepping out of her way.
“Hey, Mr. Craig. It’s so good to see you again.”
“Ivy, it’s good to see you back home.”
“It’s really good to finally be home.”
“C’mere, let me hug you.” Ivy leans down and my dad wraps her in a huge bear hug. I know how much Ivy loved and looked up to my parents, so I can imagine how needed this is for her right now.
“You want something to drink?” I whisper to her.
“Yes, please.”
“Go have a seat, you’ve seen everyone already. I’ll go grab us something.” I lean down, kiss her, and push her forward lightly with my palm on her lower back. She looks up at me like a deer in headlights, her eyes big, round, and nervous. “You’re fine, don’t be a big baby.”
I leave her with my siblings, plus Hannah and Charlie—Reid nowhere to be found per usual—and turn to go back inside the house. Dallas catches me in the hallway on his way outside to join everyone.
“You heard back from Wes yet?” I ask him.
“Not yet, but I’ll follow up with him later. She still being bothered by that asshole?”
“Not sure. She’s relaxed a lot, but she keeps her phone off. I haven’t brought it up or asked if he’s still harassing her.”
“Maybe make that a priority instead of poking her with your stick.”
I shove him in the chest with both of my hands, forcing him to fall back into the wall, knocking down a picture frame. Luckily it doesn’t break.
“Boys! Why? Why? Knock it off!” our mom yells from the kitchen.
“Look what you did now, dickhead, made Mom all mad.” I walk backwards toward the kitchen, pointing at him. “Follow up with Wes. And it’s a log, not a stick.”
“Sure, shithead, sure.”
I turn and walk back into the kitchen, finding my mom. I open the fridge and pull out two Elysian Bifrost beers that I know Ivy will love. Not sure which of my brothers got ahold of a pack this early in the season, but I’m stealing two regardless.
“You need any help, Mom?” My mom stops chopping cucumbers for her salad and looks at me.
“I need to know that you’re okay and be reassured you know what you’re doing. I know you’re an adult but you’re still my baby.” She quickly bats away a rogue tear. I set the beer bottles down on the island and wrap my mom in a big hug. She leans into me and rests her head on my chest.
“I promise I know what I’m doing. I’m okay,” I reassure her as best I can. “Better than okay, Mom. I feel whole again, like I’m me again.”
“You two were always like that. Even from a young age. When you were apart it was like all the light died out from both of your eyes. I always hoped you’d two find a way back to each other. I’ll let Ivy tell me the story when she’s ready, but I support you. You’ve always got us behind you.”
I kiss the top of her head before releasing her. “I know. I love you.”
“I love you too, son. Now get back outside before your wild brothers eat her alive.”
I pick the beers up and head back outside to find Ivy sitting on one of the outdoor couches with Charlie sitting in her lap and Hannah and Kinsey on either side. Charlie is facing Ivy with her little hands clasped over Ivy’s cheeks, squeezing them together. Ivy makes a funny noise and Charlie breaks out in a fit of giggles that is infectious to everyone else around. I lean against the door frame and watch her for a moment, and fuck if I’m not imagining what it would be like to see her with our daughter.
“Quit looking at her like you want to put a baby in her, shithead.”
“Fuck off, Liam. I do want to put a baby in her.”
“You sure about that? I was there when Han had Charlotte, they cry. A lot. Put Hannah through the ringer.”
“It’s worth it, though. Look at Charlie. Hannah would never change the fact that she’s here, and I know you wouldn’t either, you love that little girl.”
Liam looks over at the girls sitting together on the couch.
“Yeah, I do,” he confirms. “Don’t be moving things along too fast.”
“There’s no such thing as too fast with Ivy. She’s it.”
“Whatever you say, big brother.”
“How’s things with Levi?” I ask, to change the topic from me and Ivy.
“He hasn’t shown up in a month. Keeps making plans to come down and spend the weekend with them, Hannah shuffles around all her plans and then he’s got some excuse as to why he had to cancel. It sucks because I know if Charlie wasn’t in the picture, Hannah wouldn’t put up with this bullshit. She’s stuck. I want to kill the bastard for what he’s doing to them.”
“She’s lucky to have you in her corner. Just keep doin’ what you’re doing.”
“Yeah. What about you? How’s things with Ivy? She looks more settled today.”
“We’re good. Figuring it all out, moving forward. Pretty sure she’s taking Hendrix’s job at Barrel House, guess he decided to stay with his family, which worked out for us.”
“That’s great, man. I hope it works out.”
I pat my brother on the back before walking up to the girls.
“Hey pretty girl, I’ll set your drink right here for when you’re done playing with the toddler.” I wink at her. Her face lights up when she looks at me and I love the feeling of knowing that it’s just for me.
I sit back and enjoy my beer while everyone mingles and catches up. Ivy fills them in on working in a restaurant and raves about her friend Zoe and the things that she has gotten Ivy to do over the years. Zoe sounds more like a menace to society, but I’m glad Ivy has someone who loves her so thoroughly.
“Dinner, you hooligans!” my mom says as she waltzes onto the back porch, trays of food balanced in each of her hands.
She sets them down on the table and Carter and Liam follow her into the house to get the rest. I sit next to Ivy at the table and rest my hand on her thigh under it. I bob my head against hers to get her attention.
“You doing okay?”
“Better than okay. I missed this. Thank you for bringing me, not that you had much of a choice.” She laughs and I settle in next to her, letting go of the worry that plagues me.
We pass bowls of salad, chicken piccata, and homemade breadsticks around the table and everyone chats. It’s peaceful and normal and feels so right to have Ivy at Sunday dinner with us again.
“Reid didn’t want to come?” Kinsey asks from across the table.
“I told him he was expected, but once again, here we are and no Reid.” I motion my hands around the table.
“Maybe someday he’ll feel like one of us and come. We’ll keep offering until he does,” my mom states.
“How’s work?” My dad breaks the silence. Ever the quiet one, even before the stroke, always watching and listening.
“Great, Dad. Dallas hired an event coordinator and we’re in the middle of construction, putting in a bar to be able to serve flights, host events, and do tours. It’ll be a new way to bring in revenue. He picked a great new team member, you should be proud of him.” I wink at Dallas who’s glaring at me.
“If by great new team member you mean the Wicked Witch of the West, then yes, we have a new employee.”
“That’s a lot to take in. What’s she like?” my mom asks. I open my mouth to answer but Dallas beats me to it.
“Whelp, she’s a bit of a princess, fiery red hair, curves for days, bit of a mouth on her that likes to talk back, and an attitude that just won’t quit.”
Everyone at the table freezes and looks at Dallas, confusion and a bit of shock written across all of our faces.
“Interesting,” Kinsey says, breaking the silence.
“What?” Dallas asks.
“Well, I was expecting you to tell me more about her qualifications and what she will be doing at the distillery, but the information you just gave told me a bit more.”
Dallas just rolls his eyes.
“She likes to get under my skin. That’s all.”
“I’m sure that’s exactly what you mean, dickhead,” Carter quips.
Ivy laughs next to me, hiding her mouth under her napkin. I grab her wrist and pull it away from her face.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?” she asks, confused.
“Cover your laugh.”
She rolls her eyes into the back of her head with an exaggerated huff.
I replace my hand to the top of her thigh and squeeze. She looks up at me and kisses my cheek before smiling and returning to her meal. I move my hand up higher, rubbing her inner thigh, wondering if she’ll stop me. Fuck, I wish she wearing one of those little sundresses she used to live in when we were teenagers. I want to feel her skin against mine. I climb further up until I reach the apex between her legs and she slowly spreads for me. Fuck she’s going to kill me. I swipe the back of my hand across the seam of her denim jeans and watch her cheeks pinken. I laugh before removing my hand and placing it down closer to her knee, done fucking with her at the table with all of my family surrounding us.
Dinner went smoothly and everyone raved about Ivy’s apple tart. It’s late when we finally head back to my house. Ivy and I walk into my home like we’ve done it a million times before, silence stretches between us, and the mood is hard to read. She’s quiet, her focus clearly on the thoughts in her head. I follow as she walks through the house and into the master bedroom. She doesn’t say anything as she goes into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. Sitting down on the bed to wait for her, dinner replays in my head, scared that I wrongfully assumed that it went well. She seemed so happy while we were there. I can’t help the worry and uncertainty that I feel. I lean forward between my spread legs, resting my forearms on them and rub my hands together. When she leaves the bathroom she’s completely naked, her long black hair cascades down her sides and back in loose waves from the braid it’s been in all day. She’s fucking gorgeous. Her breasts are perky and just enough to be a palmful in my hands. Her rosy nipples are already hard, jutting out and begging for my mouth. My eyes travel down to her toned navel, her bare, pretty pussy, down her long legs until I reach her red-painted toes. I meet her eyes, unable to form a complete sentence. Her beauty takes my breath away. She walks up to me and stands between my legs, my hands automatically finding their home on the back of her smooth thighs. She grabs a fistful of my hair and pulls my head backward to look up at her fully.
“I love you.” My heart stutters at her proclamation.
“I love you,” I say in return. Moving my hand up her thigh until I reach her warm center, I swipe two of my fingers through her pussy, finding her wet for me. Curving my hand so that I can easily sink a finger inside her, loving her moans at the intrusion, I pump a few times before removing it slowly and bringing it to my mouth, my eyes still on her as I suck my finger, licking it clean.
“Fuck, you taste so good.” I jerk her forward, pressing my nose to her center and taking a deep inhale of her perfect scent. “Fuck, Ivy. You’re perfect for me.”
I grab her around the waist, pulling her on top of me as I lean back, dragging her with me.
“You know what I want, baby. Sit.”
She straddles my head without complaint, and I wrap my arms around her thighs to hold her in place, her sweet pussy right over my mouth where I want her.
I swipe my tongue up the length of her center, coating it in her sweet essence. She moans and I keep up my assault on her, driving my tongue deep inside her and pulling her closer to me. I move her thighs back and forth, encouraging her to rock on me, to use me and get exactly what she needs. I flatten my tongue and let her move across it, lashing across her clit. She’s warm and so slick and I love every minute of going down on her, surrounded by her smell, her taste, listening to her moan and cry out. I drive my tongue back inside when I feel her pussy fluttering around me. I move my tongue back up to her clit and suck. She spasms, screaming out her pleasure as she comes on my tongue. I let her ride it out as I move my hands to my hips and shove down my pants to my thighs.
She gets the hint and moves down, lifting herself as I hold my cock up for her. She sinks down in one thrust, her wetness not giving us any resistance.
“Oh god, Sawyer. You feel so good, baby.”
I thrust my hips up into her as she rides me, rocking back and forth. She presses her hands down on my chest and lifts her hips up, letting herself fall down hard, impaling herself on my rigid cock over and over again. I rub up and down her sides, grabbing a handful of her breasts, massaging them and groping her.
“That’s it, baby. Ride that cock. You’re doing so well.”
“Fuck, Sawyer. I’m going to come again.”
“I’m right there with you, baby. Milk me, make me come with you.”
I lean up and suck one of her pert nipples into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the tight little bud before dragging my teeth across it.
“I’m coming! Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Her pussy tightens around my cock like a vise, pulsing and quivering and I can’t hold back a second longer. I grab her waist and lock her down, pressing my dick into her until our bodies are flush and I can’t go any deeper. I come hard, filling her with my cum while I jerk inside of her.
She collapses on top of me, both of us sweaty. I wrap my arms around her waist and hold her close to me, her head resting on my chest.
“Dammit, I love you, Ivy. So fucking much it hurts,” I confess.
We lay there together, spent. All my hopes and dreams resting on top of me with this woman who I’ll never get enough of.