Chapter 37
IVY
W alking out of Barrel House at the end of dinner service, I’m surprised to see Sawyer outside waiting for me. This morning, he woke me up to say happy birthday with his head between my legs. He made me come twice before he was willing to come up for air. When we left each other for work, we made plans to meet at his house after. I give him a questioning smile before reaching up on my toes and kissing his lips. He’s wearing a pair of denim jeans, black boots, a white tee that fits him ridiculously too well, and his leather jacket unzipped. He’s painfully handsome and sexy.
“Hi, butterfly.”
“Hi.” I narrow my eyes at him.
“You up for a little ride?”
“Always. What about my jeep?”
“We’ll get her tomorrow, don’t worry.” He grabs my hand and leads me to the motorcycle, which I’ve come to love being on the back of.
“Happy Birthday, baby,” he says as he sets a helmet on my head that fits perfectly.
“Is this mine?” I ask.
“Yes ma’am. And this.” He picks up a gorgeous leather jacket from the seat of his bike and holds it up for me. I turn and slide my arms into it before facing him again. He zips it up for me. I know the smile on my face is massive.
“How do I look?” I spin in a slow circle for him.
“Like you belong on the back of my bike. You’re beautiful, Ivy.” He hooks his fingers in the top of my jacket and gently pulls me forward. He licks across the seam of my lips before I open for him, accepting his tongue and sucking on it. A groan escapes him before I let go.
“Naughty girl. Let’s go. You ready?”
“Yes. Thank you, Sawyer. I love them.”
He gets on his motorcycle and holds it steady.
“Hop on, baby.”
I get on behind him and scoot in close, flush against him, wrapping my arms around his waist as he starts it up and it rumbles under us.
We pull out of Main Street and he heads straight for my favorite place. Grace Beach.
It’s dark out, no one on the road but us. He takes the winding route and I lean with him as he takes each hard turn. We hit the straightaway that leads directly to the beach, and I chance letting go of his waist, keeping myself flush against his back, and rubbing my hands over the top of his thighs. A moan vibrates through his chest. My heart rate starts to pick up, my breathing increasing along with it. I rub toward his inner thighs, pressing down over his hardening length. He moans again as the heel of my palm strokes against his dick. I love the feel of him under me, and touching him while going this fast on his motorcycle is exhilarating. We reach the end of the road where it dumps into the minimal parking lot of the beach and Sawyer drops his speed. All my quick-lived confidence leaves me, and I quickly grip his waist again.
As we finish our ride, he lets me off first to ensure my safety. I can’t help but admire the way the man steps aside his bike and rips his helmet off as if in slow motion. As he sets the helmets back on the bike, I stand patiently, waiting for him. He turns and hauls me close before I can even look up.
“You think you’re funny? Torturing me like that while I’m trying to keep us safe?” He nuzzles into me, taking a deep inhale. I laugh until his tongue moves up the length of my neck, sending chills down my spine. I arch to the side to give him more access because it feels so good.
“I couldn’t help myself. Plus, I trust you,” I confess.
“Mmm. I love hearing you say that. Walk with me down to the shore?”
“Like you have to ask.” I skip ahead of him, stepping over roots, rocks, and driftwood, loving the crunch of the rocky shore under my shoes. I walk right to the edge where the water laps at the tiny bit of sand that’s here. Holding my arms out to the sides and letting my head fall backward to face the sky, I inhale the salty, fresh air as peace burrows deep into the marrow of my bones.
Sawyer walks up behind me and slides his hands over my sides until they meet in front of my body, one hand splayed out across my belly the other bending up and resting over the center of my chest.
“Do you know how beautiful you are when you let go like this?”
I let my head rest against his chest and relax into his big, warm body, keeping my eyes closed, just breathing in the clean air.
“You always were so at ease here. How does it make you feel? Explain it to me.”
I think about his question for a moment before answering.
“It feels like you. Peace. Comfort. Ease. Nothing is expected of me or needed of me. I just get to exist and let go.”
“Baby . . .”
I turn in his arms.
“I mean it, Sawyer. I love you so much. I hate that I ever left you. I hate the time we lost. But all I want is to move forward with you. I don’t want to waste any more time. I want to live for myself. For us.”
“Fuck, Ivy. I love you. You don’t know how good it feels to hear you say that. I spent so long just walking through life because I had to, but I was never living either. You took the best part of me with you when you left, and I finally feel whole again. I don’t ever want to be away from you.”
He reaches into his jacket pocket and takes out a small black velvet box, my heart pounds against my ribcage.
“Don’t freak out. It’s not what you think it is. That’ll come soon, trust me, but not now.”He hands me the box and I open it to find a gorgeous gold medallion with a lion mid-roar on it. Its edges are rough, like it was an old coin at one point. It’s attached to a long, thin, gold chain.
“Sawyer, it’s gorgeous.”
“It’s meant to be worn as a reminder to be brave in moments of self-doubt.”
My eyes immediately pool with tears.
“How are you so perfect?” I ask, and he laughs.
“Turn around, let me put it on you.”
I turn and lift my hair as Sawyer clasps the necklace on me and I tuck it inside my jacket and under my shirt, the cool metal falling between my breasts and triggering goosebumps that scatter across my flesh.
“Thank you. I love it.”
I pull him down by his neck to force his mouth on mine. The kiss is deep, slow, and everything I’ve ever wanted. He breaks away too soon before speaking.
“Alright, before we get carried away, let’s get back home so I can keep you up all night in our bed.”
I take one more longing look out at the water, the only light coming from the moon and stars above us, before being led by the hand back to Sawyer’s bike.
We pull the bike into Sawyer’s garage and take off our helmets to place them on a shelf. The anticipation of what’s to come has me already wet, my pussy throbbing in need, as Sawyer dwarfs my hand in his again and pulls me toward the house. We walk into the mud room and kick off our shoes before I push him against the door, my hand going straight to grab his package over his jeans. The groan that leaves his mouth as his head falls back and hits the door fuels my confidence. I lean forward and kiss along his jaw, his rough stubble rubbing against my sensitive skin just as he reaches down and grabs my wrist, pulling me away from touching him.
“Baby . . . you’re killing me. Let’s get inside.”
A little stunned, I take a step back from him.
“Oh no you don’t. Don’t go there. I’m not turning you down, so get that look off your face. Follow me.” He pulls the wrist that he hasn’t let go of and I follow him, confused.
We leave the narrow hallway and Sawyer flips on the light to the living room.
“SURPRISE!” rings out as I instinctively cover my ears and turn into Sawyer’s body. His arms bound around me as he laughs and it takes me a full minute to process what’s going on.
“Surprise, baby. Happy birthday.”
He releases his hold and I look at the room full of people standing in front of me. I can’t believe all of these people are here for me. Tears cling to my eyelashes. Everyone starts to part in the center and the tears spill over in rapid succession. Because walking straight toward me is Zoe. Her beautiful blonde hair bobbing with every step and a smile spreading from ear to ear. I cover my face with my palms before running the rest of the way across the room and tackling her to the ground. We land with a loud thud onto the rug.
“I missed your face, you hussy!”
“I missed you wicked bad too!” she screams.
“How? Did you do this?” I ask her.
We sit up and pull each other to stand.
“Nope. This was all your man. Who is fine as fuck by the way, are his brothers single?”
“Do not go there, Zo. No. And Sawyer did all this?”
“Yep. Stole my number from you when you weren’t paying attention and set it all up.”
“And the best part,” Sawyer says as he joins us, “I’m crashing at Reid’s so you two get the house to yourself to catch up and spend uninterrupted time together.”
My heart soars. How did I get so lucky to get a second chance at life with this man?
The party winds down and Sawyer kicks everyone out. I still can’t believe he did all of this for me. I’ve never had a surprise party before, and having everyone come out for it made me feel accepted back here in a way that I never could have imagined. Zoe walks down the hallway to the guest bedroom to give us a moment of privacy, which I’m thankful for. I walk right into his open arms.
“Thank you for all of this. Especially for getting Zoe here. This has been the best birthday I've had in a really long time. Longer than I care to admit, actually.”
“You deserve the best, Iv. That’s all I want for you.” He holds my face in both of his palms and tilts my head back to angle me just how he wants me. His lips swipe back and forth over mine in a gentle caress before he kisses me firmly. It’s sweet and tender, but not lacking an ounce of the passion that that is always simmering between us. He pulls back and pecks me twice on the lips before planting one on the center of my forehead.
“Have the best time tonight. Zoe’s awesome. I love you, baby.”
“Thank you. I love you.”
Sawyer grabs his backpack and heads out the front door to go to Reid’s house for the night. His thoughtfulness knows no bounds and I’m still stunned by the extent he went to make me feel special today. I haven’t spent a night away from him since arriving in Aspen Ridge and hate to see him go, but I couldn’t be more excited to spend the night with my best friend.
I join Zoe on the guest room bed and she dumps two plastic bags out in front of us. All of our favorite snacky junk food sits in front of us. I snatch up the bag of Chex Mix and rip it open. “You look so much happier, babe.”
“Do I?”
“Yeah. I kinda hate to say it. It’s actually super rude of you.” I laugh at her.
“How so?”
“Cause, now you’re going to stay here in this little town and I’m going back to the city.”“I know. I hate that part, too. But, Zo, it’s like two and a half hours. It’s not the end of the world. We’ll see each other. You think I’m down for just letting you walk out of my life forever? Nope. Fuck nope. You know too much; you’re stuck with me.” Now it’s her turn to laugh.
“Good. Cause you’re stuck with me too. Now, tell me all the juicy things. He fucking you senseless yet?”
“Uhm, yes. Every chance he can get.”
“Better than when you were teens?” She shoulder bumps me because she knows the answer by the look on my face.
“On a different planet. The connection has always been wild between us, Zo. Electric. That’s still there, but times a thousand. It’s intense. And so addicting.”
“God, where can I find some of that? I’ll take male or female, either works for me. Just find me that connection, please. I want that can’t live without you shit.” She makes prayer hands and closes her eyes, sending up her pleas to whatever gods that be.
“You’ll find it when you least expect it, Zo. It’ll be incredible once you do. And who knows, knowing you, you’ll probably find both and end up in some wickedly hot throuple situation.”
“Gods. One can only hope, right? One of each sounds like heaven.” She smacks my leg. “C’mon! Manifest it with me!”
“Fine, you weirdo.” I close my eyes and grab her hands. “Zoe is going to find both a man and a woman, who are both equally obsessed with her, deliver her with all the mind-blowing orgasms, are faithful, and super uber sexy. Happy, lunatic?”
“Very.”
“Alright, help get these nasty rye chips out of my way, and I’ll put on The Office, ” I say as we get comfortable in the bed together. We spend the rest of the night eating junk food and binging on our favorite TV show. As much as Sawyer and Aspen Ridge have healed me, having this time with Zoe means everything.