36. California Coast
CALIFORNIA COAST
Oliver
Today was our final full day in California. Our plane left tomorrow afternoon to take us back to reality. Which was fine with me, only because that meant I’d be back under one roof with the woman who was at fault for all of my current frustrations.
Rooming with my youngest brother hadn’t bothered me. The last thing I needed was to be sleeping on a pull-out couch in the living room of a house with all my siblings, only to have Ivy Tinsley next to me being the little temptress that she was.
No, my problem came in the form of watching her prance around the house in those bathing suits she’d bought only to throw one of my T-shirts overtop of it, all without the ability to touch her.
I’d heard her before we’d left. I understood where she was coming from and where her fears lay.
It made sense to me. I was just finding that I didn’t care much when it came to her.
She left me this crazed man who’d had a brief taste of her and then kept me at more than arm’s length.
She’d actively avoided me since the moment we’d gotten to the airport, and I was finding my patience wearing thin.
“Breakfast is ready!” Rowan called from the kitchen. Footsteps sounded, and Theo rolled out of bed, literally, and stumbled towards the door.
“You coming?” he questioned, but I just nodded.
Plans had begun forming in my head the moment I’d opened my eyes and saw her bag across the room. Ivy and Payton had both left their bags in here, not wanting to leave them on the living room floor all day long. Which was just fine for me.
Unzipping the pink bag, I pulled out a few things, laying them beside her bag in a neat pile. Perfect.
Moments later, I walked into the kitchen. Everyone was making plates of pancakes, bacon, sausage, and fried potatoes.
“That’s a lot of meat, Ro,” Payton mumbled as she scooped an extra helping of potatoes onto her plate.
“Some of us like meat, Payton,” he shot back, but Aspen smacked his chest.
“Be nice to your sister.”
He leaned down and kissed her cheek, not saying anything. As if that simple move spoke everything that needed to be said as she smiled up at him.
I walked past, finding the girl I was after in the far corner of the kitchen, pulling a mug from the cabinet. No one was paying attention as I stepped close to her, my chest pressed against her back as I reached overtop of her for my own mug.
“Your outfit is set out on the bed. I expect you to wear it, baby doll,” I whispered.
Her whole body froze, her wide green eyes staring up at me, but I just smirked and took my cup to go make my coffee.
“So, what are we doing today?” Wyatt asked with a mouth full of sausage.
“Today was Oliver’s job,” Ivy replied with a giddy smile. She seemed to love to put me on the spot, but that was fine.
“Oh, okay. So we’re finding a ranch to work on and drinking beer?” Theo joked.
“Yup. Horses and all. Dress appropriately,” I deadpanned.
Payton, of course, was the first to speak. “Wait, no. Really?”
I nodded. “Of course. Wear pants, not a baggy T-shirt.” My eyes cut over to Ivy, who was staring at me, her cheeks pink.
Fuck, I loved that look.
Like a delicate deer in headlights, waiting to find out if she was safe or in trouble. I winked, which only caused her blush to deepen. Good.
Rowan was the only one laughing, mostly because he knew what we were doing. “Well, family, finish eating and get dressed! Big day ahead of us!”
Aspen’s eyes bounced between us, her brows furrowed. “Did I bring pants?” she asked Rowan.
He laughed. “I tossed some in your bag, angel. Don’t worry.”
As everyone ate and dispersed to get dressed, I stood, leaned against the counter, and waited. I knew she wouldn’t listen, but I was eager to find out anyway.
Ten minutes later, she and Payton emerged from the bedroom, dressed and ready to go. The black leggings I’d set out curved around her perfect hips. An oversized olive-green T-shirt was hanging off one shoulder, the bright pink sports bra underneath.
“Bathroom.” Ivy pointed to the door they were about to pass. “I’ll meet you out there.” Payton nodded as she walked out to the living room.
I waited patiently for her to finish. My hand was on the doorknob and twisting before she could fully open it. It swung open and closed behind me, the lock clicking once more as I shut it.
“Oliver? What are you doing?” She was whispering, but the yell and shock in her tone was clear. I couldn’t help but smile.
“I wanted to see if you listened to me or not.”
Her eyes widened. “You can see I did. The outfit is clearly on my body, though this definitely isn’t my shirt, and I didn’t pack it. So that’s a bit peculiar, don’t you think?”
I took a step closer to her until her butt was pressed against the counter and she had nowhere to go. “That isn’t what I meant, baby doll. Turn around for me.”
“Oliver, I don’t know what?—”
“Turn around, Ivy,” I repeated, interrupting her. I could see her throat bob as she swallowed, slowly turning to face the mirror, her back now pressed against my chest. I leaned down, my face burying itself in the crook of her neck.
“Fuck me. Watching you walk around in nothing but those little bathing suits and my T-shirt has been hell.” My hands fell to her hips and squeezed as her head fell back against my chest. “It was as if that black one was designed specifically to drive me insane, baby doll. Is that why you bought it?”
I pressed my lips to her neck as she nodded.
“Good girl. Now let’s see if you listened, shall we?”
Her eyes opened once more, staring in the mirror. Our eyes locked as my hand dipped down the front of her leggings, only to find a pair of panties between my hand and her pretty pussy.
I tutted. “I don’t recall setting these out with your clothes for the day. Do you?”
She let out a breathy laugh. “No, but you couldn’t have possibly?—”
My hand covered her mouth, cutting her off. “Now, now, baby doll. Shhh. Wouldn’t want anyone else to hear the noises you’re about to make.”
“What noises?” she mumbled, the words muffled from my hand. But she didn’t have long to worry about it, because I pushed her underwear to the side and ran two fingers through the wetness already pooling there.
“Look at my girl. Already so fucking wet for me.” I wasted no time pushing my middle and ring finger deep into her cunt. Her gasp from behind my hand didn’t go unnoticed. “That’s right. Fuck, you’re already squeezing my fingers. Your perfect little cunt can’t get enough, can it?”
I knew we didn’t have long, and while I wanted nothing more than to spend all day in this bathroom, I wanted to see her squirm more. My fingers slowed, the heel of my palm pressing against her clit.
“Look at yourself, Ivy. Falling apart at a mere touch of Daddy’s fingers.
I want you to hear me when I say this, can you do that?
” She nodded, her eyes hooded as she watched us in the mirror.
“I will own you, Ivy Tinsley. Mind, body, and soul. There is no amount of denial you can walk around this house with that will change that fact. You may need time, and I may allow some of it, but know that you will always be mine. Do you understand?”
She nodded once more, her walls beginning to clench around me, so I pulled away, removing my fingers from her panties and popping them in my mouth. She watched me, eyes wide, chest heaving.
“Only good girls get to come, baby doll. You know that.”
I reached around her, opening a couple drawers until I found the scissors.
“Now, don’t move.” She held perfectly still as I carefully cut both sides of her underwear, pulling it from her pants and then stuffing them in the pocket of my jeans. “Perfect.”
“Are you really going to keep them?” she whispered, the shock clear in her tone.
“Of course I am.” I took a step back so she could get to the door. “Now, I suggest you get back out there. Wouldn’t want people worrying about you and any loud panting they may have heard walking past.”
Her lips parted, her cheeks once more pink, as she quickly stumbled past me and out the bathroom door. She may have been flustered, but I felt much better.
Besides, she’d be happy again when she saw where we were going.
Rowan had looked up the directions before we’d left, so not even the GPS was giving away our plans, and we pulled up to the small building with nothing else surrounding it. The white siding popped against the tree line, and the wooden sign with a horse carved into it really set the tone.
“Oh my gosh, is this what I think it is?” Aspen asked, her eyes out the window as she took in the building.
“Sure is. Thank Oliver. It was all his idea,” Rowan explained.
She turned around from the passenger seat, a huge smile on her face. “I know this wasn’t done with just me in mind, but I’m excited as hell either way.”
I gave her a half smile and nodded, climbing out of the SUV and pulling the seat forward so Payton, Theo, and Ivy could climb out. She took in the sign and looked around us—sprawling acres of land as far as the eye could see. But off to one side stood a massive barn.
“Where are we?” she asked me.
I shrugged. “Something I thought you and Aspen may enjoy.”
A short woman with dirty blonde hair came out of the building to greet us, a massive smile on her face.
“Hello! You must be the Carragan party! Where are the soon-to-be newlyweds?” she asked, resulting in a hand raise from Rowan and Aspen.
“Perfect. Well, I’m Millie, and I want to welcome you to my lovely corner of the California coast!
My husband’s already getting the horses ready over in the barn.
Now, Oliver said most of you have riding experience already, so that makes this easy.
All of our horses are docile and sweet as all hell.
They’ve done these trails a million and ten times. So let’s get saddled up!”
Aspen squealed, her hand in Rowan’s as they followed after Millie, everyone but Ivy and I close behind.
“We’re going riding?” she whisper-yelled once more, her green eyes wide as she stared up at me.
Nodding, I shrugged. “You’ve wanted to go. Aspen wanted to see the coast. They take us on an easy path along the coast for a bit to see a lighthouse, and then we circle on back around. The bride is happy, and my baby doll is happy.”
She bit her bottom lip, the nervous energy on her clear. “But what if the horse hates me or I fall off or I can’t even get on the damn horse?”
“Ivy?” I cut her off once she seemed to be running out of what ifs and her eyes flicked back to my own.
“I’ll be right there with you. The trail is a side by side.
I talked to Millie about it when I booked and snagged the spot next to you.
Theo and Payton will be behind you and Aspen and Rowan in front of you, with Wyatt and Ember leading the back.
Don’t worry. Plenty of experienced horse riders will be around to keep any of those things from happening, especially me. ”
“Oh. Well….oh.” We stood in silence a few moments before I shoulder-bumped her.
“Ready to go ride a horse?”
A small smile curved along her lips, the excitement starting to shine through as she bumped me back. “Yeah, let’s do it.”