IVY
C lint sent me to sleep with the feel of his lips on mine. I dreamed of his hands on my body and awoke in the middle of the night to find him resting soundly. Hanzee slept quietly in the corner. I looked around to find the hint of sparkling lights past the dark shades. Every inch of the condo reminded me of Clint, making returning to sleep easier.
I woke up to Clint’s lips on my throat. His breath was minty fresh when he kissed me awake. I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and tried to wiggle my legs free of the blankets. I wanted to trap him against me. Unfortunately, his blanket was heavy, and I only tangled myself up.
“I didn’t want to wake you, but I need to take Hanzee to the courtyard.”
“Should I come with you?”
Clint studied me with sleepy eyes. His beard was damp from washing his face.
“Elle will be over around ten to pick you up and take you to my parents’ place. Before she gets here, I want you and me to hit up the buffet for breakfast and grab a few things from the grocery store.”
My fingers stroked his face, wanting to remain in bed longer. I wasn’t used to being so active, but I didn’t complain to Clint. After he offered me another lusty kiss, I climbed out of bed and headed downstairs.
I was bundled up for the chilly morning by the time Clint returned with a shivering Hanzee. The dog immediately went to cuddle in his downstairs cage. I watched him disappear under a blanket before peeking out at me.
“It’s cold out there,” Clint said while digging around in his front coat closet. “I don’t know if I have any gloves or hats that’ll fit you.”
“I’ll be fine.”
I proved myself wrong by shivering wildly for the entire walk to the buffet. Clint apologized four times on the way, saying he wished he had brought the truck.
“I like how you protect me,” I said, and my words held more meaning than he could understand.
Clint gave me a little grin, but I knew he couldn’t understand. He thought my old life was weird. Maybe if he knew the truth about my health issues, Geradine’s behavior would have made more sense.
But I wanted Clint to take my side, not hers. Though she might have had a good reason to be overly protective when I was young, she left me overly sheltered. That’s why I was willing to walk into the ocean with Uncle Dwight rather than stand on my own.
At the buffet, Clint and I found a table in the back. Every time someone said hello, he introduced me as his girlfriend. I felt him wrapping me in his protection.
“I could cook fried eggs and bacon for breakfast tomorrow,” I suggested.
“Do you want to cook or do you think you need to earn your keep?”
“I’d like to lounge around and cook for you, but I don’t want to change up your schedule.”
Clint scooted his chair closer and caressed the back of my neck. “Of course, my schedule will change. I’m not living my life alone. That’s how relationships work. We both need to sacrifice and change.”
I thought about his words as we finished breakfast and walked to a grocery store a few blocks over from the condo. I wasn’t used to walking so much. Back in Reno, I had exercised every day after Geraldine died. I was certain I was truly healthy, and my mom had been hiding the truth.
But I misjudged my endurance. I was exhausted by the time we returned to the condo with two bags of groceries.
“Because of the downtown vibe, I tend to walk to do everything around here,” Clint said while putting away groceries. “But I’ll need to change that.”
“I’m sorry,” I said as I rested on the couch. “I should have walked more at the mansion. Or walked faster.”
Clint stopped and frowned at me. “You’re short.”
“I know.”
“Yeah, but I was walking normally. I rarely take Hanzee for walks because his little legs need to work so hard to keep up with me, or I’m forced to shuffle to slow down for him. That’s why we only play in the courtyard.”
“My legs are longer than the dog’s.”
Clint’s face broke into a grin. “Well, yeah, they are. And they’re strong, too. I remember them wrapped around my hips yesterday.”
A blush burned my cheeks when I thought of how I grabbed him and refused to let go.
“But I was walking too fast today. I need to slow down,” he said and returned to putting food away. “And you should speak up when my ego blinds me to your needs.”
“So, I can say whatever I want?”
“Sure, but if you say anything hurtful, I might get sad and pout.”
“But not cry, right?”
“No,” he murmured and joined me on the couch. “I haven’t cried since I was fourteen. When I got really upset and couldn’t settle down, my dad would take me to the batting cages. That usually worked out my feelings.”
“I don’t want to go to the batting cages,” I said and crawled onto his lap and rested my hands on his shoulders. “I need something else to settle me down.”
“Are you upset?”
“Nervous, maybe.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know,” I said and pressed my lips against his.
My kiss lacked finesse, but Clint didn’t need me to take control. He only wanted a green light. His arms wrapped around me. One hand cupped the back of my head. I was trapped against him, just where I wanted to be.
Clint’s tongue licked at my lips. I opened wider, still getting the hang of so much lust for a real man. We breathed together. My mind swam, and my heart raced. I felt overheated in a scary way, yet I refused to stop.
A knock at the door awoke me from my lusty daze. I broke the kiss and looked at Elle entering the condo.
Noticing where we were and my position on Clint’s lap, she grinned and announced, “Put it back in your pants. I’ve arrived.”
“You’re early,” Clint told Elle while his gaze studied my face.
“No, I’m not. You need to set an alarm if making out destroys your ability to track time.”
Clint grinned at her words, but he kept me planted on his lap. As I kissed her brother, Elle walked around the condo. She eventually took Hanzee out to the courtyard.
Clint sucked at my tongue until I was loose and sort of stunned. He grinned at me and then glanced down between us.
“I’m going to need to deal with this before I go riding.”
Unsure what he meant, I only stared down at his crotch before my brain turned back on. Snorting, I covered my mouth and laughed.
Clint watched me, amused by my reaction. I felt him figuring me out. I doubted most women could spend two days with him without putting out. I wanted to do the same, but I didn’t know how to make that happen.
And what about birth control? Geraldine said I could never have sex, let alone a baby. Her voice nagged at me, warning I would die if I didn’t push away Clint and demand a life of celibacy.
Rather than listen to her, I rested against Clint and hugged him tight.
“Can we kiss more tonight?” I asked as I listened to his strong, steady heart.
“I planned to kiss all over you last night, but you were too tired. Be sure to rest today, so you’ll have the energy to put up with my affections.”
I sat up straight and smiled at Clint. “Have we done second base yet?”
“No,” Clint replied and glanced down at my breasts. “That involves my hands on your chest. My lips, too. Are you ready for that?”
“Do I have to take my shirt off?” I asked, immediately going cold and sliding off his lap.
Clint shifted on the couch, so he faced me. His soulful blue eyes searched my face for something. I felt him tearing past my armor and digging around inside my head.
“I’m shy,” I mumbled.
“It’s okay to be scared.”
“You’re not scared.”
“Not of fucking in general, but I don’t want to upset you. My ego demands I be your hero. Making you cry or uncomfortable will cut me deep.”
“I’m not crying.”
“Not on the outside,” Clint said and then glanced at the door opening. “Elle, will you make sure Ivy rests today?”
“I’m not babysitting your girlfriend, Clint,” she said as Hanzee ran around and barked at nothing. “Your dog sniffed Goblin’s ass too deeply in the courtyard. He’s gone insane.”
Clint chuckled and stood up. He adjusted his crotch, making me blush again.
“Don’t ride hard,” Elle said and pointed at her brother. “It causes accidents. We all heard Lucky’s lecture that time when he was drunk on moonshine and shared his ‘my dick was hard so I crashed’ story.”
“Well, I can’t really do anything about that with Ivy sitting right there,” Clint told Elle.
“Just think of unsexy stuff. Rotting meat. Piles of dog shit. Rudy Dandelion’s saggy balls. Is that helping?”
Clint glanced at me and smiled. “No.”
Elle sighed and gestured for me to get up. “We’ve got to go so my brother can empty his balls and drive safely. Men are nasty that way.”
Elle took Hanzee’s carrier and clicked at the dog. When Hanzee considered ignoring her, Clint swept up the dog and deposited him in the carrier.
“You’ll thank me once you’re playing with Hobbs,” he told the dog through the carrier’s front screen.
I slid on my jacket and lingered close to Clint, hoping he would kiss me again. Clint leaned down and whispered something in his sister’s ear.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” she muttered in response before smiling at me. “Mom is making mashed potatoes for lunch. Nothing else.”
Clint chuckled and cradled my jaw. “Feel free to ask for better food,” he said before kissing me softly.
As his lips left mine, I stared into his eyes and felt a terrible longing. I didn’t want to leave his side. I wished we could spend the entire day alone. Except Clint had a life overflowing with people. He was making room for me. I could never expect to be his only concern.
Following Elle downstairs to her SUV, I knew I could love Clint Reed. I think I already did, but I wasn’t sure what the feeling in my chest meant. I had loved so few people, and their importance was imprinted on me when I was only a kid. I didn’t know what it felt like to fall for someone when I had a choice.