Chapter 8 - Owen #2
"It's real." I kiss her again, deeper this time. "This is real. We're real. And we're going to make this work."
"How?"
"I don't know yet. But we'll figure it out." I grin. "Together. Like the spreadsheet-making, overthinker and the overly organized doctor we are."
She laughs, that real, unguarded laugh I love. "We're going to be so annoying. Levi's going to hate us."
"Levi's going to be thrilled. He's been trying to set us up for years."
"We should probably tell him. That this happened."
I glance down at our naked bodies, at the evidence of our activities still visible on her thighs. "Maybe leave out some of the details."
"Definitely leaving out the details." She shifts slightly, then winces.
"You are sore," I say, concerned. "Let me get you cleaned up. Where's your bathroom?"
"Down the hall, first door on the right. But Owen, I can—"
"Stay right there." I stand up, ignoring the protest from my knees after kneeling on her floor for so long. "Let me take care of you."
I find the bathroom easily. It's as cozy and book-filled as the rest of her house, with a stack of paperbacks on the back of the toilet and reading glasses on the sink. I wet a washcloth with warm water and bring it back to the living room.
Ivy's still on the couch, looking beautifully wrecked and slightly embarrassed. "You don't have to—"
"I want to." I kneel between her legs again, gently cleaning her thighs, being careful around her sensitive flesh. She's still leaking a little, and the sight is more arousing than it should be.
Mine. She's mine now.
"There," I say when I'm done. "Better?"
"Yeah. Thank you." She sits up, reaching for her clothes. "I should probably get dressed. This is weird, right? Being naked on my couch?"
"Little bit, yeah. But good weird." I grab my boxers and jeans, pulling them on. "Though for the record, I'm very pro-naked-Ivy."
She blushes again, pulling her shirt over her head. "You've seen enough naked-Ivy for one night."
"Impossible. There's no such thing as enough."
"You're insatiable."
"Only for you." I sit down next to her on the couch, now both of us semi-dressed. "So. What now?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean it's—" I check my watch, "—eleven thirty on a Friday night. I should probably get to Granddad's house before he worries. But I don't want to leave you."
"You can stay," she says quickly. Then, more hesitantly: "If you want. I have a guest room. Or, um, my bed is big enough for two. If you wanted to… I mean, we just… But that doesn't mean you have to—"
I kiss her to stop the nervous rambling. "I would love to stay. In your bed, if that's okay. I want to fall asleep with you and wake up next to you."
"Okay." She smiles. "Good. That's good."
"But I should probably text Levi so grandpa and him don’t send out a search party."
I pull out my phone and find three missed texts from Levi:
*How's the reunion?*
*Saw Ivy yet?*
*Don't be a coward. Talk to the girl.*
I grin and type back: *Reunion was fine. I'm staying at Ivy's tonight. Don't wait up.*
His response is immediate: *FINALLY. About damn time. Don't screw this up.*
Then: *Wait. Staying at Ivy's? As in STAYING staying?*
I show Ivy the texts and she laughs. "Your grandfather is going to have questions."
"Let him. I'll tell him we finally got our heads out of our asses." I put my phone away. "Ready for bed?"
"Yeah." She stands up, then pauses. "Owen? Thank you. For tonight. For everything. For being exactly what I needed."
"Thank you for trusting me. For letting me be your first." I pull her close, resting my chin on top of her head. "And if I have anything to say about it, I'm going to be your last too."
"I'm counting on it," she murmurs against my chest.
We stay like that for a moment, just holding each other. Outside, I can hear rain starting again, a gentle patter against the windows. Inside, everything is warm and perfect.
Ivy takes my hand and leads me down the hallway to her bedroom. It's exactly what I expected: more books, soft lighting, a bed covered in a fluffy comforter that looks incredibly inviting.
We climb in together, and she curls against my side like she was made to fit there.
"This is nice," she says sleepily.
"Yeah." I kiss her forehead. "This is perfect."
Within minutes, her breathing evens out. She's asleep, safe and content in my arms. I lie there in the dark, listening to the rain, feeling her heartbeat against my ribs, and I think about the future.
About moving back to Blackwater Falls. About opening a practice here, becoming part of the community the way Levi has. About Sunday dinners with Ivy and Granddad Jim. About falling asleep like this every night.
About building the life I should have built fifteen years ago.
It won't be easy. There will be logistics to figure out, difficult conversations to have, sacrifices to make. But lying here with Ivy in my arms, I know with absolute certainty that it's worth it.
She's worth it.
We're worth it.
I close my eyes and let sleep take me, already dreaming of tomorrow.