Take Me Now (8 page)
“Are you okay?” She’s breathless, and I can feel the fabric of her shirt tickle the hair on my chest as her breasts heave against me. I have to step away from her. Lowering my hands, I run them through my hair, turning my back to her. Finally opening my eyes, I see the curtains rustling in the night air as she places her hands against my back, pressing her cheek against me.
“It’s all right. I know this must be hard for you. We’ll take it slow. I promise. I just got carried away.” As she’s speaking, her breath forms warm puffs against my lower back. I don’t know what’s more intoxicating—that bewitching sensation or her words of comfort and understanding. It’s a toss-up.
Reaching behind me, I lace my fingers through her hair, gently massaging her scalp. “I want to get this right. The last thing I want to do is disappoint you, Ivy. And I was this close to losing it. I couldn’t live with myself if that happened and you didn’t get to enjoy yourself because my sex-deprived body wants to go from zero to sixty in under a minute.”
She laughs, slapping my side before proceeding to tickle me. “We’ll work on your timing. I like a good challenge.”
“Why don’t you give me the grand tour?” Eric needs a minute to get it together, and I’m so worked up I could jump him right here, right now. If we have to bring the fire that’s ignited between us to a sizzle, I’m going to require one hell of a distraction. Eric’s homestead is like something out of a magazine. For a brief second, I imagine myself living here with him but quickly banish the idea from my thoughts. I’m not going to jinx this.
“Good idea.” He gives me a shy smile and takes my hand. Despite my best intentions, I can’t help picturing our life together in every room. I can see us fixing breakfast on the stainless steel appliances in his kitchen. It’s a Sunday morning. My hair is unkempt and I’m wearing nothing but his shirt. He’s only in his boxers as he comes up behind me and nuzzles my neck. I flip a pancake on the griddle as he dips a finger in the batter and guides it into my mouth.
“Ivy?” Eric brings me back to reality. “So…do you like to cook or not?”
I’m glad that he repeated the question because I was totally lost in another world. “Umm, I’m not the best at it, but I’m sure I could learn.”
“And I’d sure love to teach you.” He touches my cheek before dropping his hand down to my waist. He guides me into the TV room, and I’m impressed by the sheer size of the fireplace. Now I understand why his dream date involved a stormy night curled up in front of it. It’s like something out of rustic lodge fantasy. My inner romantic is practically jumping up and down.
“I have to check out your DVD collection.” I mosey over to the vertical shelf containing dozens of movies. To my delight, the majority of them are classic films from Hollywood’s Golden Era. I even spy some of my absolute favorites like
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
and
The Maltese Falcon
. It scares me to think how much we have in common. I’ve finally met a guy who likes what I’m into. That doesn’t happen very often.
An image of Will flashes through my mind. Yeah, he’s attending film school and actually living in Hollywood, but it seems like it’s an act. That he’s more interested in becoming a celebrity than having any true appreciation for the art of cinema. He may look the part but he’s just playing a role. It’s not who he really is. As usual, Will’s sole purpose is to get people to notice him. I like how Eric could care less about what people think.
Eric is beckoning me over to the steps. My heart thumps wildly in my chest. His bedroom is up there. No matter how much we’re trying to keep our hands to ourselves, I don’t know if I’ll be able to resist the temptation if we linger too long near his bed. I follow him as we climb the stairs, and I can’t resist checking out the way his jeans perfectly accentuate his butt. Damn. I bite my bottom lip and grip the railing even harder.
There’s a skylight directly over his bed and the moonlight is streaming in. He goes to turn on the light, but I hold him back. “Don’t. It’s beautiful the way it is.” I look up at him and his eyes darken with desire.
“You’re the one who’s beautiful.” He leans in to kiss me but I just let him brush his lips across mine.
“Careful.” I step back while failing to control the grin spreading across my face.
There are a few picture frames on his dresser. I bend down to examine them more closely and my breath catches. The first photo is a professional shot of Cassidy. I remember what she looks like from the incessant media coverage surrounding her ordeal. She’s beaming with happiness as she smiles at the photographer. Flawless skin. Shiny hair. Not an ounce of fat on her. She looks amazing.
Fighting a pang of jealousy, I let my gaze fall upon the next frame. And that’s when I almost lose it. It’s an image from a sonogram, Eric and Cassidy’s unborn baby floating in the womb. A chill runs down my spine and I have a hard time shaking it off. This is what Cassidy died trying to protect. She sacrificed her life for this child. How can Eric stand to look at this painful reminder every day? They’re gone and he’s left. What a terrible void to have to fill alone.
There’s a third frame that draws my attention away from the others. It’s tiny and inside there appears to be some sort of tag. Picking it up, I examine it closer. It’s a tag from a pair of clogs, the same brand that Eric sells in his garden center. “What’s this?” I hold it up for him to see.
He lowers his head. “You’re going to think I’m a sentimental idiot.”
“Tell me.” Based on his reaction, the butterflies in my stomach start to churn.
“It’s from the pair of clogs I gave you. I found it on the floor and kept it.” He raises his eyes and there’s such a sense of longing in them that I can’t look away. He wanted a souvenir from the first time we met. I can envision us telling our kids and grandkids about it. Does he feel the same way? Why else would he hold on to something like that?
“I like the way you think, Young.” I place the frame carefully back on the dresser, letting my fingers glide over it. “I believe there are two kinds of people in this world. The ones who do everything right, expecting the perfect outcome every time, and those who know better.” I walk across the woven throw rug until I’m standing before him. “You’ve experienced more than your fair share of tragedy, and for you to put your faith in me after all that you’ve gone through, it terrifies me that I’m going to let you down.”
“Just your being here justifies that what I feel for you is strong enough to endure anything.” He softly strokes my arm with his thumb. “I don’t know what’s going to happen a week, a month, a year from now. Life is too unpredictable. I’ve learned that lesson already, and what it’s taught me is to live for the present and let the future take care of itself. I can’t fight fate. But I’ll do everything in my power to keep you in my life because I can’t imagine sharing it with anyone else.”
Wow, that sounded like some kind of impromptu proposal. My knees weaken. We haven’t even known each other that long and he’s already declaring his devotion to me. He sees us as something long term, and while I’d definitely like to get there with him someday, I’m not sure I’m ready for it now. I planned on finishing this internship and moving to the main campus in the fall. Now everything has changed. Is that what I really want? Can I walk away from school and not earn a degree after all of the time and money I invested in my education? Can he really ask that of me so soon?
“Eric…” I begin to voice my concerns but his fingertips trace over my lips silencing my response.
“I knew that tag freaked you out.” He looks down at me through his lashes with an understanding gleam in his eyes.
“No, it’s just…” I really feel I need to explain myself but I can’t find the words.
“We’re in different places in our lives, I know.” He sighs, flopping onto the bed. “Timing has never been my strong suit. I just want to be absolutely clear about how much you mean to me. I’ve laid all my cards out on the table and now it’s up to you to decide what you want to do.”
I drop down next to him, and the feather mattress sinks beneath me as my shoulder brushes his. “I’d love to wake up next to you in this room, in this bed, every day.”
“But?” I watch his lips form the word and it’s like a fist clenching my heart.
“I won’t be here in a couple of weeks.” I know I’m hurting him but I have to be honest with where this heading.
“Running away to California with Will, are you?” He nudges me in the ribs and I lean into his side as his arm goes around me.
“Never in a million years.” I shudder when I realize how stupid I’ve been, wasting so much time on a guy who’s not even worth it. Stupid me for believing that one day he’d come to his senses and become this whole different person. When I compare the intimacy that I’ve established with Eric in such a short span of time versus the years I spent clinging to the idea that Will could change, it makes me sick to think of how I might have thrown my life away on the wrong guy.
“Are you still going to the gala with him?” There’s an edge to Eric’s voice I haven’t heard before. He clearly doesn’t like the notion of sharing me with anyone else.
“I’m driving myself and meeting him there. Lauren is making it a requirement or I’d bail in a heartbeat. Why don’t we make an oath that while we’ll have to tolerate these assholes for the evening, we still promise to at least leave together, even if we have to sneak out?” I hold out my hand for him to shake like it’s a binding contract.
“I’d like nothing more.” He clasps my hand firmly as if his life depended on it. “Let’s say we meet back here around eleven o’clock in case we get separated.”
“Deal.” I cuddle up to his side and breathe in his scent. We still haven’t directly addressed the issue of our future and he seems hesitant to return to the subject. We’re going to have to face it eventually, but for now maybe it’s better to let it drop. We can’t solve all our problems in one night.
“Do you want me to take you back to the dorm? It’s getting late.” He’s rubbing circles across my back. I don’t feel like leaving this bed. I’m totally relaxed. But the ball is in my court; he’s leaving it up to me. I wrestle with myself, unable to make a decision. I’d love to stay here, but my car is in the office lot and I don’t have a change of clothes or anything, not even a toothbrush. I’m dead tired and I could really use some sleep. If I snuggle in his sheets with him, I’ll never get any rest. My hormones will be on overdrive all night. Sometimes I hate doing the right thing, but it looks like this is one of those times.
“On Friday, I’ll make sure to bring a bag with everything I need. So that way, there’s no excuse about having to leave.” I kiss his temple in apology and his hair feels so soft against my lips. What I wouldn’t give for more of this, but I have to be patient. We’re just at the beginning of something wonderful. I can’t have everything I want all at once, no matter how he’s making me feel, but it’s hard pulling myself away from him.
“We’ll pick up where we left off after the gala. I’m looking forward to spending the whole weekend with you, even if we never leave this room.” He licks his lips and I want nothing more than to take him up on his offer.
“You can count on it. I refuse to let Lauren and Will get in our way.” I give him a quick kiss on those delectable lips and hop to my feet. If I indulge in anything more, we’ll never make it to his truck.
Just then I hear a giant yawn. Glancing down, I see Shep sprawled on a doggie bed with his head raised.
“Sorry, Shep. I didn’t mean to wake you.” Strolling over to give him a scratch behind the ears, he licks my hand in gratitude.
“Are you ready?” Eric looks fondly at me from the doorway.
“Yep.” Moving by him, I light up inside when I feel his hand settle on the small of my back as he guides me down the hall. This is where I belong, and somehow I intend to make it happen.
It’s the night of the gala, and while Ivy and I have shared marathon phone conversations every night, I haven’t seen her since I dropped her off at her car on Monday. As I watched her wave to me as she got behind the wheel, something twisted inside, urging me to run after her, like I shouldn’t let her go. Why did I have such a premonition of dread? Maybe it was because a light was still on in the office above. We both have to be on the lookout for any mind games Lauren tries to play. I’d feel much better having Ivy by my side rather than run the risk of some misunderstanding orchestrated by Lauren coming between us.
I receive a text just when I’m about to leave the key to the front door under the mat, in case Ivy beats me here later. My breathing increases as I read the first words.
Don’t worry. I wanted to warn you that Lauren is making Ryan drive me to the gala. It turns out my car suddenly has a flat tire. We’ll have to meet up at your truck instead. Let me know where you’re parked.
I don’t like this, not at all. Did that little punk damage her tire on purpose? Did his stepsister put him up to it? Ivy told me what he said to her in the pizzeria and it made me want to throttle him myself. I don’t know what had me more worked up—the fact that he saw her naked or that he abused her trust. She considered him a friend and he betrayed her. I can’t help but wonder what he’s capable of.
Leaving the gala without anyone tailing us was always going to be difficult; now it’s going to be next to impossible. There’s no way Ivy can stand by my truck and not look conspicuous, especially if I can’t get away and she’s out there for an extended period of time. Someone’s bound to alert Lauren, or Ryan, or any one of her other lackeys. I have to put a stop to this.
Keep your phone on you. It’s too dangerous to wait in the parking lot. I will text you when I can get away and we will leave together.
Even if we have to slink through the shadows, I’d rather have her with me. It’s too risky to meet her where I can’t control the environment. Lauren is trying to win me over. She won’t want to displease me. So it shouldn’t be too hard to keep her occupied as we make our escape.
But there are wildcards involved. Will, for one. It’s possible he’s somehow working with Lauren to keep us apart. He’s probably going to hang on Ivy the entire time. And now Ryan’s been added to the mix, most likely as a spy for his stepsister. He’s pissed that Ivy rejected his advances and he’s liable to do something drastic. He’s running on emotion and that’s usually a lethal ingredient when it comes to revenge.
Okay. I am putting it on vibrate so no one will hear but I’m nervous, Eric.
I am too but I can’t tell her that. She’s depending on me to pull this off and I plan on having her in my bed before the night is over. No one’s going to get in the way of that. Not if I can help it. She’s too damn important to me.
I’ve got everything under control. Just make sure your bag is packed.
I straighten my tie in the mirror…that dreaded blue tie that Lauren brought to my house. If not for this stupid piece of fabric around my neck, we wouldn’t have to be sneaking around like this. It’s like some kind of restraint shackling me to Lauren. I can’t wait to take it off and burn it.
It is. I have to…
The text was sent before Ivy had a chance to finish it. I stare at the screen, willing her to finish her reply, but ten minutes go by and she never does. I hope she didn’t get caught. But she’s smart. She’ll know how to divert any questions about who she was texting. But again, I don’t like it. Something’s going on here that I can’t quite put my finger on.
Just the thought that some malicious plot might be in the works makes me uneasy. I’d like nothing more than to forget about Ivy’s college plans and tell Lauren and her cronies to go screw themselves. Ivy can take some time off and regroup. She can find somewhere else to complete her internship and finish out her degree next semester. She shouldn’t have to be blackmailed into putting up with this bullshit.
I’d gladly let her stay with me until she worked everything out. I’d even help her pay for the remaining credits she has left. For me, it’s not about the money. But I know it means a lot to her to stand on her own two feet. She doesn’t want any handouts. She’s come this far and she wants to complete the journey on her terms. I can’t judge her for that but I refuse to stand back and let some manipulative bitch make her doubt what she feels for me.
There’s one weapon Lauren has in her arsenal that she hasn’t used yet. And it’s the one thing that could drive Ivy away from me if she learns the truth at my expense. In the grand scheme of things it means nothing, but I don’t know how Ivy will perceive it. She’s already devastated by what Ryan confessed to her. This might push her over the edge. And that’s what I’m afraid of.
I should have told her about it earlier but I thought we’d make it through the gala unscathed. I’m beginning to see how foolish I was, thinking I could outmaneuver Lauren. It’d be bad enough if Lauren made her revelation in private, but knowing her she’s probably going to make some kind of public spectacle at the gala, taking everything away from Ivy in one grand gesture. If this gets out, Ivy will never forgive me.
I make a drastic move and call Ivy’s phone. Even if she has it turned off, hopefully she’ll be able to listen to her messages before she arrives at the gala. Her phone rings at least seven times, and right when her voice mail should pick up, it clicks off. I try again three more times—same result. It’s like someone is answering each call, then immediately hanging up. And I don’t think it’s Ivy. My initial foreboding is coming true. Someone has confiscated her phone. There’s no way I’ll be able to reach her now, even at the gala.
Lauren has me right where she wants me, upended and confused. It would give her no greater pleasure than to throw me off my game. I have to stay focused and avert any potential catastrophes in the making. I’m too invested in Ivy to see her humiliated in front of hundreds of people because of what I did. She’ll hate me for sure. But just the fact that it all meant nothing to me makes me simmer with rage.
I charge out of the house, slamming the door behind me. I hear Shep moan from inside the house before he reclaims his perch by the window. It’s pretty bad when even my dog is worried about me. I can’t do anything drastic. I need to be cool and methodical. Judging by the chain of events, it’s likely that Lauren saw me dropping Ivy off Monday night. She works crazy hours. How could I forget? She was probably peering down on us from above, plotting her next move.
Lauren’s used to having everyone fall all over her. She comes from a wealthy family, and she had the job at the
Gazette
waiting for her on a silver platter before she even finished college. Whatever she wants, she gets, and that includes her dealings with men. When she set her sights on me, I knew I was in trouble. She desired nothing more than to be the one who comforted the grieving fiancé in his time of sorrow. It was a public relations dream for her that she could spin any way she liked. All I had to do was shut up and follow her lead. She never thought I’d turn her down.
And that’s when her quest to save me from my loneliness turned into an utter seek-and-destroy mission. If she couldn’t have me, nobody could. No man rejects Lauren Price’s advances and gets away with it, especially one the public reputedly adores. She wasn’t about to swallow her pride and walk away. No, she decided to make it personal, upping the ante on the stakes to win me over. She thought by wearing me down I’d give into her in the end, regardless of the means she employed to get there.
Lauren couldn’t be more wrong. All she succeeded in doing was pushing me even further away from her. She’s the last woman on earth I’d want a serious relationship with. She’s unstable, manipulative, petty, spoiled. I could go on listing her negative attributes, but why bother? She holds the trump card and she knows it. She’s always had me in her pocket since that night when I was weak and vulnerable.
But I can’t think about it now. I have to get to Ivy. Throwing on my suit jacket, I race to my truck. It’s stifling inside and I blast the air conditioner. I just took a shower but I already feel like I need another. Flying down the dirt road, I catch a fleeting glimpse of the house as I round the bend. This is where I hoped to start a new life with Ivy. Tonight was going to be something special for the two of us under that roof. And now, it all might go up in smoke.
I’ve already had the same dream shattered with Cassidy. I refuse to have it happen with Ivy too. I’m as flawed as they come but don’t I deserve a shot at happiness? I think I do and I’m going to fight for it with everything I’ve got. Love conquers all, right? I just hope that’s true.
