Page 58 of Recovering Ivy

“It’s not your job to clean up after the guys. I have a cleaning crew,” he informed me.

“Well, they suck at throwing away old food. Besides, I’m bored, and I don’t mind pitching in.”

His hand went to my lower back before he caressed my ass. The food was forgotten, and I stood to face him.

“Sorry we’re here on a Saturday.” He closed the refrigerator and pushed my back against it, caging me in. “I’ll only be a few hours, then we’ll get out of here and I promise to make it up to you.”

This morning when he told me we had to come to the office I didn’t bother protesting. After seeing my mother yesterday, I didn’t want to take the chance of another run in, especially after what she said about Forester wanting me. We still hadn’t fully discussed what she’d said, and I didn’t want to. I wanted to pretend Sarah hadn’t swooped in and shattered my heart again.

“I understand. You have to work,” I told him.

“I’d rather be home, alone with you.” His mouth lowered to mine and, just like every time he touched me, it hit me like a tornado. My heart thundered, and my mind was lost in the whirlwind of emotion. I thought I’d been doing alright strolling through life, but after the first time Zane kissed me, I realized I spent my life numb and unfeeling. “I love your mouth. You taste like heaven,” he whispered against my lips. “You’re dangerous, Ivy. You make me want to forget the world and get lost in you.”

My pounding heart skipped a few beats before it resumed the fast rhythm. I wanted Zane to see me, the real me, not the trash my mother had convinced me I was.

“I feel the same way. I feel alive when you’re near. For the first time in my life I feel something other than defeat. I’m scared.”

“What scares you?” he asked, not taking his hands from my hair where he’d tangled his fingers through the strands.

“You. Us. Disappointing you. You figuring out I’m not worth it and leaving me. Falling in love with you.”

“I need you to open your eyes and look at me.” I hadn’t realized I closed them, and now I was afraid to open them. When I did, Zane’s face was free of the social mask he normally wore. “Together, we’ll figure this out.” He pulled his right hand out of my hair and grabbed my hands. Bringing them to his chest, he held our intertwined fingers over his heart. “Honest to God, I’ve never felt anything close to what I feel when I’m with you. When I touch you, Ivy, everything makes sense. When I touch my lips to yours the demons quiet, and when I slide inside of you… Jesus… my heart finally beats. I’m fucking crazy about you. Relax, and let’s enjoy where we're going. Just let it happen.” His hand tightened and he dropped his forehead to mine. “Fall in love with me, baby. I’ll catch you.”

“It’s a long fall, Zane. I’m scared I’ll never recover if you’re not waiting for me,” I admitted.

“I’m waiting. Take a chance. Go big or go home, sweetheart. We can do this.”

This was it, I had to jump. Take a chance and believe Zane would be there.

“My ride or die, huh?”

“Ride or die, sweets. I’ve got you.”

“I’m ready,” I whispered and came up on my tiptoes so I could reach his mouth. “Please catch me.”

He didn’t answer verbally. Instead, he took my mouth in one of his sin-soaked kisses that made my knees weak. It was a good thing he was holding me up, because I was ready to melt into a puddle of lust on the floor in the kitchenette.

A throat was cleared and Zane broke the kiss and took a breath.

“What?”

“Sorry to interrupt, but Olivia and Violet are here to see Ivy,” Garrett said from the doorway.

Now it was my turn to ask, “What?”

“Fuck me,” Zane muttered. “I can tell them to leave if you don’t want to meet them.”

“Why are they here?” I asked.

“Because they’re nosey…” Zane let the statement hang before he continued. “Because I’m sure Leo and Jaxon called their women and told them about you and they’re curious. I wish I could warn you away from them, but the truth is they’re good women. Except Loose Lips, she still has some shit to make up for, namely calling me cute.”

“I said your dimples were cute, asswipe,” a woman said.

“Nice.” Zane chuckled before he looked over his shoulder. “Glad to see you’re finally coming out of your shell, Violet.”

“Well, I figure if you get to have a nickname for me, I should have one for you. Asswipe seems fitting. Though I will admit I had plenty of more colorful ones for you when we first met.”

Zane laughed and turned, tucking me into his side.