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“No,” Antonio growled from the table. “Kat’s retired, and she will not work for the CIA again, or I’ll tie her ass to the bed.”
Kat winked at Ivy and me before she turned to her husband. “I’ve been a bad girl, sir.”
“You, my dear, will be the death of me.” He crossed the room and lifted Kat into his arms. “I seem to have to remind my wife of our prior conversation. Also, I have some calls out regarding the mob issue.”
He turned toward Zack. “Put the groceries away.”
With that, Antonio left, smacking his wife on the ass.
I reached into the first bag and pulled out the milk.
Zack pushed me to the side. “You heard the man. I’m on grocery duty.”
Ivy shook her head. “Mr. President, we can’t possibly make you put groceries away.”
Zack’s laugh filled the kitchen. “First, drop the title. I’m just an unemployed man trying to help out a friend. Second, Antonio gets pissy when I bring up the CIA, so this is his way of saying ‘fuck you.’ I owe that man more than anyone knows. So, you two go enjoy the night. I got this.”
“She won’t ship gators here, right? That was a joke,” I asked.
Zack emptied one of the bag’s contents to the counter before he answered. “I would say there is a fifty-fifty chance you’ll have gators by the end of the week. Only thing that might be on your side is the weather. It gets too cold here, but then again she bought Patty a tiger for a wedding present.”
Ivy pressed her hand to my forearm. “I don’t treat alligators or tigers. Hell, I don’t, take bears and lions, either.”
I still felt uncomfortable with Zack putting away the groceries. I grabbed a couple of cans and walked to the pantry. “How do you like it here?”
Zack narrowed his eyes. “Don’t think I missed how you’re striking up a conversation to help me put away the food.” He placed the lettuce in the fridge before he turned toward me. “I like it here. My family has a place in the Virginia mountains, but I spend most of my time in Florida with my brother Zane. This is a pleasant change. I know our group can be a lot, but we all want what’s best for everyone. Once Kat considers you a friend, she will do anything to protect you. I wasn't joking about President Walter’s call. Kat was the best the CIA had.”
“Wow!” Ivy said. “It’s like we walked into a movie or something. I don’t want them spending time on something I can handle.”
Zack rested his hip against the counter and stared Ivy down. “You don’t have to take the world on alone. When people offer to help, take it. With that being said, you guys let me handle this and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, Zack.” I grabbed Ivy’s hand and tugged her down the hall toward the master bedroom. I pushed the door open and pulled her in. It took a second for everything to hit. She hadn’t been to this house since we were seventeen. Back then, she’d spent more time over at my place than her own.
Ivy stepped to the side, her arms crossed over her chest. She had a stubborn streak that would rival my thirteen-year-old basset hound. I missed what she said because my thoughts were on her chest, heaving up and down. I raised my eyes and focused on her lips. Fuck, now all I could pictured were her lips wrapped around my cock.
Ivy took two steps toward me and pushed her finger into the center of my chest. “Sam, when you are going to learn shit can’t always be your way? I’m not even sure how you talked me into coming here, but I have no clothes, and I know this is the master.”
I flexed my fingers to stop myself from reaching out and touching her. For thirty years, I could ignore my feelings for this woman, and now it was like the floodgates to my heart had opened.
“I wasn’t expecting Antonio to bring an entourage. All the rooms are full. So you can take my bed, and I’ll go sleep on the couch. As for clothes, wear something of mine, and I can run you by your house in the morning.”
Ivy sighed. “Can I have the ring back?”
“No.” I had no intention of letting her sell the one piece of jewelry I knew meant the world to her. If I was a betting man, I would bet my ranch she’d never worn it since her grandma handed it to her. The only reason I knew about it was from a photo she’d shown me of her grandmother.
She stamped her foot.
Maybe Antonio had a point about throwing his wife over his shoulder and smacking her ass. I wouldn’t mind running my hand over Ivy’s ass and seeing it turn red.
“You have no right.” Her voice cracked.
“Ivy, I promise we will work this out. Unlike before, we can talk through things. You don’t always have to do everything on your own.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Talk what out? If my memory serves me right, you walked away from me with no call. You jumped on a bus to join the Navy. You didn’t return a single one of my letters, but you corresponded with Angie. She filled me in about how close you two were getting during boot camp.”
Angie had been the only person I could talk to, and the damn woman capitalized on my grief. I was young, dumb, and hurt.
“Well, you were the one who got an abortion without talking to me.”
“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
I rolled my eyes. “No point in denying it. I saw you leave the clinic.”
“Abortion—” Ivy paused, and her face went pale. “It’s best you leave the room or show me where to go, because you’re the last person I want to see or speak to at the moment.”
Part of me wanted to say no, especially when I caught sight of the tear in her eye. I should’ve kept my mouth shut, but thirty years later, I still wanted answers. In hindsight, I should have demanded them the day I saw her at the clinic.
Ivy pushed at my chest. “Leave, Sam.”
She shoved me out of the bedroom and slammed the door in my face. A sob broke out on the other side of the door.
