Page 68 of Lust

She just smiles at me. “I wear a bikini most of summer, if that influences your choice?” her mouth goes to my ear. “Including at the track.”

My hands are still on her ass, gripping it and standing up, holding her weight, even with my bad shoulder, I flip her on to her back, her body sinking into the mattress.

Standing in between her legs, “Darling when you are serious about it, we’ll decide together.” Her top had ridden up, and I kiss her flat stomach. And a thought goes through my head. I can’t wait till it is round, with my child. And that thought stuns me because it is the first time ever I had even thought about my own children.

“You okay babe?” Ivory says, going up on her elbows, looking at me. She frowns for a second, as I just stare at her, after shocking myself with my own thoughts. “More importantly, are we okay? I know I fucked up doubting you.”

I just blink and shake my head. “I made you have that doubt darling.”

“Still, I should have known you would handle it.” She doesn’t drop the subject. “But we can move past it right?” She adds.

“Depends. Is this friends with benefits shit over?”

She smirks. “I thought I made that clear when I said I’m yours.”

She says it but I don’t believe her because I know I’ll fuck us up, like I did last time. If there is one thing I can count on, it is fucking things up. But then the thought of her with my child goes through my head again and I begin to think—what if I didn’t fuck us up. What if I got us right? What if I didn’t let her go this time.

The lengths I’ll go to keep her runs through my head. And I realized now. I wouldn’t let her go, even if it was in her best interest—I’m a selfish bastard and that would be her downfall. Because when I love, I choke things whether that be people or anything I love I choke it to death—never knowing the balance of love and space.

And I know one thing, as Ivory lays in front of me. I’m not letting her go.

46

Ivory

Kace’s hand run down my bare back, and I’m curled into his side, under the blankets. My leg linked over his legs. He has one arm under his head, and every time I glance at him, I see him staring at me. I just grin, when I catch him. It’s like he is expecting me to disappear. A part from I’m in his arm, glued to his side and have no plans on moving for the rest of the night.

“How long are you planning on staying here?” I ask, my fingers tracing his chest tattoo. I always found myself tracing the space in his chest piece. I glance at him, seeing a frown.

“How long are you?”

“I need to get a new place. I can’t go back to my apartment block. They sold my unit.”

“Yeah well I was crashing with Nash before Gabe came looking for me.”

I sighed. “I really need to apartment hunt. I can’t keep crashing here and now I have Bell.”

“I’m organizing a place for Bell.” Kace says so casually. And for some reason I’m not jealous of Kace and Bell’s relationship because I saw what Kace saw. A young woman that was used and abused.

“I was thinking of one of Gabe’s units. He had bought a stack of them after his win.” I’m still tracing Kace’s chest but feel him go tight. I glance up at him. Seeing a tight expression.

“I don’t want her owing your brother.”

I frown at that. “Okay?”

“Like I said, I’ll handle it.” Kace’s fingers stop on my back. “Ivory?”

“Mm?” I’m still thinking of Kace buying a place for Bell.

“Is it too soon for us to move in together.” And now it is my turn for my hand to freeze on his chest.

My expression drops and I’m hoping he didn’t see it.

“Too soon?” He questions.

I sighed and pulled away from him, sitting up. Gripping the sheet to my bare chest. “Kace. moving in is a big deal. We have only been back together for a few hours.”

Kace sits up, his arm still around my back. “Come on Ivory, we both need somewhere to stay. Can’t keep crashing with your sister.”