Page 27 of Ivy

Peaches stands there looking unsure of herself. She’s still worried that she won’t fit in with my family, but they won’t care what she’s wearing. They are as laid back as they come.

“Damn, you are beautiful,” I say with conviction. I look her up and down, taking in every inch of my girl.

She’s wearing a navy dress that cups her perfect curves like it was made for her. It stops mid-thigh with a small ruffle-type-thing that starts at her hip and travels down across the bottom of the dress. Her tights have little patterns on them, and her boots look sexy as fuck—some kind of ankle-wedge-type shoes. Hell, even with three sisters I still don’t get women’s fashion.

I walk over to her, take her face in my hands, and kiss the shit out of her, even with Carter in the room. He needs to get used to seeing us kiss and holding each other, not that he’s complained so far. He’s a pretty good kid.

“You look stunning, babe,” I admit. Ivy gives me a shy smile, and I can’t stop myself from kissing her again. A gagging sound comes from behind me, and I chuckle against her lips.

“Do I look okay?” she asks me.

“Do you look okay? Baby, you are fucking breath-taking. I’m going to have to beat the shit out of the other men there at the party tonight.” She slaps my arm and laughs at me. She thinks I’m joking. Fuck, I know what horny men can be like, hell, I’m one of them.

“Shut it, Beast. I’m the one that’s going to be jealous of all the women who are going to be vying for your attention.” I quirk my pierced eyebrow at her. Carter comes to stand next to us and we look down at him.

“Luke is right, Mum. All the boys are going to be looking at you. I’m lucky to have a beautiful Mum, but you have nothing to worry about. I have a pretty awesome step-dad that will kick their arses if they look at you.” He shrugs, like he didn’t just swear in front of me.

“Language!” both Ivy and I say at the same time.

“But you just swore a few times,” Carter states. He’s right: I did swear a few times. I kneel down to Carter’s level and look him dead in the eyes.

“How old are you?”

“Six.”

“Six. Well, Carter, my boy, I am thirty, so that gives me the right to say and do whatever I want, but that doesn't mean my words or actions don’t have consequences. So, you need to be careful with what you say and do. Words can hurt people just as much as actions can. Now, I want you to think about what your mum feels every time you swear. She doesn’t like it, does she?” Carter shakes his head. “Nope, she doesn’t. Now, you are going to not use that language around Mum again, okay.” I ruffle Carter’s hair and stand up. “Now, go and get your coat.”

“Thank you,” she whispers, and leans in to kiss my cheek. I shake my head at her.

“No need, baby. Every boy needs a good male role model in his life. Well, now he has a few of us. You have done an amazing job with him. You should be fucking proud of what you have achieved with him. Even with a prick of a father, he is still a gentleman.” Her eyes fill with tears, but she blinks a few times, trying to stop them from falling.

“God, Luke Baker, you always know the right thing to say.”

I chuckle and lean in to kiss her lips. “That’s what I’m here for—to make sure you know that you are perfect in every-fucking-way, including the little sounds you make when I’m deep inside that peachy pussy.” I wink at her and step away before I take her against the wall, leaving Carter no choice but to seek therapy for the rest of his life.

“Carter, let’s go,” I yell, taking Ivy’s hand as I walk her over to the door. I help her into her coat as Carter comes barreling around the corner.

*****

My grandmother’s party is being held at the Oak Tree Hotel, just south of Bell Harbour. She has always liked it here, so my parents thought it was fitting to hold her party here. My nan is ninety-years-old and has the mind of a twenty-year-old. She hates to be called ‘old’, and will bite your head off if you call her an ‘old lady’.

I place my hand on the small of Ivy’s back and hold Carter’s hand. I catch a glimpse of us in a mirror, and we look like a proper family. I smile at the thought. I know that Carter already has a father, but I would love for him to call me ‘Dad’ one day, because I know I will be more of a dad to him than the biological dick that helped make him.I would die for this kid.

“Luke. Oh, honey, you look handsome.” My mother's voice comes from across the room. I smile at her as she closes the gap between us. Peaches tenses beside me, but I pull her tighter into me for reassurance that she will be fine.

“Hey, Mum.” I step away from Ivy and Carter and give my mum a hug and kiss her cheek. We are a very huggy family. My grandfather’s fault. He believed that giving family hugs, or even a handshake, meant more than words. Old way, I guess. I step back and see my father walking towards us, smiling.

“Mum, Dad, this is Ivy, my girlfriend, and her son, Carter. Guys, these are my parents, Pam and Gary.” Mum’s face lights up and she practically throws herself at Ivy and hugs her. Ivy looks at me from the corner of her eye, pleading with me to help her.

“Mum, let her breathe.”

“Oh, God. I am so sorry, honey. But look at you. Oh, you are bloody beautiful, isn’t she, Gary?”

“That she is, sweetheart. Our boy did good.” Dad offers a smile before looking down at Carter. “Nice to meet you, young man.”

“Hi,” Carter say’s shyly, and hides a little behind my body. I pat his head.

“Oh, and you are a handsome young man. Do you like playing on the Playbox things?” Mum asks Carter, who looks horrified that she just mixed up two completely different consoles.

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