Page 317 of Screwged for Christmas

“Sorry, Ivy Sunday.” He placed his brush on the window seal and tipped her chin up with a gentle touch. “That day. When you left. It was hard for both of us.” He tried to work the guilt out of his voice but didn’t feel all that successful.

There were days he’d wanted to hop in his truck and drive until he found her and find some way to convince her he could be everything she needed.

Her happiness meant more to him though, even if it didn’t include him. Then as it did now.

Never had the need to reach out and pull her into his embrace taken over him as it did this very moment. The need to tell her how much she meant to him, to make sure she knew she wasn’t alone.

“Ivy… I…” Should he be blunt? The words were there, ready to fall between them. But one look at her and he sealed his lips.

Infuriating when she looked at him with so much tenderness, expecting something—anything—from him. But what he had to say could ruin the moment and he didn’t want his time with her to end.

“Yes, Aspen?” Her eyes held him captive. Inches from him and her sweet scent brought with it fond memories so fast and thick they nearly choked him with the wish to turn back the clock.

Hearing his name slip from her lips pulled a realization he’d buried for far too long.

He’d never stopped loving his angel.

Maybe Kade was right. He’d been a fool for letting her go, but could he watch her walk out of his life again without letting her know how much she meant to him? Fuck no. She wasn’t leaving. Period. He would move whatever stood in his way to make sure of it.

“Chief.”

Reality burst through their tiny bubble like a frigid blizzard. Of all the times. He didn’t know if he felt relief or irritation. Or a little of both.

He snatched up his two-way. “Go ahead, Kade.”

Ivy’s gaze dipped to where the paints were at their feet. “Mrs. December phoned in. Said to let you know not to worry about coming to her place. She said the girls got an early start on the baking, but from all the laughing and cutting up, if you ask me, they got started on the wine first.”

“Oh man, I totally forgot.” Ivy stopped dead in the middle of the room. Eyes wide, she cupped her hands over her mouth and managed to catch the side of her face with the tips of her paintbrush. He smiled.

“No problem. Thanks for letting me know.”

He took his time hooking his radio to his belt before he crossed the room to her. She still stood stalk-still, guilt causing her nose to scrunch up the way it used to in high school. Thank God some things never changed.

He pulled a rag from his back pocket and dabbed at the wet paint on her cheek.

“Sometimes I should not be allowed near wet paint.”

“You look cute with all the little droplets in your hair, too. It’s like tiny snowflakes and speaking of snowflakes,” he grinned down at her, “I have an idea. Do you still like the snow?”

Her eyes narrowed which only made him want to laugh, but he didn’t. Instead, he held his hands up in defense and succumbed to the power of her daring look. “You said no candles, table, wine and along that line. Right?”

“A little late for that after this morning.”

“True, but I still feel the need to show you a good time after taking such daring advantage of your lack of clothing this morning. This has none of those things so you are bound by the power of a promise to oblige the chief.”

“Chief, huh?” He loved the curl of her lips. How she tried to fight the smile.

“If it helps, I’ll say please,” he added to help his own cause, moving a strand of hair away from her face.

“Well, what exactly does the chief have in mind?”

God, he loved how she pushed him to the line.

Her words were softly spoken, but curiosity filled every syllable and her eyes gave her away too. They always had. If you wanted to know what Ivy Sunday thought or felt all you had to do was look closely. Her eyes never lied. It is what he loved about her. So honest, never hiding a thing. Whether she meant to or not.

He took her hand. “Follow me, baby. You’re going to love this. That is unless you want to stay here and I fuck you in all the rooms before guests arrive.”

he got the gasp of surprise he’d aimed for with another tinge of heat to her cheeks.

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