Page 59 of Lonely Heart

Ivy’s soft laughter filled the air around us, and she tucked her face into my neck as she wrapped her arms around me. I thought kissing her was the best thing I would experience tonight, but I was wrong.

It was this.

It was having her laughing and cuddling close while I held her in my arms.

“Please don’t die. I’d really like to do that again sometime.”

My body vibrated with laughter, my arms hugging her tighter. “I’m going to do my very best to stick around. If I could get a hundred more years of that, I’m not sure why I’d ever want to leave.”

She hummed, nuzzling her face closer. God, I never realized how good that could feel.

“I know you were the one who struggled to sleep last night, but I get the distinct feeling it’s going to be me who won’t get an ounce of it tonight.”

Ivy pulled back to look up at me. “Why is that?”

“Because I’ll be thinking about you, about the way you kiss and how much I like the way you look. Because I’ll be too busy remembering how good it felt to have this with you tonight. All of it. And I’ll be wishing I had you in my arms, cuddling close to me.”

A slow smile formed on her face. “Well, you are the birthday boy.”

My brows shot up. “And? What does that mean?”

“You do get a birthday wish, don’t you?”

I swallowed hard. “I thought I already got that when you agreed to let me take you out for dinner.”

She shook her head slowly, something warm and seductive washing over her. “I think the date was more about me getting something I’ve needed for a long time. I think what happens next is about you getting something special in return.”

I didn’t want her to feel like this was something she had to do to repay me for taking her out tonight. “Ivy, I don’t?—”

“I want you to stay with me tonight, Marco.” Her eyes held mine, pleading with me. “Please. Come inside and give us both something we’re going to enjoy.”

That look in her eyes.

The way her fingers were pushing in at my chest, like she was afraid I might vanish.

And the feel of her gorgeous body pressed close.

How could I deny her? Deny us?

“Are you sure?”

She stepped out of my hold, pulled out her key, and opened the door. I worried that I’d ruined it, that I’d made her second guess herself, but after she stepped inside and spun around to face me, she allowed her coat to fall from her body.

“I’m going to get very cold if I strip out of this dress while you stay out there,” she said, her voice husky. “But maybe that’s what you want. Maybe you want me to strip myself bare, so I can feel the sting of the cold air before you finally come inside and do something about warming me up.”

No way.

As much as I liked the idea of Ivy stripping for me, there wasn’t a chance I didn’t want to be the one to peel this dress off her the first time I was going to see her naked.

So, I didn’t hesitate.

I stepped forward and closed the door behind me.

The second I flipped the lock, a victorious smile spread across Ivy’s gorgeous face as she stepped out of her shoes and walked toward me.

17

IVY