Page 67 of Lonely Heart

When I walkedinto the hotel Monday morning for work, the reality of my new situation finally hit me.

I’d spent the weekend being caught up in the moment, in what felt good, and simply enjoying Ivy. We had that time, took full advantage of it, and now, it was time to face reality.

Until she told me she was ready to take that step and share the news, we had to find a way to navigate our relationship in these public situations. I had to find a way to be the man I wanted to be for her without risking someone finding out the truth.

It was going to take some practice and a lot of discretion. I just didn’t know how I’d be successful. How could I walk in, see her, and pretend things were the way they’ve always been between us? It seemed an impossibility.

Of course, when I walked in this morning and glanced over at the front desk, she wasn’t there. But I knew she was already at work—I’d seen her car outside.

I could have walked right through the hotel and out to the villas, but that wasn’t an option on a day like today. So, I strode over to the front desk, saw Toby, and asked, “Hey, Toby. Is Ivy around?”

“Hi, Marco. Um, yeah, I think she’s in her office.”

I gave him a quick nod. “Thanks. I’m just going to run back to talk to her about something before I head out to work on the villas.”

“Okay.”

There was no reason for Toby to give me a strange or questioning look, but there was a part of me that had been waiting for it. I shouldn’t have been, considering I hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary. If this reaction was any indication of what it was going to be like, I didn’t think it’d take long for me to feel like I was losing my mind.

I shook the thoughts from my head as I approached Ivy’s private office. Her door was open, and she was busy concentrating on some paperwork in front of her. I gave myself a moment to just watch her, to give my heart a chance to settle at the mere sight of her.

Eventually, I lifted my hand and tapped a knuckle against the door. She gasped, her head snapping up as her hand flew to her chest. “Oh, God, you scared me.” Without even hesitating, she pushed her chair back and came out from behind her desk. “Good morning.”

My pants were immediately growing tight across the groin. This woman, whether she knew it or not, looked stunning in anything she wore. She could have been in sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt, and I’d still find her attractive. But there was something about seeing her in her professional clothes that justdid it for me. Today, she was wearing a dark purple pencil skirt that hugged her curves perfectly with a satin ivory blouse. She was utter perfection.

“I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Ivy stopped just a couple of feet in front of me. “That’s alright. Are you just now getting here? This is late for you.”

I nodded. “I know. But I had something I needed to take care of this morning.”

“Oh. Is everything okay?”

I grinned. “It is.”

“What’s that look for?”

Lifting the plain brown bag I’d carried in, I said, “This is for you.”

Confusion washed over her. “Me? What is it?”

Ivy curled her fingers around the handle and took the bag from me. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Princess.”

Her eyes shot to mine, her lips parting in shock. “It’s… I didn’t… Oh my God.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I forgot. I didn’t even realize it was Valentine’s Day. Oh, I’m the worst.”

“You are not. Look inside. It’s just a little something special I wanted to do for you.”

Ivy seemed torn between wanting to be happy and feeling horrible for having forgotten the holiday. It was completely unnecessary, because I wasn’t looking for anything other than to see her happy about getting what she deserved on a day like today.

She finally pulled the handles apart and looked inside the bag. The single rose I’d gotten for her was the first thing she noticed, quickly pulling it out and lifting it to her nose. “Oh, it smells wonderful. This was so sweet of you to do.” Ivy turned and placed the rose on her desk before reaching into the bagagain. When she pulled out what was inside, her eyes widened. “Did you get me chocolate-covered cheesecake bites?”

It was like I’d made all her wildest dreams come true.

Laughter spilled out of me. “I did.”