Page 74 of Clint & Ivy
Though Ivy’s eyes warmed with affection, she was also watching me like I might be a problem.
“I want to do fun stuff.”
“Okay. But only if the doctor said it’s safe.”
“No.”
Feeling like I was catching her in a lie, I asked, “Because hedidn’tsay it was safe?”
“No, because you should care about whatIwant and not what the doctor said.”
“What if we’re doing something fun and you get sick?” I asked and stepped closer. My fingers reached for her cheek, but Ivy pushed them away. “What?”
“You’re trying to trick me.”
“No, I’m seducing you. It’s different.”
“Not really. I want to have fun. I want to go places and meet people. I also want to have sex and try to have a baby eventually. I want to be normal.”
“We’ll make a deal. I won’t lock you away if you promise you’ll be honest when you feel tired or overwhelmed.”
“I’m always overwhelmed. I’ve been stuck in a house for most of my life. That can’t be a reason for you to shut things down.”
“We can discuss things when they come up. But I need you to be honest.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about your stabbing?” Ivy demanded, refusing to be distracted by my soft fingers.
Her stubbornness made me smile. I wasn’t sure I could handle a submissive soulmate. Her hiding behind me all the time would have gotten old quickly. I would have learned to deal with it since Ivy was mine. But I was relieved to see her fire.
“I forgot about the stabbing,” I said and very deliberately reached for her cheek. “We never got a chance for you to explore my tattoos, let alone my scars. That can be our goal for tonight.”
A smile warmed Ivy’s face as she imagined us back at the condo, fooling around and getting to know each other.
“The doctor said I could live a normal life,” Ivy said as I stroked her cheek. “I’m not looking to run marathons or get into MMA fighting. I just want to spend time naked with you and ride on your motorcycle and be a mom one day.”
“Will you show me your scar?” I asked as she rested her cheek in my palm. Ivy stared hard at me, considering my words. “I’m showing you mine tonight.”
“I have birth control.”
“Let’s take our time getting to that moment. There’s only one first time. We have the rest of our lives to spend naked.”
“Promise?” she asked, shuffling closer until her hands were on my chest. “I want to believe you can see my ugly scars and still want me.”
“Your scars can’t affect what’s happening between us, just like my scars won’t turn you off.”
“Your biker lifestyle does scare me. I don’t really understand it. But I know even if I hear a lot of frightening things, nothing will change how I feel about you.”
Ivy’s words held a different tone this afternoon. Facing her health issues empowered her, even if they scared the shit out of me.
