Well, damn. Caught red handed. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest refusing to feel regret for what he’d done. “You’re the one who told him to go.”
“Because I didn’t want you to pulverize him and get blood on the carpet! Do you know how much Gabe would charge for that?”
“Hope is looking for any excuse to change these carpets. She’d have thanked me.”
Ivy blew out a breath, anger flushing her pale skin. So pretty, even when her ice-blue eyes were flashing daggers at him.
“Are you going to see him again?” Where had that come from? He didn’t want to know the answer to that, and yet the words had left his mouth.
It was Ivy’s turn to cross her arms. They stood toe-to-toe in their defensive positions.
“That,” she huffed, “is none of your business. “And so what if I do? What do you care? You’re the one who said you weren’t interested in being with me.”
“I said I wasn’t interested in being a friend with benefits,” he returned evenly, gauging her reaction.
Her eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed with doubt, before finally shuttering, a visible wall going up against the truth he was trying to tell her. His frustration flickered back to life.
“Well, friends with benefits is all I can give right now,” she offered shakily. “And Greg is a willing participant in that, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t threaten to manhandle him next time I have an actual chance of having a decent guy wanting to spend the night with me.”
Sean kept his expression fixed. This wasn’t the time to tell her he thought her little fuck-buddy plan was a total crock of shit. She was already mad as it was. But hell, a woman like Ivy deserved to be worshipped. It was criminal that she’d consider settling for less.
“Is that what you want, then? A meaningless fling with an over-sexed gym shark?”
Ivy shrugged. “Maybe I just want to feel normal. Desirable.” Her voice was hushed, and for a second, she reminded him of the vulnerable, broken woman who’d come to his gym three years ago.
“Ivy.” Her name came out of him softly, like a breath of air. He hated when she said shit like that. How could she not feel desirable when she was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen, not to mention the most determined person he’d ever met. Everything about her called to him, and he’d spent every year they’d shared fighting his feelings because even though he didn’t know exactly what had happened to her, he knew something bad had, and he didn’t want to overstep her boundaries. He cared about her too much.
But those boundaries had blurred lately. There wasn’t a label for what they were to each other. He only knew their connection was precious, and he didn’t want to destroy it.
Her out-of-the-blue determination to take on a casual lover had blindsided him. A hit out of left field, which at first he hadn’t understood, but now he saw the truth in her shattered eyes.
She was terrified, and this ludicrous plan of hers was a misguided attempt at finding something before she lost it completely.
Sean stroked the sides of her arms, certain that the shiver that ran along her skin wherever he touched was similar to the one that was racking his own flesh, sending heat to every part of his body.
Christ, how could this stunning woman not think she was desirable? People stared at her wherever she went. He was constantly noticing when someone checked her out. How could she not?
Slowly, he ran his hands up and over the curve of her shoulders and neck, until he cradled her face in his palms, tilting her chin up so her gaze met his. For a moment, all he could do was look at her, holding eye contact long enough that it should have been uncomfortable, but knowing it never would be with her.
Everything. Her eyes were everything to him. As long as he could look into them, he could stay anchored—while everything that had come before, and everything that might come after, was a blur around them.
Sean watched closely as Ivy’s pupils dilated until they almost obscured her ice-blue irises. Her mouth parted slightly, and she drew in a breath like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. When her tongue darted out to run along her upper lip, he gave in to the pull that constantly tugged between them and brought his head down to hers.
CHAPTERSEVEN
Heat exploded through Ivy the second Sean’s lips touched hers. How she could be so mad and so turned on at the same time? She had no idea, but it was happening.
When Sean had barreled out of his apartment like an overprotective alpha, she’d been furious. Her evening with Greg had been pleasant. He’d been sweet, and funny, and casual with ano expectationsvibe. Exactly the kind of thing she’d been after. She’d been fully prepared to invite him in—and then he’d leaned down to kiss her, and immediately the recognizable chill of panic had crawled up her spine and taken hold. For long seconds, she stood frozen, her brain knowing exactly what it should do, and her body betraying her by doing absolutely nothing. A horrifically familiar scenario.
Then Sean had appeared, killing her fear instantaneously and replacing it with the equally familiar burn of fury.
The man had some nerve standing off with Greg, especially after he’d explicitly turned her down not that long ago. He had no right to scare away her dates—even if his timing had been impeccable. He’d saved her from embarrassing herself by having a full panic attack in front of Greg.
But where was hesitation now? With Sean’s lips pressed possessively against hers, she only felt need, and a surge of heat that pooled low in her belly.
The way his lips worked their way mercilessly against hers made her feel desirable. Which in turn made her feel strong. Like she was the reason this beast of a man was moaning against her mouth, like he was losing himself in the mere taste of her.
Unable to stop herself, Ivy ran her hands up the rippled length of his torso and wrapped them around his neck, opening her mouth to deepen the kiss. Inviting him in.
