“I love whenyoudothat.” My voice is breathless and quick. I place my hands on Holland’s chest, feeling the muscles underneath.
“So good,” I moan out, relishing the slight change in position, my orgasm closer than ever.
I roll my hips, what I need just in reach.
“Come for me, Ivy,” Holland says and it’s all I need. I move my hips faster, the sound of my breath is no match for the beating of my heart. He doesn’t stop touching my clit and I come while I ride him.
“Fuck,” he says as he comes along side me. I love hearing him like this, all out of breath, and full of need.
I clench and shiver around him but my body can’t stop moving. We ride out the end of our climaxes together and I collapse onto his chest. It’s like there’s a string between us and someone pulls it tight.
“Welcome home.” Holland wraps his arm around me and kisses the top of my head.
CHAPTER NINE
Holland
I didn’t expect Ivyto like the rainy season, but she loves to surprise me. November in the Pacific Northwest means you can almost always bet on rain and my girl doesn’t bat an eye, as long as she’s prepared.
“Come on, Slate. Let me zip you up,” she says while corralling the most spoiled dog in the universe into his raincoat. Slate loves it because it means he gets to go outside on a day he’d typically only be allowed to stare out the window.
Ivy stands, clipping Slate’s leash to the back of the coat, and the smile she wears stops me. My city girl, who didn’t bring any shoes other than high heels on her first trip, is beaming over a rainy day. Or maybe it’s seeing Slate in clothes?
Pulling out her phone, she opens her weather app for what I’m guessing is the ninth time since we woke up. Ivy may have acclimated to the outdoors a bit but her need to be prepared, planning for any and all scenarios, hasn’t shifted. I wouldn’t want her any other way.
“We should be good for a forty-minute walk before the rain picks up,” she says while putting her phone back in her pocket. The hood from Ivy’s black jacket is pulled up so she lifts her chin up a little more to catch my eyes—fucking gorgeous.
When she opens the door, Slate’s leash in her hand, I can’t help but laugh at her when Slate pulls and she almost slips in her blush pink boots.
Rain falls onto leaves littering the ground, the pitter patter scratches part of my brain just right. The three of us walk in slow, comfortable silence. If we go too fast, the serenity of the walk will be lost to Slate’s panting and gremlin breathing.
I reach for her free hand and intermingle my gloved fingers with hers. Ivy looks over at me, her eyes like the early sign of spring, green and vibrant. Her cheeks, damp with the rain and pink with cold, bunch as she smiles at me.
My stomach drops and I have to catch my breath. I don’t know if that “is this for real” feeling will ever stop. I hope it doesn’t.
We reach our halfway mark, a look out point, which shows the mountains and trees for miles and miles. It’s like you can see so far into the world. This is one of our favorite places to come and watch the sunset but today it’s nothing but fluffy, gray clouds, heavy with rain.
“Come here, good boy,” I call as I kneel to pick up Slate and hold him to me. I know it makes Ivy nervous to have him on the leash as we get closer to the edge.
Slate rests his head on my shoulder as I hold him to my chest. Ivy steps closer, wrapping her arm around my back and leaning her head on me. Even in the rain, I can make out her smell of lavender.
I close my eyes and breathe in, nice and slow. Rain hits the branches and the pine trees holding onto their needles. Even though it’s a gloomy sort of day, I can still see the light behind the clouds, the sun trying its best. Slate’s heartbeat is quick and I feel his breaths, in and out, as I hold him.
A soothing moment. Just like my sister, Hazel, taught me. I feel Ivy doing the same thing. I catalog this moment between the three of us and file it away in the place I keep many others like it.
“I love the rain,” Ivy’s voice is quiet.
“I know you do.” I look at her before placing a soft kiss on her mouth. She tastes like coffee and sugar.
After cleaning Slate upand leaving him with a blanket straight from the dryer, Ivy and I head to the lodge.
We walk into the front doors and here a squeal before we’re three steps in. Bea runs over, bells from her headband literally jingling, from the front desk and wraps Ivy in a hug, before putting a loud kiss on her wet cheek before shaking Ivy back and forth.
If you made Bea pick between myself, Ivy, and Slate, I’m a little afraid I might come in last. Wouldn’t have it any other way though. It’s nice seeing how Ivy fits in my life.
“It’s so good to see you! You must be freezing. Let’s get you some hot chocolate and lunch.” She talks so quick there isn’t time for Ivy to say anything. Bea puts a hand around Ivy’s arm and starts walking towards the restaurant.
“Hey, Bea,” I say with sarcasm and follow behind.
