“Don’t say anything to Finn,” I blurt.
She waves me off. “Of course not, it’s not my business. I want to see Ivy happy.”
“Nothing is really going on between us,” I admit, because it’s not. We fooled around for the first time today since our one-night stand. “I don’t think Ivy is ready to commit to anything right now, and I understand.”
Daisy flashes me a small smile before she grips my shoulder gently. “She’ll come around soon, give her some time. She knows what she wants, and she’ll take her time admitting it. She’s not the type of girl to rush into things.”
“I know,” I admit.
Daisy leaves me by myself and walks to a group of people I haven’t met before. I take another sip and grimace at the taste of my drink. Too damn strong.
I spot Ivy sitting alone by the fire, staring endlessly into the flames.
I don’t think about my next move, I head straight towards her.
When I stand beside her, she doesn’t notice me. “Deep in thought, are we?” I ask playfully. She snaps her gaze to mine, and I drink in that breathtaking face. “Dwelling over my text?”
“No,” she grumbles, but her heated skin is a dead giveaway.
“Sure, sure.”
Ivy rolls her lips together and then closes her eyes.
“I meant what I said,” I say slowly. “Every word of it.”
She stands up from the log so quickly that I take a step backwards. “JJ, we can’t?—”
“Can’t what?” I cut over her. I already know where her sentence is heading. “Can’t continue? Because every time I come onto you, you can’t resist. Then you push me away.”
Those wary green eyes drag to mine, and she wraps herself up in her arms, a way of protecting herself from her own vulnerability.
“Wanting something and being able to have it are two completely different things.” She sighs, her expression dropping to a look of desolation. “And in this case, I can’t do it again.”
“Because of Finn?”
Ivy’s watery eyes find mine. “Yes.”
“Maybe you need to take control of your own choices, Ivy, rather than letting others dictate what you can and can’t do. Otherwise, you’ll live a very unhappy life, and I know that’s not what you want.”
Her lip wobbles slightly.
“Think about it,” I say. “I’m not rushing you into anything.”
When she says nothing more, I simply walk away.
I know she knows what she wants. I want her to admit it out loud because I know she’s capable of doing so. I want her to prove it to herself first, rather than carrying around the guilt she doesn’t deserve.
CHAPTER 32
IVY THOMPSON
JJ’s voice has been on repeat in my head for the last two days.
Maybe you need to take control of your own choices, Ivy, rather than letting others dictate what you can and can’t do.
Deep down, I know he’s right. I can’t keep living my life by Finn’s rulebook, but we both know he’s not going to be happy. Hell, after Ben, if he caught me with one of his friends again, he’d start throwing fists. Even if he trusts JJ.
Once upon a time, he trusted Ben, too.
