Page 34 of Unwrapped

I let her words hang in the air for a moment before I close the gap between us, pressing my lips to hers in a soft, teasing kiss. Her response is immediate, her hands coming up to rest against my chest as she kisses me back, but there’s a hesitation there—a nervousness that I don’t want to ignore.

When I pull back, her eyes are wide, her cheeks flushed. “Ivy,” I say quietly, “you know this is more than just business, right?”

She nods, biting her lip as she looks up at me. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“So,” I say slowly, stepping back slightly to give her some space. “You’re worried that mixing business and… whatever this is will make things complicated?”

She nods, still not meeting my eyes. “Yeah. Honestly we haven’t even defined what ‘this’ is, and now we’re talking about going into business together. And I know I said I didn’t need to define it, that I was happy to just see where it takes us, but I’m worried. It’s a lot.”

I uncross my arms, pushing off the desk and stepping closer to her again. I reach out, tilting her chin up so she has to look at me. “Okay,” I say softly, “then let’s define it.”

Her eyes widen, and I can see the way her pulse quickens at the base of her throat. “Define it?”

“Yeah.” I give her a small smile, trying to ease the tension. “If it makes you feel better, I’m happy to define it. What do you want this to be, Ivy?”

She hesitates, biting her lip as if she’s afraid to say the words out loud. I wait, giving her time, but inside, my heart is pounding. I need to know what she wants, because if she’s feeling anything like what I’m feeling, then we’re on the same page.

Finally, she speaks, her voice barely more than a whisper. “I want… I want it to be real. I want it to be just you. I don’t want to be part of your world, Asher. I just want to be part of you.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest, and I realize how much I needed to hear them. I close the distance between us again, cupping her face in my hands. “Ivy, I don’t care about the world I come from. I only care about you. I want it to be just us too.”

Relief washes over her face, and I press my forehead against hers, my thumbs brushing gently over her cheeks. “No more wondering what this is,” I murmur, kissing her softly. “It’s real, Ivy. It’s just us. I’m yours and you’re mine.”

She kisses me back, and this time, there’s no hesitation. No nerves. Just us.

When we finally pull apart, she’s smiling, and I can’t help but smile back. “Now,” I say, stepping back and motioning toward the folder on my desk, “let’s talk business. You said you wanted to move forward with the investment?”

Ivy nods, her expression shifting into something more serious as she straightens and looks toward the folder I’d set on my desk earlier. “Yeah,” she says, “Tessa and I talked about it, and we both think it’s the right move. We want to move forward with the investment.”

Her words are confident, but I can see the slight tremor in her hands, the way she’s trying to stay composed. This is a big step for her—and for us. I admire how she’s balancing the personal with the professional, even if it feels a little delicate.

I pick up the folder, flipping it open and skimming the documents she’s laid out. My mind flickers back to how we first started talking about this. I wanted to help, of course, but the more we’ve talked, the more I’ve seen the potential in what she and Tessa are building. It’s not just about supportingIvy anymore—though that’s a big part of it—it’s about building something amazing together. And I’m all in.

“That’s great news,” I say, setting the folder back down and meeting her eyes. “You two are going to kill it. And you know I’m here to help every step of the way. Whatever you need.”

Ivy smiles, her nerves seemingly melting away. “Thank you, Asher. I mean that. This feels… right.”

I take a step closer, reaching out to touch her arm. “It is right. You and Tessa have worked hard for this, and now you’re about to make it happen. I’m just lucky to be part of it.”

Her cheeks flush at my words, but there’s a quiet confidence in her now that I love seeing. She’s finding her footing, and I’m so damn proud of her.

“Now,” I say, keeping my voice light, “since we’ve got the business side sorted, there’s something else I wanted to ask you.”

Her eyebrows lift in curiosity. “Oh?”

I hesitate for a second, wondering how to phrase this, but then decide to just go for it. I’ve never been one to dance around something once I’ve made up my mind. “There’s this event coming up in a few days. One of those big, fancy galas. It’s for charity, but it’s… well, it’s going to be pretty high-profile. Paparazzi and all that.”

She tilts her head slightly, clearly trying to figure out where I’m going with this. “Okay…”

I take another step closer, my hand sliding down her arm to take her hand. “I want you to come with me,” I say, my voice soft but certain. “As my date. As my girlfriend.”

For a second, Ivy just stares at me, her eyes wide, as if she’s not quite sure she heard me right. Then, slowly, a smile spreads across her face, and she lets out a small, breathless laugh. “Your girlfriend?”

I grin, squeezing her hand. “Yeah. That’s what I’d like it to be. Official. If that’s what you want.”

She bites her lip, clearly trying to contain her excitement, but it’s impossible to miss the way her eyes light up. “Yes,” she says, her voice filled with a mix of happiness and relief, “yes, I want that. I want to be your girlfriend.”

Before I can say anything else, she throws her arms around me, and I catch her, laughing as I pull her close. “You’re sure?” I ask, brushing my lips against her temple. “It’s going to be a big event. Lots of people, lots of eyes on us. I just want to make sure you’re comfortable with that.”

---