Page 50 of Volatile

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Chapter Fourteen

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One hour passed andIvy was back on his front stoop. Strangely sedate and wondering if that was a definite sign she’d lost her mind. She didn’t want to fight or yell or.... What exactly did she want?

Well, she wanted to knock on the door, so she’d start with that. That was easy enough until she actually saw his face, then she’d have to come up with another plan. She pulled open the screen door and rapped on the wood. Maybe he’d left. It had been a full hour, after all.

The door opened, and Jonathan smiled. Soft and wonderful. She felt a warm tingle dance through her. He looked genuinely happy that she’d come back and all her fears dissolved. She’d figure this out somehow, take it bit by bit.

“Hi,” she said, smiling back.

The way she’d freaked out earlier, compared to her current calmness? A few more of these erratic episodes and he would have her committed.

“Come here.”

He reached for her, and she fell into his embrace, settling against his bare chest. He was exactly how she’d left him and that caused another twinge of guilt. The way she’d treated him earlier... he didn’t have to be so welcoming.

“I didn’t think you’d be coming back.”

“Me neither.” God, his arms were strong. She couldn’t remember ever being hugged like this in her life. She didn’t need a bodyguard, but he made her feel like nothing could ever touch her.

“What did you do for that hour?” he asked.

“Just drove around.” She snuggled more into him as he stroked her hair. It felt so good, so caring, and... it was just too much. Moisture gathered under her lids, but she held it in. “I... I’m sorry about....” She couldn’t finish; the tears got the better of her and choked her out.

“Shhh... it’s okay, Ivy.”

The more tenderness he showed, the more she cried. He held her so tightly as if squeezing out every drop. What the hell was wrong with her? She didn’t usually get so weepy. He didn’t talk or ask her to either, and she appreciated that more than he knew. Or did he know? He sure seemed like he understood her, even if she gave him every opportunity not to. Her only certainty was that she needed this comfort, and she hadn’t even realized how much until then.

Just before she could completely soak his chest, her stomach rumbled. It lightened the air, and she began laughing through the tears. She moved aside so she could wipe her eyes, but he did it for her. His hand brushed her cheeks, collecting what he could, but her face was too damp.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me.”

She dug into her purse for a napkin or whatever she had in there, preoccupied with finding something. He lifted her chin and gave her a soft kiss.

“Don’t be. A good cry can do wonders.” She nodded, sucking in her bottom lip. The way he looked at her... He was either going to kick-start her sobs again or make her ridiculously horny. “We need to get you something to eat.”

She smiled. “I can’t hide anything, can I?”

“No, you can’t.”

Shit, she should really think about things before she said them. She flashed back to their wild sex and felt like she was about to break into a sweat. He was giving her such a penetrating look like he was merging inside her. There was something about this man that both frightened her beyond belief and made her more aroused than she had a right to be.

“Tell me why you left. What made you so upset.”

She mopped up her face with a tissue, debating how much to reveal. He wasn’t exactly an open book himself, and the scales were already tipped in his favor. He’d taken so much from her, knew way too much just from touching. Certain desires he brought out were unsettling. She hadn’t realized those things existed in her.

“I was scared. I’m not sure how else to say it right now.”

“Fair enough.” He kissed the top of her head. “Now, let’s get you some food.”

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