Page 123 of Save Me

They made sandwiches for lunch and talked about their families. Ivy had two younger sisters who were both currently in college. He told her about how both his younger brother and sister were doing the same.

“So things got better for your folks after…?” she asked without really looking at him.

He nodded. “It took years. I sent money home, my dad took on a second job, and my mom took on every kind of job she could. She was a virtual assistant before it was really a thing. At one point, she had four different clients and I still don’t know how she kept track of it all, but…she was the real hero in all of this.”

“She was always amazing.”

“That she is. Anyway, about three years ago, the financial guy was found and prosecuted. And while they didn’t get all their money back, they did get about half of it. But over the years, they simply rebuilt.” He shrugged. “They bought a vacation place down in Florida with my aunt and uncle, and that’s where they are now.”

“When will they be back?”

“In two weeks.”

“Are you going to wait until then to surprise them?”

He chuckled. “That was the plan, but we saw so many people in town today, I’m not sure they’ll all keep my secret.”

“That’s true. One of the curses of living in a small town. Everyone knows your business.”

When they finished eating, something occurred to him. “I didn’t have a headache today.”

“That’s a good sign,” she confirmed with a smile. “The lump on the back of your head is practically gone. I noticed it this morning.”

Yeah, she had been incredibly gentle every time she touched his head after that first night, but now he was hoping it meant they wouldn’t have to be quite so cautious.

But he opted to keep that thought to himself until they went to bed later.

Outside, the sky turned dark and gray, and it wasn’t until the first rumble of thunder that either of them realized the weather had changed. He remembered how much Ivy used to love a good storm. She used to say it was the perfect weather for snuggling under the blankets and watching a good movie.

Or making love.

At the flash of lightning, she turned and faced him, and Connor instantly knew she was thinking the same thing as they moved toward one another.

They were barely touching, but when Ivy looked up at him, he saw it all in her eyes. “Connor, I…”

“Yeah,” he growled. “Me too.”

In the next instant, he hauled her into his arms. The kiss was instantly untamed and borderline frantic. His need for her was more intense than he’d ever felt before—maybe it was because it had been so long since he’d had sex, or maybe it was because it was Ivy…

It was Ivy.

It was always Ivy.

They may have been young when he left—barely even adults—but that hadn’t changed anything. He knew he loved her then, just like he knew he loved her now. Getting to know her now that they were older only made him love her more.

“Connor,” she panted breathlessly. “The bedroom…please…”

There was no need for her to ask him twice.

Lifting her up into his arms, he strode down the hall to her room and placed her on the bed. He stripped out of his shirt as he kicked off his shoes and watched as Ivy pulled her own shirt up and over her head before tossing it to the floor. They were both naked in the blink of an eye, and as much as he would have preferred to slowly peel the clothes from her body, there would be time for that later.

They had an entire lifetime ahead of them.

Covering her body with his, Connor smiled down at her. “You are so beautiful, Ivy. I’ve missed you.”

Her eyes shone bright with tears as she nodded. “I’ve missed you too.”

Slowly she wrapped herself around him, pulling him close, and he knew they were done talking for now. Right now, he wanted to touch all her smooth, silky skin. Then he was going to taste every inch of her.

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