“That’s going to make the sex pretty boring.”
“You’re a funny girl, Ivy.”
“I do my best,” Ivy said, her voice turning serious. “I feel that way, too. Sometimes my fingers itch because they want to touch you. I tried to ignore it … and then when you kept repeating that you didn’t want a relationship, I thought you were taking the decision away from me and I was almost relieved.”
“Almost?”
“Part of my heart kept screaming at me that I shouldn’t let you walk away,” Ivy replied. “I knew I would regret it forever if I lost you.”
“Well, you didn’t lose me,” Jack said, kissing the back of her head. “I won’t let us be separated again … no matter how many boneheaded things you do.”
“Me?”
“Okay, both of us,” Jack conceded. “I don’t want anything but you, Ivy. Please never doubt that.”
“That goes double for me.”
“Oh, are we turning this into a competition?”
“Yes, and I’m going to win,” Ivy said, flipping another page in the file and then stiffening.
“What’s wrong?” Jack asked, instantly alert. He could read the change in her body language.
“W-who is this?” Ivy asked, pointing at a photograph of a woman in Marcus’ file.
Jack glanced over her shoulder. “That’s his sister Laura. She’s either dead or somehow involved in all of this.”
“She’s not dead.”
“How do you know?”
“Because she bought a bush at the nursery this afternoon,” Ivy admitted. “She tried to get me to help her carry it out to her car and was disappointed when my father stepped in to do the heavy lifting. I … crap. You were right. I was stupid to go to the nursery.”
“Son of a … !”
Twenty
“Hey, honey,” Jack murmured, tightening his arms around Ivy’s waist and exhaling heavily the next morning.
Ivy, her mind still cloudy from sleep, shifted her chin so she could study his serene features. “It should be against the law to look as good as you do first thing in the morning.”
Jack snickered. “Are you trying to start the morning out on the right foot so we don’t fight? If so, that’s a nice way to do it.”
“If we fight again I definitely won’t be able to walk.”
Jack stroked the back of Ivy’s head and brushed a kiss against her forehead. After the bombshell about Laura stopping by the nursery, he called Brian to see where he was on the hotel search. They were basically at a standstill. With nothing left to do, Jack finished Ivy’s massage and then they went to bed – and proceeded to “fight” one more time before falling asleep.
“I don’t want to fight with you,” Jack said. “Well, at least not right now. You’re not the only one who is going to have trouble walking if we keep this up. Don’t get me wrong, I actually like fighting with you, but I don’t think it’s going to get us anywhere right now. I’d rather dole out our fights so we’re only doing it once a week or so.”
“I need to fight more than once a week. It’s what keeps my skin dewy fresh.”
Jack snorted. “You really do make me laugh.”
Ivy kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry about what happened,” she said. “I probably shouldn’t have gone to work yesterday. I honestly didn’t even think about it.”
“Yes, well, we’re going to come up with a list of appropriate actions for when your life is in danger. I’m even going to buy one of those fancy chalkboards so I can change it during any given situation.”
“Do you foresee my life being in danger a lot?”
“Unfortunately I think danger is attracted to you, honey. I need you to stay alive, so I’m going to have to think outside of the box where you’re concerned.”
“Do I get to make rules for you on the chalkboard?” Ivy asked.
“Ah, fair is fair, right? I guess so.”
“Then the first rule is you can’t boss me around,” Ivy said. “I’m going to write that one in pink – like my hair – so you don’t forget.”
“See, now I think you’re trying to pick a fight,” Jack said. “In the effort to head that off, I have a question for you.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“Let’s not make ‘shooting’ jokes right now,” Jack chided.
“Too soon?”
“Definitely.”
“Well, ask your question. I’m dying to hear what it is,” Ivy said, her finger lightly tracing one of Jack’s scars.
“How come you always push your feet out from under the covers every night?”
Ivy was surprised by the question and glanced down to find both of their feet poking out from beneath the comforter. “I don’t know. I guess I don’t realize I’m doing it.”
“I covered your feet four times last night,” Jack said. “Each time you pushed them back out. Do you do that in the winter, too?”
“Yes. Why were you up four times?”
“I like to watch you sleep,” Jack replied, not missing a beat. “You’re adorable when your mouth is shut.”
“Ha, ha,” Ivy muttered, although she snuggled a little closer. “If you think it’s weird that I push my feet out, why are your feet out, too?”
“My feet got lonely without your feet.” He rubbed his left foot against her right for emphasis.
“Okay, that was almost too cute for words,” Ivy said, laughing as Jack rolled to his side and kissed her. “Do you have time for breakfast?”
“I’ll make time,” Jack said, brushing her hair away from her face. “I don’t really want to go to work – although that could be said every day when I wake up next to you – but I have to hit the ground running today. Laura is in the area. She’s either doing this herself or with
