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“It’s all good, Ivy.” Stone tries to calm me down but now I’m all fucked up.
“How is this so easy for you?”
He laughs. “You think this is easy? It’s not. I come home after years away and everything is different. My two best friends aren’t happy to see me. I find myself wanting to know you more, to taste you. I fucking want you so bad I ache with it, but I can’t do shit about it because you’re with my friend. It’s a clusterfuck, Ivy. It’s fucked up and exciting and can turn our lives upside-fucking-down. It’s a lot of things, but easy ain’t one of them.”
“Then how can you be sure?” I hate the way my voice wavers. It makes me feel weak and unsure, two things I’m not.
“Easy, because I know that I want you. I know the only thing keeping me from you was that I have too much respect for Gray to steal you from him. And I care about you too much to make you a cheater.”
“And if we don’t work out, what happens then?” That’s my biggest fear. These people, Peaches and Ella Mae and Saint, they’re my family. This place, Hardtail Ranch and The Barn Door is my home. Without them, I’d be lost. Especially after the news of Gray being shot.
Stone’s eyes sparkle with mischief as he steps closer, invading my personal space in the way only he can. “Lose that worried look, Ivy. We’re gonna work out, I promise.”
Stone’s words calm my worry like he always has. Something about the way he’s so confident makes my heart thump faster. “You sound pretty confident there, cowboy.”
“I know what I want.” His fingers trail tantalizingly along my arm, raising goosebumps in their wake. “And what I want is you.”
My breath catches at the intensity of his gaze. “You always did have a way with the ladies.”
“Only one lady has ever held my heart.” Cupping my face, he brushes his thumb across my cheek. “You, Ivy. It’s always been you.”
I bite my lip, torn between melting into his touch and maintaining some semblance of composure. “We’ve both changed a lot since you left.”
“That may be true.” His other hand finds my waist, pulling me flush against him. “But one thing that hasn’t changed is how I feel about you.”
I move in closer, intoxicated by his familiar scent and the heat of his body. “And how’s that?”
“I’m not the sharing type, Ivy.” His voice drops to a low, rumbling growl. “You’ll always have a place here with me. No one else.”
A shiver runs down my spine at his possessive declaration. “I’m not asking you to share.”
“Good.” Leaning in, he nuzzles my neck, his stubble scraping deliciously against my skin. “Then, you’re mine.”
I tangle my fingers in his hair, arching into him. “Prove it.”
Stone barks out a laugh, the sound sending vibrations through my body. “With pleasure.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Stone
I press a kiss to Ivy’s forehead, smiling at the way she leans into my touch even when she’s dead asleep, and then I make a quick stop at the big house to shower and change clothes before visiting Gray.
I’ve put it off for the past twenty-four hours because, well, because it’s fucking awkward, but it is what it is. He made Ivy choose, and she did.
She chose me.
I step inside and find Gray sitting up in bed. Sage is at his side, her hand holding his.
“Morning,” I growl, smiling when they both fly apart like they’ve been caught in the backseat of somebody’s car.
“Hey, man.” Gray smiles before reaching for Sage’s hand again, but he doesn’t find it because she’s holding both hands in her lap.
“You’ve got a bit more color today. How are you feeling?”
His gaze slants to Sage and then back to me with a slow smile. “Better, considering I was shot.”
I roll my eyes. “You gonna milk this shit forever, aren’t you?”
