Brazen Ivy, page 6
I drew in a shaky breath. “I think your spontaneity is rubbing off on me. I’ve never done anything like that.” There’s a lot happening at the lake cabin that spanned way outside my realm of experience.
“Never just said ‘what the hell’ and do what you damn well wanted to?” he asked.
“Maybe with ice cream,” I confessed.
The corners of his eyes crinkled. “So fucking me ranks up there with ice cream?”
I tapped the end of his nose. “Don’t knock it. I’d do a lot for a good lick of a cone.”
The laughter touching his face grew fainter, and I saw a hint of new interest. “I’m discovering an appreciation for, uh, what’s the opposite of soft serve?” He rolled his eyes. “Gotta work on the witty banter.”
My smile turned into a yawn.
“C’mon. Let’s get you into bed,” he said.
Would he join me?
Instead of lowering my legs to the ground, Archer continued to grasp me tight against his body as he carried me through the hallway. I’d left my bedroom door ajar, and he angled the opening wider with his shoulder and we slipped inside. He lowered me to the mattress, making no move to lay beside me in the tangled mess of my bedsheets. The glowing red light from the clock illuminating the planes and angles of his face and his smile.
“That was incredible,” I told him, delighting in the light stubble along his jaw.
“Feel free to wake up in the middle of the night any time.” After a quick kiss, he tucked the sheet around my naked body and turned toward the door. I saw the torn remnants of my T-shirt stuffed in his back pocket and smiled. Archer enjoyed collecting souvenirs.
I thought I’d want to press my snooze a hundred times the next morning, but I woke up refreshed and ready to face the bright sunshine. A vast difference from how I’d woken up the day before. As I stretched, a shaft of morning sunlight spilled through the lacy curtains and revealed a light bruise across my hip. I smiled as I traced the pattern of Archer’s thumb on my skin.
I took a quick shower, threw on some shorts and a T-shirt and rushed to the kitchen to scramble up some eggs for the guys. Elliott strolled in as I hand-squeezed the oranges for juice.
“They have cartons of that,” he said with a wink.
I shrugged a shoulder. “I know, but there’s nothing like fresh, and since you guys are paying the grocery bill, this beats the store-bought stuff anytime.”
He poured himself a glass, his blue eyes never leaving my face as he drank. “You made me a believer.”
I realized we stood at almost the exact place where he’d shoved my panties out of the way for his mouth. My breathing slowed and my lips parted. The man gave me several mind-blowing orgasms and had yet to fuck me.
“Do you like to keep me waiting?” I asked, nodding toward the bulge in his pants.
Surprise lit in his eyes. “Didn’t realize you were this direct.”
“Weeks of being indirect got me zilch,” I told him, my voice pointed.
He closed the distance between us, filling my nose with his woodsy scent and setting my nerves of fire. He tucked a strand of my drying hair behind my ears, then trailed his fingertips over my skin. The hairs on my arm rose where he touched, and I shivered.
“You know earlier wasn’t the right time,” he said.
I made a point of glancing where he’d caressed, and my body’s reaction to him. “Does this give you a thrill? Drawing out the anticipation?”
He chuckled. “I do believe I satisfied your, uh, anticipation already. More than once.”
Longing awakened deep in my core. A longing he must fill. I gripped his arms and the muscles beneath his shirt rippled. The things I’d done with him, danced, bared myself, presented me to the other guys in the house...so forbidden. So outrageous. So wild.
And I wanted so much more of him. What other thrills did he have in mind? What other experiences could he give me? Intent darkened his blue eyes, and I realized this man secreted many more dark and delightful encounters for us to explore.
“Morning.” Julio lumbered in, his glossy hair wet from a shower, but still not fully awake. He beelined straight to the coffeepot.
“I made some eggs, and some toast if you want any,” I offered.
“And orange juice. Fresh squeezed,” Elliott added in a slow draw that I’m sure he’d intended to make me imagine him squeezing all my squeezable parts. Which it did.
Julio glanced in my direction, then snapped his concentration on the coffee flowing into his cup. The scent of the rich, dark roast he preferred filled the kitchen. “Thanks, I’ll uh, probably grab something on my way out the door.” Then he seized his mug and fled. Yeah, that’s exactly what he did, he fled.
I turned to Elliott. “Was it something I said?”
He waved his hand. “Julio’s shy around you. He’s not had much experience with girls.”
My eyes narrowed. “How much are we talking?”
Elliott’s lips twisted, as though he hated divulging the information, but figured I needed to know the details. “Basically just you.”
I gasped, and my fingers fluttered to my mouth. “So his first sexual encounter was playing with my boobs while you fingered me?”
He rolled his eyes with a playful laugh. “Don’t stress out too much. He didn’t grow up locked in a fairytale castle. He’s seen porn.”
His hasty reassurance didn’t satisfy me. Julio’s first experience should have been special. At least a little. “How does a guy almost make it to his senior year of college and still be a virgin?”
Elliott shrugged. “You know how it is with the super smart guys in high school. They’re nerds, and not in the cool, ironic way people aspire to today. Sixteen-year-old girls also into drones are usually just as clueless as the boys. They wind up growing only more and more isolated.”
Yeah, it’s a shame how the muscly cool and confident jocks drew all the attention when you’re young and dumb. Oh, if only I could go back to high school. I’d be so much smarter and grabbed a Julio instead of the dickhead I moved in with at eighteen.
Forget about it. You’d just make different kinds of stupid mistakes. Use the wisdom you have now.
“Julio’s dying to get you alone,” Elliott said.
“Really? You would never know it on my end. I think the longest word he’s ever spoken to me possessed two syllables. If it hadn’t been for coffee table night, I might not believe you.”
“Ivy, you are every nerdy guy’s dream. You’re smart, and pretty and nice. You’d never laugh at things like drones or video games or D&D. Believe me, Julio’s been trying to come up with some way to suggest you need tutoring in drone construction.”
I laughed. “Hmm, maybe inside a tornado?”
Elliott held out his palms in a blocking movement. “Mention that to him at your own risk. After an hour of underwater drone talk, you’ll wish he’d stay shy.” He crossed to the fridge and produced a lemon.
“What’s this?” I asked as he placed the fruit in my hand.
“Julio prefers lemonade. Fresh squeezed. It gets hot out there on the dock in the afternoon where he’s working.”
“Ahh.” I studied Elliott’s handsome face for a moment. “You’re okay with me spending time with him? Uh...sexually? You’re practically throwing me at Julio. Most guys I know would be jealous.”
“That’s not what I’m about,” he said.
“What are you about?” I asked, because I’d never met a man like him. One who shared. Resentful, insecure asshats had always been more my style. But I didn’t read any of that in Elliott’s voice, words or body language. Not now when he’d suggested I meet up with Julio later or the night of my dance for the cabin that started this whole adventure.
“You’ll find out.” He dropped a kiss on my mouth, then snagged a piece of toast and left.
I stared at his cute ass as he walked away from me. I’d find out. Sounded mouthwateringly ominous.
I spent the rest of the morning tidying up the kitchen, cutting up veggies for tonight’s meal of stir-fry. Afterwards, I locked myself in my bedroom to read up on the principles of physics. Archer planned to quiz me later in the summer so I’d be better prepared for my intro class. I’d missed several science concepts when I blew off high school, so I must make up for it now.
All meteorology majors must grasp basic knowledge of Newton mechanics, waves and thermodynamics. Today’s meteorologists have the advantage of using computer programs to draft weather models, but our professors expected us to calculate the equations on paper, too. After breaking down the concepts of physics into small parts, I began to understand and enjoy learning how the world around me worked.
But a girl can only take the laws of motion for so long, before she’s eager to put those laws into action. I stripped, slipped into my bikini and then stepped into a pair of cutoff jean shorts and button-up shirt. I tied the flaps under my breasts in a loose knot exposing my belly rather than buttoning to the hem. Julio may be shy and unassuming, but even he couldn’t miss that I wanted to spend time alone together. After popping into the kitchen to make two sandwiches and fill a thermos with lemonade, I was ready.
The trip to the dock took only five minutes to walk; the dirt path winding through trees and shrubs, then breaking to reveal the lake. The first sight of the still waters stole my breath away every time. Serene and natural, I could almost convince myself nothing had changed since its creation. A girl could ground herself here. Find her purpose.
I spotted Julio’s dark head as he worked on the dock. This afternoon he was my purpose.
The wood beneath my feet creaked as I stepped out onto the dock. Julio whipped around when he heard the sound. He wore sunglasses hiding his eyes, but I loved how his mouth opened and closed as though he wanted to say something but didn’t know what. A vein pulsed at his temple.
“How’s the research going?” I asked.
His focus dropped to his equipment as if he appreciated the distraction. “Good. I’m getting readings on the murkiness of the water, then I’ll send the drone in to tryout its echolocation.”
He’d propped what resembled a detailed body pillow against one of the wooden braces on the dock. “What in the world is that?” I asked.
A smile touched the ruggedness of his lips, and Julio appeared relieved to have a topic to discuss with me. “That’s Harold. He’s my test dummy.”
I lifted the picnic basket filled with food. “You hungry?”
He nodded.
“Great. I’ll set this up.” I reached inside the hamper and pulled out a blanket. I didn’t know how splintery the dock would be, and just in case we grabbed a little action, I’d arrived prepared.
“Oh, uh...”
“Uh what?” I asked as I shook out the blanket and spread it on the wooden planks in an area protected by the shade.
“I didn’t realize you’d be joining me.”
“It’s okay, right?” Maybe Elliott had read the signals wrong. Julio didn’t want me.
His muscled shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, yeah. It’s great.”
My hormones performed a jubilant dance at the enthusiasm in his tone, utter male excitement. This gorgeous guy desired me; he just didn’t know how to express it. He watched as I spread out the food and poured the lemonade, then I patted the space next to me.
“Sit,” I invited.
He plopped down beside me. He wore that where-should-I-put-my-hands look, so I passed over a plate. “Tell me more about your drone.”
“I’m using echolocation to ping and bounce signals underwater.”
“Oh, like a bat.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “Exactly like a bat. That’s why my drone’s name is ECHO. My goal is for ECHO to locate objects below the surface,” he said, and then took a bite of his sandwich.
“Lost treasure?” I asked, my voice teasing to put him at ease.
He answered my question with a lopsided grin that was downright charming. All the girls in his past sure lost out. “And also those who may be underwater. Nearly ten people drown every day. If used quick enough, ECHO might save a life. Or at least help a grieving family find their loved one.”
I placed my hand on his arm. “Julio, that’s amazing. You’re amazing.”
His chest heaved with a sigh. “Well, it’s not there yet. Lakes are notoriously murky, and ECHO’s been giving me too many false positives. This lemonade is good. Because of the heat, I’ve downed gallons of water. It’s nice to have a little something sweet.”
I gave his arm a squeeze and then trailed my fingertips over his skin before I reached for my plastic cup of lemonade. “We should always treat ourselves.”
I watched his Adam’s apple bob. While his sunglasses hid his gaze, I sensed his eyes on my tits, the “something sweet” I offered. He chatted about his testing procedure as we finished our sandwiches, and I loved knowing I’d put him more at ease around me. As I began to clear our lunch mess, Julio made no move to stand and return to his work. His reluctance to relinquish our time together warmed me inside.
“Would it help with your tests if I jumped in the water with ECHO? Might give it a more realistic test than Harold here,” I said tapping my teal-painted toe against the dummy’s chest.
He pushed his sunglasses up as if to gauge my sincerity better. “Absolutely.”
“You ready now?” I asked. “It’s so hot, I could use cooling off.”
At his enthusiastic nod, I reached for the shirt ties tucked underneath my breasts.
Julio’s back straightened, and his nostrils flared. “What are you doing?”
“Swimming’s easier if I’m actually in my suit.” I slipped my shirt over my shoulders exposing my bright yellow bikini top.
Julio’s gaze trained on my rack, and the swim fabric did nothing to conceal the pucker of my nipples. His eyes followed a path between each breast then lowered to the silver jewel of my naval ring stopping where my thighs met.
“Usually guys try to hide they’re scoping out a girl’s body,” I told him, my voice full of playful scolding.
His brown eyes raised, his gaze direct. “You want me to hide how much I want to look at you, Belleza?”
My mouth dried and something trembled inside me. Had he called me beautiful? I’d expected my shy Julio to remain reserved, but I adored his straightforwardness.
“No, I like you watching me,” I said as I fumbled with the button of my cutoff shorts.
A rugged smile briefly touched his lips, and then he focused his attention on my moving fingers. My hands trembled a bit as I unbuttoned my cutoffs, but my confidence returned when he groaned as I lowered the zipper. I rolled my hips, and the shorts fell to my feet, revealing the yellow bikini bottoms.
I made a show of twisting my hair into a pony holder, swaying my body and pushing out my tits. Based on the outline of his erect dick in his pants, Julio enjoyed the performance. I sauntered to the edge of the dock. “How deep is the water here?”
“About six feet. Enough to jump, but not dive.”
I stepped off and plunged into the lake, jerking from the chill of the current. My feet touched the silt bottom of the lakebed, and I kicked up until I surfaced.
Julio smiled when he saw me, and I knew he’d scanned for air bubbles, waiting for me to bob back up. He hadn’t seen nothing yet. “What should I do? Just hold my breath and hang down at the bottom?”
He shook his head. “Actually, this is the perfect opportunity to check the underwater camera and lens. A person panicking would flail and turn the water choppy. Harold hasn’t mastered that yet.”
“I can do lots of things Harold can’t,” I said with a wink, and then propelled myself below the surface with a quick kick. I alternated between splashing around and then sinking to the bottom to put ECHO through its paces.
“You good with this?” I asked him after a few minutes.
“I’m good with anything you want to do, Ivy.”
My body heated despite the cool water flowing over me. He sounded so earnest. Honest. Julio wouldn’t be the game-playing type. Maybe as a late bloomer, he hadn’t realized the power he held over a woman’s senses. Could hold over her emotions. He was so open and didn’t play games. Probably because no one had hurt him yet. I vowed to myself to cherish his heart the way it should be.
I swam and splashed and dove until my energy began to wane. Wow, I was really out of shape if I couldn’t last longer than fifteen minutes in the lake swimming and goofing around. I guided my lazy strokes to the dock. No sense wearing myself out–especially as I planned for more strenuous activity for the two of us.
Julio popped his head over the side of the deck. “Ivy, these pictures are great. That’s precisely the kind of live action test I needed. I’m making one quick adjustment to the resolution to account for movement. You okay with swimming a few minutes more?”
I fell in love with his eagerness and excitement. Julio will do amazing things with ECHO; I knew it.
“Sure,” then I kicked back down underwater. Hmm, just how clear were those pictures? I reached for the bow behind my neck and tugged the string. The straps dropped and my breasts were free. I popped up for air and tossed my bikini top to the shoreline. I dove under again, loving the sensuous feel of the current streaming over my naked skin. This must be how a mermaid felt.
My lungs began to burn, so I headed for the surface. Julio waited for me on the side of the dock. “Uh, Ivy, did you forget something?”
I shook my head as I treaded water. “I don’t think so.”
“Your bikini top?” His brown eyes focused on me with burning enthusiasm. What dwelled in his eyes didn’t resemble his zeal for ECHO, his passion centered all on me.
“I didn’t forget it. Thought maybe you could test the camera with some detail work,” I answered.
Julio licked his lips. “The pictures came out very clear.”
“Maybe you need to conduct a comparison against the real thing,” I suggested.
