Hold Me Tight(8)

Maybe it wasn’t such a brilliant idea to come down here tonight. I’m no hero. Eric should be the one doing this, not me. But Eric would never break the law, and I would. That’s the difference. I’m willing to run Lauren off the road if she doesn’t cooperate. Bottom line, if we’re going to get Ivy back, we’re going to have to start playing dirty.

I think about how Ivy clung to me when Lauren threatened her on Eric’s porch and the look of panic in her big green eyes when she doubled over in that restaurant in L.A. And it gives me the strength I need to endure the sticky situation I find myself in now. I can do this. I’m going to find Ivy. No one’s going to intimidate me.

I roll down the creaky window and know I have this in the bag. The cop is hot…for a woman. She’s young, fresh-faced, but most importantly, alone. Ivy did say that I never lacked for charm. This is going to be child’s play.

“What can I do for you, officer?” I ask, flashing her a dazzling smile.

I hear her suck in a jagged breath, and I know I’m home free. I might’ve lost Lauren, but at least I’m not going to jail. Not tonight anyway.

Will Carter lives to fight another day. I only hope the same is true for Ivy and the baby.





Chapter Five

Ivy

What the heck is that?

Whoosh. I throw back the covers and lift my head off the pillow. It’s like an incessant puff of air. I listen intently. Whoosh. There it is again. It’s close so I know it’s coming from somewhere nearby. All right, now I’m curious. I have to find out what it is.

I tiptoe across the braided throw rug and turn the doorknob, careful not to make a sound. A nightlight is plugged in across the hall, illuminating my way across the gleaming hardwood floor. Tim and I have basically been avoiding each other these last two days. Ever since our awkward cookie encounter, he’s been leaving food outside my door, collecting the empty plates when I’m done. He’s knocked a few times, but I pretended I was sleeping. I didn’t feel like talking to him, especially if he’s going to keep things from me. Even if I’m going stir-crazy sitting up here by myself with nothing better to do than think about Eric and how much I miss him.

I made the decision to leave Eric, and there’s no going back on it now. But a wave of homesickness hits me and I falter. God, I miss him so much. I rub my eyes with the back of my hand, trying to stem my tears. I can’t stand the thought of hurting Eric. But he left me with no other choice. I knew this temporary separation was going to be hard, but if it saves the life of our child, it’ll be worth it. Eric will find it in his heart to forgive me when it’s all over. I know he will.

But it would really help just to hear his voice right now, even if I just call and hang up. Too bad my phone is downstairs in my purse and I haven’t ventured farther than the upstairs bathroom since I arrived. Tim probably has orders from Lauren not to let me talk to Eric. Even if he takes pity on me and lets me make the call, I don’t want to get Eric’s hopes up. He can’t think that I’m calling because I want to come home. I bite my lip, unsure of what to do. I knew allying myself with Lauren was going to be difficult. I just never anticipated how complicated things would get.

But I’m a hormonal woman who needs to hear the father of her unborn baby say hello. I need this for me. Besides, I’m going to have to text Eric about my upcoming doctor’s appointment soon, and maybe this will break the ice. Because despite everything going on between us, I want him to be there for that, holding my hand through another exam.

I march out of the room, resolute. I’m going to call Eric, and no one is going to stop me. I charge down the stairs, hoping I can slip in and out of the living room undetected, but I halt halfway down when I look over and see what Tim is up to.

He’s in front of the fire, shirtless, his abdominals glistening. He’s in the middle of an intense workout session, fluidly moving from a push-up to a sit-up position. Those puffs of air I was hearing were coming from his full lips. No wonder his six-pack is so well defined.

I should look away, but I can’t. I watch him complete a set before he eagerly gulps down the bottle of water at his side. It brings me back to the time Eric poured a bottle of water over his head and carried me into the greenhouse. I grip the railing and let out an involuntary sigh, remembering all the things he did to my body.

“Ivy? Are you all right?”

Tim is glancing up at me, a worried expression on his face. He probably thinks I moaned because I’m in some kind of pain. He has no idea that the sexy noises he was making while he was exercising are what lured me down here.