Chasing Ivy (Oak Hill 1)

If I could get that engrossed in Dawson from just a lengthy stare, I couldn’t even imagine what else could turn my world upside down and make me forget to breathe.

“Your phone. You pocket dialed someone, Ivy.” Then he chuckled and embarrassment hit me head on.

My hand fumbled with my phone, pulling it out of my pocket. I was still flustered from the uncanny, intense moment with Dawson that it didn’t even register that I’d accidently called someone. The second I heard his voice, it was like getting my hair stuck in a fan, jerking my head so hard I wanted to cry out.

“Wow, she finally calls me back…” Eric’s voice was smooth, and it used to be the one voice I enjoyed hearing but right now, staring at Dawson’s tall and broad frame as he surveyed the contents of his pantry, I loathed it.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to call you. Don’t get too excited, Eric.”

Dawson’s head snapped to mine, but I averted my eyes, trying to focus on Eric’s voice.

I heard a muffling on the other line. “Ouch.”

Yeah, it was kind of mean, but so was breaking up with me just because I wanted to move back home.

“Sorry,” I said, both of us well aware that I wasn’t truly sorry.

“I’ve been trying to reach you for a long time, Ivy. Did you get the flowers I sent to your work? How is that going? Do you like it?”

I snapped. “I got the flowers, but I didn’t read your note.”

Not a total lie. I didn’t really read the note—Mia did.

“Ivy, I think we should meet up and talk. I made a hasty decision and took my fear of losing you and turned it into anger. I was stupid.”

Dawson glared at my phone and I was pretty sure he cursed under his breath.

I turned my back to him, taking the time to figure out what to say to Eric. Meeting up with him wasn’t the worst idea he’d ever had. It would probably be nice to get some closure, but was it really worth it? Because I was pretty sure he didn’t want closure.

“I don’t know, Eric.”

All of a sudden, I heard something strange from behind me. I glanced back and saw Dawson standing only a few feet away, with a devilish smile forming on his mouth. My brows crinkled as I listened to Eric ramble on about why it was a good idea for us to get together.

Dawson’s smile grew bigger, his straight, white teeth shining brightly between his lips as he pressed a button on his phone. All of a sudden, pornographic noises started to play in the background. My mouth gaped and Dawson silently laughed.

Moans and screams from a woman were playing loudly, so loudly that Eric had stopped talking on the other end of the phone.

If I hadn’t been enjoying watching Dawson silently laugh, his face turning red with a smile reaching all the way to his ears, then I’m sure I would have felt embarrassed.

“What the hell is that?!” Eric bristled through the phone which only made a laugh bubble up out of my mouth.

Dawson’s eyes glittered. “Hurry back, Ivy! We miss you…” he said in a voice full of sex appeal.

“Ivy?! What the hell?” Eric yelled again and then I hit end on my phone.

Dawson’s and my laughter echoed throughout the kitchen. I had to bend forward, still clutching my phone in one hand, and place it over my stomach from the dull ache left behind from the ridiculous amount of amusement.

“You should have heard him!” I said, through my giggles.

Dawson’s face was red with watering eyes.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d be pissed or not, but I couldn’t resist. You looked leery when you were talking to him and once I heard that it was your dumb-as-fuck ex, I couldn’t stop myself.”

I laughed again. “Hilarious. He sounded so confused!”

“I can’t even imagine the amount of jealousy he was feeling…” Dawson’s voice trailed, which only perplexed me further.

Suddenly, my phone started to vibrate again.