Love You Better (Better Love 1)

I nod solemnly. It’s fucking true.

“Yep. I had to recite Revolutionary War battle sites so I didn’t come too soon. Wouldn’t that have been some shit? I convince you to take a chance on me only to blow my load seconds after my first thrust.” I chuckle morbidly. That would have seriously sucked. Fucking travesty.

“Wait,” Ivy giggles again. “You mean you were thinking about the Revolutionary War the whole time we were having sex?”

“Not the whole time,” I defend. “Just right at first, and then again right at the end. The whole middle part was all you, baby.”

Ivy’s body is shaking with silent laughter, so I give her side another tickle. “You know, if I wasn’t so confident in the fact that I just fucking owned your pussy, I’d probably be hurt by your laughter.”

“Oh, you think you owned me, do you?”

“I know I did. Your pussy is now mine. She answers to me from here on out. My dick will take very good care of her. My tongue will help.”

Ivy gives me a shove. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I’m just telling you what I know, baby,” I tease, then kiss her head. “Your turn. Question or secret.”

Ivy is quiet for a moment. I hear her take a few measured breaths before she finally speaks.

“Does it bother you? How many guys I’ve slept with?”

I’m taken aback by her question, but my answer comes quickly and without doubt. “Not at all.”

“Are you sure? I know that some people take issue with, you know, women who, um, embrace their sexuality, I guess.” Her voice is quiet and thoughtful as she continues, “I’ve never worried about it before. But I don’t know, you’re different. I guess you’re the first person whose opinion has ever mattered as much as my own.”

“Ivy, listen to me now, because I don’t want you to ever question this again. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest that you’ve slept with other people. Was I jealous? Fuck yes. The idea of you with anyone other than me burns me up with jealousy. But do I think less of you? Definitely not. Whether it was one or one hundred, you’re still the same Ivy I’ve always loved. Fuck, I actually really admire your confidence. The way you care fuck all wha

t anyone thinks. It’s sexy as hell. You spend so much time taking care of everyone around you. I will never, ever think less of you for doing something for yourself. As long as that thing isn’t harmful, then do what the fuck you want to do.”

Ivy snorts. “Are you saying that my hookups were a form of self-care?”

I laugh quietly and shrug. “Kind of, I guess. Yeah. You knew what you wanted, and you went for it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”

Ivy sits up and turns to look at me. Her eyes trace over my face, studying. I wait, letting her look until she finds what she’s searching for. She opens and closes her mouth twice, then shuts her eyes lightly, before she finally speaks.

“You don’t know how good it feels to hear you say that,” she whispers. “You couldn’t know what it means.” She leans back down and kisses me.

“There is one thing though,” I add when she breaks the kiss and lays her head back on my chest.

“What’s that?”

“You’re mine now, and I’m yours. If you ever need anything and you’re not getting it from me, if I’m not providing it, I need you to promise that you’ll tell me so we can fix it together.”

Ivy presses a kiss to my chest, just above my thundering heart.

“I promise,” she whispers.

* * *

I dropped Ivy off at the testing center at 8:30 a.m. after taking her to the café for some much-needed caffeine and sustenance. The kiss she left me with was sensual and passionate and fucking phenomenal.

I am so gone for this woman.

Last night, I teased about owning her, but that was a lie. She’s the one who owns me. She always has.

Ivy says she’ll probably be done with the test around noon, so I text Jesse and ask if he’s free to hit the gym.

Me: Just dropped Ivy for the LSAT. Gym in 20?