Chasing Ivy (Oak Hill 1)

“What surprise?” she asked, sucking in her cheeks slightly.

I smiled, ignoring the lust swimming around us. “Follow me…”

Ivy’s footsteps were light against my wooden floors as she trailed behind me, all the way to the door right off the kitchen, leading into the garage.

Once I opened the door and flipped the switch, Ivy squealed!

She quickly ran past me and into the garage. Her hand trailed over the top of my old Camaro, the one that I still had.

“Oh my GOD!!! Red Rocket?! You still have her?!” she shouted, flipping around to stare at me.

I grinned, leaning against the door jam.

“Like I could get rid of my first love? Are you kidding me?”

She smiled again, flipping her tiny body around to stare at the red Camaro again. The one she had spent so many days inside, riding in the passenger seat until dusk overcame the town.

“We’re TOTALLY going cruising today!” Ivy turned around and smiled so cheerfully that I almost fainted.

I hadn’t seen her smile like that for so long that it almost didn’t seem real.

And I was the one who put it there.

That was all on me.

“Well, go get ready, sleepyhead.” I said, inching my brow up.

She squealed again and started to run past me, right through the threshold, and typical Ivy, her jacket pocket got caught on the doorknob, causing her body to swing around and hit the back of the door in a loud whoosh.

She grunted as I moved my hands around and grabbed onto her body. She was all tangled up in the door, breathless and wide-eyed. I stared down at her, my hands covering her small biceps.

“You are the clumsiest person I have never known, Ivy.” And it’s damn cute.

She let out a held breath, staring up into my eyes. “I know.”

Then it was like another realization hit her because she quickly diverted her eyes to my kitchen floor. I slowly released her arms as I felt the sudden impact of awkwardness floating around us.

Ivy got herself untangled from the door, also noticing the sudden shift in the air. Then she peeked up and looked at me through her long lashes. “When doe

s Breanna come back from her trip?”

“Tomorrow sometime.”

Ivy locked her eyes onto my face and then slowly nodded her head, relief passing across her features.

Was she also counting down the days until I officially ended it with Breanna? So that way we didn’t have to deny the attraction and happiness we both felt when we were around one another?

I could only hope.

“I’ll be ready in a few,” she whispered, backing away from me.

I stood at the door, watching her walk through the archway and to the bottom of the stairs.

I was almost angry that I wanted to be a good person and break up with Breanna face to face, because I felt like I was missing out on something in this moment. As if I was missing out on feeling something more with Ivy. Something that I’d been chasing all my life. Breanna was like this giant roadblock, standing in my way.

My head whipped upwards when Ivy yelled from the stairs, “We’re making a pitstop at Ronnie’s! It’s not a real cruise if we don’t have our milkshakes!”

And just like that, I was back to chuckling, and all thoughts of Breanna disappeared.