by Piper Rayne
While she expressed her sorrow for pulling a contract on such short notice I was grinning from ear to ear as the idea formed in my head.
The plan is to show Leo the potential PR companies then ease in the question of the wedding at the end.
The logical and easiest thing to do would have been to ask him about the wedding yesterday when I saw him, but I couldn’t do it then.
I wasn’t ready. This is a big thing for me and I just hope I can gear up to ask him today.
I look over to the swans floating by on the river and draw in a breath. This coffeehouse sees me more than my home, especially lately.
I take my break here and because they do the best toasted sandwiches, sometimes I end up having that for dinner.
It’s a place I’ve come to associate as my comfort zone.
A wolf whistle cuts into my thoughts and I turn to see Leo approaching me. I swear the man looks better and better every time I see him.
Today he’s just wearing a white button down shirt with black slacks. With a five o’clock shadow gracing his chiseled jaw, he looks like he just stepped off the cover of a magazine. My heart lifts when I see him and I feel my breathing quicken.
“Is this how you look at …” He glances down at his watch and the smile brightens on his face. “Nine, fifty-five in the morning?”
I laugh and get up to hug him. He feels good, and I take a moment to appreciate the hard muscles under his work shirt.
“I guess that means I look good,” I chuckle. Today. I have my hair down and I curled the ends this morning, making an effort to look and feel my best.
“Ivy, I think we both know the answer to that,” he answers slowly.
Reaching for a lock of my hair he allows the ends to curl about his finger and I imagine him always doing that.
My throat clogs and I don’t know what to say in reply. To cover my nerves, I sit and gesture for him to join me.
We sit opposite each other and the barista comes over to take our orders. I get a latte and he orders an espresso.
“So, before we dive into business talk, how are you?” he asks. “I didn’t get a chance to speak to you on Sunday since our focus was on your dad.
“Well, the mints helped but–”
“Don’t tell me? Cory and I need to work on the shed this Sunday?”
She shrugs. “Dad loves that shed, what can I say?”
We chuckle, and I take a moment to check out his strong jaw line, and his killer cheekbones.
“Anyway, business is really good. It’s just taken off in a big way I never imagined.” I pause and then share the details about the summer camp bookings.
He leans in. “I’m proud of you. You took an idea and ran with it.”
His complement makes my heart race with pride. “Yeah. I guess it’s a little different to what I thought my life would be like.” I never imagined a world where I didn’t start it on the tracks training for some event.
“Sometimes different is good. In your case I think different was very good.” He says with a smile.
“You think so?” I still, interested to know more.
“I know so. You know so too.” His finger touches the tip of my nose. “You’re not only successful but inspiring kids is also a plus.”
“Thanks Leo, you always know how to make me feel good.” A wave of giddiness floods me, as it always does when he compliments me.
“Happy to help Princess Ivy.” He adds with a chuckle.
The name should annoy me, but it doesn’t. I’ve always loved the nickname he gave me. The name stuck after a play I did back in high school for some extra credits.
“It’s been years since I did that play.”
“I’m not going to stop.” He gave me a wide grin that played havoc with my nerves.
Our coffees arrived and I took time in stirring mine before taking a sip.
“Right, hit me with these PR companies then.”
I draw in a breath and pull out the documents I have ready, which isn’t many. There are four of them, and I’ve printed some general company information on each.
He takes the papers from me and glances at them.
“Carla’s is very good,” he states. He places down the last piece of paper and runs his finger over the words Carla’s PR Agency. “I haven’t worked with them personally, but they’ve done some work for my boss and he only chooses the best. You want a company that can cover a wide range of activities, use them.”
“Oh,” I answer and panic sets in. I didn’t realize he was going to give me an answer so soon. I’ve only taken one sip of my coffee. “Really?”
“Yeah. She does magazine coverage and will represent the company well. What I like too is that they cover marketing and advertising. If you have PR, marketing and advertising in one place your whole brand will be covered.” He looks pleased with himself as he smiles back at me.
“Oh wow. I guess I’m going with Carla’s then.” I’m torn between joy and annoyance. Annoyance at myself for the delay tactics. Just ask him.
“Problem solved before I even took my first sip of coffee.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry. I thought it was going to take more time. I guess when you’re an expert you can spot the right thing straightaway.” That was my error. I never factored that in.
“That’s okay. At least we got to hang out. We rarely get to do that.” His smile was genuine, and he sipped his coffee.
Because we don’t do that.
“Yeah” Nerves fill me again and I push them away. As I gaze at him I get that spark of strength I felt on Sunday when I decided to take the plunge to ask him to be my date.
As strength fills me I decide to take the leap of faith. It’s now or never. If I wait any longer it’s going to look weird and I’ll look weirder than I already do. I’m pretty certain he can sense I’m nervous.
“Leo, actually there was something else I wanted to ask you,” I say and curiosity flickers in his eyes.
“What was that?” He lowers his glass and looks directly at me.
“You remember my friends Rachel and Patrick?”
“Of course I do. They’re such good friends of yours, I’m sure you miss them now that they no longer live in Chicago.”
My heart melts in adoration, he knows me so well.
“Yes, I do miss them. Well, the good news is that they’re getting married.” I start saying in my brightest, happiest voice.
“That’s good news,” he says.
“It is, I’m so happy for them. Anyway, I um, got the invitation and um, I was wondering, if ah, if you would go with me, as in, be my plus one?” Lord, save me. That was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.
And Leo’s just looking back at me, staring with a slightly wide-eyed expression. My heart sinks. This was a bad idea. I feel mortified, and I find myself fiddling with the teaspoon.
“If you don’t want to go I –”
His stare intensifies, and I feel utterly foolish for even thinking he’d want to be my date.
“No, I mean, I do want to go.”
Relief fills my belly and I nibble my lip as our gazes remain locked. “Okay, thanks. Um.” I suddenly remember the most important details. “I’m sorry, but I forgot to tell you that it’s in Wisconsin, so it’s an away wedding, not a local one.”
“It’s fine. Then we should allow plenty of time to drive there. You don’t want to miss your best friend’s wedding because of traffic.”
I want to hug him. Gratitude fills me. “It’s at the end of May.”
“That should be fine, just email me the details so I can reschedule any meetings I have on Friday.”
“You’re the best, thanks Leo,” I gush, unable to help myself. I bite the inside of my lip to stop myself from acting pathetic, like a silly teenager mooing over her first boyfriend.
It’s just a wedding date, that’s it. But as he stares back at me I get this feeling that I was right about him.
There’s a flicker of interest that dances in his eyes that lures me in t
o seeing what could happen next.
I guess I’ll find out soon enough.
Chapter 5
Leo
Jackson leans forward over the pool table to take his shot. He does and laughs out loud when four of his balls scatter across the table and drop down the holes. Unbelievable. I hate my brother sometimes.
“Loser,” he teases with a smirk and pokes me with his cue. “Do you want to pay now or later?”
“Piss off,” I huff. “The game isn’t over yet.”
I talk like I have a chance against my brother. I know I don’t. I might be able to pull it off on another evening, not tonight though. My mind is elsewhere and that’s the reason for this impromptu meetup with Jackson at Mort’s Sports Bar.
“Whatever. I’m just trying to make it easy on you.” He chuckles to himself.
He’s probably right. I lean over and take my shot. The ball rolls into the pocket. It’s not bad, but it’s not that good either. He’s going to beat me and I’ll owe him five hundred dollars. Bastard.
He laughs again, but instead of taking his shot he rests on his stick and looks at me with a smirk across his lips. “Are we seriously going to continue this game, watch me win, and take my prize? Or you want to spill what’s really going on?” He quirks a brow, and it reminds me of Ivy, how she can an arch a single eyebrow.
“There’s nothing going on.” I lie with a straight face, before applying blue chalk to the tip of my cue in an effort to appear nonchalant.
He laughs, but it’s mocking. There is no warmth in it. “This is me you’re talking to. I know you better than anyone, even your other brother Cory.”
I pull in a ragged breath, grab my bottle of beer from the little table and take a swig, not wanting him to know he’s right.
“You only summon me, like this,” he points to the pool table, “When there’s something going on and you can’t talk to Cory.”
I shrug, before taking another swig of beer.
“I’m grateful you told me about the placement for Porter, but still, you could’ve done that by phone, not brought me here to annihilate you at pool.”
He’s right but I don’t know what to say. Tell him the truth or just let him speak. I decide to go for the later, for now.
Jackson and I aren’t close. We get on, as brothers, but the age difference and the fact that he’s Dad’s favorite have meant that we’re not close.
But Jackson always sides with me when Dad gets on my case, and that’s why I can trust him in moments like these. . .when I can’t talk to Cory.
I take a deep breath, turn to look at Jackson and confess. “Ivy asked me to be her plus one at her friend’s wedding.”
Unlike Cory, Jackson knows how I feel about Ivy. Years ago, after too many beers I told him the truth. He also knows that my feelings haven’t changed since.
The smirk leaves his lips, and he is genuinely interested as his head cocks to the side. “That’s good. Tell me you said yes, and didn’t make a dick of yourself.”
“I said yes, and didn’t make a dick of myself.” I walk to him, and punch his shoulder, hard.
His eyes narrow. “And?”
“And what?” I ask innocently.
“Don’t be a dick, there’s more to this invitation.” He points a finger at my chest.
“It’s in Wisconsin, and it’s a weekend away.” I tell him the truth, and some details about Rachel and Patrick.
His eyes widen. “I wasn’t expecting this.” He runs his fingers through his hair. “So you’ll be away together. Don’t forget protection. Her dad, and Cory, will kill you if you knock her up.”
“What the?” I mutter some expletives under my breath before I go back and punch his other shoulder.
“Geez man, really?”
“You got it so bad for her, it wouldn’t surprise me if you did something stupid like have unprotected sex.”
I gulp. He’s right. But I don’t know if she wants me like that. “I think she’s inviting me as a friend.” I stress the word friend.
“Seriously? No one invites a friend to a weekend away.” He straightens and gives me a grin. “Listen to me, a date like that is a big deal. I wouldn’t ask anyone to go with me to a wedding, especially one that was away, and with her good friends? Nope. I’d rather go by myself. She’s inviting you as her plus one, that means it’s special.
“It’s time for you to make a move. You’ve had these feelings for her forever. Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to see what could happen, maybe use this wedding as a way to test the water?” He suggests, his hip against the pool table.
I nod, agreeing. “I want to but I just don’t want to get things wrong. If she were someone else I wouldn’t be so worked up about it. But she’s Ivy Carson.”
He smiles back at me. “She’s Ivy Carson, and I think Ivy Carson would be open to giving Leo Haller a chance. I’ve seen the way she looks at you, and I’ve seen it on more than one occasion.”
So he keeps telling me.
“Sometimes I see that look too, but I think I imagine it.” I confess, feeling like the thirteen-year-old me who had a crush on Ivy all those years ago.
“Nah, I think you’re being so careful you’ve become too careful.”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever.”
“Just don’t mess it up.” He leans over, takes a shot and a green ball sails into the corner pocket.
I blow out a long breath. He’s killing me at pool, as he always does.
“And what about Cory? He’s so protective over her.”
“Don’t get her pregnant, I told you.” Seeing me flustered over Ivy, he leans over and shoots another ball into a pocket. Bastard!
“I don’t think we’ll be having sex,” I confess.
“You’re an idiot. You’re going away to her best friend’s wedding. If you don’t have sex after that then you don’t deserve her.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “All women want sex after a wedding, what’s the matter with you.”
“I don’t want to stuff it up.” I drain the last of my beer.
“Then don’t stuff it up loser.” The final, black ball is pocketed and I’m out of pocket by five hundred dollars.
“Cory may be your best friend and you made this pact with him years ago. But despite you being tight with his family you need to work out what you want. Them or Ivy?”
He knows the answer. Ivy. It would always be her.
The problem is, I don’t know how she feels about me.
Is she worth the risk? Hell yeah.
“You owe me a thousand,” he says, getting the balls ready for another game.
“What? Because you’re going to beat me again?”
“No, for the advice, you loser.”
“Five hundred each time I beat you, and a grand for talking about Ivy.”
I curse him and he laughs in reply. “Whatever.”
“Time for me to beat you again.”
He may be annoying but I’m glad to have him.
Only three more weeks to the wedding. I can hardly wait.
Chapter 6
Ivy
“I never seen you this nervous.” Jenna giggles as she sits on the side of my bed.
“It’s not funny,” I say, gritting my teeth.
“The wedding is tomorrow and you’ve been scatterbrained all week. Now you just look like the jitters have taken set and you’re ready to implode.”
Shaking my head I continue packing. “Okay, I won’t lie, I am nervous.”
“Sweetie there’s nothing to be nervous of.” She sits up and pulls her knees to her chest. “It’s Leo, you know him and it’s going to be great to turn up to the wedding with a seriously hot guy. Can you imagine Ben’s face? Wish I could see it.”
When laughter spills from her lips I can’t help but laugh too. It’s true. Leo is like Hollywood heart throb gorgeous.
“That’s better. Now I have a present for you,” she lifts a paper bag from the floor and my jaw drops when I see the name of a famous l
ingerie company logo.
“That had better not be for me,” I say, reluctant to take the present.
“I just said it was for you.” She gives me a wink. “Open it.”
I take out the paper and find buried under it, a negligee. I hold it up to the light and gasp. The pink lace and satin lingerie is breathtakingly beautiful. I’ve never owned such a sexy outfit.
“Wear this for Leo,” she says with pride.
“What?” My eyes widen and my voice trembles.
“You heard me. This is what you need to wear for him.” She pauses. “You’re away for a weekend with the guy you’ve fantasized about for years. It’s time to do something about it.”
I open my mouth but nothing comes out.
“There’s also a pack of ribbed condoms, because, well, I like them ribbed.” She gives me a wink. “You’re welcome.”
“This is the perfect opportunity to see how things go between you and Leo. You’re away for the weekend, have sex, and lots of it. Everyone else will be having sex, why shouldn’t you?”
She’s right. Why shouldn’t I? Apart from my vibrator, I haven’t had sex since Ben. I’ve missed it. I enjoy sex. I’ve suppressed my feelings for so long, not dating, and focusing on my career that I realized that I haven’t had sex in years.
I’m still holding the lingerie up, and the bodice is made of lace. My breasts will be showcased, and the idea of wearing this for Leo makes my nipples tingle with desire. This is what I’ve wanted for years. I’ve wanted him, craved him, wanted him to kiss me, and touch me.
“There’s also some thong panties. I’ve already washed them, everything is ready to go.” She pauses. “And I’m loaning you my green dress. It’s my lucky dress. When I want to get lucky I wear it.” She waggles her eyebrows. “It has never let me down. Just so you know, you don’t wear a bra, just your thong. You’ll feel sexy and good about yourself. You and Leo deserve this.”
I reach into the bag and pull out her green dress, and there’s also a tube of strawberry flavored lube.
“You probably won’t need it, but it’s there in case,” she gives me a cheeky grin.