Faith Sullivan - Meant for Me

“Will says he needs you in L.A.” Eric crosses his arms, ready to lay down the law. “But don’t even think about it—because you’re not going.”

Eric

I was afraid this was going to happen, and now it has. I knew Will Carter wouldn’t disappear from our lives so easily. There had to be a catch.

“Eric, he must’ve run into some complication he doesn’t know how to fix. We’ve been working together for months on this screenplay. I can’t turn my back on him now. We’re so close to finishing it.” Ivy looks at me with those puppy-dog eyes of hers, and I’m already starting to melt. But I can’t bear the thought of her traveling alone, especially in her condition. There’s no way she’s stepping foot on a plane without me.

But that’s the problem. I can’t leave the garden center. Not now. The Halloween season is a major moneymaker for Riverside Gardens. With a baby on the way, I can’t turn down the extra income that comes rolling in from the pumpkin patch I set up in the adjacent field. During the week, various school groups make their annual visit, and on weekends we’re jam-packed from morning till night, pressing apple cider and giving tractor-driven hayrides. It’s impossible for me to take time off.

“But why can’t you hash it out over the phone or by email like you’ve been doing?” I question Ivy, and she seems embarrassed as I bear down on her, hastily covering herself with her sundress. “Why do you suddenly have to fly across the country just because he snaps his fingers? He doesn’t own you.”

“Of course he doesn’t. But you know what this could mean for us if he’s able to sell this script. You wouldn’t have to kill yourself working so hard. You never gave yourself enough time to fully recover from your injuries after that stupid fight. I know you’re in pain a lot of the time, but you just push through it. It’s not right. Eric, I only want to help you as much as I can.” She gets up, tugging down her skirt. She’s nervous about pursuing this, but she’s determined and she’s not going to quit. I’m setting myself up to fight a losing battle.

“I know not going back to school hasn’t been easy for you.” I reach out and tuck a loose tendril of hair behind her ear, attempting to soothe her battered confidence with a loving gesture. “But it doesn’t mean that you’re never going to get your degree. Once the baby comes—”

“Once the baby comes, I’ll be busier than ever.” Her hands come to rest on my hipbones, and I can’t help reacting to her touch. “I’m not going to have the chance to do much of anything for a while. Don’t pretend things aren’t going to change, Eric.”

“I’m not…” But I’m at a loss for words when she begins to massage my stomach muscles with her thumbs. I gasp, widening my stance as my eyes start to close on their own accord.

“I want to contribute any way I can, and the one thing I know how to do is write. I’m barely into the second trimester of my pregnancy. Let me go and sort this out while I’m still able to travel.” She doesn’t like the idea of having to ask my permission for anything, that much is certain. And I can’t blame her for wanting to reassert her independence. But why does it have to be with Will?

“Ivy, if this is on account of what people around town are saying, you don’t have to prove yourself to anybody.” I grit my teeth as she takes a step back, making me acutely aware of my nakedness.

“This is not what this is about.” She glares at me from beneath her eyelashes. “Lauren’s bullshit has nothing to do with this.”

“I just don’t want you feeling pressured into doing anything you’re not up for. All I want to do is take care of you.” I reach for her, and she lets me hold her. She knows how worried I am about this pregnancy and how many things can go wrong. We’re not home free, not by a long shot.

“But it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Eric. When will I ever have a shot at something like this again? Probably never.” She sighs against my shoulder. In her eyes, she considers herself a failure. Coming here to work for me is such a step down for her. She’s too talented to man the counter of Riverside Gardens for the rest of her life. She’s young. She deserves the chance to spread her wings, and Will can give her that, even if I can’t.

“Promise me you won’t be gone more than a week. I don’t think I could part with you for longer than that.” I rest my chin on top of her head, staring glumly at the vibrant colors of the autumn sunset.

“Let me see what he wants. Maybe it won’t even take that long.” Ivy’s trying to encourage me as she rubs my back. After a day of heavy lifting, it feels so good that I shudder against her. “See, I know how to take care of you too, mister.” She chuckles and I hold on to her even tighter.

“Ivy, I can’t bear the thought of you leaving me,” I moan, just as Ben, our part-time helper, bursts into the greenhouse, not seeing us until it’s too late.

“Oh shit. Sorry, boss. I didn’t know you were in here.” Ben slides the rake he was carrying against the wall, lowering his eyes. “Do you need anything else?”

“Nah, that’s it for today. Thanks, Ben,” I mutter, grateful that Ivy’s sundress is back on her body. If he saw her… No, I won’t even go there. She’s mine and mine alone. We’re going to have to be more careful from now on. I can’t keep giving in to her every whim without taking some precautions. No one’s going to see how beautiful she is except for me.

“Goodnight, Ben,” Ivy calls out, unable to turn around because my arms are locking her in place. She’s pressed against my body, covering me even though it’s as clear as day that I’m buck naked behind her.

“Night, Ivy.” Ben shoots me a salacious grin over the top of her head, making me want to beat the crap out of him. As the town’s star quarterback, it’s obvious he bags girls left and right. It’s annoying to think of how many he must’ve been with since hitting puberty. He shuts the greenhouse door with a bang, but not before whistling through his teeth.

“Okay, that was mortifying, especially since he already caught me puking my guts out behind the cornstalk maze.” Ivy wipes her brow as I release my grip on her. “He felt so bad that he lugged a hose out there to clean it up before the kids arrived.”

“I think he has some kind of a crush on you, and I don’t want him getting any ideas.” My tone is lethal as I watch him swing into the driver’s seat of his brand new Ford F-150 pickup. He’s already secured a full ride to Penn State next year on a football scholarship. It must be nice having all of life’s perks at such a young age.

“Jealous?” Ivy teases, grabbing my length in her hand and squeezing hard. “You have no reason to be. He’ll never be half the man you are.”

Not expecting her surprise attack, I can only groan in response, making her laugh. She wraps her fingers around me, rapidly guiding her hand up and down my shaft. I’m powerless to stop her as I lean against the rose bushes, my breath coming in irregular intervals. I feel my knees weakening, but somehow I remain standing as she bends down to take me in her mouth.

“Oh, fuck…Ivy,” I cry out as the thorns dig into my back. I’m no fool. She’s thanking me for giving in to her, grateful that I’m letting her go to L.A. without much of a fight.

But how am I going to stand being away from this woman for seven long days and seven long nights? Let’s just say that I have no problem with her trying to make it up to me. And man, is she off to one hell of a start…

Ivy

I hate that I’m freaking Eric out.

He tossed and turned all night after I confirmed my travel plans with Will. I’m leaving for L.A. tonight on a red-eye out of New York. Eric’s going to take half a day off and drive me to the airport. He called his buddy Jack to cover for him. He’ll drive the tractor and Eric’s dad Frank will take my place behind the register. Luckily they were both able to pitch in and help out on such short notice. Next week, Eric is going to rotate schedules between the two of them and Ben. Hopefully they’ll be able to tough it out until I get back.

I watch Eric sleep fitfully as the sun shines through the skylight above our bed, causing him to scrunch his eyelids. He looks so cute as he unconsciously throws an arm across his face to deflect the glare. My stomach clenches, and this time not from morning sickness, although it’s been pretty bad these last few months. I feel a pang, knowing that I won’t be waking up next to him for at least a week. We’ve only lived together since July, but the log cabin he built with his own two hands already feels like home. It’s up to me to make these last few hours we have together count.

I’m in one of his freshly laundered t-shirts, the white, short-sleeved style he regularly wears under his plaid shirts. I’m kicking myself for being so fastidious with the household chores because now I wish it smelled like him instead of fabric softener. I’m going to need something of his to help me fall asleep when I’m by myself in a strange hotel room.

I bite my lip to keep from crying. I can do this. I have to be strong, for him and for our baby. I’m not going to have him shouldering the financial load all by himself, not if I can help it. I refuse to strap him with any more burdens. For all intents and purposes, he’s supporting me right now, and it doesn’t make me feel good about myself. I’ve always pulled my own weight for as long as I can remember. I’ve never taken handouts from anybody before, and I don’t intend to start now.

Since our first night together, he’s always slept naked beside me. Sometimes in the middle of the night, I feel his erection press against the back of my thigh, and so far the only name he’s called out in his sleep has been mine. I’ve been dreading the moment when he cries out for Cassidy, but it hasn’t happened yet. It seems like he’s really and truly over her.

I glance over as he rolls onto his back, still unable to fully relax. He’s already pitching a tent, the sheet standing straight up below his waist. I chuckle to myself. He’s definitely ready for me. It’s time to make my move and start pampering my man with the precious moments we have left.

The feather mattress sinks beneath me as I get to my knees. Yanking down the sheet, I take a minute to commit his body to memory. I could stare at him all day long, but the clock is ticking. Scooting closer, I lift one leg over his waist to straddle him. He likes when I’m on top, especially when he sits up to join me. That’s a favorite position of ours, even though sometimes he likes to turn me around and take me from behind. I think it reminds him of our first time down on his couch when he tore me out of my black Jackie O. dress.

Before that night, I never had much experience with guys. My one hook-up was with Andre, the foreign exchange student from Ukraine whose dorm room was across the hall from mine sophomore year. We were always bumping into each other, making pathetic attempts at conversation. One Sunday morning, after a night out drinking with Sophie and the girls, we found ourselves between shower stalls. Stepping out, he took one look at me. I took one look at him. And bam…my virginity was a thing of the past. It was over in about twenty-five seconds, and I didn’t come anywhere close to achieving an orgasm. Sadly, we never had a chance at a second opportunity before the semester ended. He journeyed back to his homeland and that was that.

It was stupid having unprotected sex with someone I barely knew. And because of the language barrier, we never really had a real conversation. But I just wanted that dreaded rite of passage to be over with. I was sick of being the only one with an intact hymen among my group of friends. No one likes being the freak. I know I sure didn’t.

I haven’t revealed much about my sexual history to Eric. He’s kind of possessive like that, and I don’t think he likes the fact that he wasn’t my first. To be honest, I have mixed feelings about it. I don’t think I would’ve been as confident coming into this relationship without any kind of experience under my belt. Up until then, Cassidy was the love of his life. I was pitting myself against some serious competition. If I had been a virgin on top of all that, I would’ve been a complete basket case.

And I find it seriously hot that Eric was only with one other woman besides me. He wasn’t a player or sowing his wild oats after Cassidy died. He knew what it was like to be in love, and he was capable of restraint—two qualities that hooked me from the get-go. I knew that if I found the courage to trust him with my heart, he’d return my love with nothing but loyalty and devotion—as long as we stayed far away from the machinations of Lauren Price.