Stunned at her admission, he cupped her cheeks and crushed his mouth to hers. They needed to get out of there as soon as possible because he wanted to show her all the ways he loved her, over and over.
He could have lost her today, knew that nothing was guaranteed. So he was going to hold on to her for all he was worth.
Chapter 28
“So she drugged her boyfriend?” Ezra asked before taking a sip of his beer. He was sitting across from Ivy and Nash at Nash’s patio table. Ezra leaned back in his chair, the string of patio lights above them on the pergola and the streaming island-style music creating a relaxed atmosphere.
After he and Ivy had gotten a full night of sleep—and other stuff—Nash had asked him over since he was the only one of Ivy’s family in town. He and Ivy were recapping everything for him—so Ezra could fill their family in without Ivy having to.
“Yeah. She’d been running her own con on them. And apparently this wasn’t the first time she’s done it either. She has a lot of aliases. And according to the Green brothers, she’s the one who killed the museum curator’s wife. They don’t have any proof of it but all the brothers are testifying against her. Not that it will reduce their sentence any. But they blame her for ruining their little operation because they’d never planned to kill anyone.”
“I’m just glad she’s caught,” Ivy murmured, setting her own glass down. “I can’t believe she tracked us to Juan’s.”
Yeah, Nash was pissed about that too. But she’d seen Ivy and him talking to Commander Flores outside the hotel and had started digging into Ivy. From there, she’d figured out exactly who Ivy was.
Nash reached out, took her hand in his and squeezed. “She’ll never be a threat to us again.”
“It’s weird seeing you two together,” Ezra murmured. “Good weird though,” he clarified. “And I’m so glad y’all are okay. I just hope you don’t take any more dangerous jobs,” he said to Ivy. “Not that I don’t think you can handle it. Clearly you’re a fucking boss. Nash filled me in on how you knocked that woman out in the warehouse.”
She grinned slightly. “I had good teachers.”
Nash had talked with Ezra, even though he hadn’t been sure it had been his place. But he’d wanted her brother to back off and to start treating Ivy like the capable, kick-ass woman that she was. He knew that if one of her brothers stopped treating her like a teenager, the others would fall in line.
“Yeah you did. Well, it’s getting late so I’m going to get out of here. I’ve gotta get up early.” Picking up his empty bottle, he gave both of them hugs before heading to the back door. “I’ll let myself out through the front and lock up.”
“Thank you,” Ivy said.
As soon as Ezra disappeared into Nash’s kitchen, Nash pulled Ivy into a big hug. They were still decompressing from everything, but he had a contract he was about to start and he wanted to soak up every second with her before then. Not to mention they were going to be picking up their new dog tomorrow morning. Everything in his life was changing and he was so ready for it.
She buried her face against his chest. “I’m so damn exhausted.”
“Me too.” Though, not too tired to get naked soon. He squeezed her tight before she pulled back. “I talked to Travis right before Ezra got here. I have a contract that starts next Tuesday. But if you need anything before then, I want to help you move into your place.”
“Actually…my tenant will still be there for a few more weeks. She needed an extension while she closes on her new place, so I’m giving it to her.”
“Why don’t you just move in with me?” She laughed lightly but he shrugged. “I’m not joking. Just temporarily so you don’t have to waste money on a rental.” Lies. Once he got her in here, he wasn’t letting her go. “And that way Bud will have company.” They’d already bought him a new bed, dog bowls, toys—so many toys.
A gleam lit her blue eyes. “If you’re sure you don’t mind? I’m going to have a lot of clothes.”
He pulled her close, sliding his hands down to her ass and squeezing. God, he loved everything about her. “I will have a lot of fun taking them off you.”
Laughing, she leaned up on tiptoe, and they met halfway, their lips colliding in a rush of heat and hunger.
“You’re not too tired?” he asked as he pulled back slightly. Because he knew where this was headed.
She reached between their bodies and rubbed a hand over his erection. “I’m never too tired for you.”
He captured her mouth with his again.
Epilogue
Four months later
“I’m so excited you adopted this guy,” Mila said, crouching down next to Bud, their grumpy pug.
Ivy and Nash had put a pool into their place and had decided to have a “pool warming” party to celebrate it, mainly just to have all their friends over. Now that she was in Miami full-time again, Ivy had been catching up with old friends and settling in to her new job as a consultant. Right now, a party was in full swing, complete with catered food and a mini bar.
People were standing around the pool, drinking and talking while a silly game of volleyball was going on in the pool with some of the attendees’ kids. Nash had strung up a bunch of solar-powered Edison-style lights throughout the trees, over the pool and the patio, and even in the daylight they added a little extra flash. Ivy had decided to add two potted palm trees and half a dozen Hawaiian hibiscus plants and birds of paradise at the last minute. Everything was so colorful and welcoming.
Bud gave her a baleful look before nuzzling against her outstretched hand, his little body wiggling in happiness.
“He is the biggest cuddle bug. He gets right in between me and Nash every night,” Ivy said with a laugh. Nash called him a cockblock all the time—he’d bonded with both of them but Ivy took him to work with her at Genesis’s warehouse and he’d claimed her as his favorite fairly early on. And he sometimes tried to nudge Nash out of the way when he was cuddling with Ivy. So yeah, cockblock was about right.
“Your aunt did a good job of running the place, so don’t get me wrong, but you are absolutely killing it. Everyone is saying so,” Mila added. “The social media campaigns you’ve launched? I’m surprised you have any available pets left at all.”
She smiled, her cheeks warming slightly under the praise. “I can’t take all the credit.”
“Heck yeah, you can. You hired some amazing people.”
“Yeah, and they’re completely kicking ass right now. The adoption rates are up fifteen percent and climbing.” And Ivy had officially paid off all of the back mortgage and bought out her former partner so the place was hers, free and clear. A huge weight had been lifted, knowing that her aunt’s legacy would live on and that the shelter would be in place for a long time.
“So I hear you’re working there one day a week. Any plans to take over?”
“No. I like interacting with all the pets and I’m so glad to have Bud.” Hearing his name, he jumped to all fours, tail wagging as he nudged her ankle. He was always greedy for pets. “But I’m currently happy with my new job.” Settling back in Miami had been a huge whirlwind but it was definitely the right decision. Nash was a big part of that too—the best part of it.