Ivey Pierce is an explorer, and thanks to her career as a wildlife biologist, she does not stay stationary for long. But when her parents die in a terrible accident, and her childhood home is left vacant for two years, she returns to the tattered me...
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A SOFT CLANK pulled me from sleep, and my eyes opened to find Weston setting a steaming mug on the nightstand. My bare body warmed at the sight of the shirtless, handsome man. Instinctively, I reached for his hand before he could walk away, causing him to freeze.
"You're awake." He sounded surprised as I pushed onto my elbows, pulling the flat sheet with me to hide my bare chest. The edge of the bed sank where he sat. "That coffee is for you, and I can make breakfast if you're hungry."
"I'll just have coffee for now, but thank you." I stopped giddy laughter from bubbling out of me because of how sweet he was.
"Alright." He smiled, leaning forward and hesitantly kissing my lips. I wanted to freshen up in the bathroom first, so I kept our kiss short by pulling away.
We stared at one another, unspeaking. Despite my inability to read minds, especially Weston's, I knew exactly what he was thinking because I was thinking about the same thing—about last night.
I recalled how he kissed and held me, how our bodies moved, the soft touch of his fingers, and how last night was the first night I didn't feel alone.
Regardless of how good it felt being with Wes, I couldn't shake the feeling that we complicated things beyond repair and that neither of us could put off the much-needed conversation about what would happen next because of the little time we had left together.
"Earth to Ivey," Weston said, squeezing my thigh.
"Sorry."
"Everything okay?"
I cocked my head to the side. "You know everything isn't okay."
He was silent for a beat, analyzing my answer. Then he took my hands, and his eyes scanned mine to ensure I was listening. "Give us today, okay? Just promise me we will enjoy the time we have left together."
I nodded.
After freshening up in the bathroom, throwing on one of Wes's tee shirts, and making his bed, we spent our morning on his patio with Masie.
I kept my promise and did not mention the fact that I was leaving or how it felt like a knife inside my heart twisted every so often to remind me the pain was still there. I fought the feeling as best I could.
I jumped from my seat. "I have such a great idea. Let's take the boat out today."
"Okay, I can pack us lunch."
Weston said he would meet me at my house, so I dashed home barefoot with my dress hanging over my arm and shoes in hand. I cleaned up again in my bathroom, put on a bathing suit and cover-up, collected my camera bag, and walked to my boat. I yanked off the cover and filled the gas tank.
While I waited for Weston, I finally looked at my phone littered with texts from Zoe asking if I was okay and to call if I needed anything, Kate wanting to know how last night went, and then a third text from Nora. My heart sank.
