Resounding Kisses (9 page)

Ter was flying high on adrenaline. The concert had been spectacular, one of their best, and the only thing missing to make him fly was Ivy. He’d tried to call her, but she wasn’t answering her phone. Glancing at the time, he realized she must be asleep.

He grabbed a bottle of water and tried to think of something besides her when Jason approached him with a gorgeous woman in tow. He blinked and then shook his head.
God, now I’m hallucinating
.

“Hey, Ter. This is Yvonne.”

The rest of Jason’s words got lost as Ter realized she was real. Ivy was here. He jumped up and rushed past a very confused Jason, sweeping her into his arms and kissing her passionately in front of everyone. She kissed him back, wrapping her arms and legs around his torso as they devoured each other.

“You’re here,” he whispered against her lips long moments later.

“I’m here,” she told him, searching his eyes. Oh, how he loved her expressive eyes. When she realized she was wrapped around him like a pretzel, she slid down so that her feet were once more on the ground and blushed.

“God, I love it when you do that,” he whispered against her lips, kissing her hard once more before tugging her back to the now gathering group.

“Everyone, this is Ivy. My girlfriend.” He’d never believed it would feel so good to say those words, but it did. And when he looked down at her, he could see she felt the same way.

To emphasize her meaning for him, he possessively put a hand around her shoulders as his band members came up and introduced themselves one at a time.

She leaned up and whispered in his ear. “I love how possessive you are. It turns me on.”

He growled in response, thinking about the possibilities to disappear with her to a more private place. As soon as the introductions had been made, he dragged her off to the side. “How are you here? I thought you didn’t have any time off coming?”

“I don’t. But I’m here because I convinced my boss I needed to talk with the other band members.”

Ter kissed her again and then asked, “Where are you staying?”

“The company reserved a room downtown. Where are you staying?”

“With you. Let’s go,” he dragged her towards the exit.

“Now?” she asked, trying to keep up with his long legs. When she stumbled, Ter stopped and swung her up into his arms.

“Now. I can’t wait one more minute to be alone with you.”

Ivy blushed. “I guess I can talk to your band members tomorrow…”

“Hey, Terrence. Sorry for not letting her in,” the bouncer called out, looking somehow miserable. “I didn’t know she’s your girlfriend. She wasn’t on the list. She didn’t have a pass.”

Ter put her down. “Don’t worry, man. From now on she has permanent access to all areas.”

The bouncer sighed in relief. “Sure. I’ll personally make sure this won’t happen again. Hey, miss. No hard feelings?”

Ivy smiled. “No hard feelings. Thanks for keeping him safe.”

The bouncer gave her a little jaunty wave and turned away. Ter took her hand and pulled her after him to a private parking area. He pulled a set of car keys from his back pocket and then opened the passenger door of a sassy little two-door coupe. He helped her into the small car, reached in and buckled her seatbelt, kissing her hard before shutting the door.

She gave him the name of the hotel and within minutes they were parking in the valet driveway. Ter handed the young man his keys and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”

Ivy had to hide a smile at his urgency. He was in a hurry to get her alone, and while she was definitely on board with that idea, she liked seeing him this desperate for her.

At the courtesy desk, she retrieved her room key. The ride in the elevator was almost painful, they stood next to each other, avoiding touch. But the minute she opened her room’s door, he pushed her inside and slammed the door shut.

Then he spun her around and backed her up against the wall. He raised her hands above her head and kissed her senseless while divesting her of her clothing and then stripping himself.

They were both panting hard when he picked her up and sat her in the middle of the bed. He tossed the pillows to the floor and then began a new oral inventory of her person, starting with her lips and working his way down her body until he reached her toes and all of the flesh in between.

“God, I missed you,” he murmured to her as he rose above her long minutes later.

Ivy wrapped her arms around his back and leaned up to kiss him. “I missed you too. So much.”

Ter levered himself above her. “Ivy, I can’t go slow right now. I need you too much.”

“Then don’t. I always figured you for a rough lover anyway. Show me how much you want me.”

He didn’t need any other convincing and fingered a condom from his wallet. Without preamble, he surged into her warm heat, thrusting deep and hard. The hint of guilt about being too rough with her quickly faded when she moaned and screamed with pleasure. “Now. More.”

Soon his control slipped away from him, and they were flinging off the precipice of orgasmic pleasure together. Nothing had ever felt so good or so right.

***

The next morning, Ivy got a chance to officially meet with his other band members. She saw why they were still together after so many years and she knew working with them wouldn’t be a problem, but a pleasure.

Over a loud and laughter filled brunch, all of the band members signed the contract and Ivy was pleased that she’d be able to return to New York with good news for her boss.

“So, I guess that’s that. I need to call the airport and see when the next flight back to New York is,” she told Ter as they sat in the restaurant, the final two left since everyone else had gone about their day.

“Stay. Please. We’ll drive up to Sandy Beach and I’ll introduce you to my parents.”

Ivy watched him, wanting to say yes and finally she nodded. “I can stay one more day, but then I have to fly back to New York. My father’s birthday is tomorrow.”

“I’ll drive you back to the airport first thing tomorrow morning,” he said and then called his mom to tell her he’d bring someone for the barbecue.

The drive out to Sandy Beach was wonderful and Ivy was excited to meet Ter’s family and see where he’d spent his teenage years. He pulled up in front of a charming little house and two older people came out to greet them. “Here they come,” he warned her.

Ivy looked at the couple and slid from the car. She was grateful when Ter took her hand, offering her his silent support.

“Mom. Dad. This is Yvonne Kafando. My girlfriend.”

His mom raised an eyebrow at that introduction, as if she hadn’t believed she’d ever hear those words out of the mouth of her youngest son.

“Please, call me Ivy,” Ivy hurried to say.

“And you can call me Mitch,” the big man Ter introduced as his father said. He shook her hand, but when she turned to greet his mother, she found herself wrapped in a warm hug.

“You can call me Bridget or Mom. I answer to both.” A happy smile covered her entire face. “I’m so glad Terry has decided to settle down.”

Ter flinched at the endearment. “Mom. Don’t call me Terry please. I’m a grown man, not a baby anymore.”

“You’ll always be my baby, independent of your age,” Bridget said. “Once you have your own kids, you’ll understand that.”

“Mom!” Ter protested. And to Ivy he said, “She’s been pressing all of us for grandkids since we turned eighteen.” Then he looked at the driveway and then asked, “Who all’s here?”

Bridget smiled at the obvious change of topic. “Reese is already here, but Nik’s plane is late. Allison and Russell are on their way, and Ethan and Hazel arrived a few minutes ago. They brought Sam’s cousin Preston along to meet everyone. He’s such a lovely guy.”

Ivy stood there listening to Ter and his mother discuss his siblings and felt herself growing more nervous by the minute.
What if they don’t like me?
She clung to his hand like a drowning person, feeling completely out of place.

A few moments later, a brunette with wild curly hair who shared Ter’s strikingly beautiful emerald eyes rushed out of the house. “Ter. Why didn’t I know your girlfriend is here?”

She hugged him for a long minute before she greeted Ivy. “I’m Reese. I’m so happy to meet the woman who’s succeeded in taming my brother.” Pulling her into an embrace, she whispered loud enough for Ter to hear it. “If you want any dirty details about his childhood, feel free to ask me.”

Ter made a face and Ivy had to laugh out loud. Reese dragged her into the house and she could hear Mitch say, “Let’s go into the backyard, I’ve already got the barbecue heating up.”

Reese said to Ivy, “Ter was kinda tight-lipped about how you met. This all happened so fast.”

Ivy grinned. “It did. I hadn’t planned to come here either. Actually, I’m a bit worried because there are so many people.”

“Don’t you worry. Whoever happens to be around on Saturday afternoons drops by for dinner. It’s a family tradition. And with six siblings, there’s always someone around. Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone else.”

As everyone settled around a large table for dinner, Ter wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the forehead. “Still doing okay?”

“Well, so far I like everyone I’ve met. Your family is so nice. Especially Reese.”

“She likes you, as does everyone else.”

Nik, Reese’s fiancé arrived with two bottles of red wine in his hands. He barely had enough time to set them down on the table before Reese jumped into his arms and they exchanged a passionate kiss. When they finally broke the kiss, Reese’s face was totally flushed and Nik cleared his throat before he said, “Sorry to be late. My plane had to fly around bad weather.”

Preston Armstrong, Sam’s cousin, sat opposite to Ivy at the table beside Ethan, Ter’s oldest brother and his girlfriend, Hazel. Preston remotely resembled Samantha, and he featured the same dark hair and blue eyes. He was planning to build a resort nearby. “It will be just outside Sandy Beach. Big enough to provide all the luxuries, but small enough not to obstruct the landscape. The plans are coming along well, thanks to the great financing work Ethan has put together.”

Ethan chimed in, “Preston’s resort is the first major project I’m financing. And I’m pretty impressed with how things are coming together as well. In my wildest dreams, I hadn’t hoped for my angel to be such a great success.”

“Your angel?” Ivy raised her eyebrows.

Both Ethan and Hazel laughed and Hazel explained, “Ethan just started a business that matches investors with entrepreneurs and others looking at starting up a business but don’t have the money to do so. The official name is AngelSeed. But he calls it My Angel.”

“Oh, that explains it,” Ivy said.

“It will give many people a chance to see their dreams come true.”

Ivy sat back and listened as the Paxton family discussed a variety of things. They reminded her so much of her own family, the love they obviously had for each other and their partners, the deep loyalty and need to see each other as often as possible. The only major difference was the open affection Ter’s family showed one another.

Ivy’s parents were much more reserved and strict. It’s not that they didn’t love each other or their children, but they had their own way of doing things.

During the course of the conversation, she was stunned to get the impression Bridget was the head of the family, not Mitch. Bridget seemed to have her hand on the pulse of what was happening in everyone’s lives, while Mitch was her support in family matters. That would never go over in her house. In her family, her father’s word was law. End of story.

“If I could have everyone’s attention,” Russell spoke up and tapped his fork against his glass. When everyone had quieted down, he looked down at the blonde woman sitting next to him. Ivy smiled as the woman, Ter’s youngest sister Allison, took their cute little son, Jackson, in her arms. Russell cleared his throat. “We’re getting married. This winter.”

Little Jackson screamed, “Me too.”

Everyone started talking at once. Bridget cried, rounding the table to hug them both. “Darling, I’m so happy for both of you. And my youngest will be the first one to get married. I’d never have thought that. So happy,” she sobbed.

Ivy listened, wondering why they’d chosen winter. When it had quieted down, she asked Ter, “Why in the winter and not the summer? I bet Sandy Beach is cold and blustery during the winter, while in the summer it would be a perfect place to get married.”

It had grown quiet enough that everyone heard her question and broke out in laughter. Reese was the first to stop and answer her question. “That’s the exact reason why in the winter. Sandy Beach is overrun with tourists during the summer months and people won’t have time to attend a wedding with everything so busy.”

Mitch piped up, “And things are much more expensive around here in the summer.”

Russell grinned. “And Chase and Pearl won’t be competing so they’ll be able to attend.”

Ivy was amazed at how many other people had been considered. It showed how tight knit the family was and she loved it.

When it was time to head back to Chicago, she could honestly say she’d had a wonderful time. She hugged Bridget. “I had a lovely time. Thank you for having me.”

“I wish you could have stayed longer,” Bridget answered.

“Sorry. Perhaps you’ll be able to come up to New York once Ter gets moved.”

Mitch wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulder. “Definitely. It was nice meeting you, Ivy.”

“You too.”

“Ready to go?” Ter asked, having just seen his sisters and brother off.

She nodded and waved to his parents. They headed back to Chicago early enough to get some sleep before she had to be back to the airport early the next morning.

When he dropped her off at the airport, it was bittersweet and Ivy hoped the next couple weeks would fly by.

“I’ll be moving to New York two weeks from now. I’ll call as soon as I have some details and maybe I can visit between then and now.”

“For real?” Ivy asked, thrilled that he might fly in before he made the official move to the city. “That would be great.”

Ter kissed her tenderly and then searched her eyes. “I’m so glad you flew out here.”

“Me too.”

“I’ll call you tonight to make sure you got back safely. I’m already missing you.”

Ivy could only nod as he hugged her close one last time. “I’ve got to go.”

“Talk to you tonight, lovey.”

She grabbed her suitcase and headed inside the airport. She’d come to Chicago to do what her job demanded. And what her heart had wanted. It had been a success on both levels.