Chapter 434

Ivy grew anxious and rushed to explain herself. “That’s not what I meant! I was just asking if–medically–there’s some scientific way to help with…”

“There isn’t! And even if there was, I wouldn’t let you try it. I’m not worried, so why are you?” Jamison snapped, his irritation plain as he turned his back on her. “If your cramps get bad, call me. I’ll come take care of you. Now go to sleep!”

Ivy blinked, momentarily stunned.

Sure, her suggestion was a little out there, but was that really something to get so worked up about?

On what was supposed to be a perfectly good first night together, they’d both ended up sulking on opposite sides of the bed. What a mess.

She stared at the back of his head, lost in thought, then reached out to poke him between the shoulder blades.

“Hey.”

He didn’t budge.

She poked him again.

Apologies and sweet talk were never her strong suit, so she just kept poking, persistent as ever.

Finally, Jamison’s patience snapped. With an exasperated huff, he rolled over and pulled her roughly into his arms, trapping her there. “Sleep,” he growled.

Ivy said nothing, but nestled against his chest, a small smile tugging at her lips. She could feel the warmth of his body, like a living furnace, and her heart ached for him–this man who had a wife, yet no real way to let his frustration out.

Jamison, breathing in the intoxicating scent of her hair, replayed the night’s events in his mind. He couldn’t decide if their awkward ‘wedding night‘ had been a triumph or a disaster. He kept going over it, savoring every detail.

It was, he thought wryly, the very definition of a bittersweet indulgence.

The next morning, the sun was already high when they finally woke.

Jamison’s eyes opened first.

He gazed down at the woman sleeping in his arms, his expression thoughtful and intense.

He remembered how Ivy always asked what he saw in her.

The truth? He didn’t want anything in particular.

He just felt they were the same kind of people–equally sharp, equally clear-eyed, equally indifferent to what the world thought.

Even their looks, he had to admit, were on par.

He felt as though she’d been made for him, and now that they’d found each other, he wasn’t about to let her go.

Well, except for that ridiculous moment last night.

Sunlight filtered gently through a crack in the curtains, bathing the room in a soft, golden glow. Jamison lifted his hand and traced her features with his fingers, memorizing the curve of her brow, the line of her nose.

Ivy stirred and opened her eyes.

Their eyes met. She took in the sight of his strong, chiseled chest, and flashes of the night before came rushing back. Even if things hadn’t quite gone as planned, the tenderness and intimacy of those moments lingered in her mind.

She found it hard to believe he’d never been with a woman before.

“What are you thinking about?” Jamison leaned in to kiss her, his voice a low murmur when he saw her lost in thought.

“Nothing,” she mumbled, cheeks flushing. “I need to get back to campus today. We should get up.”

Jamison let her go without protest.

Truth was, mornings were always the hardest to resist her, and he worried that if they stayed tangled up much longer, he’d lose control entirely.

And Ivy, he knew, still wasn’t ready for that.

So, stopping now was the smart thing to do.

Ivy’s nightgown was rumpled as she sat up, turning her back to him to button it properly before slipping out of bed.

But as soon as she stood, her eyes caught a dried stain of red on the sheets. It was small, but unmistakable.

She froze.

Jamison followed her gaze, and his eyes darkened as he understood.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Ivy’s face went crimson. She knew she’d never been with anyone before, but seeing such stark evidence laid out like this still left her feeling mortified, embarrassed–and, oddly, surprised.

The first two were easy to explain.

But the surprise was because…

She turned to look at him, tongue suddenly clumsy. “Last night, you… didn’t you say you hadn’t…”