25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

TUCKER

"Don't you dare, whiskey," Izzy warned when I reached up to adjust my blindfold.

"I'm not." I grinned, obediently putting my hand back down. We'd left the prom not too long ago, and when the limo brought us back home, everyone else took off to change for the after party while Izzy pulled me over to my truck and tied a blindfold around my eyes for some surprise she had planned.

"Where are we going?" I asked after we'd been driving for a while.

"Almost there." I heard the blinker turn on, and my truck slowed as Izzy took it around a curve. She pulled to a stop a few seconds later, cutting the engine. "You ready?"

I could just picture her face from the excitement in her voice. Whatever this was had to be good.

"Born ready," I replied, reaching up for the blindfold. "Can I? "

"Yes."

I pulled the cloth away and looked around, surprise, excitement, and confusion mixing together as I took in where we were.

"Well?..." Izzy bit her bottom lip, her face radiant as she waited for my response.

"My grandpa's old beach house?"

She nodded. "I rented it for the weekend. I took a drive earlier today and saw a sign they had up."

"Really?" I looked around, my eyes running over the yard and house I'd spent so much time in as a kid. My excitement really starting to catch.

"Yeah. Tonight's for us, and I thought we'd have Annie and Jet and maybe the families out here tomorrow."

"You are amazing."

Izzy beamed, her hand going to the door. "You ready?"

"Definitely."

Jumping out, I ran around the front of my truck as Izzy slid down from the driver's side, and I took her hand as I closed the door. She didn't wait a beat.

"Come on." She tugged my hand, and we rushed along the stone laid sidewalk that led up to the porch.

"Shouldn't we have packed some bags?" I asked as we hurried up the steps, and Izzy pulled out a key before looking back over her shoulder.

"Behind the times, whiskey. I've got plans tonight." She winked, leaving me stunned as she disappeared inside.

Did she just mean? No. I couldn't get my hopes up too far. We'd been messing around again for weeks now, but jumping straight to sex when I still hadn't been able to touch below her waist would be too much of a stretch.

"You coming?" she called out, and I shook my head to clear it .

What the hell was I waiting for? Izzy had rented my grandpa's place, for us , when I'd honestly thought I'd never get to set foot here again, and I was just standing outside like an idiot? My girl deserved a fucking trophy for putting this together.

I hurried inside, finding Izzy standing in the wide entryway to the kitchen as she took in the room. I stepped up behind her, wrapping my arm around her chest by her shoulders, and she leaned back against me.

"It looks the same. Mostly," she murmured.

"It does."

She slid out of my hold and took my hand, the two of us going on an unspoken tour of the house. It was strange, surreal, how things could look so much the same but so different at the same time.

Izzy and I headed up the stairs next, ignoring the rest of the bedrooms to head straight for the far door on the right. The room we'd spent so much of our teen years in when coming to this house. Opening the door, I went in first, relief washing through me as I took in the space.

"They kept it." Izzy walked past me, her pale, shimmering dress swishing around her legs. She stopped at the pool table, running her hand along the dark oak edge before turning to face me. She leaned back against it, her hands resting on the deep blue felt. "They have a couch between the windows, too, like the pullout Annie and I used to sleep on. Remember the night we shared it?"

"The first night I got you in bed with me." I winked, shrugging off my jacket. I laid it across the counter at the wet bar.

Izzy just shook her head, a happy smirk playing on her lips. "Not like you're implying, but yeah. That night was special in other ways." Her voice shifted, like her mind brushed through the memory before she sighed with a peaceful smile, her eyes drifting around the room. "It feels like coming home."

I just stared, taking her and everything in for several moments before walking over, and I leaned down, placing my arms on the felt behind her. Izzy tipped her head back for my kiss, my mouth covering hers as my heart skipped in my chest. This girl .

"This is perfect. Thank you," I said when we broke for air.

"You're welcome. Now, what do you want to do first? Play with some balls?" She gave me a saucy look and held up a couple of pool balls in her hand.

My dick jumped to attention at her teasing, and I smirked. "I can think of a couple of balls I want you to play with."

She released a small laugh, her eyes rolling playfully as she pushed me back, and then grabbed the triangle to set the table. "Later, whiskey. Now, come on. It's been forever since we've played."

It was our fourth game and the second one that Izzy was kicking my ass. "Eight ball, right corner pocket." She pointed with her cue stick and then leaned over the table. My hands twitched at the sight of her bent over it, that gorgeous ass up. She had no clue the torture she put me through sometimes.

My attention jerked back to the table with the smack of the balls, and Izzy jumped up when the eight ball went in, a bright grin in place. "Okay, that's two games each. You interested in getting your ass kicked again?" She smirked at me, so much joy in her features, and I took the pool stick from her hands to set it back on the table.

Her eyes widened, and her breath hitched, reading the intent in my expression. "Is that all you had planned for tonight? Because I think you hinted at something else a few times." My resistance was hanging on by a thread.

"I did." She looked up at me, something in her expression I couldn't read.

"Only what you're okay with," I reassured her.

She nodded, tucking her hand into mine. "Come on."

Following Izzy back down the stairs, she led me to the door behind the main staircase.

"Give me a minute. Count to sixty." She looked up at me over her shoulder before slipping inside the master bedroom.

I waited like she asked, anticipation thrumming through me as I dutifully counted, and as soon as I hit sixty, I eased open the door. My brow raised at the setup, and I looked around, taking it all in. Candles were lit amongst rose petals on the dresser and tables in the room, and more petals were scattered across the bed and floor. Izzy had clearly been busy today.

"I'll be out in a minute," she called from the bathroom.

"Alright," I called back, closing the door behind me. I took a few steps in, still looking around, and my hands had just started loosening my tie when Izzy's arms slid beneath mine.

"Here, let me help," she said softly, running her hands along my chest .

I jumped at her touch, not hearing her sneak up, and turned to embrace her, but I wasn't prepared for the sight waiting for me.

Izzy, in a silky, ice blue, spaghetti strap gown, the bottom hem only reaching her at mid-thigh. A small slit came up her leg, lined with an etched pattern of lace, but it was the lace at the top that had everything male about me roaring in appreciation. The center between her bust was sheer, giving me a glimpse at the swell of her breasts, the see-through material dipping down in a V to her navel.

My hands twitched, dying to strip it off her.

Izzy laughed at my expression as she reached up to undo my tie, the light sound causing me to pulse in anticipation. What I'd give for more of her tonight.

"Don't get too excited," she teased, tugging the end of my tie to pull it from my neck. "I might have to turn you down."

I placed a hand along her jaw, cupping her cheek. "You're asking me not to get too excited when you're wearing that ?" My eyes raked over her again.

"No, I'm asking you not to get too excited when you figure out what I'm not wearing under it." She gave me a saucy grin, and if that wasn't an invitation, I didn't know what was.

Leaning down, I reached beneath the silk from behind, feeling her bare ass, and I groaned into her ear as I squeezed. "Be fair, princess." Seeing her in the lingerie was hard enough, but now, I was supposed to resist her when I knew she was completely bare under it?

I swallowed, aching just thinking about it.

Izzy nipped my neck and whispered, "I plan to be fair. "

Shocked, I stood tall again and placed my hands along her neck, stroking her cheeks with my thumbs. "Izzy…are you sure?" I looked down into her eyes.

She nodded. "Just take it slow, okay?"

The answer in her eyes was vague, but I quickly forgot when she gripped my shirt to pull me down for a kiss. Her tongue brushed against my lip, asking for entrance, and I opened, sweeping her tongue up with mine as I searched her sweet mouth. But I took it slow, knowing she needed me to keep my control. This couldn't be like our last first time.

When she had the buttons undone on my shirt, I helped her tug it away and kicked off my shoes. She grinned up at me as I struggled with my socks but kept her hands busy at my belt, her fingers making quick work of the buckle. She'd long perfected that move.

She tugged down my pants and then stood before me, her eyes trailing over my chest and abs, and when she raised her hand to trace her fingers along the lines of my muscles, I didn't dare move. Giving her every minute she needed to explore my body. Dying for when it would be my turn. It had been ages since I'd been able to explore her, and I was going to make sure she appreciated every second of this experience tonight.

When Izzy's lips brushed over me alongside her fingertips, I nearly lost it, and I placed my hand over hers, pulling her back up to lock her in another kiss. She gasped when I scooped her into my arms, cradling her to me, but she just wrapped her arms around me, deepening our kiss as I carried her to the bed. I was going to make this perfect for her.

ISABEL

Tucker pulled the covers back before setting me down, and I slid over to allow room for him under the sheets, his lips never leaving mine. I was relieved he'd pulled them back, hoping that by hiding myself under them and my gown I'd be brave enough to try this. I just needed my shields. For now. Maybe one day I wouldn't.

When his hand trailed up my thigh, I did my best not to tense, and his hand gripped my ass, caressing and squeezing as his tongue delved my mouth. But when his fingers trailed up my bare hip, I quickly rolled on top of him in diversion and brought his hand to my chest instead. Taking my cue, he altered his course, caressing through the silk before slipping under the top hem to brush his hand over my breast.

My breath hitched when he reached my nipple, pinching it lightly between his fingers, and I groaned when he pinched it harder, a jolt of desire rushing between my legs. Grinding down against him on instinct, I moaned a cry with the gasp that escaped me at the first taste of friction I'd felt in months, his hard cock perfect against my now throbbing clit.

Before I could recover from the shock, Tucker rolled us over with a growl, his strong body hovering just inches over mine as he met my eyes. "You're doing perfect, princess. I've got you."

My heart sputtered in my chest at the intensity in his eyes, and he took my mouth with his in a possessive kiss before moving to the edge of the bed. The broad plane of his back stared at me as he glanced over his shoulder. "Where are the condoms? You might have that IUD in place now, but hell if I'm not going to take every precaution we can."

It felt like I'd swallowed my own stomach for a second. I'd known this part was coming. Could I really do this?

Yes. I can. For us.

"In my clutch," I whispered, pointing to where I'd placed it beside our bags.

He got up, and I watched him cross the room to the armchair with our things in the corner, gloriously naked with his cock at full attention. He grinned, spotting me when he was coming back.

"Like something you see?"

I immediately flushed, and his expression shifted.

"You're amazing, princess. And if I haven't said it yet, you look so damn beautiful tonight. I love you." My heart skipped in my chest, and I nodded, emotion flooding through me.

"I love you, too."

I lifted the covers for him to crawl back in and held them up as he tore the condom free of the package to roll it on. I crawled back over him when he was ready, hovering but not yet making the final move. Needing to steel my nerves.

I leaned down over him for another kiss, running my hands along his strong chest. I could feel his cock just below my core, and remembering the way it felt before, and I eased down to rub my clit against his hard length.

Our moans mixed, and I rolled my hips to slide against him, slowly up and down, the friction growing. Addictive. Tucker grabbed my thighs below my ass, sliding his hands up to grip, grinding me against him harder.

A sound escaped my throat I didn't recognize, and before I could stop him, Tucker slid his hands up my waist beneath the gown, his thumbs brushing far too close to where they couldn't. Instantly, I tensed, and Tucker froze as I shoved his hands away. I climbed off of him, flying out of the bed to pace the room, gasping for air.

No. No. I couldn't do this. Not now. But images swirled around me as the room began to dim, and I became lost in the current of what I didn't want to remember, only jolting back when Tucker grabbed my arm.

"What's wrong?"

Blinking back to the present, I yanked away from his hold, wanting to smack myself when tears started to flow. I could already barely breathe.

Tucker grabbed me again, pulling me into his arms. "What's wrong?" he repeated, his voice demanding yet soft, caring. I knew I was scaring him. I was scaring myself.

"I…can't," I gasped into his chest. "I thought…but…I can't."

"Was it me?" he asked, gently rocking as he ran his hand along my back.

"No." I started to sag against him, my breaths slowly coming back. "It's me. I can't. There's too much in my head. I can't."

"Okay," he shushed me. "Calm down, princess. I'm not going to make you."

"But you should. You need this, and I keep holding back." My tears rolled onto his chest, hating myself. "I don't want to screw us up over sex. I don't want to be messed up anymore. I want to make love with you again."

Tucker took my arms and held me out, urging me to look at him, and I saw the wince he tried to hold back when he looked into my eyes, all of my demons on display. I'd thought they'd left, stepped aside, but they were just hiding, waiting to come out screaming the second I let my guard down.

"You really think I'm so desperate for sex that I can't wait for you to be ready?" Tucker's eyes searched mine, and I shrugged.

"No, not really, but I know how badly you want it, and I do, too . Really. And I honestly thought I could tonight. I was feeling so good today after seeing Chloe, but freaking Zane had to go and ruin it by messing with my head, and then Zoey…" I trailed off.

That's what had triggered it all. Tucker had brushed beside that stupid scar. If only he would have kept his hands down low. I'd kept the gown on for a reason.

His gaze narrowed. "What are you talking about? What about Zane?"

Shit. Why did I even talk? I could have just told him I wasn't ready and left it at that. "Nothing," I denied. "Don't worry about it."

Tucker sucked in a long breath before releasing it through his nose, and I knew he was straining to stay patient. I just needed him to let it go. He was seeing way too much. I looked down, and he gently shook my arms.

"Damn it, Izzy. Talk to me."

"Just don't worry about it. Please. Forget I mentioned it." I didn't look back up.

"Who's Chloe?" Tucker pressed next .

Fuck, why had I said anything? He barely tolerated me going to the daycare as is, and if he didn't understand this… My fingers tugged at the ends of my hair that flowed over my shoulder.

"Who's Chloe?" Tucker's voice deepened. I bit my lip, hesitating, feeling like everything was about to unravel. "Tell me, Izzy, or I'm leaving."

I finally looked up, panic striking my chest. "You'd leave me?"

"You know I wouldn't leave you, but I will leave here. I'll get an Uber over to that party and let you drive home alone if you don't start talking. Now, who is Chloe?" he asked again, the warning for my honesty clear in his eyes.

I sighed my defeat. "She's a baby I watch at the daycare. They called me in this morning." I kept going when his eyes hardened, desperate to make him see. "She's so beautiful, Tucker, with such pretty brown eyes and hair, just like our baby would have had. And she gets those cute little crinkles in her forehead when she's stressed, just like you. Even her name is similar…"

"She's not Zoey." Tucker muttered it so softly that, for a moment, I wasn't sure I'd heard him.

"I know she's not."

"Do you?" he growled, his anger now taking over his expression. "Because now you're comparing her to me. Damn it, Izzy, I knew something like this could happen. I asked you not to work there. Over and over again, I asked you. So have Annie and Jet and our moms. But no, you're too stubborn to think for one second that we could be right. You'd rather work under the delusion that those babies need you instead of helping yourself . Helping us . Damn, when did you get so fucking selfish?"

I yanked out of the vice grip his hands had become. "They do need me, Tucker."

"No, they don't. You think you need them, but you don't. You need your friends and your family. We need you. I need you." He held a fist to his chest.

"And I'm there for you!" I screamed. "How can you say I'm not? I know you're doing so much better than I am, so I keep it in! I don't want you to have to see it all the damn time! I don't want to put you through that! That's what I do for you!"

"Well, stop it! I don't want that kind of help! I want you ! I need you! All of you! Not the edited version!"

"You don't edit?!" I wasn't really sure if he did, but desperation was crashing through me, rushing through my veins. I had to hold my ground.

" I edit because I'm afraid you'll break if I don't. You're strong. I know you are. You've been through hell, and you're still here fighting, but you're pushing yourself to the limit. I'm trying to be what you need, like I wasn't after we lost her."

My hands flew up, gripping my hair by my ears. "Don't. Don't go there," I pleaded. Not now. Not when I was on the edge.

"You see?" Tucker almost whispered then. "Exactly what I'm talking about. I'm tired of this. I'm finding a ride home." He walked around me to pull on his boxer briefs and pants, grabbing the rest of his clothes and his shoes before opening the door. "I'll always want you. I'll always love you, but I need all of you. Not this version that holds back. All or none. When you decide, come find me. "

The door shut, and I stood there, breaking, silent tears streaming down my red, hot cheeks as I watched my world walk away.