Chapter 299
The car rolled smoothly out of the underground garage and onto the main road.
Ivy was fighting a losing battle with sleep. She let her head loll to the side, closed her eyes, and mumbled, “Wake me when we get home.”
“Sure,” Jamison replied, turning up the heat a notch. He gripped the steering wheel with steady hands, eyes flicking over to make sure she was comfortable.
It didn’t take long for Ivy to drift off in the passenger seat, her features soft and peaceful—so lovely he had to resist the urge to lean over and kiss her. On a whim, Jamison changed course, steering the car toward his bachelor apartment instead of her house.
Half an hour later, his sports car glided to a gentle stop.
Ivy was deep in a dream when strong arms slid beneath her and lifted her effortlessly out of the seat. Suddenly airborne, she startled awake with a gasp.
“Hey!” She blinked rapidly, heart pounding—until she recognized the man carrying her. Relief gave way to irritation almost instantly. “You scared me to death! You could’ve just woken me up, you know. Who told you to pick me up like that?”
Jamison, tall and broad-shouldered, made carrying her look effortless. He even managed to scoop up her high heels from the footwell with one hand as he cradled her with the other.
“You just looked so peaceful, I couldn’t bring myself to wake you. Besides, you’re light as a feather—no trouble at all.” He grinned, lowering his face to brush a teasing kiss against the corner of her mouth.
Still clinging to his neck for dear life, Ivy glared at him but didn’t dare pull away—she had no intention of taking a tumble.
When Jamison kicked the car door shut and started walking away with her in his arms, Ivy finally noticed they weren’t anywhere near her building.
“Where are you taking me? You promised to drop me off at home!” she protested, suddenly wary.
“It’s late,” Jamison said calmly, “If you go back now, you’ll wake Ms. Lester.”
Ivy frowned. “No way! Katrina asked if I was coming home tonight—I told her I would.”
She squirmed, trying to wriggle free, but Jamison was faster. He tightened his hold, her heels dangling from his fingers, keeping her firmly off the ground.
“Ivy, it’s really late and I’m exhausted. Just stay here with me tonight, okay?”
Her house in Golden Maple Estate was a good half-hour away, even with empty roads this late at night. Going back and forth would take an hour—hardly worth it when they were both so tired.
Ivy eyed him, noticing the fatigue etched into his face, along with a mischievous glimmer that made her want to smack him. So she did—landing a sharp thump on his chest.
“You did this on purpose!”
“Innocent, I swear. I just figured it’d be rude to disturb Ms. Lester.” Jamison smiled cheekily and leaned in for another kiss, but Ivy blocked him with a hand to his chin. Chuckling, Jamison carried her into the elevator, still flirting shamelessly. “We’re married, you know. Isn’t it only natural for us to spend the night together? Don’t worry, I promise I’ll behave. Completely respectful.”
Ivy felt her cheeks flush, suddenly self-conscious—as if she were the unreasonable one for insisting on separate beds after they’d tied the knot.
She averted her gaze, squirming in his arms. “Put me down. There’s a camera in here.”
“You’re not wearing shoes.”
“I can put them on—didn’t you just say you were tired?”
“No big deal. Carrying you isn’t tiring at all.”
“You’re way too light. You should eat a bit more—put on some weight. It’d be good for you.”
Jamison’s tone was all professional, like he was giving medical advice, but Ivy’s mind flashed back to that look he’d given her in the parking garage.
“What’s that supposed to mean? You like curvy girls?” She shot him a sidelong glance, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Jamison caught her eye and realized exactly where her mind had gone. He gave her a helpless little smile, then deliberately teased, “If you mean in certain ways… I wouldn’t mind at all.”