Falling to Pieces (9 page)

“Are you even listening to me?”
Sydney yanks me back with her words.

I look at her
, and smile. “Of course.”

“Oh, it’s just that you seemed a million miles away.” She flutters her lashes and purses her shiny lips at me.

“No, I’m right here,” I assure her, even though I know that my mind is in the family room with Ivy.

“Cool. Anyway, I feel like an idiot.” Pink rises on
Sydney’s cheeks. “I’ve been rambling on forever.”

You can say that again.

She peers up at me with this innocent look. “I don’t normally act like this. It’s just that you make me nervous.”

I find my heart softening a bit at her admission. Maybe she isn’t so bad. I place a hand over hers. “Don’t be.”

She giggles. “Well, tell me a little about yourself.”

“Okay,”
I say, my palm still resting against her fingers. “I’ve lived in Folsom all my life, but last year I moved to LA for school.”

“Really?” Her eyes light up. “I love LA. One time my friends and I took a trip to LA for a week in the summer and it was so much fun.
We went to this one place—” She presses her lips together and sits back. “Sorry. See what I mean? Go on.”

I smile, and open my mouth to speak again. But before I do, my gaze sweeps back to the family room.
My stomach twists at the sight of that guy with his mouth clamped over Ivy’s, and his hands all over her body. I tell myself to just turn around and ignore it, but then I see her hands come up to his chest and forcibly push him back. Only he doesn’t do as he’s told. In fact, he presses in closer, and his hand moves up to cup her breast. She pushes his arm away with her hand. “Stop,” I hear Ivy protest, but the guy just keeps coming at her like a freaking octopus. Anger surges through me, and I jump up.

“Where are you going?”
Sydney asks.

“Excuse
me a minute.” Without looking at her I stalk out of the kitchen, making a beeline for Ivy and this loser. “Hey, I think she asked you to back off,” I say, clenching my fists tightly.

The guy looks up at me, annoyed. “Actually she was having a good time until you came over here.

“It didn’t look like it from where I sat.”

“Asher,” Ivy interrupts, but I put up a hand to stop her.

“You have two seconds to get out of here before I put my fist through your face.” Everyone in the room has gone silent
, as they all stare in our direction. Ivy’s face reddens, and she fiddles with the hem of her dress.

“You could’ve told me you had a boyfriend,” the guy says harshly before getting off the couch and slinking away.

“I could have handled that myself,” Ivy scolds me as she stands up.

“It didn’t look like it,” I respond.

She shoves past me and stomps toward the front door. “I’m surprised you even noticed.”

I grab her arm,
whirling her around to face me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Only that you seemed pretty preoccupied when I saw you in the kitchen.” She shakes my arm off and races out of the house.

Despite my better judgment, I follow her. “Ives, come on.”

She stands in the middle of the front yard, her hair billowing around her face and her cheeks flushed. She looks so
good I want to kiss her right here. Only I know that would be stupid, so instead I shove my fingers down into the pocket of my jeans.

“What?” She shrugs. “It’s fine. You can go back to your girlfriend. I’m alright now.”

I step closer. “She’s not my girlfriend. Hell, I didn’t even know her until an hour ago.”

“Well, then get to know her.” She waves me away.

“I would, but there’s someone else I’d rather spend time with.” I move even closer to Ivy until we are standing only inches apart.

She tenses, but doesn’t make an effort to step away. It causes my pulse to race.
Her eyes lock with mine and there’s something in them that I just can’t quite read, but I feel a connection between us that is almost palpable.

“I thought you hated me,” she says.

“I could never hate you, Ives,” I say truthfully. “Even if I wanted to.”

“So you want to hate me but you can’t?” She raises her brows. “I don’t know if that makes me feel better.”

“I know what would make me feel better.” I lower my hand, running my fingers along the hemline of her incredibly short dress. She swats my hand away and jumps back, but not before I see the smile that passes over her lips.

“Asher, stop. You’re just as bad as Dustin.”

“Is that his name? Dustin?” The familiar anger burns through me.

Ivy points a finger at
me. “Don’t go after him, Asher, it’s over. I should’ve never flirted with him in the first place.”

“You flirted with him?” I curl my mouth upward. “Show me.”

Ivy rolls her eyes, and groans. “Man, all guys are the same.”

“I’m sorry,” I say. “Maybe if you weren’t so damn sexy you wouldn’t have this problem.”

“I don’t think being sexy is a prerequisite for trying to get in someone’s pants. Most guys I know aren’t that discriminating,” Ivy banters back.

I wonder why every girl can’t be like her. “Think what you want, but I know what I see
, and it’s pretty sexy.” Giggling drifts from the driveway, and I notice that the same couple is still out here making out. I grab Ivy’s hand and tug her toward the front steps. Once I reach them I lower myself down and sit on the bottom one. Ivy follows me. Her floral perfume is carried on the breeze. When she sits, she tosses a strand of hair over her shoulder, exposing her neck. It’s so sensual I have to look away. Her dress creeps up her legs, and she pulls it down. That’s the thing about Ivy. She may have it, but she’s uncomfortable flaunting it.  I reach out and run my fingertips over her thigh. Goosebumps break out on her skin, and she tucks her leg closer to her body. “I think maybe the dress is a problem too.”

“Oh yeah?” She cocks an eyebrow.

I nod. “I mean, that Dustin guy may be a jerk, but I kind of don’t blame him for trying to cop a feel.”

“Is that what you would’ve tried to do?” Ivy’s eyes shine under the glaring porch lights.

“Nah, I only would have touched you if you wanted it.” I lean toward her ear, savoring the way her cheeks flush slightly. “But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be thinking about it.”

She squirms from my words
, scooting away from me. “I think it’s time to find Billie and get outta here.”

After she stands, I hop up and
snatch her hand. “I’ll take you home.”

“No, it’s fine. I came here with Billie and I should go home with her.”  She turns away from me
, and disappears inside the house.

I blow out a breath. What am I doing? Man, Cole is right. How does this chick always have the ability to suck me back in? At the thought of Cole my stomach wrenches. He’s going to kill me when he finds out I ditched that nice girl in the kitchen and almost got in a fight over Ivy. I’m hoping he’s been so busy with Mercedes that he’ll never find out.  It’s not like I’m ever going to spill the story to him.

Ivy appears in front of me again, shoulders sagging as she walks down the front stairs. “Billie’s a little detained right now.”

“So, what’s the deal? Is she dating that guy?” I ask.

“Nah, Billie’s a commitment-phobe. Brandon’s just another passing phase, I’m sure.” Ivy crosses her arms over her chest.

“You cold?” I sling an arm over
her shoulder, and draw her to my side. I marvel at how right it feels when she’s in my arms. It’s as natural as breathing with me and her.

“So, did you mean it?” She peers up at me.

“Mean what?”

“That you’d take me home?”

“Sure.” I smile, yanking my keys out of my pocket.

“
Did you bring your bike?”

I shake my head. “I’m afraid it’s the car tonight. I gave Cole a ride and I’m not really into guys riding with me
on my motorcycle.”

She giggles. “Yeah, that makes sense.” Then she eyes me suspiciously. “
You haven’t been drinking, have you?”

“No, I’m Cole’s DD. So, all I’ve had is a little soda.”

“I didn’t even see Cole here.”

“That’s probably a good thing,” I say.

She smiles ruefully. “Yeah, probably.”

I find her hand and tuck it in mine. “C’mon, I’ll get you home.”

Once we’re in the car and driving down the road I say, “I was surprised to see you at the party. The Ivy I remember hates parties.”

“People change,” she says, staring out the window.

I mull this over a minute and wonder again how well I really know the girl sitting next to me. “Ives, about the other day at the restaurant—”

“Can we please just not talk about it?”

Anger sparks. “No, I’m tired of avoiding this subject with you.”

She
appears stunned by my outburst. “Well, I don’t want to talk about it. I said I was sorry and there’s nothing more to say.”

“You could tell me who di
d it.” I grip the wheel so hard that my knuckles whiten.

“I told you I fell.”

“Ives, I saw those bruises. Why can’t you just tell me who hurt you? If it wasn’t Cam, then who was it?” I want to grab her by the shoulders and shake her. Why can’t she just be honest about this?

“Asher, I’m telling you the truth.  It’s just like I said that night. I fell. You know what a risk taker I am.”

It’s the same thing that Cole said. Am I grasping at straws? Is the truth really that simple? Is my need to justify my actions clouding my vision? “But you nodded.”

“What?” Her voice is shaky and small.

“That night when I asked you if it was Cam, you nodded. You also said it had been happening for awhile.”

“I’m really sorry,” her voice is hardly even a whisper.

I pull over when her apartment complex comes into view. “God, Ives, I’ve replayed that night in my head a million times, and every time I come to the same conclusion.”

“What’s that?” Her eyes are full of pain
, and I just want to hug her and tell her it’s all going to be okay. Only I just don’t know if it is at this point.

“That someone hurt you and you’re just too afraid to admit it.”

She reaches for the door handle. “I fell down and injured myself Asher. That’s all there is to it.” Cool air spills into the car when she opens the door. Her dress blows around her legs as she steps onto the curb.

I can’t even look at her. The minute the passenger door closes I peel
out and race down the street. I always thought Ivy trusted me. Now I’m not so sure. One thing I do know is that I sure as hell don’t trust her anymore.

I speed back to the party, determined to do whatever I have to in order to get Ivy out of my mind. I’m done letting that girl ruin my life.
After parking, I hurry toward the house, hoping that Cole didn’t notice I was missing. Luckily, he’s nowhere to be seen when I enter. However, I spot Sydney almost immediately.

She sashays over to me, her hips swaying ever so slightly. It’s cute, not aggressive the way it is when Peyton and her friends do it. She wears a little jean skirt and a pink top. It’s just the sort of outfit Ivy wouldn’t be caught dead in and for that I’m grateful. I need to get my mind off her, not be with someone who reminds me of her. “So, is your friend okay?”

“She’s fine.” I walk closer to Sydney. “Look, I’m sorry about earlier. I really was enjoying my time with you.”

She smiles. “It’s fine. Your friend was in trouble. I thought it was sweet the way you helped her.”

“But she’s just a friend and she’s not here, so where were we?” I grab Sydney around the waist and pull her to me. Her sweet, candy scent washes over me, and I’m so glad it isn’t anything like the floral scent that permeates everything that Ivy wears. Sydney’s hand rests on my chest, and she looks up at me with a sweet flutter of her lashes.

“Where’s Ivy? I can’t find her.” Billie bumps into me.

I grunt in frustration, giving Sydney an apologetic glance. “She’s fine. She’s home.”

Billie narrows her eyes at me. “How’d she get there?”

“I took her. Now, do you mind? I’m sorta in the middle of something.” I smile down at Sydney who giggles at what I’m insinuating. This is going to be way too easy.

Billie shoves me in the shoulder. “What did you do to Ivy?”

“Nothing,” I say.

“Hey, he was the one who rescued her from the
perv who was all over her,” Sydney says, surprising me. “So, back off.”

Billie flashes
an amused look that irks me. “Oh really? Some guy was all over Ivy and you put a stop to it. Figures.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know what it means.” Billie glances at Sydney. “Be careful with this one.” Then she heads out the front door.

“Why’d she say that? What does she know that I don’t?”
Sydney asks once Billie’s gone.