"So, how are you?" Hannah asked as I lifted the trash out of the garbage can.

I shrugged a shoulder. "I'm all right. Considering..."

"I've meant to talk to you all week, but I've been a bit busy doing my end, not wanting Ian on my ass," she softly giggled, sounding a little nervous. "It also didn't help my boyfriend had taken time off work to spend it here with me."

"It's okay. I understand," I said, walking over and throwing the bag in the back of the trailer hooked to the golf cart. "You've got a life too."

"You're not upset with me, are you?"

I turned around, shaking my head. "No. Why would I be upset with you?"

Her lips twisted, and then her cheeks turned flushed. "Well, because of Ian and how he talked me into telling him about what happened to your mother."

I waved my hand across my face. "No big deal. Eventually, Ian would have gotten it out of me."

"Yeah, but that was your business to tell if you wanted him to know, not mine..."

My lips pulled to the side, giving her an assuring smirk. "Hannah, it's okay. Really... I know how Ian is, and I'm sure he was pressuring you into telling him."

"He did do that. But I should have stuck to my guns and said nothing."

I walked over and wrapped my arms around her, hugging her. "Stop beating yourself up over nothing. I never said not to tell Ian. At the time, I just didn't want him to know anything about me when I mentioned it to you. Now that he and I are good, I'm okay with him knowing."

"Yeah, but you still didn't tell him when he asked about it."

I stepped back, sighing. "I wanted to tell Ian, but after having a good night and morning with him, I didn't want to dampen the mood. The mood got drenched anyway because of my father. So now that he knows what I've been through, maybe, just maybe, his mood around here with me will change."

Hannah laughed. "Are you kidding me right now? That man's mood has been different ever since he dropped you off. Hell, he hasn't even been around all week. What did you say to him that got him not to hang around as he has been?"

She probably already knows about Ian and me, but before I go blabbing my mouth, I better see what she knows first.

"Besides Ian talking to about my father. What else did the two of you talk about?"

"He told me what happened with your father and that if you decided you needed time off to be with him, to grant you as much time off as you wish to have. That's pretty much all he had to say, really."

"That's all?" I asked, surprised.

She walked over, grabbed a bag from the back of the golf cart, and handed it to me. "Ian did tell me that you two had a good night, that you guys talked about your differences, and that all is good now between you two. When I asked what that meant, excitement rushed through me when he said that you were willing to allow him to show that he's a better man than what he's shown you these last couple of years," she admitted, her mouth curving into a big smile. "So, because of his mood change and how he's been staying away, I'm as curious as ever."

"About?" I asked, trying to hold back the smile my mouth was itching to form into.

"Are you and Ian officially a couple?"

"We did talk and clear up some of our issues, not all of them, but enough to allow him to beg that I give him a chance to prove he's not this monster he's portrayed himself to be. So, I guess you could say we are giving a relationship a shot."

Hannah excitedly clapped while jumping up and down and yelling, "Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you, Jesus!"

I laughed, resting my hands on her shoulders and stopping her from jumping. "I may be giving Ian a chance, but until I know he's true to his word, I don't want the others around here knowing anything about us. So until then, promise me you'll not say anything to anyone."

She frowned. "You do know that all the employees at the resort have worked for Ian for a long time. So they know him very well. And they have gotten to know you. Everyone saw the sparks between you two. And once they see his new attitude and compare it to how grumpy Ian's been these last couple of years, they'll figure out that you two finally acted on your feelings."

"I understand that. But I still want you to promise that you'll say nothing. Not until I know for sure this isn't an act with Ian."

Hannah's brows drew together quickly. "What do you mean, an act with him? Believe me when I say this to you. But Ian's had feelings for you ever since he met you. He just refused to accept it because of claiming he was still in love with his ex-fiancée. Ian's always been a one-woman man, and it bothered him that his mind and heart were thinking about another woman—a woman he wanted yet tried to hate. So hearing Ian begged you to give him a chance tells me he came to terms with how he feels about you and is acting on those feelings—not an act to get into your pants, but an act of getting the girl he's wished to have in his life."

"I still need to be sure about his intentions with me. And if what you're telling me is true, then there's nothing I should be worried about, right?"

"Right..."

"Good. But that still doesn't mean I want anything said to anyone. Not yet, anyway. I need to be sure about Ian and me before the word spreads—I'm dating the boss."

She lifted a brow, smiling while playfully shoving me. "Is that what this is about? Are you worried about dating the boss? Because if you are, don't be. Nobody here cares about who's dating who. Especially my brother Ian. If anything, they'd want to take you out to celebrate and to high-five you for finally giving the boss something to smile about."

That made me smile. Then, to assure Hannah that wasn't the case, I admitted, "I'm not worried about dating the boss. I'm only worried about making the mistake of dating the one guy who's done everything he can to try ruining my life."

Hannah walked around me, sat in the passenger seat of the golf cart, then nudged her head towards the driver's seat. "Come on, let's go throw the trash into the dumpster, and then head to the bar. I'd like to buy you a drink for giving my brother a chance and a drink for helping him get laid."

I was about to say something until she pointed at me with a mischievous look in her eye. "And don't try saying you didn't give him any loving. I know Ian more than he knows himself and immediately noticed the change in him when he said he had to head back to Minneapolis to deal with some issues. Ian hasn't been this easy to deal with since before Alexandra broke up with him. Plus, the last time Ian smiled was when he was getting laid."

******

Ian: How's my sugar lips doing?

"Is that my brother?"

I laughed while flipping my phone over. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you were quick to check your phone when it made a noise. And then your eyes lit up, and a smile as wide as the sky formed on your face when you looked at your phone."

"I could have been smiling about something else."

"Like what?"

"Well..." I paused, thinking of something else I'd smile about. "I could've been smiling about receiving a message from my father, saying he's out of the hospital and decided to go into treatment right away."

That would be the day...

Hannah lowered her head, shaking it and giggling. "You and Ian are so much alike, always trying to avoid answering a question, ones that have to deal with admitting the truth."

"Yes, it was him," I whispered, flipping the phone back over and responding to him.

Me: Can I ask why you insist on calling me sugar lips?

"He's got this pet name for me that started the night I ran into him at a club in Minneapolis. And I've never understood why he calls me it."

She sat closer to the table and taller, widening her eyes as she spoke. "What is it?"

"I better not say."

"That bad?"

"It's not bad. It's just... I dunno..." I said, looking at Ian's response.

Ian: Does it bother you? I could always start calling you sugar tits.

I rolled my eyes, then looked at Hannah, giggling. "He's got multiple pet names for me, actually—something I'm not used to. My ex either called me my by first name, or Tawn... boring," I sighed. "Then there's Ian. That whenever he calls me this specific pet name, I get all giddy for some strange reason."

"It's because you like him more than you think you do," she smiled, taking a sip of her margarita.

Me: Please don't call me sugar tits. I was only asking because I'm curious as to why you enjoy calling me sugar lips.

Ian: It's because I love your beautiful plump lips, and you taste like sugar. So do your tits, by the way...

"Is your brother a comedian?"

"Years ago, he used to be a hilarious and loving guy. Then he got involved with that nasty evil bitch he was with and changed his ways. He became more serious, distant, and less involved with our family. Everything was Alexandra this, Alexandra that... blah, blah, blah. He did everything for her. Everything she wanted him to do, everything she wanted him to buy her, he did with no questions asked, just to make her happy. We all saw what she was doing to him. He just refused to listen. And he refused to believe me when I warned him about her unfaithfulness. Now that he's no longer her puppet and with a decent human being who's much more stunning than her, I can only hope the man he used to be will come back."

Ian: So, pretty lady. Aka, sugar lips. What are you up to right now?

Me: Having some drinks with Hannah.

Ian: Will you do something for me?

Me: It all depends on what that is.

"His ex sounds like she was a piece of work."

"She was."

Ian: I need you to go to my office and grab the package that's sitting on my desk.

Me: Package?

Ian: Yes, a package. You can't miss it.

Me: What am I supposed to do with it?

Ian: Instructions on where to bring it will be with the package.

I looked at Hannah, pursing my lips. "Ian wants me to grab a package off his desk."

"For what?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know." I stood. "I'll be right back."

I only had two margaritas, but as I head towards Ian's office, I feel like I've had ten of them. My mind wants to go one way, and my feet want to go another way.

I opened the door, saw Ian sitting on the desk, and jumped, my hand flying to my chest. "You scared the shit out of me."

A devilish smile formed on his handsome face as he wiggled his finger. "Shut and lock the door, and then I want you to come here."

"Where's the package?" I teased, reaching behind me and locking the door, my heart thumping hard against my chest, knowing damn well what he's got up his sleeve.

"Come here."

I stepped his way slowly, asking, "How did you know I was here?"

His green eyes sparkled while his mouth curved upward. "I was heading towards the bar, but when I saw your beautiful face sitting across from Hannah, I stopped, then watched you and Hannah interact for a bit."

Confused, I furrowed my brows, asking, "How did you get past us without us noticing?" I asked, making sure I was standing out of his reach.

He chuckled, lifted his hand, and then began wiggling his finger, wishing I'd come to him.

And... I did. But very, very slowly.

"There's an emergency exit door around the corner. Now come here before I discipline you for being a bad girl."

I stepped a couple of more steps. Finally, Ian reached, then pulled me to him as I goaded. "I like being a bad girl."

The corner of his lip lifted high. "I've come to realize that." He tightened his hold around me, and then he put an end to my teasing by crushing his mouth to mine. Kissing me long and hard, and with a passion that had my toes curling and my mind wishing we weren't in his office but in his bed, taking me to the world he introduced me to a week ago.

He broke the kiss, rested his forehead on mine, and looked me in the eye as he caressed my face. "I've missed you."

"Me too."

He smiled, then chuckled, "You missed you?"

"No. I missed you," I breathed, laughing on the inside. "Thank you for giving me the space I needed to think."

He kissed my forehead and continued placing feathery kisses on my face until he got down to my mouth, stealing another kiss that sent me a message. He really, really missed me. But the kiss also told me he hated giving me the space I asked him to provide me with.

"You're welcome. It's not what I wanted to do. Not in the least... but I also understood why you needed some time to yourself. Hopefully, you're not too upset that I decided to end that small break by me coming here today."

I cupped either side of his face, then pulled him to me, pressing my lips to his, assuring him I'm not mad he's here. "I'm glad you came back."

His beautiful green eyes brightened, and the smile that formed on his face warmed my insides. He pressed his lips to mine, then said, "Good. Because each day that passed, not seeing you, hearing your voice, or seeing a text from you, was making it much harder for me to function."

I know what he means. Because I, too, missed seeing him watching my every move, hearing his voice, and my egging him on that always led us to a stupid argument over nothing.

"So, where's this package you were talking about, anyway?" I devilishly grinned.

He grabbed my hand, then placed it on his crotch and pressed it down—showing how hard he was for me.

My beating heart gained speed, my pussy was pulsating, and the gymnasts inside my belly started doing their warm-ups. "Where're the instructions for this said package?" I breathed, slowly rubbing the hardness hiding behind his dark-colored pants.

"Instructions will come later," he said, lifting me, then turned us around and set me on the desk. "But first, I have to show my girl how much I've missed her and her sweet sugary lips."

He unzipped my shorts, then lowered them down my legs as he lowered to his knees. And after my shorts dropped to the ground, he gripped my legs, shoved them apart, then my breathing hitched when he covered my anxious, moistened lower lips with his mouth.

My hands rested on his headgear, and my head tilted back as I tangled my fingers around his hair, tugging while trying to stifle all sounds the best I could that wanted to escape from my mouth.

The soft and slow licks against my clit had me panting like a dog. Then an unexpecting howl left my lungs as Ian slipped a couple of fingers inside me and bit and tugged on my very erected lovebud. He bit and pulled harder, turning my howling into a scream.

"Ian!" I yelled, hoping to get him to stop before Jemma came to see what I was screaming about.

Ian never stopped torturing my clit. Instead, he continued teasing my clit that had me squirming, panting, and hyperventilating. "I-an... I-an..." I gasped, stuttering. "St-op... St-op... I- I can't take it anymore," I panted, my orgasm intensively taking control of my body and mind, causing my body to shake like a leaf and my mind to go into a convulsion that had me begging for mercy.

I couldn't for the life of me figure out why he wouldn't stop.

Then it hit me.

Ian's waiting to hear the safeword.

"Accident!"

His chuckling vibrated against my swollen clit, tickling my insides more and sending tremendous tingles down my spine. "You're learning..."

As Ian stood, his fingers were in his mouth—sucking and licking them clean. "I fucking missed that sweet tasting pussy," he murmured, then growled as he crashed his mouth on mine, sharing his leftovers with me.

He unzipped his pants, lowered his hand in his pocket, and pulled out a condom. Using his teeth, he ripped it open, and as his pants fell to the ground, he covered the wood with the tarp. Then he lowered me from the desk, spun me around, used his feet to spread my legs, and as he bent me over, his cock slid between my wet folds—rocking it back and forth.

Then he firmly gripped my hips and shoved his hardness inside me—pumping his shaft into me hard and fast. I reached across the desk, grasped hold of the edge, then held on for my dear life as he rocked me into a sexual bliss, overwhelming me with a happiness I liked and didn't wish to end.

Ian's grip on my hips firmed, he let out a roar, and then what I didn't want ending did when he shoved his loaded gun as far into my holster as it allowed—warming my insides as the gun unloaded into the boom balloon.

He slid his arm underneath my belly, helped me up, then pressed his mouth against my ear, moaning. "I'm not done with you... we've got a week's worth of catching up to do. So why don't you say we get the hell out of here and do just that?"

I turned around, reached up, and wrapped my arms around him, smiling widely. "I'm all for that, but before we leave, I better let Hannah know you're stealing me away from her."

"She wouldn't care."

"No, but then again, she might care. Because then that'll be twice in a week that you've stolen her date away from her," I teased, running my fingers softly up and down Ian's neck.

"Oh boo hoo..." he grinned widely, sliding his fingers through my hair and up the back of my head, cupping then guiding me to his mouth. "You're not Hannah's girl..." he quietly noted, then warned, "You're mine, sugar lips."

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!!🤞🤞

Sorry the chapter took so long. Home life has been super busy for me.

Family is always first...🥰🤗😘