Writing On The Wall (The King Brothers Duology #2)

Chapter 47

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

ETHAN

“I’m actually kinda sad about saying goodbye to this.” Ivy pouts, a paint roller hanging from one hand as we stare at our wall. Painting over our list is the final task before we can officially say we’ve completed this renovation. It’s crazy how quickly I’ve shifted into ‘we’ statements and an even bigger miracle that I can say them without Ivy freaking out.

“It’ll always be here.” I smile, contentment in my voice. I wrap an arm around her, breathing her in. She doesn’t wear perfume, yet the scent of her has an astounding effect on my brain. I clear my throat before speaking again. “A coat of paint over it doesn’t take away its part in our story.”

“You’re right,” she agrees with a sigh and digs her phone out from the pocket of her overalls. Then she steps back to frame the shot before taking a series of photos to document our messages.

Dang. Now I’m gonna miss this thing, too.

But we’ll always have the memory of it. There’s no point leaving it up, even if we covered it with a mirror or a painting. Once we eventually get married, I’d like Ivy to move into my house and make it our home. This place is cute. But it’s also very… cute , AKA too small for more than two people. However, I haven’t mentioned any of this yet, because I’m pretty sure I’m a few steps ahead of Ivy in our relationship and being very careful not to freak her out.

We release a collective sigh, neither of us making a move as we continue staring.

“Ready?”

“Can I use the ladder?” she asks, causing my brows to lower. I’ve still got PTSD from the last time.

“What for?”

Her eyes move around the room like she’s looking for a good enough reason. “ ‘Cause it’s fun?”

“Not for me,” I grunt, moving a strand of hair from behind her glasses. “Besides, we’ve got the rollers with the long attachments. No ladders required.”

“Boring.”

I grab her around the waist, making her squeal while I dip her back, letting my lips graze the side of her neck. “We could always leave it like this. I’m sure I can think of a few other things we could do with our time…”

She giggles, halfheartedly pushing me away while hooking an arm around my neck. “Tempting…but…” She pauses when I begin to pepper her collar bone with soft kisses. “ We’ve got to finish this last thing. I’ll reward you later with kisses…after we’re done.”

“Counter offer,” I begin, straightening to place another kiss on her shoulder. “I get a kiss after we tape the sides, after the first coat, and after the second coat.”

Her throat clears before she pushes me away, shaking my hand. “Deal.”

“Now, who says painting is boring? ”

She responds by sticking her tongue out. “That only makes me wanna kiss you again.”

We get to taping the ceiling and walls, and a little over an hour later, Ivy’s managed two coats of paint on the wall and I’ve managed to turn a couple kisses into a makeout session. I wrap up the paint rollers before chucking them into the back of my truck to throw away later. Then I walk back into the house and find Ivy glaring at a corner of the wall with her fists planted on her hips. “We missed a spot,” she says without turning around.

“What?” I squint, stepping closer to inspect the spot she’s pointing at. “Huh… Look at that. I blame the kisses—they scrambled my brain.”

“Ladder?” she asks hopefully, her eyebrows raising with a giant smile.

“Nice try.” I grab one of the smaller, unused brushes and dip it into the paint, holding it out to her. “Hop onto my shoulders.”

“Do I look like a goat?”

“You’re a fox, baby, now get on.” I smile, crouching after turning my back toward her.

She steps closer with a grunt. “Nice save. How is this safer than a ladder?”

“ ‘Cause I’ve got my hands on you.” I grin, standing as she grips my hair.

“Ethan!” she shouts as she wobbles slightly. “Do not drop me!”

“Relax. I’ve got you,” I reassure her with a tap on her thigh. “Get ‘er done, cupcake.”

She stretches and uses the paintbrush to fill in the spot we both somehow missed. “ Now I get a nickname? Do explain.”

“I kinda just want my lips on you all the time… Same as how I want a cupcake all the time.”

“Hmmm,” she hums, and I can hear the mischief in her voice. “Even when I do this?” She reaches down and paints a dot on my cheek. “And this?” Another splotch on my forehead.

She’s got me. I’m so tempted to give her leg a pinch, but we both know my greatest fear is this woman injuring herself, so I’m stuck, my grip on her thighs tightening as she happily brushes a streak of paint down my nose. I walk her to the sofa, and she belts out a terror-filled giggle when I dip to the side, catching her behind the back as she topples from my shoulders.

“You’re playing with fire, Ivy June.”

“Does that make you the fire?” She arches a brow in question. Now that she’s not in danger of falling from my shoulders, I walk us to the nearest wall before lowering her feet to the ground, freeing one arm as the other holds her close.

“Well, I have been called hot before, so…”

“Cocky much?” She laughs, swatting my arm, and I use the moment to try to snatch the brush from her hand. I pin her free wrist above her head, and we end up scuffling playfully and spreading paint all over our hands before the brush falls to the floor. I couldn’t care less about the time it’s going to take to clean this mess, not when Ivy is biting her lip and staring up at me with those half-lidded eyes. I drop her wrist and lift her up against the wall as my free hand tilts her jaw up. Then I press my lips against hers, and it’s like finding the missing piece of a puzzle. It all just feels so… right .

We finally come up for air many minutes later, and Ivy has paint smeared over her cheeks, down her arms, and across her butt and thighs. She throws her head back, laughing at the handprints plastered over my arms and neck. I suspect I’ll find some paint in my hair later, too.

“This stuff doesn’t come off easily, does it?” she ventures, wiping at her cheek.

“Nope. Totally worth it, though,” I add, wiggling my eyebrows.

I lower her back to the ground, and she turns shining eyes up at me. I catch a tremble in her lips.

“Ethan, thank you for what you did for Ross. It means the world to me.”

“Told you, I’m here to be your rock. I’ll always have your back.”

“Just ‘cause you’re my rock, doesn’t mean you have to be strong all the time, though. You can show me your softer side, too.”

“You have all of me, Ivy. And, you’ve already seen my softer side—every time I have a run-in with a spider. You’ll need to be the one dealing with all the eight-legged creatures in this relationship.”

“Deal.” She nods and walks to the fridge to pull out two glass bottles filled with root beer. She pops the lids off, handing one over as she nudges me onto the sofa, then turns her back to snuggle against my chest.

“It’s a good thing we put an old sheet on this couch.” I sigh, pulling her close.

She hums, taking a long sip before sobering. “So… I know you’ve only known me while my life has been in turmoil. And I’m hoping things calm down a little on that front.” She pauses, playing with my fingers before inhaling a deep breath. “But things may still be a little chaotic for a while longer. I wanna go back to school… To study O.T.”

“I’ll one-hundred-percent support you in your endeavor to become an outdoor tickler.”

She snorts out a laugh before turning to me with narrowed eyes. “You don’t know what O.T. stands for, do you?”

“Pfff, of course I do—ostrich therapist is a noble profession. Some might say, unnecessary? But I’d disagree. ”

Her lips roll in as she stifles a laugh. “Occupational therapist.”

“I’ve heard it both ways.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe, but you love me.” I grin against her cheek.

She takes both our bottles, placing them on the floor before pushing my shoulders so I’m forced to lie back on the sofa. Although, technically, my legs are mostly hanging off the edge, because as I said—this place and its furniture are tiny . Ivy squeezes in beside me, gripping the front of my shirt as she pulls me closer. “I do love you,” she says on an exhale. Her fist tightens again as she yanks me in and presses her mouth to mine. I relax into the kiss, feeling utterly content in her arms, but it isn’t long before I’m overcome with the need for more…more of her…more of us. I want more of these moments for the rest of my life, but only with her.

Things continue heating up until we can’t get close enough to one another. Just as my brain threatens to relinquish all control, both of our phones begin vibrating on the kitchen counter.

We break apart, our eyes still locked and Ivy’s hands resting on my chest as we pant for air.

“We should…probably get that,” she says, breathlessly.

“Yup. G—uh…good idea,” I stammer. Jeez, this woman scrambles my brain in the best way. She hops off of me, straightening her clothes as I follow her into the kitchen.

“It’s Ember,” she announces, looking at her phone.

“Colton,” I confirm as we both frown before answering. Ivy glances at me while she listens to Ember, then walks to the living room.

“Colt?”

“Eth. You and Ivy busy?”

My frown deepens as I feel my ears heating. I squint into the living room, trying to make out any silhouetted shapes through the window. I worry for a second that he and Ember have witnessed our hot and heavy make out session. My cheeks lift as my eyes stray to the white handprints on her butt. How caveman is it of me to love the sight of that so much?

“Earth to Ethan…”

“Sorry, nope. Not busy.”

“Good.” The sounds of cabinets opening and closing sift through the phone. “Pack a bag. Meet us at the airport.”

“If you’re escaping a felony, they’ll find you there.”

“You’re hilarious. We’re eloping.”

“What?!” Ivy and I both shout at the same time, our gazes meeting with hanging jaws. Ember must have just dropped the same bomb.

“It’s what Ember wants, so it’s what I want. The stress was getting to be too much, what with the wedding planning and our mothers having morphed the whole event into something completely different from what we pictured in the first place. And I figure this is an ‘easier to ask for forgiveness’ sort of thing.”

“Wow.” My brows raise but I can’t help grinning again when I catch Ivy’s face lighting up with elation. I know she’s dropped a few hints to Ember about being game for an impromptu elopement. “You’re sure this is what you wanna do?” I ask my brother.

“I’m sure. Will you be there for us, Eth?”

“Of course, I’m not letting this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity go by. Do you really think I’d give up years worth of getting to make fun of you for letting Elvis officiate your wedding? And being able to remind Mom of it any time I want? This pretty much guarantees me favorite-son status for at least five years.”

“Except you’ll be all but forgotten when we give Mom a grandchild first. So suck it, bro. ”

My lips roll in as my nose scrunches up. Dang it. I forgot that ‘after marriage comes the baby carriage’ part, even though I’d technically been thinking about those activities in a different context a few minutes ago. But Colton’s right. He’ll definitely reclaim the top spot in the family hierarchy once that happens. I should clarify that our mom has no idea we play this game. She’d never actually have a favorite…is what she’d tell Colton if we asked.

“ You suck it.”

“Are you coming or what?”

“ Maaan , you know we’re coming.”

“Thanks, bro.” He chuckles before giving me the details of our flights. After we hang up, I find myself staring at an exuberant Ivy, clapping her hands and wearing a giant smile on her beautiful face.

“This is gonna be so fun!” she exclaims, bounding over and planting a kiss on my cheek.

“Everything with you is fun, Ivy June.”