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His fingers trailed down to cup her breast, his thumb brushing over her still-sensitive nipple. He hummed in satisfaction as he latched his mouth onto it, sucking long and slow, making her arch against him with a soft whimper.
She sighed, her body melting into him as exhaustion pulled at her.
Even as his movements slowed, his lips stayed on her, licking lazily, his hand rubbing slow circles over her other breast. He stayed there, lips warm, tongue flicking over her every so often, refusing to let go.
Ivy exhaled shakily, the last of her resistance fading, and let sleep take her, safe in his arms.
Chapter 24 Her Husband
The car rolled to a stop in front of Licious.
Christian got out first, following Ivy closely, his hand slipping into hers before opening the door for her. Together, they stepped into the restaurant.
The place was bustling with people. Chaos filled the air as waiters moved hurriedly between tables, laughter and chatter echoing in the background.
As they walked to the main counter, Ivy immediately spotted Stella.
Stella glanced up, her eyes scanning the crowd before landing on Ivy. She froze for a split second—then did a dramatic double take.
"Ivy?!" she shrieked in excitement, practically jumping over the counter to hug her breathless.
Christian frowned, his fingers twitching with the urge to grab Stella and pull her off Ivy. But seeing the happiness on Ivy’s face, he forced himself to hold back.
Ivy patted Stella’s back, smiling.
Pulling away, Stella’s eyes shifted to Christian. "Hi, Christian," she greeted with a grin.
They had only met briefly at a few parties, but Stella wasn’t as familiar with him as the other friends.
"What are you two doing here today?" she asked, frowning slightly.
Her eyes flickered between them, and then dropped to their intertwined fingers.
She gasped, stepping back as if she had just uncovered a great scandal. "Wait—you two are together?!"
Ivy’s lips curled into laughter. It hadn’t been that long since she left Licious, but being here again, seeing Stella’s dramatic reactions, made her realize just how much she had missed this place. It was a comforting feeling.
Stella always met people with a lot of enthusiasm, making them feel special. And Ivy realized, in that moment, that she always wanted to be met like this—like she mattered.
Stella leaned in close, narrowing her eyes at Christian, whispering conspiratorially, "Really? Him? And you?"
Christian had enough. He grabbed Stella by the back of her neck and pulled her away. "Get away from her."
Stella snorted. "Blink twice if he’s blackmailing you," she told Ivy.
Ivy started laughing.
Stella turned to Christian, still eyeing him suspiciously. "How did she even fall for you? You’re an ice block, and she’s sweet as hell."
Christian shoved her lightly toward the counter. "Go get us coffee. We’re your customers. Do your job."
He waved her off and pulled Ivy into a seat beside him.
As they waited for their coffee, Ivy’s gaze landed on a familiar face.
A man in his thirties, well-dressed and wearing glasses, held a cup of coffee as he walked toward the exit.
Ivy quickly averted her gaze—but it was too late.