“I’m sorry.” She blurted out, not quite sure what she had to be sorry about, but she felt like that needed to be said.
Leon looked at her somberly, with tired eyes, like he was already exhausted with the conversation.
“Why are you sorry, Ivy? You’ve done nothing wrong. Archer is my brother, and I wish him well too. I hope the two of you are happy together.” He said, scratching his knee listlessly, almost like he was trying to find ways of occupying his hands. She had been avoiding his eyes till now, but Ivy looked him squarely now. She couldn’t believe that Leon was giving up this easily, that he wasn’t even putting up a fight.
“Yes, but I’m sorry because I feel like I’ve betrayed you by wanting to go away with him.” She said, a certain anger arising in her voice. Leon recognized it too, because he raised his eyebrows and continued staring at her. A smile was forming on his face, but this one didn’t melt her heart. This was a cruel smile.
“You don’t have to feel bad about that Ivy, I know you get nothing from me and your hope is that you’ll get something from him.” He said, and she felt her muscles stiffen. So, he wasn’t giving up without a fight. Leon was planning on ridiculing her decision, making her feel like she was silly and a young foolish girl.
She raised her chin up in the air and stuck out her jaw at him.
“I know he can give me more than you ever gave me.” She said, her breasts were now rising and falling with her heavy breathing. Leon’s half smile turned into a full one and he shook his head, like he was disappointed with a naughty child.
“What makes you think that? You’ve only known him for a few days.” He said, as calm as a cucumber, while Ivy felt like she was tearing up on the inside. Leon was self-confident, he didn’t seem to be concerned by her decision.
“He’s been kinder, more attentive. He is willing to talk. He wants to talk to me.” She said angrily, angrier now that he was smiling.
Leon shook his head again, making her wince.
“I love my brother. I would do anything for him, so I’ll just keep my mouth shut now.” He said.
Ivy’s brows were crossed; she couldn’t quite understand what he had meant by that. If he was simply trying to provoke her.
“Leon, you should just be honest with me. I know you love him, but…” She said and he interrupted her.
“Sharing you was his idea, not mine.” He growled.
Ivy’s lips closed shut tightly when she heard the words. What was that supposed to mean? What was Leon trying to tell her?
“He was the one who wanted to share you with me. And I agreed because we had done it before. So, you’re right. He is more attentive; he is willing to go the extra mile to have you. You should be with him; he definitely wants you more.” Leon stood up now, looming over her, and she looked up at him, confusion darkening her face.
“So, you didn’t want to do it? Share?” She asked, trying to catch his gaze again. She could see that she was quickly losing him again. Leon was losing his interest in having this conversation. He wanted to return to his silent solitude again, but Ivy wanted answers.
“No, I didn’t. Not really. Not you. But Archer was insistent, he said you wanted it too. He said you slept with him because you wanted to be shared. And I couldn’t just deny you what you wanted. And I couldn’t give you up either. I was foolish.” Leon had covered his large hands over his face, and then he swooped them down, widening his eyes and running his fingers through his hair. She could see that this was an ordeal for him, that he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
“But Archer said that you shared all your girls, except Vivienne.” Ivy mumbled and Leon shot her a look.
“That’s right. We did. We do. But I didn’t want to share you. I was selfish, and greedy, and so you deserve to go with him. He is more open, loving and can give you what you want.” Leon said, and stepped to the side, he was making to go for the screen door but Ivy was quick to move, to intercept his path.
In the darkness, she leaned in towards Leon. She could smell his scent, his musky masculine smell that filled her lungs, reminding her how happy they were together in those weeks before Archer. How she hadn’t care how often Leon spoke to her, because she was the only person who existed in his world.
To her surprise, he leaned in too. Their lips met, she could taste him on her tongue, she extended an arm, wrapping it around his bent neck. She was pressing herself to him, running her hand down his muscular shirted arm. But then Leon pushed her away.
“Not any more, Ivy. We’re not sharing. You belong to my brother now and I don’t want to do this any longer.” He said, and this time she couldn’t stop him. He had flung open the screen door and disappeared into the house. Ivy contemplated following him in, chasing him to his room, confronting him and demanding further explanations. But she knew him well, even though Leon revealed so little about himself, she knew a lot about him. He was done now. He had made his decision, just like she had. He wasn’t going to talk about it anymore. There was nothing to discuss.
Ivy gulped and licked her lips. She could still taste him in her mouth. That was to be her last kiss with Leon. It was only going to be Archer and herself now, and she tried to smile. He made her happy. He made her laugh. He took out time to be with her. He had pursued her, and he deserved his prize.
Leon had done nothing. She was the one who had coveted him from the start. She seduced him to sleep with her. She made him agree to allow her to stay in the house after their first quarrel. Besides his name, and some bits about his past, Leon revealed very little. The fact that he didn’t want to share her with Archer, could mean anything. That nagging feeling, that maybe Leon had actual feelings for her, were being shoved into the back of her mind. Even if he did, he wasn’t ever going to say the actual words.
Ivy had her whole life ahead of her, she wasn’t so sure if she would be able to spend it with a man who spoke so little. With someone who denied her the privilege of actually expressing his feelings. She wondered if she might feel trapped, just like her mother had. She remembered her mother’s words of caution. To run away from living in isolation if she could. She was certain that Archer would give her a better, more fulfilling life. The kind of life that her mother had never been able to lead. What sort of life would Leon give her?
Ivy shuddered as she thought about it. She had never been to Minnesota. Archer had promised to leave the next day, so that they wouldn’t have to remain in the hostile environment of Leon’s ranch for much longer. She felt lucky and p
rivileged that Archer was willing to do so much for her, sacrifice his own relationship with his brother for her sake.
There was nothing left for her here, she thought as she looked around the estate in its darkness. Leon had his chance, nearly seven weeks to express his feelings. To make her believe that he had more to offer her than employment and satisfying sex.
And now it as time for her to move on, with a man who really wanted to be with her.