“Come away with me.” He said, suddenly, almost defiantly and she sucked in her belly. He couldn't be serious!
“I’m going back to Minnesota. I have to go back home in a few days. Just come with me. What are you going to do cooped up in this place with Leon anyway?” He continued, when she hadn’t replied to him. What he was proposing wasn’t a mad idea, but she hadn’t thought about it. She hadn’t thought about leaving Leon. She hadn’t realized that she could.
But the more that she thought about it now, the clearer it seemed to her. There was nothing holding her back. Especially now, after he had made it clear to her that he was displeased. That he wanted to make some changes. That things were going to work on his terms, and his terms alone.
“Ivy?” Archer asked, squeezing her shoulder as he tried to catch her gaze again. She wasn’t looking at him anymore. She was only thinking about how her life might change if she left this ranch. If she left Leon. What was he giving her anyway? Nothing that Archer couldn’t give her too.
Chapter 13
Ivy peeped out of the living room, gently pulling the lace curtain aside. The brothers had taken their dinners separately and Ivy had eaten in her room. There was a chilly air of uncertain in the air, and it was evident to her that the relationships between the three of them had changed somehow.
Now Leon was sitting by himself, on a large wooden rocking chair on the porch, sipping on a glass of iced tea. The house was dark, as was the porch, but the full moon had cast a silvery glow on Leon, and Ivy admired him silently.
This was the man who had taken her virginity, the man she had so willingly given it to. He had asked her for nothing, but had not given her anything in return either. He made sure that she was well looked after, compensated for the hard work she put in to maintain the house, paid for her accountancy lessons…and most of all, he had been an incredibly good lover.
But now Ivy was beginning to wonder if she wanted more from him, from their relationship. After Archer, had arrived at the ranch, nothing had been the same. She had gotten a taste of what life could be like if someone was more attentive to her, if a man spent more time talking with her, and now she was convinced that she wanted to experience that life too.
Ivy cleared her throat when she stepped out on the porch. Leon would have heard her, but he made no move to acknowledge her presence. He remained sitting on the chair, rocking back and forth gently, staring ahead in the cool darkness of his estate.
“Leon.” She whispered his name, afraid that he would be ready to push her away again. After a few moments of silence, he stirred, moving in his chair to finally look at her with his sparkling dark brown eyes.
“Have you come to try and talk to me again, Ivy?” He asked her, and she had nothing more to say but remain silent.
“What is it?” He asked and turned away from her again. Now that he didn’t have his eyes on her, she felt like she could look at him better, she had found her voice again.
“I wanted to tell you that I’ve decided to leave.” Ivy said, clasping her hands together. She could feel her heart racing; she was afraid that he might be able to hear it too. Leaving this ranch, leaving Leon hadn’t crossed her mind seriously before this. And Archer had changed everything. She didn’t know if she could continue living like this, dancing around on tippy-toes, around Leon’s whims and fancies.
He breathed in deeply and trained his eyes on her again.
“I’m guessing it’s Archer. It’s Archer who has offered to take you away?” He said, in a low knowing voice. He didn’t sound angry and she was relieved. At least this might happen smoothly without another big fight.
“Yes, and I want to go to Minnesota with him.” She found the courage to tell him. Leon breathed in again heavily. He was taking his time to respond to her, while Ivy’s heart continued to race. She was afraid of her knees buckling from nervousness. Seeing Leon like this had reminded her why she was so attracted to him, why she had found him irresistible from the first moment that they had met.
“I don’t blame you.” Was all he said, several seconds later after having considered what she told him.
Ivy wondered if their little talk was over already. If Leon had any other questions for her, but he seemed to have fallen into his own silence again.
“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 h
e was smiling.
Leon shook his head again, making her wince.