Dirty Boss by Mia Ford (39)

Ivy gulped, licked her lips and stared back at him with heavy lids.

“And I wish you the best of luck too, Leon. I hope you get the woman you want, that she realizes what a fool she is by giving you up. And I hope that you both are happy together.” Ivy said, and she stepped away from him.

The peace and quiet of them working together was ruined again. She wished she hadn’t started cleaning the dishes.

“It doesn’t work that way.” He said, surprising her with his words. She hadn’t expected him to answer her statement. When she looked at him, he was running his fingers through his hair again.

“What do you mean by that?” She asked him, and he only stared at her blankly.

“What you said. About the woman I used to love, and having her back. It doesn’t work that way.” He replied, facing her now with saddened eyes.

“Leon.” Ivy whispered, her heart beating rapidly against her chest in the silence of the mansion. “Will you please tell me what happened? I’m leaving tomorrow, we’ll never see each other once I leave town. Just tell me what happened and get it off your chest.” She implored him, and he could see it in her eyes.

She watched as he licked his lips, took in a deep breath and then sat back down at the table again.

* * *

Ivy joined him at the table, sitting across from him, but said nothing more to urge him on. It was evident to her that he was the kind of man who spoke very little about his feelings. He disclosed nothing to anybody, so he needed to take his time.

They sat silently for some time, while Leon seemed to be arranging his thoughts.

“Her name is Vivian.” He began, and Ivy clenched her jaws. She didn’t realize how jealous it would make her feel, just to hear the name of the “another woman.”

“She was my daddy’s secretary’s daughter, so she grew up at our ranch. We used to play together as kids. She was a little older than me, by a few years, but we got along well.” He continued.

Leon wasn’t looking at her as he spoke, but Ivy kept her eyes trained on him. She wanted to see his every muscle move, she wanted to drink in the handsomeness as much as she could now. She wanted to burn his image in her brain so that she could remember it clearly later.

“As we grew up, grew into teenagers, I couldn’t help but fall madly in love with her. Vivian with her wild red hair, her green cat eyes…she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. She was also one of the only girls I was friends with. That could have been the problem.” He said.

Ivy could feel the jealousy coursing through her veins now. She hadn’t expected him to describe the other woman in such great detail. She didn’t want to picture this beautiful Vivian, Leon as a teenager, chasing after her. She had to clench her fists on her lap to stop herself from saying something. She wanted to be a good listener to him.

“Anyway, she led me on.” He said, and quickly exchanged a look with her.

“How did she lead you on?” Ivy asked, finally breaking her silence.

“She knew I loved her. And she wanted my money, my daddy’s money. Even as a young sixteen-year-old, she knew that if she married me she would be able to make use of my inheritance.” He said, running his fingers through his hair again, out of nervousness.

“And how did she lead you on?” Ivy asked again, knowing fully well that her cheeks were burning up from jealousy now. But Leon didn’t seem to have noticed it.

“She used her body, how else?” He said, looking at her again. Ivy saw the rage in his eyes. He looked away, trying to control it.

“She knew I was young, foolish, a stupid fourteen-year-old. She gave her body to me and I made her a promise that I would marry her the day I turned twenty-one.” He continued.

“And did you?” Ivy asked, now her jealousy was bubbling up to her throat. She was afraid she was going to scream. So, this was why, Leon had reacted so terribly to her seduction! He thought she was using him too. That she was after his money.

“No, she married my cousin instead.” He said flatly.

Ivy’s mouth fell open.

“She married your cousin?” She asked, her hands flying to her mouth.

“It was a family business. My daddy’s brother owned it jointly, and he had an only son. My cousin, Michael. Michael was older than me, older than Vivian and she seduced him too. They were married on my twenty-first birthday. She did it to spite me.” His voice was shaking now as he spoke. Ivy gulped, her brows were crossed. She could see the pain and rage in his eyes. He was forcing himself to talk about it.

“So, what did you do?” She asked softly.

“I tried to forget her. What else could I do? She lived with Michael, in our joint house, while I worked on the ranch every day. Trying to forget my feelings for her. How she had betrayed me.” He said, and banged his fists on the table.

Ivy didn’t know what to say any more. She didn’t know what to ask him. What could she possibly ask him now? She could see how he was feeling.

“I did ask her, why she couldn’t wait a day and marry me instead.” He said, in a much softer voice. He was still struggling with his emotions. Ivy held her breath for the answer. A part of her didn’t want to know any more. She didn’t want to know how much he was hurting. How she had mis-judged him.

“She said that Michael made her feel good. He was a man, while I was just a boy. She had a smile on her face when she said that.” Leon said. Just as Ivy gasped, he picked a plate up from the table and flung it to the floor. It crashed and broke into a million pieces and Ivy jumped off the chair.

“She’s a bitch, Leon. She lied. She never loved you.” Ivy was saying, the words were tumbling out of her. But Leon had lost control of his senses now.

He too jumped off his chair and was rushing towards the kitchen door.

“Leon! She was a liar!” Ivy screamed after him, but he was gone.

She didn’t know what to do but remain standing where she was, looking after him. The front door opened and closed and she knew he was gone, out of the house and to his horses. She needed to give him his space, the time he needed to recover. But it was approaching night again, and the next morning her father would be there.

She wanted to talk to Leon some more. Explain to him that Vivian had purposely manipulated the family, that he had to forget about her and move on. But how could she when all he did was push her away?

* * *

Ivy didn’t see Leon till the next morning again. She was giving him the space she thought he needed.

But she was awake at the crack of dawn the next morning, showered and packed and ready to go. She had finally replied to her father’s text messages to tell him that she was expecting him. He had told her that he would arrive by mid-day to pick her up.

She could hear Leon walking around the house, and when she stepped out she found him in the kitchen again. He hadn’t changed, or showered and wasn’t looking fresh like he did the previous day. He had clearly had a rough night.

But he couldn’t stop himself from looking at her. At the polka dotted vintage style yellow dress she was wearing. He had noticed the yellow ribbon she had tied to the top of her head; his eyes had glittered when he took in the sight of the golden tight ringlets adorning her head like a crown.

Ivy had taken care to present herself well. She wanted him to remember her like this, to remember her the way she did when she looked her best.

“Good morning, Ivy. I hope you slept well.” She heard him say.

She could smell eggs being fried, and melting buttered toast. She realized she hadn’t eaten in a long time and her stomach was rumbling.

“Good morning, Leon.” She said, walking into the kitchen.

“Take a seat. I’ve made us breakfast. I wanted to give you a good send off.” He said, looking tired and ill rested.

Ivy took one of the chairs at the dining table and waited for him to join her. The sun was just rising and it filled the kitchen with a golden orange hue, in which Leon’s dark brown eyes shone, and caught the brilliance of his sandy blonde hair. She could still feel the texture of his hair on her fingertips, when she had run her hands through them, when he was kissing her neck.

She felt her belly twitch, and she couldn’t be certain if it was because she was hungry, or because of how handsome he looked.

Leon placed a plate of fried eggs, toast and sausages in front of her, and did the same for himself. When he settled into a chair in front of her, he cleared his throat, finally meeting her eyes.

“I wanted to apologize for my behavior last evening. I know you were just trying to be friendly.” He said.

Ivy stared at the food in front of her, suddenly she wasn’t hungry any more. The realization had struck her like a rock slapping her on her face, she was going to leave this place soon. She was going to miss him. She was going to miss her need for him.

“It was my fault for pushing you. I shouldn’t have forced you to talk about something that hurts you so much.” Ivy said, without looking up at him. She didn’t want his emotions to spiral out of control again, not so soon before she was about to leave.

“No, it wasn’t your fault. I need to learn to be able to put things in the past. But now you can see why I can’t have you here, in my house.” He said.

Ivy could sense his eyes on her, she knew he was studying her face, but she refused to look up at him. There were so many undercurrents of emotions in the room, she was afraid of cracking and spilling everything out.

She only nodded her head.

“I can’t have another woman in my life right now. I left Minnesota, the home I grew up in…to get away from Vivian. And as much as I’m attracted to you, as much as I want you, I can’t let you in.” He continued.

Ivy nodded her head again. She understood what he was saying, even if she didn’t agree with him, she understood.

“But not every woman is like her, you know.” She blurted out before she could stop herself. She looked up at him, just as he took a bite of his toast. His eyes looked wild, like he hadn’t had any sleep for several days. His heart was at war with his brain, and she wished she could make him see how good they were for each other.

When he didn’t respond, she continued.

“I am not Vivian. I don’t want your money. I slept with you, because I wanted you, not all this.”

Ivy looked around her to indicate the house, and Leon watched her movements with steady dark and narrowed eyes.

“I know, but I can’t just take your word for it.” He said harshly. Ivy opened her mouth to speak, but he raised a palm to stop her.

“I know what you’re about to say. But, Ivy you are very young. You have a good opportunity to begin a career. I can’t allow you to stay here, live with me and ruin your life. As a test.” He said, in a louder stricter voice. It was as though he was trying to convince himself, just as much as he was trying to convince her.

Ivy shut her mouth close again, and started eating her breakfast. She knew she had no chance to explain her point of view. Leon Cooper was not the kind of man who would sit down and listen to what she had to say. He had made up his mind and there was no way that she could change it.

They ate in silence, and then waited in silence for her father. Ivy only tried to enjoy the few hours that she had with him, in his company. She was grateful that even without explanation, he was willing to give up his work for the day and pass the waiting time with her. It was his own private way of demonstrating to her, that he would miss having her around.

* * *

They both heard the honk of Ivy’s father’s jeep in the distance, together. She leaped out of her chair, and hurried to her room to collect her bags.

Leon followed her, and picked up both the bags himself.

“I’ll show you out of course.” He said as they made their way towards the front door of the house.

Ivy followed him silently a little of the way, and then she stopped.

“Leon, you don’t need to do this.” She said, unable to control herself any longer. He was only punishing himself, and punishing her in the process too.

She watched as he straightened his shoulders and clenched his jaws.

“Your father is waiting, Ivy.” He said, in all seriousness. Refusing to respond to what she had just said.

She was fighting the tears, as he carried the bags out of the house, she was following him slowly, keeping her distance.

It was eleven now, and hotter than it was the day she had first arrived at The Old Marigold Ranch. The place she had slowly started to fall in love with. Heck, she’d even miss Mocha. She’d miss the sound of horses in the ranch, the sound of their hooves as Leon rode them behind the mansion, the sound of the ceiling fan in her bedroom, the scent of his cologne as he walked around the house, the full pantry, the silences they had shared within these walls. As harsh as he had been to her, he had also been kind in his own way. He had been respectful; he had made her feel important and beautiful. And now, by denying her the employment, he was punishing them both.

She could see her father’s happy smiling face in his jeep, with his one arm hanging out of the window. He was happy to see his daughter, and waved.

Neither Leon nor Ivy waved back at him. How was he supposed to know what had happened in these past few days, the myriad of emotions they had both felt, the real reason why she was leaving the ranch?

“Changed your mind then, Mr. Cooper?” Her father’s voice rang through the air, as they approached his jeep. Leon was walking ahead of her, carrying the two heavy bags and making them look like they were as light as feathers.

“Sure did. I didn’t have enough work to give her, and I didn’t want to waste her time.” Leon said.

Ivy felt the same emotions again, as she had felt when he had first walked into the pub. She couldn’t see his face, but she wanted him desperately to turn around and look at her. She wanted to see his jaws move, the strength in his cheekbones, how his neck looked strong and masculine.

Her father gave a chuckle and then shook his head.

“I hope she’s been no trouble to you.” Her father said, looking from her to Leon, and then back at Ivy again.

She held her breath, anxious to hear what Leon might have to say.

“No trouble at all. It’s been a pleasure having her.” He said and they finally came to a stop, still several feet away from the jeep.

Leon dropped the bags to the dusty ground, and Ivy turned to him. She knew he could see the fat tears at the corners of her eyes, and she didn’t care anymore what her father could see nor what he thought was going on between them.

“Leon!” She cried and lunged at him. She was surprised to find that he had his arms wide open to receive her and she fell into them, her face pressing against his chest as he held her close.

“Ivy?” She heard her father’s voice in the background but she didn’t pay any heed to it.

“Leon, you are being too harsh. I wish you could see that I’m not Vivian. That I want you, I actually want you.” She cried, looking up at his face. He towered over her, shielding the glare of the sun with his head and shaggy blonde hair.

His eyes were narrowed, sparkling, studying her own large green eyes. Then she felt his thick rough thumbs on her cheeks, wiping the tears away.

“I know you’re not her. But I don’t want you to regret this, Ivy.” He said, softly.

“Mr. Cooper? Ivy?” Her father was still calling out to them.

“It’s just a job. Can I not leave whenever I want? What would you do without me?” Ivy asked, still crying. He was still brushing the tears away from her cheeks.

Then, after several seconds of silence, he shook his head.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’m being foolish.” He said and pulled her to him in a tighter embrace.

“There’s been a mistake, Mr. Hart. I’m sorry for making you come here all this way, but Ivy will be staying with me for a little while longer. I’ve found a few new tasks for her.” He called out to her father.

Ivy had a beaming smile on her face when she turned to look at him. She could see that he had got out of his car and was standing with his arms flailing, confused and bordering on anger.

“Ivy? What the Hell is going on?” Her father asked.

Ivy shook her head and then slowly wriggled out of Leon’s arms.

“Sorry daddy, I’m not going home with you. You can go back home now. Thank you for not coming to pick me up when he first called.” She said and went over to hug her father as well.

He was still confused, still at a loss for what to do.

“Ivy, maybe you should just come home. I think you’re confused, my darling.” He said as she pulled away.

“I’m not confused daddy. I have never been surer of anything as much as this. You can leave now, daddy. We have a lot of work to do.” She was beaming as she said it. Her life was just about to begin, and she was glad now that she had never replied to that email.

* * *

Leon had carried her bags back to the house, and now they were both standing in her bedroom with several feet of distance between them.

Ivy could feel her shoulders rising and falling, her breasts heaving with anticipation. Neither of them had said a word since they returned back to the house. They just stood there, staring at each other. This was actually happening. She was actually going to be here in this house with him. She couldn’t believe it.

“Leon…” She began, breaking the silence.

“Ivy, this is just a job for now.” He interrupted her.

She shook her head, with a broad smile on her face. She would take anything. She would agree to anything, just to be close to him.

“I can’t promise you anything more than an employment for now.” He continued and she shook her head some more.

“I don’t expect anything more, Leon. We don’t even know each other. All I want is to be able to work for you, to make some kind of living, and to be close to you.” She said, and he took a few steps closer to her.

Just that movement was enough to set her body ablaze. Ivy felt like all her limbs had turned to soft clay and like her knees were going to buckle. She had hyped herself to accept that she would never see Leon again in her life, to be back in the room, to have him so close to her, close enough to touch him…felt like it was too good to be true.

He had his eyes focused on her, he was licking his lips like he was preparing himself for the hunt. They were both holding themselves back, they both knew what they wanted. But they had to get the talking out of the way.

“And, you are free to leave whenever you want. You are not a prisoner here and neither do you owe me anything.” Leon continued.

“I know that. I just want to work here.” She added.

“And to be with me.” A smile was creeping up on his face again, and Ivy felt like she was going to melt straight into his arms.

“One of the perks of this job.” She said, tucking in a few errant curls behind her ears. She could see that his gaze had fallen to her cleavage, to her waist where her dress was cinched and then fell in waves to her knees. He was imagining her naked, just like she was imagining him.

“Good. So, that’s sorted.” He said gruffly and took two quick strides towards her and she was in his arms again.

Ivy smiled at him, giggled and then accepted the lips that engulfed her own.

“I’ve wanted this for so long, Ivy. When I saw you in this dress today, I knew I wouldn’t be able to control myself for very long. What are you doing to me?” Leon’s voice was hoarse as he was kissing her, her chin, her neck, the top of her breasts.

Ivy felt more courageous now and she allowed her hands to travel down the front of his chest, down his abdomen, unbuttoning his shirt as she went along. Then she found the belt and the buttons on his pants. She undid them as he kissed her, his hands squeezing her breasts.

His pants fell to the floor, around his ankles and Ivy didn’t waste any time this time. She wanted to feel his dick in her hands. It was big and strong, and growing even more now that she began stroking it. She heard him groan as his mouth found the front buttons of her dress. He undid them with his teeth.

“Your breasts look delicious. You’ll need to put them on display when you work around the house.” He said, and she felt his hands slap her butt. Ivy gave a little mock shriek and she giggled again. He was holding her close to himself, her body was pressed against his own muscular frame. She felt like he could lift her up in the air any time and she would be defenseless against his powers.

Her hands were working away; his dick was growing and she could feel herself growing wet between her legs. Her body shook with thrill as she tried to imagine what he would do to her this time, how he was going to take her.

She wanted to learn all the ways a man could pleasure her, and she knew there could be no better teacher for her, than Leon.

His mouth had found its way to her breasts, and now he was sucking on her nipples, as she stroked his dick. The wetness of his tongue on her pert hardened nipples sent her body soaring high. She closed her eyes tightly shut and craned her neck back.

“Leon! Please do it. Don’t make me wait.” She cried hoarsely and then she heard him chuckle.

“You have to hold your horses, woman. I am only getting started now. Now that I have you, I’m going to keep you here all night.” He said, raising his head from her breasts.

She could feel herself growing hotter, her wetness swelling. She was ready for him, she wanted him inside her right away. How much longer would she have to wait?

But she was putty in Leon’s hands, he was her Master and she was his pupil. She had never been with any man before, and if he could make her feel this good, this pleasured, then she was going to just have to wait and learn from him.

“Turn around.” She heard him say and she bit down on her lip. “I’m going to show you how I like to fuck.” He added and Ivy could barely wait, she was dying to learn his ways.

* * *

Ivy stepped out of the bath and wrapped a warm dry towel around herself, before stepping in front of the mirror. It had fogged up and she wiped it with the palm of her hand, to look at herself better.

The face she looked at was vibrant, fresh and excited.

It had been four weeks since she moved into this house, and Ivy still felt as excited as the first day she had come to this place. She still welcomed Leon back to the house after a day’s work like she was seeing him for the first time. He still made her feel good. Their attraction to each other, hadn’t faded a single bit.

She liked to dress up for him in the evenings. Spending the day in the huge house by herself wasn’t boring at all. In the past week, she had taken up gardening, she was sewing new upholstery for the whole house and had started taking accounting classes online. Leon had set up a study room for her where she spent a few hours every day, working on her lessons.

The rest of the hours, she spent cleaning the house, working on the new garden and cooking meals for them both.

She liked that he gave her privacy, that he always asked for permission before spending the night in her bedroom. She liked their little arrangement. She liked having her own bedroom, and having him spend the night in her bed when they were both hungry for each other’s bodies.

Unlike any other romantic relationships, she had, both of which had ended in her teens in disaster, with Leon there were no fights. It was a mature, working adult relationship where they gave each other their space, acknowledged their sexual needs and respected their privacy. Ivy couldn’t believe how happy she was.

She was only twenty-one and she didn’t want to settle down, she was still finding out what this man she was living with was really like, and for now she was comfortable with where their relationship was going.

Ivy moisturized her face and her neck, applied a thin eyeliner on her lids and some red gloss and stepped into the clothes she had laid out for herself. An electric blue wide skirt, just the kind Leon liked and a white silk blouse tucked in at the waist. She did up her hair he liked it, with a blue ribbon holding her ringlets together.

It was nearly eight in the evening and it was time for Leon to meet her at the dinner table.

Ivy had laid out the food already, and when Leon came in she noticed with awe again how handsome he looked. Freshly shaven chin, his eyes were large and sparkling brown, his jaws were angular and striking. His shirt, which she had ironed the previous day, clung loosely to his large frame and he had a smirk on his face.

“How was your day? You look beautiful.” He said, walking up to her and taking her in his arms. Ivy accepted the hug, and kissed him gently on his thin lips. They were smiling, blushing, looking forward to the night. Even though it had been four weeks, they could still hardly keep their hands off each other. Their bodies craved for the night when they could sexually explore each other.

“Thank you Leon, and I had a productive day.” She said, bringing the tray of freshly roasted sweet potatoes to the dining table. He followed her, and then took a seat, unravelling a hot napkin on his lap.

“Classes going well?” He asked and Ivy nodded her head.

“Very soon I’ll be able to look after all your accounting needs.” She said with a laugh and gave him a little twirl of her skirt.

Leon threw his arms open at her and she fell into them, sitting on his lap, snuggling her nose under his chin.

“Maybe you’ll turn into our local accountant, for all the businesses in town.” He added and she wriggled out of his arms.

“That’ll be nice. Finally, daddy will have some use for me.” Ivy said, taking a seat in front of him.

“The food looks great, dig in?” He said, in his usual quiet brooding way. They started eating immediately.

“You’ll get to test your skills on someone else soon.” She heard him say and looked up at him. There was a smile in Leon’s eyes as he ate, he was watching her closely.

“Someone else? Please don’t tell me you’re planning on inviting daddy for dinner here.” Ivy said, raising her eyebrows.

“Your daddy? Are you mad? What would he think of our little arrangement?” He said with a laugh.

“Who then?” Ivy asked, her brows crossed now. She didn’t think Leon knew anybody, that he had any friends.

“My brother.” He said, casually chewing on his food, while the fork fell out of Ivy’s hand.

“Your cousin, Michael? Vivian’s husband?” She gawked at him and Leon laughed.

“No, of course not. I don’t speak to them. My brother, my twin.” He said. Leon had stopped chewing now and he was watching Ivy closely, to see her reaction to what he was saying.

“You have a twin brother?” She almost jerked out of her chair in surprise.

“Yes, he’s coming to visit me here. And you should know, we are very close. My brother and I share everything.” He said and Ivy noticed that he was looking at her with a smile on his face, a glimmer in his eyes that she didn’t recognize.

She raised an eyebrow and licked her lips.

“Well, if your brother looks anything like you, Leon, I can assure you that I’d be very pleased to see him.” She said with a laugh. Leon only laughed and took a sip of his water.

“What’s his name?” She dared to ask him.

“Archer. His name is Archer Cooper.”

* * *

BOOK 2 : COWBOY TWIN’S ROMANCE (PART 2)

Blurb

Ivy Hart thinks she has accustomed herself to a quiet and peaceful life on the beautiful Old Marigold Ranch. She is still Leon Cooper’s housekeeper, but they share a professional relationship with benefits. What more could she possibly ask for? The easiest job in the world, that comes with its own wet-dream perks.

That is until Leon Cooper tells her that his twin brother will be visiting. Leon is the hottest man she has ever laid eyes on, what is his twin brother going to look like?

And when Archer Cooper does arrive, Ivy realizes that there is a choice to make. The twins are both equally hot. Equally dreamy. Equally rugged thoroughbred cowboys.

This could be the hardest choice that Ivy has ever made. And there is only one way to decide.

* * *

Six weeks ago, Ivy Hart arrived at the Old Marigold Ranch, where the new owner Leon Cooper, a young brooding handsome billionaire had appointed her as the housekeeper and resident accountant. And six weeks ago, Ivy’s life had changed forever.

She was sitting at her computer now, in the study that Leon had set up for her and she was staring at the screen, her mind elsewhere. It was very difficult to concentrate on the online class that she was taking, trying to get an accounting degree. It was hard to concentrate because she had too many things on her mind.

A few weeks ago, Leon had revealed to her that he had a twin brother, and also that his brother was supposed to be arriving at the ranch, to stay with them. He hadn’t told her when, and since then hadn’t spoken about it again. So now, every day, Ivy waited and was filled with a nauseous sense of nervousness about meeting this new man. A new man who was Leon’s brother.

She was also distracted because she was day dreaming about Leon. Although seven years older to her, he was the man she had given her virginity to. He was the man she couldn’t resist. With his chocolate, brown eyes, sandy blonde hair, chiseled square jaw and a rugged body, Leon Cooper was capable of setting Ivy’s body on fire just by looking at her. She couldn’t help but wonder what his twin brother might look like.

Ivy’s fingers hovered over the keyboard as she licked her lips. Was his brother’s arrival going to change anything between them? She still slept separately from Leon. Over and above anything else, theirs was a professional relationship. She looked after the luxurious eight-bedroom mansion that he lived in, while Leon worked on the ranch. That was her professional role. The undeniable sexual attraction between them was something that they attended to on a few nights a week.

Ivy was happy with this arrangement. She was content in living with Leon as his housekeeper, and on some nights having him in her bed. But would anything change, now that his brother was going to arrive?

She heard the crunch of Leon’s boots in the hallway, and Ivy turned in her chair; just in time to catch him entering her room unannounced. She was surprised because he usually stayed out all day working on the ranch. She only ever saw him in the evenings, at eight, when he returned to the house for his dinner.

“What are you doing here?” She blurted out, when his brown eyes rested on her flushed face. She felt a little guilty when she saw him, because he had caught her day dreaming about him. A small smile flickered on the sides of Leon’s mouth, as though he knew what she had been thinking about.

“I wanted to warn you that my brother is arriving today, so the house needs to be in top shape.” Leon said, in his usual deep calm voice. His eyes were dark brown and sparkling, and Ivy couldn’t help but notice how his large hands looked dusty and hard worked. It immediately sent a shiver down her spine. Just looking at Leon made her wet between her legs. He was the most masculine man she had ever met.

She stood up with a jerk from her chair, tucking in her blonde ringlet curls behind her ears. She could see that he was watching her closely too, he was looking at her body, the body that he possessed. Ivy blushed under his gaze.

“When is he coming? Will he be here for dinner?” She managed to ask. Leon smiled, noticing how flustered he had made her.

“He’ll be here in a few hours. Yes, include him for tonight’s dinner.” He said, still watching her with those hawk eyes. Ivy felt shy under his intent gaze, she didn’t know where to look. And it was like Leon was happy about making her feel uncomfortable. He was smiling too.

“What’s the matter? Are you nervous?” He asked, still standing at the door. Ivy gulped and shook her head.

“I’m not nervous. Just that you haven’t told me anything about him, I didn’t even know you had a twin.” She muttered and Leon gave a short deep laugh.

“What do you want to know about him? Don’t worry, Ivy, he’s only human. He won’t bite.” He said and she jerked her head up to look at him daringly.

“I’m not afraid of him! Just curious.” She said and he laughed again. He was enjoying watching her blush and fret.

“Good, some curiosity has never harmed anyone. Just make sure that dinner is ready by seven tonight and the house is in good order.” He said, and without waiting for a response, turned around and walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Even though it had been six weeks since Ivy had known Leon Cooper, she couldn’t honestly claim that she actually knew him. Other than making it clear to her that he wanted her body, that he was attracted to her, he had revealed very little else about himself or his feelings. Ivy still spent all her day by herself, taking care of the house, gardening and studying. And at night when they did spend time together, they did very little talking.

Ivy sat back down at her computer with a thump and pouted her lips. She would have to forego her study plans for the day, and spend some extra time on the house today. Not that it really mattered, it wasn't like she was being able to concentrate on her work anyway.

So, she switched off her computer and tied her hair up in a bun. Ivy was ready to work on the house, and was already making mental notes on the variety of dishes she was going to cook for the night. Going by Leon, it was highly likely that his twin would be as impressed by her cooking as he was.

* * *

The house was clean in two hours, and the food was as good as ready, all Ivy needed to do was set the table. It wasn’t seven yet, and she decided to take a bath and get ready for the evening now that she had some free time.

At half past six, Ivy was holding up her recently washed dress up to the washing line behind her bedroom. That’s where she hung all their clothes to dry, but this evening she had only hand washed her own dress. She had a clothes peg in her mouth while she held up the dress to the line as she tried to arrange it neatly.

A gust of breeze was blowing in her direction and Ivy was already regretting stepping out here in nothing but a towel wrapped around her. Her hair was still damp from the bath she had just had and she could feel the goosebumps on her flesh from the breeze. But this was at the back of the house, a small private yard behind her own bedroom, so she wasn’t that worried about the breeze or her towel or her damp hair. Nobody would see her here.

So, when a strong gust of wind blew in her direction again, Ivy took care to hold on to her dress, instead of paying attention to the towel wrapped around herself. Which, in a swift moment, before she could stop it, had untangled away from her body and blown away.

Ivy shrieked from the shock of the cold breeze that lashed against her body. She was standing completely naked, covered in goosebumps and still trying to fix her dress on the washing line. It made her smile, because she assumed that she was by herself.

Till her eyes settled on the tall figure leaning against the brick wall of the house, several feet away from her, but looking at her nonetheless.

Ivy shrieked again. It wasn’t Leon and she didn’t recognize the man. She fumbled quickly to get a hold of the dress from the line to cover her breasts. She had squeezed her thighs together in an attempt to hide the rest of her modesty. But the man was smiling. He had seen what he needed to see.

It had to be Archer Cooper.

Astonishingly, he looked nothing like his twin, Leon. He had thick dark wavy hair, that was so black that it was almost blue. His jaw was covered in a dusting of a dark stubble, like he hadn’t shaved for a few days. His eyes were sharp, but unlike his brother’s his were an electric blue and it somehow made him look more dangerous. He was very tall too, even from the distance, Ivy could see that he was taller than his brother, at least six and a half feet. And Archer Cooper was grinning at her, because she could see the deep dimples that slashed across his cheeks. But there was something in his eyes, in the way his jaws were sharp and chiseled, which gave it away, that he was Leon’s brother.

Archer remained where he was, leaning against the brick wall, facing in Ivy’s direction. He had a lit cigarette between his fingers which he now brought up to his thin red lips and sucked in a mouthful of smoke.

“Don’t mind me.” He said lazily, when he let out the smoke from his mouth. That was when Ivy realized that she had been frozen to the spot, that she hadn’t moved since the towel fell away from her, since when he had seen her completely naked.

“This is a private space.” Ivy snapped at him, clutching her dress ineffectively over her breasts. She knew that he had seen her, he had seen what he had to see.

He continued to smile, and continued to take long lazy drags of his cigarette.

“My brother doesn’t like me smoking in front of him, so I had to find a quiet spot.” He said, ignoring the rage in Ivy’s voice.

She didn’t know why she continued to stand there, why she didn’t just rush back into the house, save whatever bit of modesty that she could. There was something about this man that drew her, to watch him, to look at him.

Ivy could feel her heart beating against her chest wildly, these were the exact feelings that she had felt when she had first laid eyes on Leon.

“Can you please leave?” She forced herself to say, aware that she was sounding rude. But he didn’t seem to mind, in fact the smile on his face only grew wider.

“Why aren’t you going back inside?” He said with a laugh in his voice. He formed a thick cloud of cigarette smoke in front of his face when he blew it out of his mouth.

Ivy was growing conscious of her hardening nipples, how her stomach was clenching and unclenching itself the more she looked at him. Whatever Leon had awakened in her, his brother was doing the same.

She glared at him for a few seconds longer, and he continued to smile back at her, till she turned on her heels with a flourish and rushed back into her room through the side door. She knew he had seen her naked back, her bare butt, but what other choice did she have? He wasn’t offering her any help and she only had the dress to save her.

When she was safely back in her room, Ivy rested her damp head against the door and slid down to the carpeted floor. She was breathing heavily; her chest was heaving. She couldn’t be sure what was happening to her, what exactly was going on. Why was her body reacting this way, like she was excited that Leon Cooper’s brother had just seen her naked?

She should have been embarrassed and angry, but instead Ivy could feel a thrill coursing through her veins, and she tried to suppress a smile.

* * *

When Ivy came into the dining room, she noticed that Leon, or perhaps both the brothers had already set the table and were sitting at either end, talking. A hush descended in the room when she walked in.

Ivy had taken care to present herself well this evening. She was in a white lace dress that fell wide from her waist and reached her knees. She knew the dress worked well at revealing her curves, the full figure of her breasts and matched the golden color of her hair. She had let her curls hang loose, and her ringlets fell like a curtain around her shoulders, as she drew out a chair for herself and sat down.

Ivy was conscious of the two brothers studying her. She looked from Leon to Archer and then down at her lap. Leon was watching her with the usual grim expression on his face, while Archer still had that dimpling smile. Now, more than ever, that they were in the same room together, they looked like brothers.

“I believe you’ve met my brother. Ivy, this is Archer.” Leon said to her and she finally looked up. She had turned to Archer with a red flushed face, shy now in the knowledge that he had seen her completely naked.

“We have met, very intimately in fact.” Archer said and she noticed how his arms lay on the table, on either side of the plate before him. He too, like his brother wore a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He too had the same wide shoulders, the broad chest and the narrow waist, and Ivy couldn’t help but wonder what he might look like without any clothes on. It wasn’t that hard to imagine, because she had seen Leon naked, several times.

“Ivy is a brilliant cook.” Leon said, breaking the awkward silence. Either he hadn’t noticed the awkwardness that Ivy was suffering, or he didn’t care. She wondered if Leon knew what had happened earlier, that his brother had seen her naked.

“I can see that.” She heard Archer say, while she kept her head hung, focusing on her fingers on her lap.

“How is Minnesota, brother?” Leon asked, changing the topic immediately, while the two brothers began to serve themselves.

“The way you left it. Nothing has changed. But this place is amazing. Daddy would have been proud.” Archer replied.

Now that the two of them were talking amongst themselves, Ivy had the courage to finally lift her head and look at them. They looked so different and yet the same. It made her feel strange to have someone who spoke and talked like Leon in the same room. It made her fingers shake and she had lost all her appetite.

“Gravy?” Archer had said, snapping her out of her thoughts and she realized that he was holding a gravy boat out towards her, still grinning, with those dimples on his cheeks that made her weak in her knees.

She only shook her head instead of saying anything, and Archer suddenly let out a laugh.

“Your housekeeper doesn’t seem to say much.” He had turned to his brother, as though Ivy wasn’t even in the room. She looked at him again, glaring with her burning green eyes.

“I’m only giving you two time to catch up.” She snapped at him, and it made Archer smile and look at his brother knowingly. When she looked at Leon, she realized that he had been smiling too. They were both smiling, at her, like they had an inside joke. What had Leon told his brother about her?

“I apologize. You’re very kind. And your food is very tasty.” Archer said, tilting his head at her like he was some kind of seventeenth century Lord of the Manor. It only made Ivy angrier, and she started serving herself some food.

“And her food isn’t the only tasty thing about her.” Archer added suddenly, and Ivy looked up at him sharply, completely abashed. She couldn’t believe that he had just said that.

“Oh, I forgot about that.” Leon added to that, and both the brothers were laughing hard. So, Archer had told his brother about what happened. Clearly there were no secrets between them.

Ivy’s face had turned a deep bright red and she stood up with a jerk from the table.

“I’ll have my dinner in my room.” She said, interrupting their laughter. She picked up her plate in silence, while Archer was still coughing and laughing and started walking out of the dining room. Neither of them said or did anything to stop her from leaving and she walked to her bedroom with her heart beating crazily against her chest.

When she shut the door behind her, she sat down on the carpet again, being careful to place the plate on the floor without spilling any food. How had Archer dared to make a comment like that? How had Leon not been angry with that?

She felt ashamed and enraged at the same time. Just handling Leon’s broody mood was a task enough, but now with the two of them around, Ivy wasn’t certain any more if she would be able to handle them both. They were brothers, twins and had their own bitter sense of humor. Neither of them seemed to care how she felt, they didn’t seem to be aware of other people’s feelings.

She could feel her lips quivering as she sat there on the floor of her room. Conflicting emotions kept her from eating, from even thinking straight. She couldn’t stop being mad at Archer and Leon at the same time as imagining them naked. Now, slowly, she had started to wonder what the two of them were talking about, after she had left the room.

If the twins shared everything, what was Leon willing to share with Archer?

* * *

Ivy woke up with a start when she heard a sharp knock on her bedroom door. She hadn’t realized that she had dozed off to sleep on the carpet, the plate of food lying pushed far under her bed. The lights were off in her room but she could see a sliver of light from under the door that she slowly walked towards now.

From under the door she could see the shadow of someone standing outside, knocking again. She had assumed it was Leon, but when she opened the door, she found Archer standing in the dim light of the hallway, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans. He had a grin on his face and his dimples looked deliciously deep on his cheeks.

“Did I wake you?” He asked, looking at her sleepily. He was drinking in her tousled curls, the creased lace dress that she was still wearing. All the sleepiness Ivy had been feeling, was quick to fly away. She was wide awake now, and starkly aware of Archer’s sensual presence at the door of her bedroom.

“Can I help you with something?” She asked, jutting her chin up in the air. She was trying to put on an air of pride, but he was seeing right through her. He knew that she was shaken by him. He smiled.

“I’m not here to ask for anything, and you can relax, I’m not going to attack your either. Your shoulders look very tense.” Archer said, and before she knew what he was going to do, he had placed both his large hands on her shoulders and she felt the tinge of his rough palms on her soft bare skin that was only barely covered by the thin straps of her dress.

Ivy felt an electric shock run down her spine from his touch, but she was frozen to the spot again. She knew she should have moved away from his touch, stepped back, but she couldn’t. She only stood there, staring up at his face, with a look of surprise on her face.

Archer was staring down at her, smiling and now stroking the soft muscles on her shoulders with his large palms.

“I’m fine.” She managed to mutter, and he only smiled more.

“My brother forced me to come here and ask for your apology.” He said, ignoring her protest. He continued to touch her, to stroke her shoulders and surprisingly, as hard as Ivy struggled against it, she felt herself relax. It was a calming effect, the soft stroking of her shoulders with his big hands.

“Apology for what?” She asked him, her eyelids were getting heavy. She still hadn’t managed to take a step away from him. Archer smiled again, his dimples grew deeper, he could see the control he had on her body.

“For what I said earlier.” His hands finally dropped off her shoulder, and Ivy managed to take a stumbling step back, he was still grinning at her, aware of how flustered she was. Both the brothers seemed to enjoy making her uncomfortable for some reason!

“It’s too quick for me to accept your apology like that.” Ivy said, shooting him a look of warning.

“Even after the amazing shoulder rub that I just gave you?” Archer asked, testing her further.

“I didn’t ask for it. In fact, you forced it on me.” Ivy snapped, clasping her hands together tightly. Archer was nodding his head slowly. He seemed to be pleased with her response.

“Alright. I apologize for that too. From now on, I will be asking you before I make any sudden movements.” He said and Ivy found that she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. But she managed to make that smile disappear quickly, she didn’t want him to know that he was capable of entertaining her. That would only end up encouraging him.

“So, do you forgive me then?” He said and Ivy gulped.

“What have you done to deserve forgiveness?” She asked him. She was aware that her breasts were heaving and Archer’s eyes were flickering, from her bulging breasts, to her face, to her clenched hands and then back at her face again. He was studying her, trying to figure her out. But still Ivy kept her head held high.

“Nothing. I’ve done nothing to deserve your forgiveness, yet. But I promise you that I feel bad about what I said. I should have known that you were embarrassed.” His eyes had suddenly taken on a softer hue; his jaws were unclenched and he wasn’t smiling any more. In a matter of moments, Archer Cooper was able to make a show of feeling sorry. Ivy felt her knees buckling under the weight of her conflicting emotions.

“Alright. Whatever. I forgive you. Will you leave me alone, now?” She said, forcing herself to sound strong.

With the light of the hallway behind him, she could see the shape of Archer’s frame. He was muscular, more muscular than Leon. His neck was broad and his biceps bulged under the fabric of his plaid shirt. He had a sharp nose, an even sharper chin and his height made Ivy wonder what he was hiding in his pants. She shook her head vigorously to make herself stop thinking these thoughts.

“Thank you, Ivy Hart. I’ll leave you alone now. Have a good night.” He said and before he could say anything else, she slammed the bedroom door on his face. She didn’t want to hear any more.

She didn’t like the way he was making her feel. She was still attracted to Leon, and it was unfair to also be attracted to his brother at the same time.

The last thing she wanted to do was make either of them jealous. She didn’t want to come between the twins. But it was plain to see that Archer Cooper had set his eyes on her, he had liked what he had seen and even though he was asking her for forgiveness, he wasn’t just going to give up that easily.

* * *

Leon hadn’t come to her that night, instead Ivy had stayed awake for several hours, blinking up at the ceiling as she could hear the loud voices of the two brothers on the porch.

They were talking, laughing and that went on till the wee hours of the morning, till somehow she had drifted softly away to sleep with the background sounds of those two strong voices in the corner of her brain. It was like music to her ears.

Ivy woke up with a start the next morning, a little dazed, and turned with a jerk to see if someone was sleeping next to her. Her bed was empty, it had only been her, the whole night. But in the privacy of her thoughts, she knew that she had been dreaming about Archer. For the past six weeks, since she met Leon, he was the only one who occupied her mind, who invaded her dreams; but last night had been different. She hadn’t been able to keep Archer out of it.

Ivy jumped out of bed, got dressed in a hurry and when she came out of her room, she realized that it was nearly ten. She had overslept. Leon was usually up and ready to leave for work on the ranch by eight, and she hadn’t missed a single morning. Now she was worried that he might be angry with her.

She rushed out of the house, tensed, and stood on the porch, straining her eyes to see if she could see Leon.

She saw both the brothers instead. Each on their own horse, in a distance, riding together, laughing, kicking up clouds of dust behind them as they rode.

Ivy leaned against the pillar on the porch as she stared at them. They were handsome, rugged and purebred cowboys. Despite the luxury they lived in and the amount of money they had inherited. Both the brothers looked at ease out in the open like that, in their cowboy hats, riding their horses.

She could feel something moving in her, was it the wetness? She pressed her legs together in shock. How was it possible to feel this aroused by simply looking at them? By looking at the two brothers? What kind of hold did they have on her?

Ivy felt suddenly very shy and she turned away from them, she knew she was spying and she shouldn’t have been. She had housework to do, her accounting classes to catch up on, and she hadn’t paid any attention to her gardening in the past two days.

She could still hear the sound of hooves in the background as she went back into the house. They were out there, training their horses together, like regular brothers, with a strong bond between them, even stronger because they were twins. And Ivy couldn’t stop thinking about how handsome they both equally looked, on their horses.

She hadn’t realized that she had kept the tap in the kitchen sink running, she had her hands under the flow of the water and was day dreaming about the brothers. Till she heard the sound of Leon’s voice behind her.

“It’s going to overflow.” He said and Ivy started, turning around to him and splashing a handful of water on the front of her linen pants. Leon raised his eyebrows, he was mocking her for her clumsiness, but he didn’t comment on it.

“Sorry, I’m just a little tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” She said, rubbing the back of her wrist on her forehead.

“Were we very loud?” He asked, and walked over to the refrigerator. Ivy was following him with her eyes, a little nervously. She was afraid that Leon would see it on her face, that she was lusting after his brother.

“It’s alright. I’m sure you both had a lot of catching up to do.” She said, licking her lips. Leon had bent down in front of the refrigerator, to extract a bottle of homemade iced tea that Ivy had made the previous day.

“Yes, we did.” He said, cradling the icy cold bottle in the crook of his arm. His presence in the room, so close to her, was a sudden reminder of how attracted she still was to Leon. How he was capable of making her melt in his arms.

“Are you both very close?” She blurted out, not quite sure why she chose to ask him that. Leon was about to turn and leave the room, but he stopped and he turned to face her again with a grin. Unlike Archer, Leon smiled very rarely, and every time he did, it caught Ivy by surprise.

“Yes, we are. Archer and I share everything. Nothing is out of bounds between us.” He said, and Ivy noticed how he clenched and unclenched his jaw. He still had that soft smile at the sides of his mouth that made her stomach drop.

Leon was gone in a flash, leaving Ivy alone in the kitchen again, making her feel like someone had knocked the living breath out of her.

What had he meant by those words? That they shared everything? Nothing was out of bounds between them? Why did Leon stare at her like that, smile at her like that? A million questions were whizzing through Ivy’s mind as she stood clutching the sides of the kitchen sink, trying to recover her breath.

It was almost like Leon was giving her permission to think about Archer, like he approved of her having those thoughts about his twin brother. Nothing was out of bounds between them. They shared everything. Did Leon mean that he intended on sharing her with him too?

Ivy drew in a sharp deep breath at the thought of that. She couldn’t get the image of the two brothers on their horses in the distance, out of her mind. She knew she was lusting after them both. The previous day, when she first set eyes on Archer; she hadn’t moved because she wanted him to see her naked. How were both of them doing this to her? Making her feel like she had no control over her own body or her reactions.

* * *

“Fancy seeing you here.” She heard Archer’s voice behind her as she placed a bucket of water at the foot of the stable door. She had carried it from the well behind the house for the horses.

Ivy whipped around to find Archer walking over to her, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He looked rugged, hardened after a day’s work and his pants were covered in dust. His boots were dusty too and he towered over her, as he drew closer.

“I’m just getting my work done.” Ivy said, wiping her damp hands on the front of her linen pants. Archer had that same smirk on his face that made her stomach do somersaults. Those dimples looked too good to look away from.

“I didn’t think my brother would make you do any heavy lifting. You look too delicate for that.” He continued, now coming to a halt in front of her. Ivy’s back pressed against the warmth of the wooden stable door as she stepped away from him. She didn’t want him to be any closer to her, because she was afraid of what she might do. The man was growing more irresistible to her by the second. So, her only defense against him was to snap.

“Of course I’m not, and Leon doesn’t make me do anything. This is the only way I can help him with the horses.” She said, trying to put on a sour look on her face. She wondered where Leon was, but kept her thoughts to herself. His voice, telling her that he shared everything with his brother came waltzing back to her brain. She wouldn’t mind sharing herself with Archer, she was well aware of that. And neither did Archer look like he would mind sharing with his brother. He was looking her up and down, it was like he couldn’t stop looking at her in fact.

“Do you need some help with that?” He asked suddenly and bent forward to reach for the bucket of water. When he did, his face grazed along the front of her legs, their skin separated by the fabric of her pants. But she had felt the coarseness of his stubble, and it sent her skin tingling. She wanted to feel her fingers on his chin, to taste his breath in her mouth, it was getting too hot there, she could feel herself beginning to sweat. Archer Cooper was too close for comfort.

He had picked the bucket up and now was stretching his hand in her direction and Ivy cowered. But instead of touching her, he had pushed against the wooden door behind her and the door gave way. Ivy’s body moved lightly with it, making her sway on her feet.

“Oh, careful now.” Archer said with a chuckle as he walked into the stable. Ivy’s heart was beating maddeningly as she steadied herself. He knew the effect he had on her, and he was enjoying himself.

She followed him in silently, her breath had caught in her throat and she couldn’t protest against him anymore. Archer was doing as he pleased.

He carried the bucket in one hand, lifting it like it was as light as a feather, the trait of strength he shared equally with his brother.

“Where do you want it?” He asked, suddenly turning to her, just when she had been studying the muscles on his back.

“Anywhere, I’ll fill their troughs with water later.” Ivy was fumbling with her words; she could feel herself growing hotter under her blouse. What was he going to do? They were surrounded by the towering presence of five horses in their stables. The horses were quiet, but she could feel their powerful presence around her. But nothing felt more present, nothing had more of an effect on her than Archer.

He placed the bucket gently on the ground at his feet and then straightened his back.

“Let me be honest here.” He began, startling her with the calmness in his voice. “I want you.” He said and Ivy nearly gasped. Those were not the words she had been expecting to hear from him.

Ivy couldn’t respond, instead she just stood there, dumbstruck by what he had just said.

“And I get the feeling that you want me too.” He said and she noticed the way his eyes immediately swung to her breasts. She didn’t need to look to know that he was referring to her erect nipples. He could see them through her flimsy pastel pink cotton blouse. They were hardened mounds, yearning for his touch, for his mouth and Ivy had never felt this helpless about her body before.

“But I…but.” She was stuttering.

“I know…but I know Leon. He won’t mind. In fact, it might even amuse him.” Archer completed the sentence and Ivy could feel her knees wobbling.

What was happening? Her world was being turned upside down. Was she right in thinking that Archer was suggesting…it couldn’t be!

He was staring at her with a deathly intensity. The dimpling smile on his face had disappeared and now he looked more like his brother than ever. He meant business and he wasn’t shy about it.

“Maybe we should ask…” She began to say again; her hands were trembling from the force of her desire for him.

“Are you kidding me? He’s my twin, I don’t need to ask permission first.” Archer said and in two quick steps he had closed the gap between them.

Ivy had her mouth slightly open, and Archer went for it. He was kissing her within seconds, taking the breath away from her and Ivy had no choice but to simply melt into his arms.

* * *

Ivy remained suspended, while Archer kissed her, ferociously, like he wanted to taste her mouth with urgency. She could feel his tongue roving inside her mouth while his hands explored her breasts. He had seen her hardened nipples and he wanted them. He cupped and squeezed her breasts and pinched both her nipples hard.

She winced against his mouth.

“What’s the matter? You didn’t like it?” He asked, drawing himself away from her. When he did, she suddenly felt dizzy. Her desire for him was overpowering, she could barely stand straight. Then Archer was on his knees, right in front of her, unzipping her pants.

Ivy closed her eyes tightly shut as she felt her pants come loose and then fall to the ground. They were in the stable, surrounded by the horses, with the front door closed and very little light coming in. But she didn’t need to see to know what he was doing next.

Archer had hooked a finger under the seam of her panties and he was slipping it down, gliding it down her curvaceous smooth thighs, then her calves and then Ivy was naked, bottom down in front of the full clothed Archer.

He remained kneeling in front of her, looking up at her face expectantly. What did he want her to do? She felt lost, overwhelmed, and she licked her lips nervously at him.

He smiled suddenly, those dimples reappearing on his face. His dark shaggy hair glistened in the golden light filtering in through the wooden slits of the door.

“You better not move.” He said, in a hard-authoritative voice and then his fingers were feeling her wetness. Ivy gasped from the suddenness and the pleasure of that sensation. It was enticing to have Archer’s thick long fingers sliding smoothly into her. She welcomed him in, and he slipped two fingers into her, still looking up at her face. He wanted to watch as her body reacted, he wanted to catch that exact moment when she would scream from pleasure.

His fingers reached, deeper and deeper into her and she stood over him, with her legs parted, unable to move.

“I have to prepare you for what’s coming. You’re so tight.” She heard him say, and instantly she could feel her juices flowing out of her, trickling down the insides of her thighs. Archer raised his other hand and placed it on her waist, holding her in place as he started pumping his fingers into her. Ivy could feel her legs quivering, her body shaking from the motion of what he was doing. He had a victorious smile on his face as he did it. He was happy with what he was seeing.

“You’re ready now.” He said, suddenly taking his fingers out, right when she was so close to the edge. When she was going to come. Just one more push and she would have come instantly. But he was going to make her wait.

He kept his eyes locked on her, as he started unbuckling his jeans. They fell to the ground and Ivy bit down on her lip. Archer Cooper’s glorious big dick faced her, hanging hard and strong from between his legs. He was ready too, big and throbbing. She breathed in as he reached for her shoulders with both his hands.

“You’re going to have the ride of your life, little Ivy.” She heard him say, just as he lifted her up. His hands were on her waist and he picked her up, their faces towards each other, the tip of her nose was facing him.

She felt Archer slide into her, the moment she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Ivy moaned loudly and flung her head back. He was propping her up, using his hips to start pumping into her. She could feel the thickness of his dick, how big and deep he was inside her. She was grateful that he had prepared her first, because she might not have been able to take in his full length. And again, she felt like she wasn’t going to last very long.

“You better tell me if you’re coming, young lady.” Archer growled as he thrust and thrust, deep inside her, stroking her G spot repeatedly, making her body quiver with agony.

“I’m coming. I’m coming.” Ivy screamed, unconscious of who could hear her cries. She felt her body release as Archer continued to pump. Her hands clutched his broad shoulder, she could feel her breasts squeezing against the rock-solid chest that he was pressing her against. He was holding her up like she was no weight at all, and bouncing her off and in on his dick.

Archer was laughing as he watched her come, and then he shot into her as well. Her orgasm was lasting for ages; her breath was still caught in her throat. Archer’s grip on her waist intensified as he rammed himself into her repeatedly. They were coming together now. Archer’s laughs made her laugh too. It was a heady mixture of pleasure and happiness as she felt him emptying gloriously into her.

She remained entwined with him, while he shuddered, emptying the last of his juices into her, burying it deep inside her. Ivy hadn’t realized how hard she had been squeezing him with her legs, and now that she released him, she tumbled softly down. He kept his grip on her, so that she landed on her butt, gently on some hay and Archer laughed.

“Careful there, young lady, we wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.” He said, in a deep humorous voice.

Ivy bit down on her lip and giggled, shaking her head to move the curls away from her face. Finally, when she looked at him, she could now see Archer Cooper in all his naked glory. With no thread of clothing on his body, she could finally admire him.

He didn’t look like his brother; she had been imagining it all wrong. They had similar broad chests, muscular shoulders and a light dusting of dark hair running down in a line from his navel. But Archer Cooper was definitely his own man, and he had fucked her in a way entirely different from Leon.

* * *

Ivy couldn’t keep herself from smiling as she walked back towards the well behind the house, the empty bucket hanging from the crook of her arm. The orgasm that Archer had given her, had an all-encompassing happy feel and suddenly Ivy felt like she was on seventh Heaven. Like everything was good in her life and she had all the happiness in the world to look forward to.

She couldn’t be certain how long this feeling was going to last, but she sure as Hell was going to make use of it.

They had put their clothes back on, and Archer had pressed his hot lips to her perspiring forehead as a quick goodbye back in the stable.

“Still have some work to do.” He had said, before leaving her there and rushing out. She had stared after him, admiring the muscles on the back of his legs, how swiftly he walked, how tall he was. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, about how he had prepared her for his dick, how he had lifted her up. Just her day dreams about Archer were good enough to make her want to come again.

Ivy landed the bucket down on the ground and turned her wrist to look at the time. It was already past the time that she started preparing dinner. She shook her shoulders and her head, in an attempt to loosen her body and free her mind from thoughts of the man who had just made her have a screaming orgasm. Just like Archer, she too had work to tend to.

When Ivy turned, she bumped straight into Leon’s hard chest.

“Darn it!” She squealed, clutching her nose. Leon was quick to cup her jaws and lift her head up to look at him.

“Keep your head upwards, so that you don’t bleed.” He said, in a deep throaty voice, the voice that comforted her, the one she knew so well. His chocolate brown eyes were narrowed and were peering into her face.

“You have to stop creeping up on me like this.” Ivy said, holding her face up, being forced to hold her face up rather, by Leon’s strong grip. She saw from the corner of her eyes that he had smiled.

“I just realized that I hadn’t seen you around for a while.” He said, dropping his hands from her face and gripping her waist now. He had pulled her close to him, and she was crushed by the weight of his heavy arms, with her cheeks pressed against his chest.

That was when the realization of what she had done suddenly hit her. She tried to wriggle out of his grip, but Leon was holding her tightly to himself.

“I’ve been here, around the place. But I have to go now and get dinner ready.” She said, trying to avoid his glitteringly intense stare. Leon never smiled, but now he didn’t look displeased either.

“I missed you last night, but I didn’t want to wake you.” He said, in his deep throaty voice and soon enough, his thin lips were searching hers. She tasted his breath in her mouth, the roughness of his chin, and Ivy couldn’t control herself much longer. She had given in to his kiss very soon, kissing him back with fervor. The last thing on her mind was that she had been kissing his brother merely an hour ago, with the same intensity. While she was kissing Leon, she had forgotten about Archer.

“Why do you have hay stuck to your hair?” Leon asked suddenly, pulling himself away from Ivy. She felt her cheeks instantly blush. Archer had told her that Leon wouldn’t mind, that he probably even wanted them to do it, and Leon himself had confessed that the two brothers shared everything, but a nagging feeling was creeping up on Ivy that Leon wouldn’t be too pleased to learn that she had slept with his twin.

She tried to wriggle out of his grip again, and gave a short laugh.

“Have you been rolling around in the hay?” Leon asked and delicately dusted it out of her hair, the hay that she had managed to get stuck in her hair when she fell out of Archer’s naked arms.

She hadn’t answered his question, but only continued to blush.

“Anyway, you’re right. I should let you set up dinner. We can spend some time alone tonight.” He said, pulling himself away from her, and before he went he gave Ivy a loud slap on her butt. She bit down on her lip, to stop herself from wincing, realizing at the same time that even in those few moments, Leon had managed to turn her on. So quickly after his brother had made her come!

“And I hope Archer and you have made up now.” He said, turning suddenly to her. Ivy couldn’t say anything to that either, and she felt her cheeks flush to a bright red. Leon turned and walked away from her, back towards the stables and Ivy was immediately filled with a rush of guilt.

Did he know what had happened with Archer? Had his brother told him already? Ivy could feel her heart beating and stopping and then beating out of her chest again. She was filled with anxiety and dread from not knowing what was going on. How Leon was going to react. He was her first, the man she relied on, the man who could make her wet between her legs by just looking at her. Had she ruined it all by being foolish? Had she been too quick to assume that Leon had meant sharing her too, when he said he shared everything with his brother?

She rushed back to the house to cook their meal, but her heart was just not in it this time.

* * *

Ivy knocked on Archer’s door at half past seven, after both the brothers had returned to the mansion and parted ways to get ready for dinner.

A few moments after knocking, Archer opened the door of his bedroom wide. He was standing with his dark hair glistening wet and ruffled, and with a towel wrapped around his hips, way down his groin so that she could see the ridges that led to his dick. Ivy jerked her head up to look at his face again. It was this kind of foolishness that had led her to what had happened between them!

“I didn’t expect you here, so soon. It’s only been a couple of hours.” Archer was grinning at her, those dimples making an appearance on his cheeks again. He still hadn’t shaved, and the stubble had started to take on the appearance of a scruffy beard around his jaws. Setting him apart from his brother even more now.

Ivy cleared her throat.

“I’m not here for that.” She said, which made Archer smile more.

“You mean you’re not here for an orgasm?” He said, knotting his brows in mock-confusion. Ivy licked her lips and tried to remind herself that she had to be strong and resist all temptation. At least for now.

“Can I come in?” She asked, dropping her voice to a whisper. Even though Leon’s room was way down the hall and there was no chance of him overhearing, she didn’t want to take the chance.

Archer stepped aside, making room for Ivy to step into his gorgeously decorated room. She had been in there before, to do the cleaning and dusting, but now the French-window paned gloriously lit bedroom was filled with Archer’s masculine musky scent, and for a second it made Ivy dizzy. She whipped around to look at him again and now he was standing behind her, the towel still achingly low on his groin and he a grin on his face.

“I’m here because I wanted to talk about Leon.” She said, and even with the mention of his brother’s name, Archer’s expression didn’t change.

“My brother? What about him?” He said casually, and it made Ivy shake her head in surprise. How did this not matter to him? How was he not concerned how it might affect his twin, to know that he had just fucked the girl that Leon was sleeping with?

“Well, you said that he would be amused.” She said flatly, dropping her arms to her side. She could feel the rage building up inside her. It was going to be very hard for her to keep her voice down if Archer continued to play dumb this way.

“Yes, he probably would. He’s never been concerned about who I sleep with.” He added, looking at Ivy with amusement.

“Ok, and what about the fact that I work for him?” Ivy raged, speaking to him through gritted teeth.

“You’re over reacting, dear girl.” Archer said, stepping towards her. Ivy stepped back, she didn’t want to be tempted again, not this soon. And with the sharp as saws jaws that Archer sported, and the biceps bulging on his arms; it would be very easy for Ivy to be tempted. “You only work for him. He doesn’t possess you. Who you sleep with is none of his concern either.”

When he said that, Ivy knew immediately the horror of the mistake that they had committed. She had been wrong in assuming that the brothers shared absolutely everything, that Leon had told Archer everything. He had most definitely not told his brother, that he was sleeping with his housekeeper.

“What’s wrong? You look a little pale.” Archer said, the smile finally flickering on his face. He had at last started figuring out that there might something seriously wrong here.

“He didn’t tell you. I thought he told you…” Ivy began to speak, and Archer’s brows crossed.

“Told me what?” His voice was a little raised now.

“That we are sleeping together. We’ve been together for the past six weeks.” Ivy said and her own hands flew to her mouth in anguish. Her nostrils were flared; she was close to tears and it made matters worse in seeing Archer’s reaction. He had taken a few steps back away from her, the smile had disappeared, it wasn’t all fun and games for him anymore.

“No, he didn’t tell me. Why didn’t you tell me?!” Archer said, running his hands through his hair furiously. He was trying to keep his voice low as well, and had his jaws clenched.

“I tried to, but you kept interrupting me. You said that Leon wouldn’t mind.” Ivy had a tear in her voice, she had grown desperate. She could see that Archer was afraid of what had happened too.

“I meant that he wouldn’t mind me sleeping with his housekeeper. That’s what I meant!” Archer thundered, shocking Ivy into sudden silence. She hadn’t expected this kind of rage from him, she hadn’t expected him to react this way, to direct his anger at her. She wasn’t the only one at fault here.

Ivy let out a deep breath and rushed out of his room, without looking back. Not that Archer had called out for her either. She was bounding down the stairs, and eventually locked herself up in her bedroom. The food was ready, it was all laid out on the table, she was going to stay in her room all night again. She didn’t want to see the faces of either brother. She didn’t want to face Leon. She didn’t want to know what excuse Archer might give him. All she wanted to do was be by herself.

Ivy stuffed her face into the pillow and let out a loud scream, her voice muffled by the bed. She wanted to throw a plate at the wall, she wanted to scratch her own skin. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have been so weak? When Leon was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

* * *

“Ivy?” Leon’s voice came like a warning through her bedroom door. She had remained on her bed, with her face stuffed in the pillow for several hours. She could hear the brothers in the dining room, chatting and laughing. She was angry at Archer. Angry at how he could act so normal after what she had told him. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at Leon, and he was out there breaking bread with him.

“Are you sleeping?” Leon’s voice returned, making Ivy jump up in her bed. She knew he could see the light in her room, and he hadn’t seen her the whole night. It was only fair that he might be concerned about her at this point.

She dragged herself out of the bed, aware that her hair and her face were in a mess, and she opened the door silently, avoiding looking at Leon directly.

“No, I’m not sleeping.” She said, leaving the door open for him to come in. She walked back lazily to her bed, clutching the folds of her silk robe tightly over her breasts. She had changed out of the clothes that she thought reeked of Archer’s scent and had put on a different pair of pants and a fresh blouse.

Leon was standing silently at the door, he had only taken a few steps in. The one thing she knew about Leon was that he was a gentleman. If he got the feeling that she didn’t want him here, he would leave. He would never force her to talk or be with him. It made her feel worse. It made Ivy even madder with herself for cheating on him. And cheating on him with his own brother, no less!

“What’s wrong then?” He asked sternly. His brows were crossed with concern as Ivy continued to avoid his gaze. She knew she would break down if she looked into his eyes directly.

“I just wasn’t hungry.” She said, noticing now that he was stepping towards her.

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re avoiding me?” Leon’s voice was calm and even. He wasn’t accusing her; he was only curious about her behavior. Ivy knew that and she wished she could explain, but she didn’t have the courage in her to confess.

“No, I’m not avoiding you Leon. I just wasn’t hungry.” She said, now aware that he had come even closer. She nearly winced when she felt his large hands on her shoulders, right where his brother had held her, stroking her muscles. She was instantly filled with guilt and dread, she hoped that he couldn’t see it in her eyes.

Leon was trying to catch her gaze, he was being gentle with her, trying to understand what was wrong and all Ivy could do was push him away, because of how angry she was with her own self.

“I missed you last night.” He said, in a low deep voice that sent shivers down her spine. She wished she could kiss him, that she could bury her face in his chest. As much as Archer was tempting, as much as she had enjoyed herself with him, Leon was the man who made her feel safe, who made her feel comfortable. And she had betrayed this man, and it made her angry.

She didn’t reply to him, and her limbs froze when he bent down to kiss her. His lips found hers and he was pushing his tongue into her mouth to part her lips. She felt his large masculine hand with the thick long fingers she knew so well, start tracing out the curve of her breast. He kissed her, and at the same time tenderly caressed her breast, reaching for her nipple, circling it and then pinching it gently between his thumb and forefinger. They were hard for him. As much as she was angry with herself, as much as she wished she could push him away, she couldn’t. Her body had the same animalistic reaction to Leon’s touch.

His mouth was sucking on hers, feverishly now as he pressed himself to her. She could feel his hard on, the throbbing erection in his pants, pressing against her abdomen. It instantly made her wet between her legs, she was going to slide down her own panties, she was going to put her hand down Leon’s pants just so she could feel how much his dick had grown, because of her, wanting her.

But she suddenly shoved him away.

“No.” She blurted out and when she looked up she saw the confusion on his face.

“What?” He asked, his voice reaching a quick high note. He was shocked at her reaction. She usually simply melted in his arms, he didn’t have to ask her twice.

Ivy remained silent, avoiding his gaze and biting down on her bottom lip, where Leon had been kissing her. How was she supposed to explain to him that she still yearned for him, that she still wanted him to kiss her? But she had to push him away.

“Fine. I’m not going to force you.” He said, in a menacingly angered voice, and he pivoted on the heels of his boots and was out of her room in a flash, banging the door shut behind him.

Ivy breathed in deeply, in an attempt to even her breath. She was afraid of breaking down, and afraid of crying. Because of what she had done, because of Archer, she had managed to push away the man that she cared for. The man who was the first one to make her feel good. The man who had taught her everything.

She flung herself on her bed, burying her face into the pillow again. There was nothing else for her to do but to wait and see what the next day would bring for her. One thing she was sure of was that she was going to avoid Archer Cooper like the plague.

* * *

Ivy woke up in her bed, covered in sweat. It was the middle of the night; the house was shrouded in silence and her eyes had yet to adjust to the darkness.

She had been dreaming about Leon, about Archer, about them both.

She gulped and blinked up at the ceiling, realizing that she was wet between her legs. The dream was too realistic; it didn’t feel like a dream at all. She thought she was touching him, Leon or was it Archer?

When she shut her eyes close again, Leon’s somber face drifted up again. She could see him clearly, his brown eyes and sandy hair, with the cowboy hat on his head, riding his horse. Ivy couldn’t help but bite down on her lip. Her hips arched upwards as she writhed under the sheets. She had pushed him away when he visited her in her room, but the reality was that she was pining for him.

She knew how he tasted, how his mouth tasted on her lips. And now he was tracing down her skin, her throat, the top of her bare breasts with his wet tongue. He found her nipples and latched on to one of them, sucking on it hard with his slippery tongue. Ivy jerked her eyes open, she realized she had been pinching her nipples herself, and they were hard, ready. She shut her eyes again. Even though she knew this was wrong, it was unfair, she couldn’t stop herself. She had gone too far to turn back now.

Now it was Archer she was imagining. With his glistening, rugged muscles, covered with a film of sweat, his harsh muddy boots, his dick pulsating roughly against her thighs. Archer had laid her down on hay, and was licking her belly, down her navel, cupping her wetness with his hands. He was going to slide his fingers into her again. Ivy jerked her eyes open. She was breathing hard; her body was covered in sweat. She flung the covers off the bed, only to realize that her fingers had found her own wetness. She had been stroking herself, where Archer had stroked her that afternoon.

Ivy breathed in deeply. This was so wrong. She was dreaming about both the brothers. Archer and Leon. Leon and Archer. She shouldn’t have been. She should have remained true to Leon. But now, even with her eyes open, she could see Leon stripping down. She could see the way his dusty jeans fell to his ankles. He still had his hat on. His eyes were narrow and dark, focusing on her naked body, on her bouncing breasts, on her fully erect nipples. He had stripped down completely, naked and hung, he had started stroking himself.

She gasped in the silence of her bedroom, when she imagined Leon’s enormous dick. Or was it Archer’s?

Ivy jerked up in bed, yanking herself out of her dream. This had to stop. This was so wrong. She shouldn’t be interchanging the two brothers’ dicks! She had to choose. No. She shouldn’t have to choose. She should never have slept with Archer!

She realized that she was still wet between her legs, sticky and moist between her thighs where her nightdress had revealed it. She had pulled the nightdress up to her waist so that she was completely bare, exposed and ready for Leon, or Archer, to ravish her.

Ivy tried to steady her breathing. This had to stop. She had to tell Leon. It was going to be up to him to make a decision.

But she had seen the anger in his eyes when she had pushed him away. Leon was not an easy-going man. There was no way that he was going to simply forgive her for what she had done. He wasn’t just going to sit back and accept the fact that she had slept with his brother.

And now she was spoiled goods. Archer wasn’t going to accept her either. Now that he knew that she had been sleeping with his brother, in his mind he would think that she had tricked him.

Ivy gulped, licked her lips and tried to think straight. If she absolutely had to choose between the two of them…Leon was strong, handsome, had been the first man she slept with, he knew how to make her feel good. Archer was new, equally handsome, tall and rugged and knew how to please any woman. How was she supposed to choose?! Did she even have a choice?

Chances were that neither man would want her any more. Was it time for her to leave?

Her heart was beating fast, as she thought about the option of simply disappearing. She didn’t want to cause trouble between the brothers, and neither did she want to have to look at Leon’s face when she told him what had happened.

Her body was returning to its normal state now. Her heart had relaxed to a more even pace; her brain was now capable of thinking again. She was forcing herself to forget about the two brothers and their gorgeous bodies and focus instead on her possible options.

She would much rather leave the ranch than cause Leon to lose his calm. In fact, wasn’t that what she deserved anyway?

Ivy winced when she thought about leaving. Leaving this life where she had everything. Her work, the luxury, her studies, and most importantly a man who she trusted, who she had started to care for and who she felt safe with. This was what it had come to. She would have to give all this up, give up Leon, because of one moment of weakness.

But despite herself, Ivy couldn’t help smiling when she thought about that moment of weakness. It was one Hell of an orgasm and a little part of her, didn’t regret it so much.

* * *

Leon came into the kitchen the next morning for his breakfast, while Ivy was standing, leaning against the kitchen sink, chewing on a piece of buttered toast. Her mind was boggled. She was still day dreaming about the two men, and also trying to force herself to stop thinking about them. When she heard Leon’s, boots scraping the marble floor of the kitchen, she straightened herself with a jerk, ashamed of the thoughts that she had been having.

Leon was the one who seemed to be avoiding her gaze now, while she yearned to talk to him. She wished she could tell him everything, get it all off her chest. But he wasn’t in a mood to talk.

“Morning.” She dared to say, as she watched his tall brooding form, sit down at the kitchen table. He reached for the pot of jam in silence, lathering one of the toasts with it using a knife.

“Did you sleep well?” She asked, when he hadn’t responded to her.

“I slept alright.” He said, suddenly fixing his deep brown eyes on her. It made Ivy blush instantly. He was looking at her like he was challenging her, like he knew what she had been thinking. Like he knew she was lusting after his brother.

There was silence in the room, save for the sound Leon made while chewing his food. She could tell that he was upset about her behavior the previous night.

“Leon…” She said his name in a near whisper, but he didn’t look up at her.

“You don’t have to explain.” He said, like he didn’t mean it. He continued to chew on his food and stare at his plate in silence.

“But I want to.” She said, hearing the crack in her own voice. She was trying to build up the courage in her to say something, to tell him the truth.

“No, you don’t have to.” Leon snapped, focusing his eyes on her, which communicated exactly what he was feeling. She could see that he was hurt. That he hadn’t expected her to suddenly push him away like that, for no reason, out of the blue.

She knew Leon was still hurting. She remembered why he had moved to Montana, why he had bought this ranch, why he had chosen to live away from his family. She remembered the story about Vivienne, his redhead childhood sweetheart who had promised to marry him, but married his cousin, Michael instead.

A whimper escaped Ivy’s lips. She had turned into Vivienne, she had slept with Leon’s brother, she had essentially betrayed Leon the same way that Vivienne had.

She whipped around, to turn her face away from him, in silence, but she could feel her lips quivering.

“Ivy, you don’t have to explain. You should have just told me that you didn’t want me last night. I would have gone away without putting any pressure on you.” She heard him get up from his chair. He was walking towards her. She felt her muscles contract, her limbs grow cold, she was so ashamed of herself. She didn’t deserve his kindness. She had betrayed him and he didn’t even know it.

“Ivy, look at me.” She heard him say and then his hand was on her shoulder and he was trying to gently coax her to turn around, to turn to him.

She did, unable to meet his gaze, unable to actually look directly into his eyes. His harsh gaze had softened, he even had the flickering of a smile forming on his face.

“Hey, it’s alright. I’m not angry with you. You should have just told me.” He said, and he pulled her close to him. Ivy broke down, she bit down on her lip to stop herself from actually crying, but she couldn’t hold it back any more. This man was like a dream come true. He was so kind to her, so understanding and yet had no idea the way in which she had betrayed him. She didn’t deserve him; she didn’t deserve his generosity.

“Ok?” He said, pushing her gently away from him and looking into her eyes.

Ivy tried to force a fake smile on her face, and she nodded her head wildly, hoping that he would believe that she was only upset about her rude behavior the previous night.

“I’m sorry for pushing you. I shouldn’t have.” He said, whispering.

“No, you didn’t. I’m sorry I pushed you away.” She said, in a tearful voice.

“Don’t be silly. You have a right to push me away.” Leon said, and gave her his best full smile. Those sharp jaws, the high cheek bones stretched in a warm genuine smile and Ivy could feel her heart melting. She had given up all this, she had given up Leon!

“Now, back to work for me. And you should be getting on with your classes!” He said, in a sudden jolly voice. She tried smiling at him again as he turned from her and left the kitchen.

There was a harsh ray of sun filling the kitchen with a bright golden hue. Ivy turned and saw Leon leaving the mansion, through the kitchen window. She saw him walking confidently, his back straight, his shirt sleeves rolled up for the day, his cowboy hat on his head.

Ivy felt like crying again. She had betrayed him, his trust and done the very thing that he had been running away from. She had turned into his worst nightmare and done the one thing that he had never expected her to do.