Chapter 13
Ivy found Archer lying on the field behind the house, a few hours later. He had his hat covering his face and seemed to be enjoying a sunny nap.
“You!” She thundered at him as she walked towards him like she was on a mission. She was wearing a long cotton dress, the bottoms of which were trailing in the dust but she didn’t care anymore. Her clothes were the last thing on her mind today.
Archer lazily lifted the hat off his face when he heard her voice, and blinked his eyes against the sun’s harsh glare.
“You!” Ivy repeated herself as she walked closer to him. She had lost her trail of thought when she saw him. How could she express her anger at a man who looked like that?
Archer was lying in the sun with his shirt off. His skin was glistening, tanned to the color of caramel, his washboard abs were hard and rigid as he bent his torso upwards to support himself on his elbows. She could see that he was assessing her again, with his usual dangerously blue eyes. His dark wavy hair fell over his forehead in a mess, one thick curl was over his right eye as he stared at her with an unwavering gaze.
He had noticed the way the blue cotton dress stretched fabulously over her big breasts. He was following the bounce of her hips with his eyes. She was curvaceous, small and had a big frame, and his eyes told her that was exactly what he liked looking at.
That devilish smile was still on his face as he watched her approaching him, the dimples dangerously close to appearing on his cheeks. He seemed to have forgotten their conversation in his room from the previous day. He didn’t seem to be concerned any more about what he had done.
“Are you offering fries with that shake?” He asked, just as Ivy came to a halt in front of him, folding her arms over her chest. She rolled her eyes at him, ogling his beautiful naked torso and at the same time, annoyed at his casual air.
“I’m glad to see that you don’t care anymore.” Ivy snapped at him and Archer smiled fully now.
“Care about what?” He asked, straightening himself to a full sitting position.
“That we have both betrayed Leon. He’s your brother, in case you’ve forgotten.” Ivy said, trying to narrow her large green eyes at him. But she kept getting distracted by his smoking body, and Archer knew that. He had caught her looking.
“Betrayed? Don’t be so dramatic, my dear Ivy.” He said with a short laugh.
“You were quite dramatic last evening too!” She snapped at him, still in disbelief that he could be this nonchalant.
“I was surprised that Leon was sleeping with you. In retrospect, it doesn’t surprise me. After all, we do have the same tastes as you can imagine. We’re twins.” Archer was still grinning, enjoying the way Ivy’s face lit up, from shame and anger.
He didn’t seem fazed. He seemed like he didn’t care, while Ivy was aware of what Leon’s reaction was going to be. She cared that she had betrayed him the same way Vivienne had.
“Well, I’m going to just leave then.” She said, whipping around. Archer had heaved himself up in one quick motion and pulled her towards him, so that Ivy landed with a thud on his glossy bare chest. Despite herself, how much she was mad at him, how angry she was with herself, she couldn’t help but admire the strength of his maneuvers, how absolutely smooth this man was.
“And just where do you think you’re going?” He asked, in a whisper, looking down at her face menacingly. Ivy jerked her arm away from him, her nostrils flaring. As sexy as this man was, he wasn’t going to be able to hold her back.
“I’m leaving this place. I don’t want to be a part of this. I can’t do this to Leon.” She said, finally managing to break free from Archer’s grip.
“Are you afraid of not being able to resist me?” He asked, flexing his muscles at her. He was standing with his feet apart, grinning at her, enjoying the fact that she couldn’t keep her eyes off his washboard abs.
Ivy rolled her eyes and whipped away from him. She was glad she had made this decision. She was glad that she was going away. Archer was right. He was a temptation. She knew how he could make her feel, how easily he could make her come. He wasn’t just a fine thing to look at. And she didn’t want to put herself in that position again, of betraying Leon.
“Just don’t tell him.” She said, suddenly remembering what she had come here to say to him. When she turned, she found that Archer was in the process of silently putting his shirt back on. He took in a deep breath as he slipped it over his shoulders. Ivy saw his muscles arch, his torso move, the dark trail of hair down his navel that disappeared into his jeans. She forced herself to look back up at his face.
“But I don’t keep any secrets from my brother, Ivy.” Archer said, with a teasing cruel look on his face. He seemed like he had nothing to lose. He knew his brother couldn’t fault him. He didn’t know Leon was sleeping with Ivy, she did. And she had chosen not to tell him.
“Please, don’t. Not till I leave.” Ivy said, gulping.
Archer shrugged his shoulders and gave out a short laugh. Ivy knew immediately what that meant. She had to leave the ranch, and soon. Before Archer told Leon, before the cat was out of the bag.
Ivy turned on her heels and started running towards the house. She still had a chance to make it. If she ran fast enough, she might still be able to get out of the house before Archer told Leon and he found her, and stopped her, and made her regret that she ever met him. Ivy was afraid, very afraid now.