The Kane Cross (Cross 1)

19 - Lies

There was very little Ivy was sure of except Baxter wanted her. Wanted for sex, but Ivy wanted so much more. All things she could never have. Tate had, although teasingly, called the enormous place on Walnut street Baxter's house. Like with royalty, the oldest son would inherit the home, especially when he was poised to take over the family business. She felt uncomfortable walking through the house afraid someone would recognize her as an imposter and throw her out.

Ivy left his office and went straight out the front door. MacIntyre smiled at her and looked at his watch. "You're risking it, it's almost midnight."

"Let's hope you aren't a mouse and this isn't a pumpkin. I'm ready to go home."

Home was an unfamiliar apartment with a fifty-nine-year-old roommate waiting up for her. "Eleanor, you didn't have to stay up."

Smiling, she ran her hands together. "Dish. Spill. I want to hear all about it."

She sighed. Her lips still buzzed. "The garden was gorgeous. Lights and music and the people."

"The men. How were the men?"

"Rich. One grabbed my ass on the dance floor." And shoved his erection into her. "I need to change out of this dress."

As she slipped into her bedroom, she glanced at herself in the mirror and saw her lips were puffy. Running her finger across them, she remembered his mouth on hers. Ivy imagined being eighty and not forgetting the taste of him. She turned away and slipped out of the dress before replacing it with cotton panties, shorts, and tee.

When she stepped out, Eleanor handed her a glass of water. "You drank champagne, right? Your cheeks are flush." It wasn't from the champagne. "Who else did you dance with?"

"Kasper." She smiled. "He's fun."

"He was always a sweet child. The youngest without the weight of the family crushing him."

"Like Baxter?"

"Very much like Baxter."

At a loss for words, she couldn't utter the ones wanted to say. "He ended things with his girlfriend."

"The skinny thing? He told you?"

"I witnessed it. Anyone looking could tell." She smiled. She preferred him alone.

"What's amusing?"

"Kasper translated for me. He really is fun."

"Be careful. That's all he is, fun. He leaves behind a string of broken hearts."

"How do you know so much?"

"Social media. It's not just for you kids."

Ivy laughed. She didn't plan to see the younger brother again, but even if she did, he couldn't break her heart.

"Was Tate beautiful?"

"Definitely, but I hardly saw her. She abandoned me."

"Maybe she found a rebound."

Ivy shrugged. "I didn't see her talk to anyone except her plastic friends."

Eleanor chuckled. "Was it wonderful?"

"It was something I'm glad I experienced once. In a few weeks, I'll go back to school and will be done with the Kanes."

Eleanor frowned. "Sweet dreams, Cinderella."

Ivy laughed. She thought of the chauffeur. He was the type of man she should date.

On Monday morning, she reluctantly made her way to the executive floor. Dani looked up when she saw her. "He's on the phone. Have a seat." She pointed to the chair next to her desk. "Did you have fun Saturday night?"