Dunn, Daisy - Earth's Desire [Elemental Magic 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (6 page)

He pulled away from her warm embrace and looked her in the eyes. “Ivy, there’s something else I need to tell you. Something I should have told you when you came up to me on the dance floor.”

“What is it?”

He opened his mouth to speak when suddenly a loud knock came from the door, followed by a jiggle of the locked handle. “Is anyone in there?” Flame cried out.

“I’ll be a minute longer, Flame,” she called back to her friend at the door. “I guess we better go so other people can use the washroom.” She jumped off the counter and headed for the door, with the man of her dreams following close behind.
He loves me.

Chapter 5

Levi loved every moment with Ivy on the dance floor and in the washroom, but he still had mixed emotions over the situation. He knew beyond a doubt she belonged to him. Destiny brought them together, but he also knew she might end up despising him for not being honest when they first met. He tried to tell her the truth, to admit he wasn’t Luke, but he didn’t try hard enough. Once she touched him, his resolve faded away, and he felt momentarily lost in her passionate kisses.

They left the washroom, smiling sheepishly and holding hands. Flame slipped past them after a quick wave and slammed the bathroom door. They slowly walked down the hallway together toward the dance hall, and Levi’s soul filled with incredible guilt. Mates didn’t lie to each other, and even though he technically didn’t lie, he still hadn’t admitted the truth either.

He stopped and wrapped her in his large embrace. “Ivy, I meant what I said in the washroom. I do love you. I know this must seem to be happing too fast, but I only know what my heart is telling me.”

“I meant what I said as well. I don’t say those words without meaning them. I love you, too. From the first moment I met you, I felt a connection beyond physical attraction. I can’t explain it right, but the pull between us is incredible.”

The time had come for him to tell her who he really was. He’d put his heart on the line, and now he faced having it stomped on. He only hoped she would understand why he’d let things go as far as they did, and forgive him. “Ivy, I really need to come clean about something.”

“You can tell me anything.” She tilted her head up and planted soft kisses on his lips.

He responded to her attention instantly. He held her tighter and kissed her passionately, knowing he might never taste her lips again.

“Ivy…Levi? What the hell is going on here?” The lovers parted and turned to the voice interrupting their intimate kiss. Luke stood before them, his hands balled into large fists. His jaw clenched tight.

Ivy looked back and forth between Luke and Levi. She stepped back from Levi, pushing against his chest to wriggle out of his embrace. She stared him directly in the eyes. “Luke, you never said you had a twin.”

“I’m not Luke,” Levi answered her honestly. “I’m his twin brother, Levi.”

“Is this some kind of sick joke?” Confusion laced with anger crossed her face.

“No, this isn’t a joke. Please, Ivy, let me explain.” Levi wanted to grab her and pull her back into his arms and tell her everything would be all right, but he knew it never would be.

“I think it’s a little too late for explanations, don’t you, Levi?” She took another step back from him. “So, which one of you did I have sex with yesterday?”

Levi cringed slightly at the fury in her tone. He wanted to lie and say she slept with him in the forest, but he had deceived her enough for a lifetime.

“You made love to me. Remember, we met in your store?” Luke stepped closer to her as she turned her angry gaze at him.

“Oh, I remember. So, is this some sort of twisted game twins play? One has their way with a woman, and the next day the other one tries to sleep with them, pretending to be the first twin?”

“You tried to sleep with her, Levi? Even after I told how I felt about her? How could you do this to me?” Luke’s expression changed from shock to fury.

“You two are sick. Don’t come near me or talk to me ever again.” Ivy stormed away, her rage palpable.

A few bystanders stood around, obviously eavesdropping, Flame being one of them. She walked up to the men and shook her finger at them. “Shame on you. If I weren’t a lady, I’d take you two outside and kick the shit out of both of you. I can’t believe you would use one of my dearest friends. She is so full of love. You took her love, made a mockery of it, and threw it back in her face.”

“You don’t understand. I’m in love with her,” Levi said, admitting his feelings to Ivy’s friend.

“I am, too,” Luke professed as well.

“Are you guys telling me the truth?”

“Yes,” they both stated simply in unison.

“I’m Levi. I don’t know who you are, but if you can help me, well, us, talk to Ivy and explain this isn’t a joke, I would forever be grateful. We both love her. We need to get her to understand we’re not playing games, and we never meant to hurt her in any way. I especially messed up by deceiving her,” Levi said, practically begging for Flame’s help.

“Please, can you help us? I feel she’s my mate, and I can’t bear to go through life without her.”

“Well, you guys are a bit on the melodramatic side, but I do sense honesty in you both. I’ll talk to her and see if she’s willing to see either one of you. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try. Give me your phone number, and I’ll call you after I talk to her, and let you know if you can see her or not.”

* * * *

Simon Jenkins had been sent to Chemainus to scout for werewolves. The hunters had heard werewolves had spread across
Vancouver Island
and settled into various small towns. Simon had been working his way north from
Victoria
and arrived in town two nights ago. He wandered the quiet streets, looking for signs or evidence werewolves resided here. He had noticed the flyers posted up all over the shop windows about a town dance. He knew the dance would be the venue to bring out the people who loved to gossip about neighbors and friends.

He arrived at the dance and immediately wandered around, smiling and nodding at everyone who looked him in the eyes.
You poor, unsuspecting saps. You have no idea who your neighbors might be.

He drank too much fruit juice and needed to go to the washroom. When he walked down the hallway to the restrooms, he came upon a sexy redheaded woman scolding two men. He didn’t think too much about it until one of them used the word “mate.” Werewolves tended to refer to their partners as “mates.” After listening to the exchange, he realized he needed to follow the redhead to this other woman, who could be useful to catch and interrogate the possible werewolves.

Protocol stated he needed to report his find, but he didn’t want to be a scout anymore. He wanted to be a hunter and longed for the respect the position came with. He would prove, not only to the hunters but also to himself, that he deserved the promotion.

He watched the sexy redhead leave the community centre and followed casually right behind her.

* * * *

Ivy took a cab home from the dance. She didn’t want to ruin her friends’ chances of meeting new people, especially men, so she left without saying a word to anyone. Since she didn’t live too far, she wanted to walk home, but her high-heel shoes rejected the idea quickly.

She stomped into her home, fuming with anger and hurt. “How could they do this to me?”

She marched into her bedroom and kicked her shoes off one at a time. She threw them across her room and flopped back onto her bed. “Don’t cry. Don’t you dare cry over those bastards.” She stared up at the ceiling, willing the tears to retreat as they threatened to spill from her eyes. “How could I have not known they were two different men? Wait a minute. Their eyes were a different color.” She had noticed Levi’s eyes appeared lighter earlier in the evening, but had dismissed it quickly.

She continued to lie on her bed, hurt and alone, until she heard a knock on her door.
Who the hell’s at my door?
She left the gloom of her bedroom and made her way to the front door.

She saw Flame through the window in her door and immediately opened it up. “I am so glad to see you.”

Flame threw her arms around her and held her tight. Ivy felt the love and compassion her Elemental sister gave her, and allowed herself to let go of the tears she had desperately tried to hold back. Flame rocked her for a minute while the tears fell.

“Why don’t we shut this door and go talk inside?”

She pulled away and let Flame lead her to her living room. They sat down together on the microsuede, green sofa. Flame took Ivy’s face in her hands and wiped the tears away with her fingers.

“It’s going to be all right. I promise you.”

“How can you make such a statement? You don’t know what happened.”

“Yes, I do. I stood in the hallway when you were talking heatedly, shall we say, with Luke and Levi.”

“I don’t want to ever hear their names again. One of them used me, and the other one tried to.”

“Trust me, Ivy, you weren’t used.”

“How do you know that?”

“When you left, I had a chat with the boys. Ivy, they’re both in love with you. This isn’t a game they’re playing. They feel you’re their mate, and the most complicated thing is deciding who to choose.”

“Are you telling me the truth? They’re really in love with me? Both of them?”

“You know I wouldn’t ever lie to you. They practically begged me to come here and talk to you. They wanted me make sure you knew the truth. Yes, Levi screwed up. He hurt you by not coming clean at first, and he also hurt his brother, but the pull he has to you is overwhelming. I know it’s not an excuse for his behavior, but it’s the truth.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Will you at least talk to them? They desperately want to see you and explain everything in person.”

“I’m so confused. If I do talk to them and decide to pick one, who do I choose?”

“Did you feel a stronger pull to one of them over the other?”

“No, I felt the same for both. I may have thought they were the same person, but the feelings were there for both. Dammit, Flame, what do I do?”

“Oh, Ivy, I can’t tell you what to do. I can only advise you, and I suggest you invite them over and talk this out. Nothing has to be resolved, but you have two gorgeous men out there, brokenhearted over you. Do you realize how fortunate you are?”

Ivy smiled for the first time since her confrontation with Luke and Levi. “I never thought about my good fortune. Yes, I guess I’m pretty lucky.”

“So, do you want me to call them and get them over here?”

She sat pensively for a moment.
Do I want to do this? Can I make this kind of decision? I recently met them, so how can I be in love with one of them?
Ivy sighed deeply.
But I am in love.

“Well?”

“Okay, call them up and tell them to meet me here tonight.”

“I’m already dialing.”

* * * *

Twenty minutes later, Ivy heard a knock at her door. Flame had left not long ago, and she hoped she might have more time to compose herself. However, time had run out. She walked slowly from her bedroom to her front door, butterflies tickling her tummy, her legs weak from fear mixed with anticipation.

She apprehensively opened the entrance to her home and looked up at the two gorgeous men standing before her with long faces. With her anger dissipated, she stepped aside and motioned them in, shutting the door behind them. With their backs to her, she took a deep breath to steady herself. She hoped the heat would remain at bay long enough to figure out what to do with these two men.

“Let’s talk in the living room. It’s down the hallway, straight ahead.”

They walked in a somber line toward their destination. Once there, the twins sat at either end of the sofa, while Ivy sat on the matching chair across from the men.
I’ve got to keep my distance from them. I need to think with a clear head, but they both look so yummy. Stop it, Ivy! Focus!

The tension in the room permeated the air around her. She knew there must have been words between the brothers. However, since no one sported a black eye, she assumed they spoke rather than fought. An uncomfortable silence loomed in the room as Ivy practically begged either one of them to speak with her gaze.

“Ivy,” Levi began, “I owe you and my brother a huge apology. I’m so sorry I didn’t correct you right away when you thought I was Luke. And Luke, I’m sorry I went behind your back and didn’t tell you how I felt about Ivy. Ivy, ever since I saw you in the forest yesterday morning, I’ve been beguiled by you, and I can’t get you out of my mind.”

“What? You saw me in the forest? You mean with Luke?”

“I saw you then, too. However, earlier in the morning, you stood alone in the forest by a small waterfall.”

Mortified, Ivy blushed profusely.
Oh my God, he saw me with the plants. How am I going to explain what happened? Wait a minute. I knew I sensed someone in the forest. This damned heat is wreaking havoc on my life! Play it cool. Maybe he didn’t see everything.
“What exactly did you see?”

“I saw you communing with nature.”