My gaze went straight to her legs, and damn. Just, damn. Ivy wore her hair down. Her lips were red. Her dress was midnight black, like her hair, and dipped low in the front and rested high above her knee.
Holy shit.
It felt like a sock lodged itself in the back of my throat. Heat rushed through me, my fingers clenching at my sides. She looked incredible. Nothing like the Ivy I was used to from high school. Not that she wasn’t pretty then. Just different. Not like… this fucking bombshell.
“You’re stunning.” I rocked back on my heels.
“That’s what I said.” Esme glared at me. “Will you have her back at a decent hour?”
“Oh my god, Esme. Stop.” Ivy put an arm around her friend and hugged her. “Thank you. For… you know.”
Esme hugged Ivy back but kept her gaze on me. “I’m warning you, O’Toole, if you make her cry again, I will slowly sabotage you. They’ll be small things too. You won’t know what’s coming. Holes in your socks, a tiny leak in your tire.”
“Jesus.” Ivy’s eyes bugged out of her head, but I cackled.
“That’s brilliant, actually.” I smiled, not caring that her friend stared daggers at me. “I’ll deserve it if I make my girl cry.”
“She’s not your girl.”
“Yes, she is,” I said, my voice stronger. My gaze sought Ivy out. “She has been since she was six, and we made a blood vow about it.”
“Cute, but that expired.”
“Look, I don’t… stop.” Ivy blinked a lot, and I reached for her, gently squeezing her forearm.
“I understand you want to protect her, and I love that, but you don’t need to worry about me hurting her. I just got her back, and I’m not letting go. If I have to prove that to you, I will, but you’re upsetting her, and I’d like to take her to a nice dinner.”
Esme blinked. “You’re right. Ivy, I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m… this is weird.” Ivy huffed out a breath and moved away from my reach.
I didn’t like that.
“He’s taking you on a date, and that’s?—”
“This isn’t a date!” Ivy said, a little too loudly for me.
“Yes, it is,” I said, without thinking about it.
Huh.
Date.
I was taking Ivy on adate.
It didn’t feel that weird, to be honest. If anything, I liked it? She should be treated like a fucking queen, and I could do that.
Ivy’s eyes widened as she stared at me, her red lips slightly parted. “Callum. You aren’t taking me on a date.”
“I’m picking you up and taking you to eat food. I’ll be paying for your meal. You look good enough to eat in that dress. I haven’t been on a date in a long-ass time, so maybe my definition is off, but I’m pretty sure this is a date.”
Ivy blinked. Then swallowed. Her lips parted before a fire blazed in her eyes.
“Oh shit,” Esme whispered.
“I don’t recall you asking me on adate.You withheld information about your sister that I want with the bribe of dinner. I know your tricks.”
“Well, the offer stands. Come to dinner with me, and I’ll tell you, but Ivy Lee, you didn’t put that dress on for this to not be a date.”
