The Kiss that Sparked it All novel Chapter 1950

The whiskey had a kick like a mule, and just a tiny sip felt like a flame licking down Ivy's throat.

"I'm not used to these kinds of gatherings, so I feel a bit out of my element. Giselle, just go and enjoy yourself. Don't mind me. I'll be fine sitting here on my own."

Giselle offered a wry smile, "No way, if you're a friend of Balfour, I've got to make sure you're taken care of. But..."

She tilted her head slightly, leaning in close to Ivy, "Balfour's never been much of a social butterfly, let alone with women. You’re the first lady friend he’s ever brought to a party. It sure has me curious. How did you two meet?"

How did they meet?

That was a tricky question.

Ivy frowned, at a loss for words.

She couldn't exactly spill the beans that her first encounter with Balfour had been in a hotel bed, could she?

That would blow Balfour's carefully maintained bachelor image out of the water, and Ivy didn’t want to tick him off.

"We just crossed paths through work, and that's it. Giselle, we're not close or anything, just acquaintances, really. Don’t pay it any mind."

Giselle's expression was inscrutable, her smile unwavering, but she said nothing more.

"Giselle," Ivy ventured, reversing the question, "how do you know Balfour?"

"We've known each other since we were kids. I know all about him, his habits and all. You could say we're childhood friends!"

Giselle’s smile didn't reach her eyes as she stared intently at Ivy, as if trying to read her.