Chapter 34 #2
I know I should be making him work for it a little more, but I can’t deny my feelings for him, despite everything that has happened between us.
A giggle slips from between my lips, and I send my elbow lightly into his ribs in response. He presses another chaste kiss to my cheek before he lets up, standing upright and watching the slideshow in front of us.
A photo of Isabella and me comes up, of us messing around in the water, grins on our faces. We’re not posing, we’re just laughing. It captures the very essence of this collection, of Leila’s brand as a whole.
She wanted to create gorgeous bikinis with beautiful designs, but also something that women can feel comfortable in and not be afraid of actually going swimming in, or playing a game of volleyball on the beach without something slipping out. The photo is perfect.
“You look happy,” he says when the photo changes into another.
“Yeah,” I say. I was happy that day—I was proud to be back doing my job. For some reason, my mind takes me to that night when I found that vintage camera at the market with Leo. I don’t think I’ve ever been excited about modeling the way I was about that camera. Not for a long time anyway.
A server approaches us with a tray of mini desserts. “Anything for you?” he asks us.
Leo reaches out and picks up one of the mini key lime pies with no hesitation. “Grazie.” The server nods and moves on.
“You want to try?” he asks as I turn around to face him.
“I’ve been wondering what those taste like since I got here,” I admit.
He raises his brows and his lips curve in a small smile. “Really?”
I nod. “I’ve been trying to let myself wonder.
I used to try so hard to completely block it out.
Baby steps, right?” Leo’s smile doesn’t fade.
He lifts the dessert to his mouth and takes a bite.
His eyes nearly roll back in his head as he chews on it, and I watch his throat as he slowly swallows. It’s fucking erotic.
“You want a taste?” he says, his voice low, almost a grumble.
And it feels like no one else is in the room when I breathe, “Yes.”
He leans down, and my lips part on instinct as my heart races in my chest. My eyes fall closed as Leo presses his lips to mine, softly kissing me like a long-awaited greeting.
My hands slide up his torso when he opens his mouth, sliding his tongue across mine.
I moan quietly into the kiss as the tangy citrus flavor explodes in my mouth.
Tasting things from his tongue might be my new favorite hobby.
I pull away before I climb his body like a tree in the middle of a crowded room. He grins as he smears a dollop of the whipped cream on the corner of my mouth. I don’t take my eyes from his as I use my tongue to sweep it into my mouth.
“Fuck, Marisol,” he growls. “You have me thinking about things I should not be thinking about in a crowded room.”
I bite down on my bottom lip as I smile. “Like what?”
“Romano.” Jack’s voice feels like a bee sting at the base of my neck as he interrupts us, approaching from behind me. “You just can’t seem to stay out of my field of vision, can you?”
Leo shrugs as Jack comes to stand opposite us. “Not sure how it’s my fault that you can’t stop looking at me, Jack. I can give you the product I use in my hair if you want it.” His tone sounds overly genuine, and Jack hesitates before answering with a narrowed gaze.
“It’s kind of hard to avoid looking at the two people who are making out in the middle of a public event. It’s wildly inappropriate.”
“What can I say?” Leo says with a grin on his face. “I struggle to keep my hands off of her.” I feel a hot flush rise on my cheeks as Leo hooks his arm around my shoulders.
Jack scoffs, looking around as if for an escape from this conversation, and Leo looks more and more amused with every moment that passes.
“I mean, I can understand how captivating it could be to see your ex enjoying herself for a change.” Jack looks at me as if I have the ability to stop Leo when he gets like this.
“In fact, maybe you should run and tell your little girlfriend that. Maybe she could call up her brother so he can get a photo of us.”
He knows.
Jack’s face drops.
“Oh, you didn’t think we would figure that out when he showed up in our hometown? You know it’s really not a good look. Your new girlfriend, having her brother stalk your ex? It would make a great headline, though.”
Jack’s gaze hardens. “Maybe we could see which one makes the cut. That, or the fact that you two are frauds.”
“And how do you find that?” I ask, finally finding my voice.
Jack’s lethal gaze turns on me, and I have to force myself not to cower beneath it.
“You two are faking it. And look, I get it. You need all the publicity points you can get. But I don’t know how everyone is going to feel when they find out you’ve been using this guy as a stepping stone to get a leg up after your fall. ”
I grin, because maybe that’s how it started, but we are so far from faking it now that I don’t remember a day when what I felt for Leo wasn’t real.
“After you fucked up her entire career, you mean?” Leo’s voice takes on a harsh tone. “You’ve got to be one insecure man to feel the need to publicly ruin a woman’s career.”
Jack opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. I’m so sick of him thinking he can intimidate me. “The only thing I’ve faked, Jack, was letting you think you satisfied me for the entirety of our relationship. So I hope Julia can put on a good performance.”
Jack scoffs again, blinking as if he has to make sure it’s me he is talking to. I have to blink to make sure it was me who just said that, too. But Jack’s ego is the size of a hot air balloon, so I had to go right for the jugular. Or in this case…the pecker.
“God.” He shakes his head. “You two are made for each other.”
A laugh falls off my lips as he walks away, probably going to find Julia for some much-needed reassurance.
I’m half mortified and half proud at what just came out of my mouth. Leo pulls on my hand without a word, tugging me through the crowded room. He pulls out his phone and sends off a quick text. “Where are we going?” I ask as he leads me down the hallway toward the front door.
He stops, pulling me around a corner where it’s quieter, and pushes me up against the wall. “What you said…” He closes his eyes as he shakes his head. “Are you telling me that the night at your house was the first time you’ve come in years. Or did you put on a performance for me, too?”
Heat spears through my body as he looks at me, his gaze hardened. “No, it wasn’t a performance, Leo. And…yes and no. I’ve made myself come plenty of times, but a man hasn’t really got me there.”
His eyes widen slightly. “Ever?”
I hold my breath as someone moves down the hallway, but they don’t see us. “No.”
Leo’s jaw tightens as he lets out a laugh and shakes his head. “You’re telling me that night was the first time a man has ever made you come, and you didn’t tell me?”
Embarrassment floods my cheeks. I didn’t want to tell him. I didn’t want to feel silly or for him to think I was inexperienced. I’ve had plenty of experiences, just none like the night he and I spent together. Nothing that felt so fucking reverent.
“Is that what you’re saying, Marisol?”
I blink away those feelings, leaving only the truth. “Yes.”
He pulls his phone out of his pocket, and whatever he sees on it has him sliding his fingers between mine and guiding me back out toward the door. “Leo. I at least need to say goodbye.”
“Are you going?” Leila’s voice comes from behind us, and we both whirl around to see her carrying a bottle of champagne.
“Yeah,” I say with a tip of my head, forcing Leo to let go of my hand as I step toward her. “I’m not feeling well all of a sudden. Leo came to pick me up.”
“Oh no,” she coos. “Well, thank you so much for being here.” She pulls me into a hug. “I’ll be in touch with Eva. I already have ideas for another campaign.”
“Okay,” I say with a smile before she skips down the hall and back into the fray. When I turn around, Leo is waiting with his hand out. I roll my eyes and take it. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Home. So I can make up for all the years you missed.” He leads me outside, speaking so low in my ear that a shiver works its way up my spine. Anticipation makes all the hairs on my arms stand up.
When I look up, I see the limousine waiting out front for us. “Why are we taking the limo home?” I ask.
“Because it has space.”
I stop and watch Leo as he walks past me and opens the door. The look in his eyes nearly sets me on fire. I slowly approach him, dragging out every step just to give him time to look at me a little longer.
I don’t know what any of this means. Our circumstances haven’t changed, and we might be getting carried away here, but if carried away means Leo’s hands on my body, then that’s exactly what I want.
I slide into the limousine, and Leo follows after me, quickly hitting the button that closes the separation. “Feel free to do a few laps,” he calls to the driver, and then his attention is back on me.
My breath flows quickly as he studies me, his smirk almost feline as he looks me up and down, his eyes glittering in the dim light. “There are so many things I want to do to you right now.”
I swallow. There are so many things I want him to do to me, too. But I want him to decide. I want him to take control. “Tell me,” I breathe.