37. Chapter 36
Ria
Surrounded by pure paradise, I lost my senses, falling once again into Leo’s arms. He is constantly surprising me with these tiny little details, and I’m getting swept up in it all.
But the way he’s holding me right now makes me feel like I’m his, and that has my heart thundering and my stomach flipping.
He’s my brother’s best friend and I have known him all my life, but he has never looked at me the way he is right now.
Like I am all he can see.
I told him earlier that a woman always knows when a man is watching her, and I’ve never felt the heat of his gaze like I have since I said “I do.”
His hands hold me almost possessively, and a thrill rushes through me at what he could do with them. He showed me a small part last night, and I want more. Tipping my face up and licking my lips, I silently beg for more.
Someone clears their throat, and I close my eyes, suppressing a groan, as we both turn to the staff member who shifts on the spot.
“Mr. and Mrs. Brent?” I’m still not used to being called that, and after what has just happened and my overactive brain working faster than normal, I foolishly smile at the term.
“Terribly sorry to interrupt, but we are ready for you both in the spa,” he informs us before gesturing for us to follow.
“We will be there shortly,” Leo answers while rubbing his hands up and down my arms.
“Of course, Mr. Brent.” He nods and spins on his heel, and we both watch as he disappears, which gives me time to clear my head. Whatever moment we were just having, I sense it slipping away as Leo takes a small step back.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how polite the British are.” He grins down at me.
“You do know sometimes the British are polite but it is passive-aggressive, right?” I smile up at him, giving him a teasing wink.
“Really?
“Oh, yes.”
“So was he?” Leo’s head whips around, trying to spot the staff member who just disappeared. “Was he not being polite?”
“Oh, yes, he was definitely being polite, but he was also screaming in his head, ‘move your ass; you’re late.’”
“He wasn’t,” he gasps in horror.
“Yep, you need to learn to read in between the lines.”
“Well, fuck me.”
“Who are you texting?” Sitting in the sauna after the best full body massage I think I have ever had, I lean my head against the wooden slats, my whole body feeling weightless and relaxed, but Leo looks tense as he texts furiously.
“Kai,” he says without looking up, a deep frown set in his brow.
“Okay, you look a little stabby over there. Is he yanking your chain again about your love for Celine Dion?”
“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you guys.” He sighs, not looking up from his phone. “She is an icon and a queen. Literally the best female performer of all time. Period. I'll not hear a bad word said about her.”
“Is he asking you to think twice about your music choices again?” I snicker and he gives me a sideways glance.
“You’re walking on thin ice. I’ll leave you here.”
“What, all by myself?”
“Funny.”
“So if he isn’t winding you up about your love for a power ballad, what’s got your face all scrunchy?”
“Apparently the passive-aggressive thing…” He puts his phone in his shorts pocket, giving me his full attention. “It’s true.”
“Okay…”
“Kai said he does it all the time, and now I’m questioning every encounter I’ve ever had with him, Jade, and every other person in the office. Don’t get me started on Lily.”
“I think you’re overanalyzing this.”
“Gee, you think?”
“Oh, to be in your head.”
“Trust me.” He rests his head against the slats near mine and sighs. “You don't want to be there; it’s a mess.”
“You should be relaxing.”
“I am.”
“You are not.” I giggle.
“Fine, I’m not.” He huffs. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be, it’s highly entertaining.”
This time he does chuckle, twisting his head so he is looking at me, and I do the same, smiling wide at him. “Glad I can entertain you.”
“Well, well, look what we have here.” Ezra comes sauntering into the sauna and sits down on the bench opposite us, his eyes trailing over me, and I shift in my seat.
“I thought the rumors were false and you were putting on a show last night. There is no way you two are a couple. But you look very cozy here. What am I saying? Of course it’s fake.
” He laughs. “What did you say about him, Ria? Oh, wait, I remember. He’s like another annoying little brother.
” Leo rises from his spot next to me and takes my towel off the hook before passing it to me.
I silently thank him and wrap myself up.
“What is your point, Ezra?” I glare at him.
“My point is this little plan you have won’t work.”
“What plan?” Leo scoffs.
“This plan to pretend you’re married and happily in love to swipe that contract out from under my nose.”
“I don’t need to be married to swipe that contract from you.” I sneer across at Ezra.
“Oh, but you do because Cole and I have gotten close recently, and he told me all about how he found out you got married in Vegas. Very classy, by the way, Ria. Now to save face and not admit that you got married to your brother's best friend because you were drunk off your ass and not because you were so desperately in love and couldn’t wait, you're playing Cole. It’s going to be fun to expose you, and then that contract will be mine.”
“You don’t know shit.” Leo seethes, crossing his arms across his chest and staring hard at Ezra.
“I think I do.” He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees.
“Because you may have Cole believing your little story, but I’ve spent too much time with the both of you, and even if you’re really in love, it won’t last. You’re a control freak.
” His cold eyes meet mine. “You refuse to stray from a plan and you…” He faces Leo.
“You’re the biggest player I know, and you have the platinum membership at Enigma.
That's not the sort of place you’d take a control freak like Ria to.
Trust me. She won’t give you what you can get in there, and she knows it.
She isn’t the type of woman that would hold the attention of a man with your tastes. ”
Tears start to prickle at the backs of my eyes, and I tighten my hold on the towel around me. The look in Ezra’s eyes shows he knows he’s hit a nerve.
“I think you need to be careful with your next words, St. Claire,” Leo growls.
“You like a woman you can play with, Leo, and Ria? She doesn’t play well.”
“Excuse me.” Standing, I rush past Leo, fighting the urge not to cry as I exit the sauna, my relaxed state now well and truly vanished, hearing Ezra’s wicked laughter echoing in my head.