Chapter 18 #3
At the same time, Cullan’s phone chimes with a doorbell notification. He frowns at the screen. “Why is my son here unannounced?”
I take a deep breath. “He says he wants to talk to me. He can come in. I don’t mind.”
Cullan looks like he minds. “Are you sure? ”
I feel safe with Cullan here. I’ve noticed that Cullan has no problem pointing out firmly but fairly to Leon when he’s being rude. He’s a good father. “I’m sure. We haven’t talked since we broke up. All I got from him was a thumbs-up in a text.”
“A thumbs-up,” Cullan mutters darkly, and goes to open the door.
He brings Leon into the kitchen, making polite conversation, though his expression is somber, and he seems on edge. “How’s your mom? Has she recovered from her food poisoning?”
Leon is dressed in an oversized white T-shirt, jeans, and expensive-looking sneakers. His movements are restless and bouncy, and I can barely remember why I thought he was so cute and charming. “Yeah, she’s fine now. For a day or two her guts were like Old Faithful. Every hour on the hour.”
“I’m glad she’s feeling better.” Cullan glances at me, and I feel my stomach flip-flop. Does he know what I did with the laxatives? But how could he possibly know? Is he angry about it?
I busy myself with finding a container big enough to hold the cake leftovers, and I can feel Leon’s eyes on me. No one speaks.
“Is there anything you need, Leon?” Cullan prompts his son.
“Yeah. I want to speak to Elena.”
“So speak.”
“Well, can you go? I want to speak to her alone. ”
“Do you want me to go, Elena?” Cullan asks.
If there was something important he wanted to say to me, Leon could have done it days ago instead of walking in the sunshine with his arm draped around that other woman.
I glance up at Cullan and shake my head. He leans against the counter and folds his arms.
Leon makes a frustrated noise and turns to me. “I saw you on Flockton Street last night. In Pixie Bar. You looked good. Who were you dancing with?”
It takes all my self-control not to glance at Cullan again.
Does Leon already know? Has he come here to make a scene?
But the expression in his eyes is curious, and I realize he doesn’t know that I was dancing with his father.
Years of obeying my aunts without question almost have me opening my mouth to answer Leon, but I don’t have to. I don’t owe Leon anything.
“That’s my business,” I say quietly but firmly.
Leon smiles, but it’s brittle, and anger is sparking in his eyes. “I’m surprised. You move on quickly, Elena. Why don’t you tell me who he was?”
“That’s enough, Leon,” Cullan says.
Leon casts his father a surly look, and then blurts out, “I don’t like the way things ended between us. I want another chance.”
He’s the reason things ended the way they did, and then he sent me that stupid emoji. I don’t even need to think about my reply. “No, thank you.”
“But I’m sorry. ”
“Thank you for being sorry.”
“So?”
I feel my eyebrows creep up my forehead. “So what?”
“So, can we try again? Get a cup of coffee tomorrow or something?”
“No, thank you.”
“Why not?” he demands.
My mouth falls open in shock. “Are you seriously asking me that?”
“Was I such a bad boyfriend? You know, apart from that one mistake. When we were together we were great.”
I can’t fathom how Leon’s mind works, and that he can compartmentalize his cheating like that.
Did I cease to feel real to him when I was out of his sight?
“My self-esteem hasn’t been great lately, but even I draw the line at you sleeping with someone else, her rubbing my nose in it by sending all those pictures to me, and then getting back together with you. ”
“Angie said she didn’t send you anything. I’m really sorry you saw that.”
“I don’t want to hear her name, Leon,” I snap. “And she would say that, wouldn’t she? She wanted to break us up, and it worked. She won. You and I are over.”
Leon steps toward me, but Cullan reaches out and stops him in his tracks with a hand on his chest. “That’s close enough. You don’t argue with a woman when she tells you no. It’s time to leave.”
Leon looks like he wants to argue, and then he closes his mouth and hangs his head. “You looked beautiful last night. I’ve never seen you like that before. I wish I…”
He sighs and shakes his head. A moment later, he strides out of the kitchen, and we hear him leave the house.
I let out the tense breath I’ve been holding, wondering what he was going to say. He wishes he could make me look as beautiful and happy as Cullan makes me feel? I guess that’s the difference between the two men. Cullan is always looking for ways to make me smile, and Leon barely tried.
“Are you okay?” Cullan wraps both his arms around me and gathers me tight to his broad chest.
“I’m okay. Thankfully that’s over with now.” As my anxiety fades away, Cullan’s mouth seeks mine and he kisses me slowly.
“I’ve thought about touching you all day,” he whispers. “Last night was intense, and I’ve wanted to give you space to breathe, but I can’t take it anymore.”
I need to be reminded what it’s like to kiss a man who cares about me. “Please touch me. I don’t want space from you. I never want space from you.”
Cullan puts his hands around my waist, picks me up, and sits me on the counter.
My legs wrap around his waist, and my fingers push into his hair as he kisses me.
All the pain and distress vanish from my heart when I feel his lips on my lips—his tongue caressing mine.
Cullan holds me so tight, his strong body grounding me.
He pulls my hips tight against his. Desire shoots through me, making me moan, and Cullan’s tongue pushes deeper into my mouth.
Distantly, I hear Cullan’s phone chime from another room, but I pay it no mind and neither does he.
His hand pushes beneath my shirt to squeeze my breasts.
With his other arm tight around my hips, he thrusts against me through our clothes.
Showing me he wants me. Promising to fuck me. Pushing my desire for him even higher.
There’s a small sound from the doorway, and we both look around at the same time.
Leon has come back into the house, and he’s watching us kiss and touch each other in the most suggestive way possible. My ankles are locked around his father’s lower back. My fingers are in his hair.
Leon stares at my lips, which are wet and swollen from his father’s kisses, and his expression fills with revulsion. “Elena, you slut.”