Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Erika
With Leon’s meeting finished, I’m impatiently waiting for him to join me. I sit on the edge of the pool, my legs dangling in the water, soaking up the sun’s warmth like a butterfly spreading its wings on a summer day. I arch my neck back and let out a contented sigh, and that’s when I sense Leon.
My excitement soars higher than a rocket as I turn to look at him.
Wearing only a shocking pair of neon yellow swimming trunks, blood rushes through my veins at lightning speed, and my pulse races ten times faster.
With a body like his, there’s no doubt in my mind that he was made for fucking all night long, and I can’t wait to experience that.
“Jesus,” I mumble under my breath as every delicious inch of his hard chest, arms, and ridged abs seems to dance and ripple under the scorching sun.
I’ve never seen such a handsome, scrumptious brute of a man before, and my hungry eyes devour every millimeter of him. I’m ravenous.
No words pass between us as he smirks, before lining his toes along the edge of the pool and diving into the slightly heated, pale blue water with the precision of an arrow in flight. Seamless, fluid, and deliberate.
As he resurfaces, he runs his strong hands through his drenched hair, pushing it away from his forehead and then dragging his hands down his face to clear the water from his eyes.
Slowly, he moves toward me through the water, his powerful presence approaching silently with the focused intensity of a hunter on the prowl.
My legs automatically widen to allow him to move between them, welcoming him as his intense gaze never leaves mine.
I sit up straight and await his arrival. When he does, he runs his palms up my already hot from the sun skin of my thighs that now feels like a fire blazing from his touch alone, then he kisses my inner thigh, one and then the other.
“I’ve missed you,” he tells me.
The wave of giddiness I experience again is intoxicating.
“Where have you been all my life?” he asks.
“Right here,” I say. “In front of you all along.”
I rest my arms on top of his shoulders as he moves his hands to my hips, then my ass, where he stops and squeezes, leaving them there as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
My best friend is touching my ass.
I suppress the excited squeal that’s tingling in my throat and threatening to escape. “Did your mom and dad get to the airport on time?” I ask.
“Yes, but the traffic was insane. It didn’t really matter because they are using my private jet, and they would have just waited for the next time slot.
” He sighs as if something is bothering him, then says, “I know this is short notice, but I have a dinner I can’t get out of tonight. Sutton just informed me.”
My heart sinks a little. I was looking forward to spending the night cozied up together in one of the first of many nights as a couple.
Couple.
Gah.
How long will it take me to get used to that?
He then lifts my spirits when he says, “And you are coming with me. It’s a business meeting with Hunter King, his wife, and his daughter, who’s a figure skater.”
“Potential client?”
“I think it’s already in the bag.” He winks confidently.
A sudden thought hits me. “Where are we dining?”
“Avante.”
My eyes widen in horror. “I don’t have anything to wear.” Avante isn’t just a high-end restaurant, it’s exclusive, where celebrities dine.
“I have Laura Banner on standby. She’ll have every dress in every color and style here by mid-afternoon.”
He’s thought of everything. “Thank you.” Having my own stylist is something I could learn to love.
“All you need to do is be ready by seven.”
“Okay,” I reply shakily.
Nervous excitement flutters in my stomach. I need to be careful not to spill my drink or trip in my heels. I usually become clumsy when I feel nervous.
It will be our first dinner together. Officially. Dinner might involve other people, but it still feels like a date.
I shift the subject. “Are you looking forward to Las Vegas?” I ask, even though I just want to talk about us.
Pull yourself together, Erika. You know this guy better than anyone. Relax.
His eyes stay fixed on mine, giving me his full attention, the way he always does. Unlike Huck.
The laughable thing about Huck being obsessed with his phone is that there was nothing of great importance to respond to or do.
On the other hand, Leon is a sports agent responsible for some of the highest-paid sports stars in the world, and even in his busiest moments, he always has time for me, sometimes dropping everything to pick me up from work after I’ve had a traumatic day in the ER.
“I can’t wait to go on vacation. Are you excited?” he replies.
“It’ll be hot.”
Leon scans my body, then meets my eyes. “It’s always hot wherever you are.”
And there’s that playful banter again. God, how I love it.
Given how close Leon is to me, I am hot. Hotter than a volcano.
Focus.
“Do you want to do anything when we’re there?” I hope he suggests a nightclub because it’s been so long since I danced my ass off.
“My friend is the manager of the nightclub inside The Cromwell. I emailed him last night and asked if he could get us VIP access, and he replied right away with a yes.”
“It’s like you’re inside my head, Leon Hill.”
Flashing me one of his pantie-melting smiles that makes my stomach do cartwheels, he looks thoroughly pleased with himself because he knows me so well. “I thought you might want to let loose.”
“Kick the vacation off in style?” I know exactly what I’m going to wear—the sexy black bandage dress that Lily told me makes me look like a supermodel, barely covers my butt, and shows off my legs.
“Whatever you want, Erika. This is your vacation.”
“It’s yours too.” Leon hasn’t taken much time off in the last few years; he deserves this as much as I do. “We’re not in Vegas for long, but is there anything you would like to see or do?”
“I’ve done it all before.”
Ah, yes, with his ex.
Fantastic.
“I guess all that’s left for you to do in Vegas is get married by Elvis, then.” Jesus, shut up, Erika.
“I guess so.” He does a shitty job of keeping a straight face.
Saving me from complete embarrassment, he asks, “And what would you like to do in Vegas, Dr. Johansson?” It’s then I feel it, his fingertip, drawing slow, hypnotic circles on my thigh.
The pulse between my legs is throbbing so hard that it makes me want to grab his hand and move it inside my bikini bottoms.
Leon’s fingers dance back and forth, brushing light strokes up my outer thigh, moving closer to my apex, making my breath hitch in my chest.
I finally answer his question, “I want to watch the Fountains of Bellagio.”
“Great choice.” He nods in acknowledgement.
The low-level hum from the birds chirping and water lapping along the edges of the pool fades, my senses fully tuned into Leon’s mesmerizing touch. “That feels nice,” I whisper, then swallow loudly.
“Yeah?”
I hum, my tongue tied.
His hand moves further up my thigh, and I spread my legs to allow him to gain access, but he surprises me by instead placing his hands under my ass and lifting me off the side of the pool into the slightly warmed water.
On autopilot, my legs loop around his waist, and I hook my feet to lock us together.
I gasp when he bows his head and plants a soft kiss behind my ear, applying the perfect pressure that shoots pleasure down my spine.
“You smell amazing,” he mumbles.
It’s the perfume he bought me for Christmas.
He steals all the air from my lungs as he breathes heavily against my skin and lowly moans my name.
I bite my teeth into my bottom lip to stop a whimper escaping when his fingers explore my skin and expertly reach my pussy.
He presses the tips of his fingers against my clit through my bikini bottoms.
“Good?” he asks in that rough, sexy voice of his.
“Yes.” I want to strip naked and give myself to him.
“Want more?”
“I want everything.” I rock my hips, trying to push my pussy into his fingertips.
I feel his lips curve into a giant smile against my neck. “Soon.” He licks, bites, then plants a contrasting soft kiss behind my ear again, and I could come from him just doing that alone. It’s so sensual and such a turn on. I’m wetter than the water I’m immersed in.
“Do you like your neck being kissed, Dr. Johansson?” He’s never called me that until today, and it’s kinda hot.
“I like the way you kiss me.” I still can’t believe I’m only the second person he’s kissed since he was drafted to the NHL.
He slept with so many girls, it’s just crazy.
“Are you wet for me?” he asks, keeping his voice low and steady. His confidence is something I’ve always loved, but this is the sexy side of him I’ve been desperate to uncover.
The pressure building in my core climbs even further when he rubs his fingers up and down, much harder this time, and I close my eyes, enjoying the intense pleasure I want to chase and capture.
God, this man.
He’s pushing me, testing me, teasing me through his touch alone.
“Erika.” The way he says my name in that low, wickedly sensual tone has me pulling back and looking deep into his eyes.
They look worried, slightly apprehensive, but his pupils are dilated, telling me he’s as turned on as I am.
Dipping my hips a little, his crotch brushes against me and confirms my suspicions. He’s hard. For me.
His hand, that’s between my legs, slowly drifts back toward my ass, which I hate because I wanted more. It would be wrong, even presumptuous, of me to ask if we can move this to the bedroom, especially when we agreed to take this slow.
I might combust if we don’t have sex soon.
“How slow is slow?” I ask, prompting him to let out a mighty laugh that echoes into the air.
Is this his idea of edging me? If so, it’s working. There is so much tension in my body, I’m coiled tighter than a viper waiting to strike.