Chapter 11 – Maddie #2
After seeing how kind and caring and attentive he is about everything else, my imagination is concocting up all sorts of ways he might put those same characteristics to use in the bedroom.
The bedroom we currently share.
“If you genuinely don’t want me to do this, I won’t.” Leo’s hands come to rest against the sides of my neck, his thumbs stroking the underside of my jaw. “But I would really love it if you would let me help you. I think it will make a huge difference in so many ways.”
I rub my lips together, because his offer is beyond tempting. The opportunity to have an attorney of my own choosing—one who might even have experience with this sort of situation I’m in—who won’t immediately run and tell my parents about every new development? I’d be an idiot to say no.
I’ve spent a lot of my life being an idiot. And I think I’m ready to stop.
As I nod my head, I swallow hard against the wiggle of guilt I’m already carrying in relation to Leo as it grows just a bit more. “Okay. We can find a new attorney.”
Leo’s smile is wide and bright. It shines down on me, chasing away a few of the clouds that seem to follow me everywhere I go. “Excellent.”
When his lips come to mine, I’m ready. I love how natural it is for him to kiss me good morning and good night.
How easily he shows affection. It’s yet another thing I’m not used to, and I eat it up like the greedy girl I am.
Leaning into his body, I loop an arm around his neck as his mouth brushes mine.
Leo barely pulls away, his eyes moving over my face before he leans in again, finally offering up the kind of kiss I’ve been craving.
Since Drake showed up at my office, I’ve only gotten sweet kisses and G-rated cuddles. I was starting to worry Leo thought I was traumatized. So fragile after such a terrible experience, I wouldn’t want to be touched or held.
If he only knew.
Yes, Drake’s sudden appearance was terrifying and nerve-racking while it was happening, but it wasn’t an isolated event. And, as much as I hate to admit it, on some level I think I’ve gotten used to it.
Which is royally fucked up.
But now I’d like to also get used to other things. New things. Things I’ve never had before. Like feeling safe. Protected. Understood.
All things Leo seems prepared to offer me.
And I want every one of them. So I can hold them tight. Keep them close. Treasure them the way no one’s ever treasured me.
When I tease my tongue along the seam of Leo’s lips, he makes a groaning noise that zips through my insides like electricity, heating all my most sensitive nerve endings before leaving them to throb. Our kiss deepens, and I hold him tighter, trying to get him closer.
But holy shit is this man tall. He’s a whole foot above me.
I’m in decent enough shape I could climb him like a tree, but I don’t want to look desperate, even though I might be.
The way Leo makes me feel is addictive, and I can’t get enough of it.
So now that he’s finally willing to kiss me the way I’ve been longing for, I plan to milk it for all I can.
That’s why, when he lifts me up to the counter, I immediately lock my legs around his hips, ready to pick up where we left off a few nights ago when we were so rudely interrupted by the emergency call center Sweet Side Apartments uses to filter out the calls that really are emergencies.
I swear, if Rodney—the guy who runs the call desk at night and on holidays—interrupts us again, he might be the one who needs to report an emergency. Because I need this. I need to be reminded I’m still here. That while it may not all be over, I keep surviving.
And I need to make good on the promise I made myself that I’m going to enjoy every minute I get.
And holy crap do I enjoy the minutes I get with Leo.
Dragging my mouth away from his, I run my lips down the side of his neck. Every inch of him is solid and strong, and this area is no exception. The thick muscles running from his jaw to his shoulder tense as I kiss and lick at them, getting so tight, I can’t resist the urge to bite down.
Just a little.
Leo sucks in a sharp breath, his hips rocking into me as his hand flexes where it grips my hip. “Fuck, Maddie.” He groans when I give the spot where his neck and his shoulder meet a slightly rougher pinch with my teeth. “I didn’t expect you to be a biter.”
I pause, trying to tell if he has opinions on my teeth against his skin. Leaning back, I meet his hooded gaze. “Should I not bite you?”
Leo’s hands move from my hips, sliding up to curve around my waist. “You can bite me anytime, anywhere.” He tips his head, eyes squinting as he reconsiders. “Almost anywhere.”
A flood of liquid heat brushes through my insides, pooling low in my belly at the thought of putting my mouth on Leo. Of pleasing him the way he pleased me the night of his parents’ Christmas party. My tongue darts out to slide across my lips at the thought as my eyes drop down his front.
Leo makes a pained sound as he brings one hand up to scrub over her face. “Don’t look at me like that.”
My eyes jump to his. “Like what?”
Leo’s hand drops, revealing blown pupils. “Like you’re imagining sucking my dick.”
It’s strange how easy it is to be open and honest with Leo. Even stranger that I don’t feel the tiniest bit of shame when I ask, “Why not?”
It’s probably not surprising that my experiences with sex leave a lot to be desired. They were all lackluster, one-sided, blink-and-it’s-over sort of situations.
All except for what happened between me and Leo the night of his parents’ party. It opened my eyes to how things can be between two people. What can happen when a man actually cares about how you feel and what you enjoy.
And it’s made me wonder what Leo enjoys. If I would be able to please him the way he pleased me.
If he’ll even let me try.