41
L eo is busy helping yet another customer when I enter through the back door where I park the red wagon I’ve brought for the haul. Tilly greets me with her whipping tail, but when it’s clear Cholula isn’t with me, she backs off. While I wait, I chat with Jaz who’s bringing out empty cardboard boxes, but we’re interrupted when her cell rings. Judging by the inflection of her voice, it must be a new beau.
After that, I browse the shelves inside. At first, I can’t put my finger on what’s different, but then I see it. With a subtle repositioning of goods, Leo’s managed to change the rustic chic color scheme to red and green, and, paired with a faint smell of cinnamon in the air, he’s ushered in the holidays more than any of my signs and displays ever could. I thought he was supposed to be bad at decorating. What gives? That also reminds me he owes me a day in Happy Paws teal.
The doorbell chimes as the customer leaves at the same time Leo says, “Hi.”
I tear my gaze from the snow spray at the base of the windowpane. “Um, hi.”
“Are you all right? I haven’t seen that expression since we first met.”
Damn my horrid poker face. He’s allowed to decorate his store. With a conscious effort that probably comes off as a spastic grimace, I attempt to put my features in order. “I’m fine. Just need to get those boxes. Pretty swamped today.”
He’s about to respond when his phone rings. He sighs and pulls it out of his pocket. I have time to see “Dad” flash across the screen before he rejects it.
“You don’t need to take that?”
His jaw has tightened. “No. I’m done letting him mess with my mind. Once this branch is profitable, he’ll come around. He needs to understand I make my own decisions.” They’re the right words, but rather than coming off self-assured, he sounds like he’s trying to convince himself.
But then he relaxes again. “I’m sorry about that. And about the boxes. If I had known…”
“You couldn’t.” I point to the back of the store. “Back there?”
He follows me. “You sure you’re okay?”
I’m definitely not. I’m fucking everything up. Like I do. And seeing how well he’s doing isn’t helping. “Yup. Totally.”
He turns the light on in his storage space. “It’s these two. I’ll help you load them.” He hesitates “But first…” He takes a step closer and forces me to look at him. “Cora, I know something’s going on. Talk to me.”
Why am I being such a jerk about this? He’s going to pay me back for the boxes. But you’ll lose the mark-up for this month , the voice in my head reminds me. You might have lost more customers. Leo’s hands on my hips muddle everything. I want to lean into him and have his arms block me from the stress of the world. I should tell him about the bills, how behind I am. Baring all your weaknesses to your rival , the voice says. Smart.
“Come here.” He pulls me closer, and despite my snarky inner narrator, I let him. A moment passes, then another, and eventually, his warm breath trickling down the top of my head eases the tension in my shoulders. “Whatever it is, I’m sorry,” he mumbles into my hair. “If there’s anything I can do— Make you dinner? Foot massage? Cookie Monster impression?”
A smile fights its way to the surface, and I grab on to him tighter. The voice is silent again.
“Thank you,” I say, looking up at him. “I’m having a bit of a day.” The words are on the tip of my tongue—rent, everything else—but when I look into his eyes, there are other things I’d rather say. Other things I want to do. The best distraction.
I press my mouth to his in a soft kiss, ending with a pull on his lower lip. The move elicits a gruff noise in his chest and a tighter hold on my backside. He leans his forehead against mine and lets his fingertips run the length of my jaw to the nape of my neck.
“You know what that does to me,” he says, the words caressing my skin.
“I do.” I press my hips to his.
He glances over his shoulder out the door. “There might be customers,” he whispers.
“Can’t Jaz handle them?” I run one of my hands down his arm and encircle his taut glute. “We can be quick.”
He spins me around so he can reach the door and pushes it shut. Another half spin and I find myself pressed up against it. “Like this? Here?”
I nod eagerly. Then I grasp his shirt and bring him to me for another kiss.
He pushes closer so that I can feel just how excited this makes him. His lips are greedy now. He’s not as in control as he wants me to think, and that turns me on even more. Gone are any thoughts of misplaced orders or difficult parents—his touch erases all that, leaving desire as the sole focus of both my body and my mind.
Leo’s hands go to the buttons of my top, but give up before long, instead pushing under the fabric, lifting it.
“You’re wearing too many layers,” he mumbles, lowering himself so he can get his lips on my belly. His tongue leaves wet trails across my skin, and I shiver when his thumb skims the lace of my bra. Somewhere in the distance, the bell to the front door jingles, and the urgency of what we’re doing ratchets the heat up another notch.
“Leo,” I breathe.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” He grasps a handful of my skirt and hoists it up my legs. The pad of one of his thumbs brushes the sensitive skin on the inside of my thigh. The other is edging closer to the hem of my panties. My knees quiver, and I reach out and grab hold of the shelf next to me for support just as his head disappears underneath the fabric. A moment later, he’s pulled the flimsy lace down my legs. I lean my head back against the door in anticipation.
He steadies my hips with both hands and places a soft kiss at the top of my thigh before finally tasting me. A low moan escapes my throat, and my hand grips the shelf tighter. The pulsing low in my stomach grows with each lush lick, and it’s only the awkward angle that allows me enough self-control not to come instantly. My hips want to move but can’t, and I need more to get to where I want.
“Come on,” I plead, my free hand pawing at my skirt to unearth him. “I need you.”
With one last peck, he straightens and presses his mouth against my neck instead while his hands make quick work of his belt buckle and fly.
He hesitates, hungry eyes searching mine. “Damn, I don’t have a condom here.”
I shake my head rapidly. “No, we’re good. I’ve been on the pill forever. Just…”
I reach for him, and the indecision becomes resolution in a flash. He shoves his pants down, his cock springing free against my leg.
There’s a rush of movement where he lifts me, I wrap my legs around him, and we both shove at my clothes to get the skirt out of the way, but then, finally, he’s perched where I most want him.
“Don’t stop,” I grunt, digging my fingers into his shoulders, and he doesn’t.
With one smooth stroke, he buries himself inside me, and for a split second, we both tense on a gasp.
Then he sets a rhythm, and, oh my Lord, I will never bash quickies again. The threat of discovery only serves to heighten the sensation, making my body hyperaware of every firing nerve ending.
“You feel so good,” Leo says with a quiet moan in my ear. He moves as if I weigh nothing, doing all the work. I’m just along for the ride.
“Think you’ll be able to stay quiet when you come?” I tease, my breath punctuated by his thrusts.
His low chuckle sends delicious vibrations through my core. “I’m more worried about you.” He gives me a devilish smile and picks up the pace.
With lush strokes of his tongue against mine, he matches the rising thrum at my center, chasing my arousal ever higher. It’s not long before he pushes me over the edge, triggering a shock wave of pleasure as I orgasm around him. I bury my face against his shoulder where any noise I make will be muted and hold on tight until he follows me, his climax making him shudder and gasp. Together we ride out the aftershocks, slumped against the door. His breath is jagged, his neck slick with perspiration, but his grip on me never falters.
Slowly, my surroundings come back into focus.
“I might need a nap after that,” he says, setting me down gently.
On the other side of the door, the doorbell jingles again. “Yeah, I don’t foresee that in your immediate future.” I smile and lean down to pull my panties back on. “You’d better not service your other customers like this, though.”
“Nuh-uh. Only you.” He zips himself up. “Do I look okay?”
I run my thumb next to his mouth. “You look like you just had sex.”
“Damn.”
His phone buzzes again in his pocket, but this time he ignores it.
Maybe it’s my spent state lowering my inhibitions, but the question is out before I can stop it. “Hey, you don’t regret moving out here, do you?”
His chin pulls back. “Why would you ask that?”
I shrug. “When we did those rapid questions, you said you preferred city over suburb. Wondering if there’s anything to what your dad is suggesting. That you belong there. Not here.”
He sputters something unintelligible. “I like it here. I’m happy here.” When I don’t respond, he reaches for me again. “I feel like good things are going on here, don’t you?”
I nod. Dog food order mishap notwithstanding. When he kisses me, he tastes like peppermint and chance. The faintly perilous undertones make me tighten my hold on his shirt. He’s right, we do have a good thing going, but I’m also very much aware that he never answered my question.
“Good.” He runs his hand over my hair, smoothing flyaways. “Did you get my flowers today?”
I practically hear Micki’s stern voice in my head telling me to nip that display of affection in the proverbial bud. “Yeah, thanks. About that, though.” I scrunch up my face while I search for a way to say what I need to say without hurting his feelings. “It’s sweet and all, but I think… I’m not…” Aargh, what are words? “I’m actually allergic, um, to many flowers.” My skin prickles at the lie spilling out of me.
“Oh.” His face mirrors mine. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry.”
Shame stings my throat. “Yeah… Yep. I had forgotten.”
“I wish I’d known. I guess I’ll have to think of something else.”
“Or not.” At his quizzical expression, I elaborate. “You’re sweet, but I don’t need gifts.”
His brow lowers. “Then what should I do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, to show you how I…” He looks down. “That I care about you.”
Something warm and fizzy spreads through my limbs. He’s so dense sometimes. “I already know that, silly. You don’t have to do anything other than be you.”
He looks skeptical, so I kiss him instead. Maybe that will convince him that he doesn’t have to give me things to earn my affection.
This time, it’s my phone that interrupts us. Micki is wondering where I am.
Did you drown in his eyes or something? You need a lifeguard?
“I should get going,” I tell Leo. “Micki thinks I abandoned her.”
“Will I see you tonight?” he asks, his lips pink from my attention.
Desire coils tight in my belly again, but across the street are responsibilities that outweigh this want. “I need to work on Cho’s talent. The show is only a few weeks away.” It’s at least part of the truth.