Chapter Seven
Cammie walked into Leo’s apartment, her blue eyes darting everywhere, taking in the open concept kitchen and living room, along with the oak flooring and off-white walls that brightened the space.
In contrast, he’d chosen a brown suede sectional couch and black kitchen cabinets.
There wasn’t a lot of color in the apartment, just clean lines and neutral shades.
But the view was killer, just as he promised and her gaze locked on the floor-to-ceiling windows as she walked farther into the apartment.
Stepping over to the glass, she stared out at the incredible view of Central Park and the vista of the city skyline, lit by lights on the tall buildings and streetlamps below.
Leo went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “Can I offer you a drink? It’s a little late for coffee, which I know we both like, and I know wine isn’t your thing. That leaves…” his eyes scanned the contents of his fridge, “bottled water or cola.”
“I’ll take the soda,” she said, coming into the kitchen and leaning against the island, her elbows on the white granite countertop.
He set the drink in front of her and pulled out a bottle of water for himself.
“This is a nice place you have,” she said, and Leo frowned as he picked up on a negative note in her voice.
He glanced around but nothing was out of place, his housekeeper efficient as usual. “But?” he asked.
“It’s just that there’s no Christmas tree.” Her lips formed a pout. “No decorations of any kind.”
“You noticed that, huh? And what about your place? Is it a winter wonderland?”
Her small grin told him he was on the right track with his guess.
“I don’t usually decorate for the holidays.
It seems a bit pointless to me. I don’t entertain, so why would I go to the effort of putting up a tree just for myself?
” He shrugged. “Besides, my parents will have their ten-foot tree up when I go there on Christmas Day, so I’m not missing out. ”
Her narrowed gaze said she didn’t agree.
“Do you spend Christmas with your family?” he asked.
Sadness seeped into her expressive eyes, and he immediately regretted the question.
“Um, no. I don’t have any family. It was always just me and my mom, but she’s been gone for two years now.”
Ah, shit. Leo reached across the island and took her hand. Her skin was soft and warm, and he had the urge to pull her into his arms and offer comfort. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. What happened?”
She glanced down. “Brain cancer. Inoperable. We found out when I was about to start my last year at NYU. That’s why I don’t have my degree in graphic design. I dropped out to take care of her.”
That made sense. He’d wondered what happened to make her not finish. Especially since she was so passionate about it.
His heart broke for her as he imagined her giving up on her dream in order to be with her sick mother. “That must’ve been a tough decision,” he said.
“Not really,” Cammie said, flipping her hand over and interlacing their fingers. “She was my mom. I would have done anything for her. I admit it wasn’t easy. I had about ten months with her after the diagnosis, and I’m grateful for the time, but seeing her so sick was… hard.”
Leo couldn’t stand having the kitchen island between them, not while she was talking about her pain with a shaky voice and eyes shining with grief.
He strode around to her side of the counter and pulled her into his arms. She tucked her head against his chest and cuddled into him.
She wasn’t crying, but there was something vulnerable about her and a foreign, protective instinct rose inside him.
Even more, holding her like this felt natural. Right.
He ran a hand up and down her back, remaining silent. The moment felt heavy and intimate and so much more than the meaningless sex and polite interactions he had with other women. He didn’t know what to do with his feelings, so he just held her.
She glanced up and something shifted in the air. As he stared at her pouty lips and piercing blue eyes, her pupils widened, desire flashing inside them. His breath hitched with longing and unable to wait any longer, he crashed his lips to hers.
Her hands slid to the back of his neck, holding him closer.
He parted his lips and slid his tongue against hers.
Back and forth, their mouths clashed, teeth scraped, and the kiss grew hotter.
Her taste was addictive as were the small whimpers coming from the back of her throat. Both drove his arousal to new heights.
Picking her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist, and he started toward his bedroom, never breaking their kiss. He twisted the doorknob with one hand and held onto her ass with the other, all the while, their need growing more desperate and heated.
He navigated through the familiar room until his legs hit the king-sized bed in the center. Lowering her onto the mattress, he pressed his weight against her, his erection grinding into the waiting space between her legs.
He slid his hands beneath her sweater, his fingers coming into contact with the delicate lace edge of her bra. She arched her back, reached behind her and unhooked the clasp. Breaking the kiss, he whipped off her sweater.
With her help, his button-down shirt came next.
Both of their movements were frantic, and his buttons went flying, but he didn’t care.
He took her generous breasts in his hands, finding her nipples were hard points.
Dipping his head, he pulled one of the tips into his mouth.
Cammie moaned and thrust her fingers into his hair, sometimes pulling, other times holding him close.
Leo took turns lavishing each breast, doing his best to ignore his aching erection. He wasn’t going to rush this. He couldn’t remember ever wanting a woman as much as he did Cammie, and he was going to take the time to enjoy her.
“Leo,” she moaned as his teeth grazed her hard nipple. “I need you.”
Rising onto his knees, he reached down to unzip one of her boots, then the other. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough to make out the shape of her slender body, and the long legs he revealed as he pulled her tight jeans down and off, tossing them aside.
His hands on her knees, he parted her legs and ran his fingers over the soft skin of her thighs. She shuddered beneath his touch.
“I’m going to devour you, Cammie. You’re sweet as honey and I bet you taste just as good.”
He shifted his hands to her hips. Hooking his fingers into her panties, he felt the lace edges and wondered if she wore the sexy pair just for him. Then, he stopped thinking about anything as he lowered his head to devour her.
He explored her folds with his tongue, lapping at her entrance and flicking at her swollen clit. Her legs shook while she gasped and moaned, and he lost himself in her taste, loving the sounds she made.
One hand gripped his hair while her hips jerked up and stayed there, rubbing against him. Holy shit. She was riding his face, taking her pleasure with a boldness that turned him on like crazy.
He slid one hand to her breast, lightly pinching the nipple as his shoved two fingers inside of her, his tongue pressed to her clit. He flicked back and forth, all the while, pumping his fingers and curling them inside her until it became too much and she came hard, crying out his name.
The moment her orgasm passed, Leo stood and ripped open his slacks, shifting and fumbling around in the nightstand drawer until he felt the distinctive foil packet.
In seconds, he was naked and rolling the condom on as he returned to the bed, where Cammie waited, her release coating her inner thighs.
“Are you ready for me, sweetheart?” he asked as he settled on top of her and lined himself up at her entrance.
His blood rushed in his ears and his breath came in heavy pants. All he wanted to do was drive himself deep inside of her, but he needed to hear her say what she wanted. Just once.
“I’m ready, Leo. Take me,” she said, arching her back, and he drove himself deep into her body.
Her heat gripped him like a fist and his thoughts grew hazy, his mind and body lost to everything Cammie. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her heels digging into his ass, as her cries of pleasure filled the room.
Feeling feral, he pounded into her, the bed creaking loudly. They kissed, and it was all teeth and tongue, just as rough as the way they were moving against each other.
“Oh, God,” she moaned. “It’s so good. So good… Don’t stop!”
Shifting, he lifted her legs higher, allowing him to sink even deeper inside her. The headboard slammed against the wall, and her fingernails scraped across his shoulders.
“I want you to come for me again. Now, Cammie.” He rolled his hips, and she quivered as she came for a second time, her velvet walls squeezing him until he followed her over, groaning low in his throat as he filled the condom.
Cammie rose up to pepper kisses along his neck and across his jaw. When she reached his lips, the kiss she gave him was tender, full of an emotion he couldn’t name and ought to fear. Yet somehow, it felt right.
A few minutes later, he pulled out, feeling the loss, then left the bed and strode into his bathroom to ditch the condom. When he returned, Cammie lay where he’d left her, limbs sprawled out on the mattress.
“I have to say, I’m glad I stopped by to check out the view,” she said in a low, husky voice. Darkness cloaked her face, but he could hear the smile in her voice.
Chuckling, he pulled back the blankets. For once, instead of trying to come up with a way to get rid of the woman in his bed, he settled on his back and helped Cammie curl into his side.
She rested her head on his shoulder and tucked one leg between his.
They lay in silence, and he allowed himself to enjoy the peace as her hand traced patterns on his chest, and contentment filled him.
The room felt calm after their vigorous… lovemaking.
He hesitated before giving it a name, but the word seemed fitting when it came to Cammie.
Was he anxious at that thought? Yes, he was.
This had all started because he needed a date to a business event, someone willing to pretend to be his girlfriend.
He hadn’t seen Cammie or his feelings for her coming.
In the moment, sleeping with her seemed like a good idea.
After all, the attraction was there. But the rest of it, the emotions that came along with what had been more than sex?
Those hadn’t been part of the plan, but he couldn’t deny he was falling for her.
“Thanks for listening to me open up about my mom,” she said. “I don’t really talk about her much because it can be painful but it felt right to tell you.”
He twirled a strand of her silky blonde hair between his fingers. “Tell me something good about her. A happy memory.”
She grew silent in thought. “Well, and you’re going to laugh, but of course my thoughts go to Christmas.”
He let out a chuckle.
“Every year, we had this tradition. Mom and I would make cinnamon rolls from scratch on Christmas Eve, rolling out the dough, filling it with brown sugar and cinnamon, and baking them first thing in the morning. I swear, the smell of cinnamon always makes me think of eating those pastries smothered in cream cheese frosting on Christmas morning,” she said, her voice a mixture of wistfulness and happiness.
The combination had his heart aching for her loss. It was obvious that she loved and missed her mom. “Who do you spend Christmas with now that she’s gone?” he asked.
There was a pause, and she stopped tracing patterns on his skin. “I spend it alone.”
His body stiffened. No. That couldn’t be right. Someone as sweet as Cammie, who loved Christmas as much as she did, shouldn’t spend the holiday alone.
“Are you serious?” he asked in a strangled voice.
He felt her nod. “Mona, my friend from the coffee shop, usually invites me over, but she has a husband and toddler son. I don’t want to intrude on their holiday together, so I usually just stay home.”
Leo’s first thought was that he should invite her over to spend Christmas with him at his parents’ house. They were both retired and lived in the city in the large townhouse he’d been raised in. He and Jenny went there every Christmas morning, and he was sure they’d welcome Cammie.
But the more he thought about it, he ended up talking himself out of the idea.
Surely it was too soon to suggest they spend a major holiday together.
And if she didn’t want to intrude on her friend’s time with her husband and kid, she’d probably have the same reservations about spending Christmas with his family as well.
So, he let the topic drop, not knowing what else to say. The only comfort he could provide for her still-grieving heart was to tighten his arm around her until they both fell asleep.