41. Chapter 40 #2
Catching my eyes in the mirror, he gives me a half smile, and I move to curl my arms around his waist, pressing my cheek into his back.
“Come here.” He shifts us so I’m standing in front of him, and I look at our reflections in the mirror.
We both look flushed, hair sticking up in all directions and looking well and truly fucked, and I’ve never felt so happy.
Reaching around me, he takes the washcloth on the basin and runs it under the faucet, then wrings out the cloth. He slowly spins me around and drops to his knees in front of me. “What are you doing?”
“Taking care of you.” Guiding me to widen my legs, he gently wipes, cleaning me before standing and dropping the cloth in the sink.
Holding out his hand for me, we head back into the bedroom and he collects a bottle of water off the side table.
“You need to hydrate.” I stare in wonder at the bottle in his hands.
Taking it wordlessly, I sip before recapping the bottle and handing it back to him where he returns it to the side.
He rests his hands on my hips and leans his brow to mine. “Thank you.”
“Why are you thanking me?”
“You gave yourself over to me.” He releases a breath, moving to look down at me. Slate-gray eyes meet mine. Something in them tells me he’s holding something back.
“Are you okay?”
“I should be asking you that. I need to take care of you.”
“I think you’ve looked after me pretty well.” I smile at him and he gives me his signature lopsided grin.
“Come on, you need to sleep.”
“Will you stay with me tonight?”
“Know this, baby—I’ll stay with you for as long as you need me to.”
A wonderful ache in my body has me stretching like a cat. A content smile forms on my lips, and I roll over, arms reaching for Leo, but I sit up straight when I realize I’m alone and his side is cold.
What the fuck?
He said he would stay with me for as long as I needed him, spouted beautiful words all evening to me, and then he left?
Throwing myself down on my pillows, I grab one and smother a scream, kicking my legs furiously.
How could I be so stupid? Something shifted in me last night.
I allowed myself to be vulnerable again with a man, someone I thought I could trust. He certainly made me feel protected. But then he disappears?
Get a grip, Ria.
You got wrapped up in the out-of-body, mind-blowing orgasms. Take it for what it is.
Pleasure and a release.
A fucking insane amount of pleasure and you know you’ll let him do it again.
“Ahhhh. It was just a couple of orgasms. Fucking insane life-altering orgasms. Pull yourself together, Ria. You don’t get dick drunk.” As I’m screaming again into my pillow, the mattress dips and I freeze.
“You alright under there?” Leo’s hand rests lightly on my shoulder, and my body tenses.
“Any chance you didn’t hear any of that?” I mumble into the fabric, embarrassment engulfing me.
“Not a word.”
“Positive?”
“Absolutely.”
Dragging the pillow off my face, I sheepishly glance at Leo who looks fresh, already dressed in his suit for work, and my eyes dart to the tie around his neck. My heart jolts at the memory of how creative he can be with a tie.
“So dick drunk?” he challenges, and I hurl the pillow at him which he catches as he laughs to himself.
“You said you didn’t hear a word.”
“I said I didn’t hear a word. I never said I didn’t hear all the words, Ri Ri.”
“Ugh, don’t get me on a technicality.”
“Sorry.” He grins.
“I don’t accept.”
“How about if I tell you I’ve got your breakfast and coffee ready for you downstairs?”
“Huh?” I sit up, the sheets tucked around me. I’m wearing his shirt from last night, and the scent of his aftershave makes me shiver.
“Did you think I ran?”
Hanging my head, I close my eyes and whisper, “Yes.”
Tipping my chin up with his fingers, he smiles warmly at me. “I told you last night I’d stay as long as you needed me to.”
“Oh.” Warmth blooms in my chest, and my teeth sink into my bottom lip.
He drops a kiss to the tip of my nose. “You look good in my shirt, baby.” God, why does him calling me baby have me relenting and melting into him every damn time. “Come on, let me feed you before you take on the world.”
“Delivery.” Grace waltzes into my office late that afternoon, and I tear my eyes away from my screen.
“What?” My eyes bulge out of my head when I see the huge bouquet of tulips she is holding.
“Babe, these are heavy. I'm gonna need a hand.” She stumbles and I rush to stop her from falling over. Together, we place the spectacular display of colorful flowers on my coffee table. “Okay, so the date went well,” she teases.
“You could say that.” I dreamily stroke one of the petals with the tip of my finger.
“You’ve been in this dreamlike state all day, babe. I need details.”
“I’ve not been dreaming all day. I’ve been remarkably productive today.” I frown as I turn to face her. “Jade and I have ironed out what we need to take care of before she’s on her honeymoon, I’ve finalized the quarter’s financials, quoted for Mrs. Yield—”
“Yes, you’ve been productive—scarily productive—but you’ve had this faraway look all day, and I’ve caught you smiling to yourself a lot. Did Chuckles make you scream again?” Her brows bounce and I roll my eyes in response. “He totally did; those are I-fucked-your-brains-out flowers.”
“He didn’t fuck my brains out.” Rubbing my brow, I let out a breath before sinking down on my couch. “Or maybe he did.”
She lets out a squeal and dances on the spot. “Babe, you’re in a cock coma. Ugh, I’m so fucking happy for you. Look at those flushed cheeks and bite marks you’ve not hidden as well as you thought.”
“What?” Reaching up, I press my fingers to my neck and she giggles.
“You haven’t got any I can see, but thanks for confirming you’ve had to hide some.” Her eyebrows dance as she throws herself down on the couch with me. “I’m actually giddy thinking about this.”
“You’re one of a kind.”
“Not new information. Which is what I need from you so stop stalling and spill.”
“He likes control,” I say in a hushed tone.
“Control?”