“So, when we were done, I started to get out of my bed when Chris grabbed me.” She swallows hard. “Sophia, he wanted to fucking cuddle.”
I begin to chuckle, which turns into a full-blown laugh. So help me God, I try to keep it in, but I can’t.
“Why are you laughing so hard? You know I don’t cuddle…I don’t do feelings.”
“I know. I’m sorry, but I’m just imagining the shock on Chris’s face when he figured out he was just a booty call. I bet he’s never been kicked out of bed before.”
Brenda laughs but it isn’t a funny laugh.
“Ugh, I think I fucked up,” she laments as she buries her face in her hands.
“Come on, Brenda. Don’t be so hard on yourself. From what I understand, Chris probably doesn’t want anything serious either. But maybe you should explain yourself to him next time you see him.”
Brenda whips her face up to mine, her big blue eyes boring holes into me. “Next time I see him? Oh, I won’t be seeing him again.”
I raise an eyebrow. “OK, I guess we aren’t double dating, huh?”
After another few minutes of trying to console my best friend, I head back in to finish my shift. The rest of the evening and morning hours go by slowly. When I’m not busy with a patient, my mind wanders to Leo and what he must think about the Brenda and Chris predicament. That is, if Chris even told him.
Leo
When Chris told me he had sex with Brenda, I wasn’t surprised. But when he told me she kicked him out, I sort of laughed. Well, not sort of. I did laugh, until I saw how upset Chris was.
I’m not sure he’s as much upset that he got the brush-off after sex as he is shocked. Part of me thinks it’s good he got a little taste of his own medicine. I mean, Chris isn’t an asshole, but he is the “love them and leave them” type. I just hope his little escapade doesn’t screw up my chances with Sophia.
It’s finally Wednesday and I’m on my way over to pick her up for our date. Since she likes to dance, and my foot is feeling better, I’m going to ignore my feeling of embarrassment and take her dancing. I can’t dance at all. But that’s OK because making Sophia happy is worth being a little uncomfortable.
Since her birthday is this weekend, I’m revealing her present tonight. I bought tickets for us to spend the day at the Mango Festival about two hours south of us. I hope she’ll like it because I know I will.
As I pull up to her place, she opens the door right away. She doesn’t even give me a chance to unbuckle my seatbelt before she’s getting into my car.
“Hey, I was coming to get you but you beat me to it,” I tell her as she slides into the front seat.
When I looked at her, she’s out of breath.
“Is everything all right?”
“Hi.” She smiles at me. “Yes, but I just got home from work. I was running late and wasn’t sure I was going to be ready on time.”
I can’t stop staring at her. Sophia’s wearing a light blue two-piece outfit that looks like a dress but her midriff is showing. She’s straightened her black curly hair, and it looks hot.
Fuck me!
“Leo?”
She snaps me out of a very dirty fantasy that was beginning to take over.
“Sorry, I didn’t hear what you said.”
She laughs. “I didn’t say anything. You just looked like you zoned out a little. Are you alright?”
Sophia puts her hand on my leg. I swallow hard, trying to keep my dick in line.
I clear my throat. “Yeah, everything is great.” Except for my dick.
I pull away from her condo and head to the dance club about five minutes away.
“So, are you ready to show me what you’ve got?”
I almost lose control of my car.
“Excuse me?” I ask, shocked at her boldness. Of course, if she wants to see it, I’ll show her.
“You said you didn’t dance well, so are you ready to show me what you’ve got?” She laughs. “I mean, you can’t be that bad.”
Oh! We definitely weren’t on the same page.
Stopping at a red light, I reach over and grab her hand. “Sophia, you have no idea just how bad I am.”
Sophia
The way Leo alluded to how bad he was, I couldn’t help but wonder if he’s really a bad boy. He’s always been sweet with me, but maybe I’m looking for something a little more…bad.
“Sophia?”
“Yeah?”
“Come on, sweetheart. We’re here but you seem to have drifted off into another world. Do you want to tell me what’s got your attention?”
I swallow the words. Leo watches my throat and it’s sexy. He smirks as he grabs my hand. “Come on. Why don’t you show me what you’ve got.”
The club is busy for a Wednesday night but it won’t deter me from getting Leo out on the dance floor. We find a table away from the DJ, so we’re able to talk over the music.
“Do you want to get something to drink and eat first?” he asks.
I giggle because I know Leo should have a drink to loosen him up a little. His shoulders are tense and his forehead is laced with deep lines.
“Maybe a drink will help you shake your booty,” I whisper in his ear.
It’s his turn to swallow what I can only assume is nerves. I watch him try to gain control of his emotions as he leans into me. “Your booty is the only thing getting me through this.”
Leo pulls back with the sexy smirk I’m used to.
All of a sudden, it’s really warm in here, like someone cranked the heat.
Leo and I make small talk about what’s been going on the last few days. Neither of us mention Chris and Brenda, leaving me to wonder if he knows what happened.
Leo has finished two beers in the time it takes me to drink my mango martini, and he seems pretty relaxed.
“Sophia, I want to give you your birthday present tonight.”
Placing my hands in my lap, I begin to feel nervous.
“You didn’t have to get me anything, Leo. We barely know each other.”
Leo shakes his head. “I wanted to get you something, and I really didn’t want to wait until your next birthday to let you know I was thinking about you.”
Next year? My heart sinks a little because I know Leo won’t be around for my next birthday. Really, this can’t end well for me, I know that. But part of me, a large part of me, wants to continue to see him, no matter the cost to my heart. Maybe the fact I’ve never had my heart broken by a man before has led to my naiveté about how badly it’s going to hurt.
“Hey, what’s going on in your mind? You look like you just lost your best friend,” he asks as he moves my loose hair off my shoulder.
The contact makes my body tremble.
“Nothing, really,” I lie, which is not a good thing, especially for a former nun. It seems every day I feel as if I slip further and further away from the vows I took. Even though I know I’m not bound by them any longer, the guilt is ever-present.
I know he doesn’t believe me but he doesn’t push for the truth, and I’m thankful. I mean, really, what would I say?
Leo, I know you’re expecting sex and God knows I’m thinking about it too. But how long are you willing to wait for me?
Leo’s movement brings my attention back to him, and the here and now. He reaches in his wallet and pulls out an envelope.
“Sophia, I have to give you your present tonight, not on your birthday. When you open this, you’ll see why.”
He slides the envelope over to me, in a move that reminds me of some sort of shady business deal.
“Wow, that was sneaky.”
Leo laughs with a big smile that makes my heart do all sorts of fluttering.
“I hope you like it.”
I smile back at Leo as I open the envelope.
Scanning the contents, I see they are two tickets to the Mango Festival this Saturday. I’ve always wanted to go, but I never had the time nor the opportunity. Somehow, this man found something I’ve always wanted
to do and has made it a reality.
Holding the tickets in my trembling hands, I glance up at Leo.
“Do you like the tickets, Sophia? I think it’ll be a great time.”
Don’t get me wrong, my parents have always given me nice presents for my birthday, but for some reason, this gift from Leo makes my heart swell with such happiness. It’s almost embarrassing how much it means to me. And the fact that he wants to go with me, well, that’s the icing on the cake.
“These tickets are perfect, Leo. I’ve always wanted to go to the Mango Festival but for one reason or another, I never did.”
Looking over at Leo, I can see how happy he is that I love the tickets. And the fact that my happiness makes him happy is a bonus.
“Well, maybe you were supposed to wait to meet me before you went to the festival.”
My stomach flips at his words. My brain tries to rationalize the thought while my heart runs away with it. Was I supposed to wait for Leo? Now I’m not thinking about the festival, I’m thinking about sex. Why do I always think about sex when I think about Leo?
“I thought I could pick you up early Saturday morning, so we could get to the festival when it starts. We can take our time, have some dinner, and then head home.”
Placing my hand over his, I squeeze. “Leo, that sounds like the best birthday. Thank you.”
He winks at me. “All right, I guess I owe you a dance or two, huh?”
The next fifteen minutes are the most entertaining of my life. I can’t remember when I laughed so hard. I tried not to, really, I did, but Leo was right—he can’t dance at all.
He was a good sport though. He didn’t get mad at me when I laughed at him. Leo just laughed too.
The DJ puts on a slow Justin Timberlake song, “Until the End of Time.” Considering how long we’ve been dancing, I figure Leo would be ready for a break. “Let’s get something to eat,” I yell over my shoulder.
Just as I turn to go back to our seats, Leo grabs me by the wrist.
“Oh no, sweetheart. I just embarrassed the hell out of myself. You owe me at least one slow dance.”
Our eyes meet, and his hand feels like fire around my wrist.
Leo doesn’t wait for me to respond before he pulls me up against him. Being bolder than I was before, I run my hands up his chest to his shoulders.
“That feels good, Sophia. I like it when you touch me.”
I like it when I touch you too, Leo…so much.
I smile up at him since he’s so much taller than I am.
Moving his hands to my hips, Leo pulls me in closer. He wraps one arm around me and rests his hand on my lower back. My legs suddenly feel like jelly so I grip Leo tighter. We start to move to the slow, sexy music and what a difference in Leo.
I lay my head against his chest because I’m afraid to make eye contact. I’m afraid he’ll see the lust in my eyes.
His heart is beating quickly even though we aren’t moving fast. And I’m pretty sure mine is galloping right along with his.
Just as I start to relax, his hand moves down to my butt cheek. At the same time, his mouth nears my ear. “Is this alright?”
Afraid I won’t be able to form words, I tentatively nod against his broad chest.
I feel myself getting wetter with every second that passes. Apparently, I’m not the only one who is turned on because he’s getting hard against my tummy.
“Leo.” I look up at him.
“I can’t help it, Sophia. Touching you makes me this way. Hell, just being in the same room with you does. So, holding you like this, it’s a no-brainer.”
Suddenly, it feels as if someone else takes over my body. Standing on my tiptoes, I grab Leo’s face in my hands and kiss him. It isn’t a gentle, innocent kiss either.
My tongue searches for his like my life depends on it, like it’s the oxygen I need.
Leo moans into my mouth as he moves his hands to my face.
We aren’t dancing anymore. In fact, the only movement I sense is mine as I grind myself against him. The feel of his hardness against me is something I know should frighten me. But even as new to this as I am, I can’t help but be turned on.
Leo certainly grabs my attention when he pulls away from me quickly. With his hands on my shoulders, he puts about two feet of distance between us. We’re both breathing heavily when he speaks.
“Sophia, you deserve better than me mauling you on the dance floor. Do you, um, want to get out of here and go back to your place?”
Do I? I know I don’t want tonight to end, but I’m not sure what’ll happen when we get back to my place.
Leo turns my face to his. “Hey. Nothing will happen unless you want it to, OK? I’d never force myself on you or try to get you to go further than you’re comfortable with.”
I know this in my mind. And if I’m being honest, it’s not Leo I’m concerned about—it’s me. For years, I’ve been taught to believe what I’m feeling, what I want, is wrong. How do I reconcile that with how the man in front of me feels?
“No pressure?” I ask with a shaky voice.
Leo smiles. “Never any pressure Sophia. I’d rather die from blue balls than ever put you in a position you don’t want to be in.”
I laugh at the thought. “Well, I can honestly say I’ve never seen a case of blue balls in the ER, so I don’t think you’ll die from it.”
“Let’s go,” Leo says, pulling me through the crowd of bodies. We weave in between couples grinding against each other. As we do, I feel the heat move through my own body. Is twenty-seven too young to have hot flashes?
Forty-five minutes later, we arrive at my place with three corndogs and a half gallon of chocolate ice cream.
“This isn’t exactly how I pictured tonight going,” Leo says as he follows me into my condo.
Tossing my keys on the counter, I turn to catch him looking at my butt.
I raise an eyebrow. “How exactly did you think it would go?”
Leo shakes his head. “You caught me. I told you I love your ass.”
The way he says it makes my heart pound in my ears. No man has ever paid so much attention to my body before. Granted, it was pretty covered up for a lot of years.
“Yours isn’t so bad either.” I wink.
I like my sudden boldness. Leo must like it too because he kisses me on the back of my hand, sending my stomach into a somersault.
For the next hour, Leo and I eat dinner and dessert. We make small talk, avoiding the elephant in the room—the difference in our sexual experience.
It’s during a lull in the conversation when he blurts out, “Chris and Brenda had sex. She kicked him out after.”
I giggle like a schoolgirl gossiping with her best friend, except this time, it’s about my best friend.
“I don’t know why she did it, Leo. I mean, she doesn’t want a commitment or anything but I don’t get the feeling that Chris doesn’t either.”
“You should’ve heard Chris. On one hand, it was kind of funny but then I felt sorry for him.”
OK, so this is getting a little gray here for me. I don’t want to betray Brenda’s trust on this. So, I hedge my bets.
“I think it’s probably best to let them work it out and not let it interfere in whatever is going on with us.”
Leo leans in closer and kisses me on the forehead. “I agree, sweetheart. I think you and I have enough to focus on without the drama that is Chrenda.”
“Chrenda?” I ask, not sure what he’s talking about.
“Yeah, Chris and Brenda…Chrenda.”
A snort escapes at his explanation, and we both burst out laughing.
Leo
Sophia is pretty for sure, but when she laughs, her beauty can’t be described. I’m a fucking lucky guy to be here with her. I was a little scared I had taken things a little too far at the club, but it seems Sophia wasn’t too upset about it. In fact, part of me thinks she was into it just as much as I was. The evening ended perfectly, with a goodnight kiss and a promise f
or a great weekend.
On my way home later that night, I think about our plans for Saturday. Sophia told me to go ahead and plan the whole day and she’d be happy with anything we do. I’m a little hesitant not consulting her because it’s her birthday, but we did agree I’d pick her up around seven a.m., so we could get there when the festival begins.
Pulling up to our place, I see Chris sitting on our back step with a bottle of tequila. Fuck. I scrub my hand over my face. He only does this when something is wrong.
“What’s up, man?” I ask as I get out of my car.
Chris holds up the bottle. “Jusss having a drink.”
Great, he’s already slurring.
I make my way through our white wooden gate and plop down next to him. “Drinking alone, huh?”
He sways a little on the step but steadies himself with an overexaggerated nod. “Yep.”
“Give me a swig of that,” I tell him as I reach for the bottle out of his hand. I don’t really want a drink. I just want to get it away from Chris.
I take a quick sip then set the bottle down on the other side of me, out of Chris’s view.
“Wanna talk about it?” I ask, figuring he’ll probably say no.
But I’m wrong.
Chris spends the next hour going on and on about how Brenda broke his heart. How she’s perfect for him. Then he tells me more than I want to know about how dirty she is in the bedroom.
Now, I’ve known Chris for ten years. We went to college together and we’re lucky enough to play on the same professional soccer team. In those ten years, I’ve never seen Chris torn up about a woman before. This is new territory and I’m not sure what to do or say. So, I wing it.
Giving him a pep talk, I tell him there’re plenty of women out there but he needs to look for someone who isn’t just out for a good time. The fact that we’re both thirty and not married makes me think we need to start acting like adults.
Of course, it’s easier said than done for Chris. He’s always been the heartbreaker of our team. For me, though? Not a problem. I’ll wait for Sophia for as long as she needs me to. I just hope she’s ready before I turn fifty.
A Love Like Nun Other: Book One in the Game Winner Duet Page 7
