by E. H. Lyon
“I think you wish that I enjoy it,” I whisper. He lets out a hmm deep in his throat.
“So, if you are so unaffected by me then I can do this, and you wouldn’t care?” he dares in a husky voice as his other hand finds my oblique. I flinch out of response, but he just pulls me closer. There is no place to go, and instead my body hits the desk and he gently pushes me, so I lean against the desk with his body tilting into mine.
“You are so arrogant,” I mutter, but my breathing is picking up. I let my hand claw his shirt at his hard chest. His cologne isn’t strong, but just enough that I know I will be reminded of him later. Annoying.
“You are so feisty.” His eyes go up and down between my lips and eyes. He leans his face into mine, and my body is begging for it, aching for it. We look at each other’s mouth and are about to close in. But we’re interrupted by a knock on the door. I quickly break away from his trap.
“Don’t mess with my work again,” I warn, then barge off and open the door to someone waiting on the other side.
Chapter Twelve
Jess
Oh crap! I look down on my dress and see it’s covered in milk and tomato sauce from Sam’s dinner. I was so focused on getting him to bed that I didn’t notice. As I finish adding dishes to the dishwasher, I hear the engine of Leo’s car pull into the driveway.
For reasons I can’t comprehend, I don’t want him to see me this way, and I run to the laundry room to take off my messy dress and throw on a big shirt I find in the dryer, quickly fastening a few buttons as I hear the door between the garage and kitchen open.
Returning to the kitchen and I quickly realize my error.
“What are you doing to me, Jess?” Leo hisses a breath as if he has been punched in the stomach. His laptop bag slowly falls off his shoulder to the floor and I stand frozen as he walks slowly towards me with a wicked look on his face. Undressing me with his eyes and every breath he takes is contemplating what to do to me, I am sure.
Looking down at my body and I see that I threw on one of his dress shirts from work that was in the laundry.
Oops.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize. Just grabbed the first thing,” I innocently explain.
“Really?” He widens his eyes. “You just casually thought you would throw on one of my work shirts and nothing else, but I think some lace?” He lets his head tilt so he can see under the button-down shirt where I may have forgotten to button a few buttons. I only have underwear on and nothing else.
“What? Just found it in the laundry. Hazards of living together,” I shrug.
His hand scrubs across his jaw as he lets out an audible breath with a slight whistle.
My thought is I should go change, but the man has seen me in less, and, well, this shirt is kind of comfortable… and I think I may enjoy torturing him like this.
Not part of my plan.
Still I offer, “Sorry, I’ll change, and you can have your shirt back.”
“No, please don’t. My shirt looks better on you,” he grimaces.
Something in me dances that he really enjoys this torture, and I smile.
Leo grabs something from his laptop bag. He gives me a warning smile as he throws a box of fancy macarons on the counter. I love macarons, Leo would always steal them when I had a bunch at the office—he remembers. Then he pulls out a small wooden truck with Sam’s name on it.
Leaning over the counter, I touch the gifts and raise a brow. “Is this going to happen every time you come back from a business trip?”
“Probably.”
I try not to let my mouth form a smile, but it’s an epic fail. “Don’t spoil him, Leo. Plus, you already sent a fruit basket and dinner while you were away.”
“Just trying to make your life easy when I’m not around,” he pretends to be modest but I know it’s purely pretend. I shake my head in amusement.
“Good day at the office with Sam?” I ask as I pour hot water into two mugs.
“He was extra energetic. Wore me out. Feels like he’s maybe plotting to get his way,” Leo says as he loosens his tie and buttons.
“Like father like son then,” I tell him as I lean over the counter and my fingers play with the gifts.
“How so?”
“I ran into Felix McGee at Matchbox.” I can see Leo’s face turn neutral.
“Felix fucking McGee. What did he want?”
“Nothing, only to congratulate us about Sam. I’m sure his gift is in the mail,” I deadpan. “He thought we were leaving the hotel together the other day when we walked from your car.”
Leo’s eyes widen with gratification as he slants a shoulder. “I mean, that’s not a horrible idea.”
I ignore that comment.
“It’s funny what you learn when you least expect it,” I comment slyly, arching an eyebrow. Leo looks at me confused. “I always knew you warned him not to work with me, I believe you and I had words once about that before. But why is it you didn’t want him to work with me?”
I’m still undecided if I should be pissed or relieved. Pissed because I’m reminded he messed with my business and relieved because the reasoning behind it is jealousy. And Leo being jealous means I wasn’t imagining it all that time.
Leo lets out a deep breath then looks at me with that look that can only be described as he isn’t going to let me have the upper hand. I know this man. He steps into my space, closing our distance.
“Because he wouldn’t have been good for you,” he answers simply.
“Why would it have mattered to you?”
“Trust me. Him trying to get you into bed isn’t something you would have wanted.”
He’s only amused and lets his hand reach and touch my hip.
I slap his hand away as I feel my temper flare.
“Wasn’t your decision to make and you don’t know what I would have wanted. Maybe I would have loved to roll around with Felix. And again, why would it have mattered to you?” I am firm, annoyed, and my gaze should be piercing him.
“There is no way you would have gone with him, not when it took me years to get you into bed. Felix has a book bigger than my own. If I couldn’t have you than I certainly wasn’t going to let him get close.” He comes to touch my waist then drags his fingers to my oblique and up.
Tormenting.
I know this feeling coming. My body feeling free and wanting his fingers to lead the way because I can’t think. The flood between my legs can’t be ignored.
We both grab a mug of tea, and I walk towards the couch with Leo in tow.
“I am not a toy, Leo. And it was before that night, why would you have cared?” I’m aggravated as I sit on the sofa. He flops onto the sofa next to me.
“I think we established that I wanted you more than only that night, just like you probably wanted the same.” That confirmation again that we could have more than just one night, which makes my heart dance and twist because it means so many things.
“I should be mad,” I’m trying not to lose control. But his words are what I really want to hear. Sending me on a dangerous path.
“No, you don’t want to be mad. You like what you hear.” He’s confident and moves his head closer and lets his hand cup my cheek.
I turn my head away.
“Leo, you really hurt me when you did that. It was unfair, and even though in your world it was noble behavior, I thought you did it out of spite.”
“Jess, I’m sorry, really I am. If I could go back and do it differently I would.” His apology comes out sincere.
I look back at him. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? You know what, it doesn’t matter. What I don’t get is you, Leo. You are Mr. Hotshot in the boardroom and most of the time a confident jackass that gets his way. So why would you resort to such a stupid move?”
He scoffs. “First, when would I have told you? Because every time I thought I had the chance to have an open conversation, I realized you were dating some jackass. Just like every time you wanted to have an honest conve
rsation with me—we didn’t because I was with someone who didn’t hold a candle to you. It was our circle. I should have told you that night, but we were having too good of a time. But really, I am sorry.”
His look is endearing, and I take a moment to look at him. He picks up on the fact that I’m weakening because he grabs my hanging arms that seem to have turned to feathers.
“And why that move?” he continues. “You are different, a challenge. I thought I needed a different approach. But, Jess. If I hadn’t done that, would you have really succumbed to my charm sooner?” He tries to catch my glance.
The man always had a spot in me that kept me on a brink of desire. I struggle to think of an answer, because I was a witness to his playboy ways which was a deterrent.
The only answer I have is to shrug my shoulders. “I guess not.”
“It happened the way it was maybe supposed to, otherwise we maybe wouldn’t have Sam.”
What an asshole for twisting me into that logic. Yet a cunning and sexy one, because he is so damn right.
I shake my head at his theory.
He nudges my arm. “Come on, Jess, it was a good fight.” He smiles, satisfied with himself.
I give him a scowl. “How so? You interfered with my work, and trust me, it’s one reason why you and me, well…” I look at him, but the way he looks at me is not of a man who wants to hurt me. And he is right, we both put on top-notch performances in that little brawl.
Ugh.
“It was maybe an energetic argument.”
There is a long break in conversation as we look at each other. Maybe we both should have known; the signs were always there that we would combust together at some point.
The snoring on the baby monitor breaks our silence.
“He is out like a light, maybe I can check on him,” he mentions.
“Then Sam wakes five minutes later and I blame you. We went over this. He wakes if we open the door to check on him.” I give Leo a knowing look, yet I find it sweet his need to check on Sam.
“Live on the edge a little, Jess.” He gives me a side glance.
“Whoa.” I hold a hand up. “Are you suggesting I became one of those boring moms?”
His cheeks pull up as he tries to keep his grin under control. “Not at all. Boring was never your way. I still remember meeting you,” he sounds almost sentimental.
“I would hope so. You have to tell our son one day,” I’m giving him a hard time.
“Max had a party at his house. Even though everyone was hitting their prime in professional careers, the party was like we were in high school. He mixed a bunch of drinks—his specialty drink.”
“Max’s Manifesto,” we say in unison and look at each other.
“God, those things are pure vodka,” I remark.
“And ice. If we’re lucky a splash of juice too. Anyways, he was passing me a drink.”
“But I made sure you watched me as I stole your drink before it reached your hand and took a sip,” I recall.
His mouth curves. “Yeah. And when you walked away, I asked Max who that piece of hot trouble was and he told me no way would I have a chance as you were his business partner and wouldn’t be interested.”
“Really?” I have doubt.
“Absolutely.”
“We have a lot of memories, Leo. But the fact is the moment we laid eyes on each other, we aggravated each other to no end."
Because I had a front seat to his jerk tendencies.
“People change, Jess, and is that why you’re hesitant? Because of the way I was?”
"I know what you’re thinking, and maybe it plays a factor as to why I’m not jumping into bed with you. But it’s not the driving factor," I explain.
"Who said anything about jumping into bed? But happy to hear that’s your line of thinking," he says, trying to rile me.
“Oh yeah, because a night with you would be earth-shattering, mind-boggling, an end of the world kind of night,” I reply sarcastically.
He gives me a frown.
I just shake my head, entertained.
There is a brief silence as we both sit there letting the soft music in the background break into our silence. I forgot it was on.
“The National?” he asks, motioning up with his finger indicating the music and moving us on.
“Yeah. Good ear.”
Leo starts laughing hysterically. “You know, I went to their concert. But on my way back I had to stop at the emergency room as Max called and got his hand stuck in some handcuffs. They were cheap plastic ones, but the lock wouldn’t budge and his hand turned red. He had a reaction or something. They gave him some antihistamines, so I had to drive him home.”
I choke on my tea. “Whaaat? That is funny. And what an amateur mistake. If you’re going to be bound up then at least use a belt. It is so much stronger.”
Leo nearly spits out his tea and looks at me with a grin filled with admiration. “Note to self for future reference, you prefer a belt. You really are not an innocent soul.”
“I never claimed to be innocent.” I wink at him and I don’t think I am internally complaining about his suggestion to his future self.
He takes a relaxing breath as I think he needs it. I let it sink in how enjoyable it is talking with him. How I could get used to this.
I reflect for a moment.
“Crazy. You and I are parents together.”
“Yeah, it is. But a good crazy? Hey, we still haven’t decided on some key parenting decisions,” he says light-heartedly, and I give him a questioning look. “You know, which music to introduce him to first. Or how to survive the terrible twos?”
I smile. “Well, I already have him listening to the essentials of 90s alternative, if that’s what has you worried. And when he is older and wants advice on girls, then I am sending him to his Uncle Lucas. Because Max would only give horrible advice and you are just trouble.” I poke his arm with my mug of tea in hand. “He isn’t dating until he is at least like 20.”
“We are so locking him in his room so he can’t date.”
“Yeah, and we will totally suck at the birth control talk.”
He laughs and gives me an agreed look. “Yeah, because it worked so well for us.” It’s sarcastic and we both laugh.
“But we make good kids,” he adds.
I look at him puzzled. “Kids? Why is that plural?”
“You never know. Maybe one day Sam wants a sibling and I’m your only option.” A tight smile forms on his mouth.
I shake my head at him with a grin, aware that this whole evening, despite where our conversation began, has been pleasant. Easy.
He does that annoying and effective thing where his fingers comb my hair behind my ears. I should push his hand away, but instead I stare into his eyes.
This has to be sleep deprivation.
Because my body without thought moves a few inches back into his direction, and swirls dance around my chest down to between my legs. His eyes look at my mouth before he moves ever so slightly. Our bodies re-angle to face one another.
This can’t be happening.
But I don’t retreat.
As I move closer, my hand moves from my thigh to his, and I feel something between us. “Wow, you’re hard,” I comment bluntly and slightly astonished at how quickly this escalated.
Leo’s eyes go puzzled as he looks down between us then back up. “Uh. That would be one of Sam’s blocks.” He grabs the red block and throws it across the room as we both laugh.
“Come on, Jess. You know that was too small to compare,” he jokes.
We both smile, but then go quiet as we shuffle on the sofa again, finding our way back to each other with my hands locating his arms, and I feel his hand cup my cheek. I should have used the block as my out, but I am too drawn to him.
I feel his breath. It’s hot and sends sensations to my core.
Our lips nearly touching causes tingles all the way to my toes.
But as we nearly hit homerun, one of
us nudge something in the sofa crack and an annoying baby book starts to sing.
I quickly pull away and jump up to standing. Leo groans in frustration. I feel saved and he looks like he isn’t having any luck.
“Is our kid stockpiling toys in the couch?” he asks with that smooth smile.
But that reminder of Sam is all I needed to snap me into sense.
“I think I’m going to head to bed,” I quickly say as I point my finger up. I say goodnight to Leo and head upstairs to bed. My speed of getting out of there impresses even me. I manage to hear him say goodnight to me as I disappear up the stairs.
Waking, I look at the clock. What? 8am? It’s a working-from-home day for me so I’m not late, but I haven't slept this late in nine months. Maybe I could get used to having Leo around.
You said three months only.
Looking down, I notice I never changed out of his shirt. That’s not a great sign for my restraint level. Throwing on some fresh clothes, I head down to the kitchen and see Leo feeding Sam in his highchair.
"Good morning," I greet them.
Leo looks at me and smiles. "Morning."
We look at each other. Both with a silly grin on our faces.
"What time were you both up?"
"6am. I went for a walk with him, and Avery was kind enough to let us get first dibs on the breakfast display," he tells me as he gives pieces of fruit to Sam.
"Geez. How do you have the energy?" I ask, amazed that he managed all of that.
Grabbing a mug, I pour some coffee. I see Leo look down at his shirt and notice he has Sam’s breakfast all over him. Without even a look at me, he takes his shirt off to reveal his toned body. Should probably be a museum piece somewhere. He doesn’t take note of me as his mind seems somewhere else.
I, on the other hand, may have just lost the need for my coffee to wake me up.
"I can live off two hours of sleep. Easily done," Leo answers.
I let out an evil laugh. "Just you wait. Nine months with this creature and your sleep cycle will be screwed," I indicate to Sam.
