by E. H. Lyon
“True. Sam isn’t the best sleeper,” I confirm and look around the room. Feeling like everyone is looking at me, but maybe I’m just paranoid.
“Have you always been his PA?”
“Yeah, and when he took his little ‘sabbatical’ in the last year, I was his interim’s PA,” Molly explains using air quotes for sabbatical.
I let out a grin. “I see, sabbatical. Is that what we’re calling it?” I joke.
“It doesn’t make sense to many. But I guess when you own more than half the company you can do what you want. Except Leo does work hard when he’s here. Plus, his mother’s death was not easy on him. So, I guess he deserved a break,” Molly explains genuinely.
I think about it and it’s true. Leo was very close with his mother, and I remember when she passed that he didn’t cope well. During that time, I wanted so much to reach out to him like I could cure his pain with my arms, and I didn’t understand it. But it was too hard as he was surrounded by women and parties, that was his way of coping.
Yet, he isn’t that way now. No, he is father extraordinaire and the man who is making me feel like I can finally let go of the sleepless nights with a baby all alone. Another chip at the protective layer in me slowly peels away my resolve for Leo. My hesitation is fading.
Looking around and it doesn’t take long for me to realize that a few onlookers took to me as their target. Maybe Molly picks up on my unease of the spectators in the room.
She nudges me. “They’re just curious who Leo brought on his arm,” Molly says innocently.
Makes sense, he has a history, and I am most definitely not the first woman he has had on his arm.
“Great. Just another number,” I mumble as I look into my glass.
“Nah. You are way more than that. You two are connected together for life,” Molly tries to justify. “Trust me, it is better to get along with each other or it will be a long 18 years. I know from experience,” she adds. I look at her, and before I can say something, I see the terror in her face.
“Jessica!” James calls, and I cringe.
“James,” I manage to get out through grinding teeth, rolling my eyes and turning around. I throw on a fake smile for show.
I would rather be chased by wolves.
“So nice to see you here. Perhaps we could catch up?” He touches my arm gently. “In private,” he gives a piercing look to Molly. She takes the hint and says sure and leaves me in the trenches.
“Here to accuse me of lying to your son again?” I ask with a fake smile on my face.
“I must apologize. I was just in shock.” And it comes off somewhat sincerely. “I just wasn’t aware I had a grandson and was only looking out for my son,” he adds.
I only somewhat believe him and respond by saying nothing.
“I must say that I’m happy it is at least you as opposed to some of his past choices,” James rambles on, and yet again I feel like a pack of wolves are looking mighty fine right about now.
Looking around the room and I see Leo talking with some old guys in suits; he catches my eye and sees the scene in front of him and his face darkens.
“I just hope he is stepping up in this situation,” James continues.
I finally can’t bite my tongue anymore and decide to speak.
“You know what? I don’t think this is the time or place for this conversation. But from the moment Leo found out about Sam, he has stepped up to be this amazing father. Without any hesitation he threw himself in. So, rest assured, there is no situation.” I speak harshly but not so loudly that the whole room can hear. Feeling a protective hand grab my arm, I look to see Leo.
“I warned you,” he threatens through his teeth and pointing to James.
“I’m just checking you both have this under control. I hope you both decide to do the right thing and marry,” James informs us.
Leo lets out a sigh of frustration and moves closer to James.
“You have no say on what is the right thing, not after…” Leo hisses through his teeth and doesn’t finish his sentence. Now I grab Leo’s arm and he looks at me and around the room to make sure nobody is looking. He loosens his shoulders.
It feels like there is more to the story than I know.
“Maybe we just save this all for another day?” I ask, looking between them.
They both look at each other and around the room then agree with a nod. James walks away.
Leo straightens his collar.
I grab his hands and hold them in mine. “Hey, look at me,” I request, and our eyes meet.
“I am so sorry. I should have warned you he would be here,” Leo is agitated.
“What did you mean when you said you warned him?”
He rolls his eyes. “I may have had some words with him… after we ran into him. I told him to leave you alone,” he admits.
“It’s okay. I’m a big girl. I can handle my own fights,” I grab a drink from a waiter with a tray walking by and hand it to Leo. I’m touched he felt the need to warn his father off from me. Like it’s second nature, I let my hands graze along his suit jacket slightly.
“You handling him is not something I worry about. Just wish he could pick a better fucking time for this,” Leo explains, frustrated, and looks around the room.
“It doesn’t matter. Nobody noticed,” I assure him.
Molly comes to let us know it is dinner time. Leo and I look at each other, nod, and head to our table. Hand in hand because it feels right.
I’m sitting next to Leo and a wife of someone begins to talk to me. She seems somewhat friendly and normal for a woman who probably fills her days touching her pearl necklace and playing tennis in her senior age.
“So nice to see Leo back at the company. Everyone missed having him around, according to Fred,” she says, indicating to her husband sitting next to her, who looks like he may retire soon.
“Yeah, it looks like he never left,” I ponder as I look at Leo who is in a deep business conversation next to me.
“How do you and Leo know each other?”
“Well, eh, Leo and me. We uhm,” I struggle with what to say yet find this amusing, but before I can think of an answer, Leo turns his attention to us and drapes his arm around my shoulder.
“Jessica and I have a son together,” Leo says easily and with a bit of pride.
“Oh, that is wonderful. Fred, did you hear? Leo has a son,” the lady says nudging her husband and he turns to us.
“Marcy, I heard and so did half the table,” he tells her. “This is great news, my boy, I didn’t realize you had gotten married when you were away,” Fred adds.
Leo grins to himself.
“You know, Fred, we are not quite there yet. We’re just focusing on our son,” Leo takes a sip of wine, but I swear he twinkled his eye for me—is that even possible? Or is it a Leo Hart hidden talent?
“Yeah, the Elvis impersonator we wanted for the wedding isn’t available for a few months, so we need to wait,” I say sarcastically, giving Leo flashy eyes.
He looks at me and we both smile. Leo goes back to talking to someone else about stocks. But I think I really could get used to his arm being draped around me.
Time passed quickly as I ended up talking to every plus-one that is here and Molly when I could. Leo gave a speech to everyone, then worked the room continuously. Every now and then I looked at Leo who seemed to be in his element. Yet he managed to give me a few soft smiles when our eyes caught each other from across the room. He talked to different people and he knew what he was talking about and everyone seemed to listen to him intently.
I have always guessed what Leo was like when he was working, but now I see it firsthand. It does a number on the sex-appeal factor, and I am losing my resolve miserably.
Grabbing a club soda from the bar, I hear a familiar voice say my name. I turn to see Jake. He sometimes joins our brunches and is quite good friends with Lucas.
“Hey, Jake. What brings you here?” I’m surprised. Jake is our age and would be a catch if h
e weren’t married to his work.
“I do a lot of legal work for the company. Also, for Leo… privately.” Jake gives a knowing grin as he drinks from his glass and tilts his head on an angle. It hits me that by private he means the information he sent us on custody.
“Right. That.”
“It was a little bit of a shocker. But not surprised it was you two. It’s good to see you’re both working everything out, and for once I’m happy my services won’t be needed,” he says, genuinely happy, and I look at him.
“What do you mean working everything out?”
“Well, I just assumed seeing you both here together that you decided to give it a go. To be honest, I’m relieved as nobody wants to have a custody mediation. I would have to refer you both to someone else. Not stepping foot in that. No way. But looking at you both it seems like a pre-nup is more likely.” He nudges my arm.
I am trying to take in what he just said as he’s right. We are handling sharing a child together. But that little bit of fear jabs me in the chest about what happens when Leo moves out.
“Pre-nup? You do realize we’re not together. Just trying to establish the parenting-together relationship for Sam,” I explain with a hint in my voice that his idea is so crazy yet surprised there is a little bean inside me jumping in joy that maybe it’s more.
Jake just continues to smile his smooth grin. “Keep telling yourself that. I’ve never seen him with that look that he has tonight—for you.” He drinks another sip as Leo comes and pats him on the back, interrupting us.
My thoughts don’t get far as I feel an arm fall around my waist like it is meant to be there. Leo comes to my side.
“I like this one, Leo. She is a delight, a real keeper,” Jake jokes.
Leo gives me a wink before he changes the topic. He and Jake quickly mention a few work-related things and then Jake says goodbye and walks away.
My mind wonders if what Jake said is true.
Leo guides me by encircling his arms around my waist, and I swear they fit there perfectly. I’m looking at him, as we are joined at the waist for an embrace that only couples do. Maybe this is to play the part, but I will most certainly play along.
“You seem to be making quite an impression with everyone,” he licks his lips. “And what I have to say will be music to your ears. We can get out of here.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Are you sure? Everyone really wanted a piece of you tonight.” My pointed finger jabs his chest.
“Everyone?” he teases, hopeful, and raises an eyebrow.
I shake my head playfully. “Yeah, even the intern I had to scare away at some point,” I wink then break our embrace to pull his arm with me towards the elevator.
On the way, in a swift move he grabs a bottle of champagne and two glasses from the bar without asking. But this is his show so nobody questions it. Not even me, because I like his confident somewhat swaggered attitude as proven by my half-grin on my face.
When we get into the elevator and the doors close, he presses a button and turns to me. Immediately he lets out something that must have been on his mind.
“Thanks for what you said to my father.” Leo leans against the elevator wall casually with the glasses hanging between his fingers by the stems, bottle in his other hand.
I try and remember what I said and then realize that I know clearly what he means. I softly nod my head yes. “It’s true. You are a great dad already. A natural.”
I smile and hope he can see how genuinely I mean it and how happy I am. Truthfully, it never once crossed my mind that he wouldn’t be a good father.
He moves to balance the bottle with glasses in between the fingers of one hand as his other hand moves to tuck some hair behind my ear before kissing my cheek.
“Thanks.”
“For what?”
“For being by my side all night.” He locks his gaze with mine.
“Fake girlfriend at your service.” I give a little salute of my fingers at my forehead, but internally I’m aware that I didn’t mind at all.
“Think you were upgraded to fiancée at some point,” he teases, and I smile.
Something in me tightens from that thought and not in a bad way.
His mouth curves. There is something inside me going weak, and I can’t figure out what is happening, but my body isn’t connecting with my head anymore. I feel my body does that a lot around him.
He snakes his free arm around me, as his other hand continues to balance the bottle and glasses when he pulls me close. My heart is racing, and I am sure if he takes a step closer then I won’t have restraint.
“Where are we going, by the way?” I’ve been so involved at staring at him that only now I feel we are going up in the elevator.
“A surprise.”
Chapter Eighteen
Leo
There was a moment in the elevator that I saw a familiar glimmer in her eyes. A look of longing, curiosity, and maybe even feelings for me. I’ve seen it before. Or always hoped I saw it. But then yesterday at the hotel just propelled me to new heights as I witnessed it all when she was in my arms. Her eyes said enough.
She and I are going to happen.
We get off the elevator and walk onto the deck of the heated rooftop pool that has steam coming off the water.
It is technically closed at this hour, but the lights of the pool illuminate and the sky above is clear. The owner of the hotel is an old family friend, so I know he doesn’t mind if I roam to closed quarters. Jess follows me as we head to the ledge where I set the bottle of champagne and glasses.
“Thought we could take a breather before heading home,” I mention as I admire watching her take in the view from the roof.
"Good idea, co-parent." She clucks the inside of her cheek then takes a pin out from her hair to make her the hair that was up fall loose. I don't think she has any thought behind it. But that move just sent a rush of blood through me.
"Right. Co-parents," I say faintly and lean against the ledge, crossing my arms and looking at her in awe. Something I am getting used to.
"Yep. Co-parents," she reiterates slowly and turns to walk towards me. Our eyes meeting.
There is a magnetic pull happening and we both see it in each other’s eyes.
We feel it.
"Come here," I request firmly yet gently.
She doesn't speak, instead walking slowly closer.
“Leo,” she whispers a warning yet still continues to slowly step into my orbit.
I grab her hands and pull her to me with a simple tug. Wrapping her close to me, she reaches her hands to my chest to grab the edges of my suit jacket to pull me towards her.
"I’m not following my plan," she whispers with a devilish grin as she slowly loosens my bow tie and one by one unbuttons the top of my shirt. Her eyes lock on my eyes that are watching her. She knows what she is doing, and I don’t even consider stopping her.
"No. Now you’re following my plan," I challenge, and it comes out husky with a grin.
I can see she finds amusement to that remark.
We both lean in at the same time and our lips collide. No games. We have been waiting for this all day. Both of us initiating. Craving it. Wanting it all for what I think are the right reasons.
My mouth ravishes hers and my hands roam her body. Her mouth and hands return the eagerness. I guide her to walk back a few steps towards a chaise lounge chair with big cushions where I lay her down, and I hover over her, our lips never parting in the process.
She is caged under me as she helps peel my tux jacket off to the side and hurriedly finishes unbuttoning my shirt as my hands grab some of her hair to bring her mouth back to mine. I’m absolutely hungry for her. I don’t think I need oxygen, I need her.
Her legs wrap around my waist, letting her silk dress fall up to her waist, and she comes up to sitting to kiss me more. A perfect fit. My mind locks in the way her legs fit around me, and it will be so easy to get lost in her.
Briefly, I see h
er swollen lips before I eagerly move to kiss her neck. I can hear her panting as her hands continue to explore the skin under my unbuttoned shirt.
Our centers meeting each other still clothed. She is so damn warm, and I am so hard. Something she feels with her hand, and this woman must know the power she has over me.
“Are we doing this again?” she rasps, and I can hear the humor in her voice.
“Yes, Jess, we are doing this again,” I answer her and grin against her skin as my hand begins to slide up her smooth bare leg.
Her hand reaches for my belt and the clack of the buckle is a splendid sound.
Our mouths can’t part in our fusion of lust. My hand enjoys the journey up her thigh as her radiating heat hits my hand halfway, causing my hand to stop.
I want more than anything to rip her clothes off here, but some logic enters my head and I realize where we are.
Normally I wouldn’t mind, but Jess isn’t normal. I want her more than just physically; I want her always at my side like tonight. She is someone that if I go down this road, we have to get it right.
We agree on something. It’s all or nothing, no in-between.
I try to pull my lips away from hers and drag my reluctant hand down, but I am struggling on all counts as my dick and my mind are having an internal debate.
“Jessica,” I rasp between kisses until we finally manage to pull away from each other.
“Oh no, you called me Jessica.”
I bring her back to sitting and frame her face with my hands to let my thumbs caress the edges of her mouth. She knows I am about to put on the brakes.
“As much as I want you here, I respect you too much to let us do that right now, and we have to get this right.” I amaze myself that I manage to say this.
The old me would have had her on the lounge chair as I plunge into her within thirty seconds of arriving. But that’s not me now.
She can’t manage to say anything. But nods. She quickly stands and puts her hand through her hair.
“What are we doing?” Jess asks, slightly panicked, and touches her lips with her hand.
“I think I know,” I admit, shaking my head as I slowly re-button the buttons of my shirt when I stand.
