by Dee J. Adams
She took a long swipe up his abs and devoured the ice cream and Leo in one lick. After she’d clean up that particular spill, she spread more chocolate to make a perfect outline of his hard-on, making sure to barely graze the edges as she worked. Then because she was feeling extra frisky, she straddled his chest backward—not only so she could do as much damage as possible with this angle—but because she hoped he took her up on the invitation.
He did.
She jerked at the cool ice cream he spread inside her thigh. She moaned as he nipped at her tender flesh. But when she felt the cold right between her butt cheeks all bets were off. Kim dipped into the bowl and spread a line of chocolate down his rigid erection and took satisfaction in making Leo twitch.
He dropped an f-bomb as she wrapped her lips around the tip and began to suck.
If it was war, Kim had to admit it was the best damn war she’d ever been involved in because Leo reciprocated by working his tongue along her sensitive seam, from her clit to her ass and back. Long strokes that set off immediate need so sharp she could barely breathe. In retaliation, she sucked him harder and deeper.
A war to come. She didn’t see any losers in this battle. Not one.
But as Leo pulled her closer to orgasm, she gripped the base of his cock and squeezed at the same time she sucked. She felt his fingers pump deep inside and stroke her G-spot. With his fingers inside her and his tongue working her, Kim couldn’t hold back her climax. She moaned on his cock, jerking as her orgasm jolted through her. Leo’s shout warned her a second before he pulsed in her hand and into her mouth.
She loved the combination of ice cream and Leo.
When he finished, she rolled off to the side, replete and out of breath. Leo yanked her up next to him, not giving her a chance to recover before he put his mouth on hers and stole a hot kiss. He stroked his thumbs across her temple. Something different lurked in his eyes. Something she hadn’t seen before.
“I…” He didn’t finish, just kept looking down at her. “You…” He shook his head.
“You don’t need to say anything,” she whispered. “This is just us, being us. It’s okay. All good.”
He shook his head again, his eyes so serious. “No, it’s not good. It’s better than good.” He kissed her again, a sweet brush of lips across her, a moment to remember, to cherish. “I don’t want this to end. I don’t want to be apart from you.”
Longing, strong and sharp, welled up in her chest. What was she supposed to say to that? They’d hashed this out already, hadn’t they? But she’d never seen him like this. Like this very second meant life or death. “What are you saying, Leo?”
He swallowed hard, never took his gaze from hers. “I love you.”
The words stopped her breath, but only for a second. Words she’d always dreamed of hearing coming from a man who had never said them, the man she wanted more than anything. But he was a master at conveying emotion he didn’t really feel. In fact, he made a living off it. They way Leo looked at her, she almost believed him.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Leo couldn’t believe he’d actually said the words. Three words he never thought he’d utter ever in his life. Yet there they were. Out in the open for anyone to hear. Well, anyone who happened to be in the bed, which at the moment only included Kim. Although she looked as if she needed convincing. “I’m serious,” he said. “I love you. I’ve never said it to anyone before.”
“Leo…” She said his name in a tone he’d learned to be leery of. “I’m serious. We’re okay. You don’t need to tell me you love me because we had great sex. At least I think it was great sex. I was certainly happy with it.” She gave him her playful smile, as if anything he’d said in the past minute could be construed as sex-brain and not something he really meant.
What really hurt was not hearing her say the same words back. But that shouldn’t surprise him. She wasn’t like any other woman who’d ever fallen at his feet. She was Kim. Strong. Independent and not one to say anything she didn’t mean.
“I’m serious.” He gripped her head a little tighter and gave a tiny shake to get her attention. “I love you. I don’t want to be without you. Ever. You know me better than anyone. You can finish my damn sentences. You don’t let me get away with any shit and you can stand your ground with anyone. I love all those things.” He stared into her eyes and kissed her again, the softest most soulful kiss of his life on the lushest lips this side of the Mississippi. “If I love all those things, then it stands to reason I love you too.” He gave her something she’d agreed with. “I’m just a dope so it took me a while to figure it out.”
She shook her head the tiniest bit like she really couldn’t believe him or his words. Then her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t fuck with me, Leo,” she whispered. She grabbed his wrists and held him tight. “Because if you’re fucking with me, I…I’ll…”
He loved her fierceness, even when she was naked and flat on her back. Emotion clogged his throat as he watched her. “I’m not. I swear to you, I’m not.” He never wanted to hurt her, never wanted to see pain in her eyes. He wanted her again so much, to prove with his body what he knew in his heart. There was just too much more to tell her. “Today…with Megan. She loved you and you were so great with her. I’m glad the two women in my life met each other.”
Kim wiped at a tear that trickled down her temple as she nodded. “Yeah. Me too. She’s pretty awesome.” Something serious still lurked in her eyes and Leo waited. “I’m still having this baby. You know that right?”
“Our baby. You’re having our baby. Yeah, I know.”
More tears slipped from the corner of her eyes. “You’re serious? You love me?” She sniffed. “Because I kind of got the impression from you on several occasions that you didn’t do love.”
Nodding, he gave her a half grin. “That’s true. It’s possible that I excel at keeping women at a distance.” His smile faded. “But I don’t want you at a distance for another minute. I can’t imagine being without you.”
She studied him for a moment then leaned up and pressed her lips to his. “I love you too, you big dummy.”
Leo took a second to soak up the words before they registered. It was as if someone opened up a cage and set him free. It was a free fall into heaven. It was his wildest dream come true. Laughing, he rolled over and pulled her with him, his heart soaring. No one had ever told him what this would be like. This whole falling in love shit. But Kim’s serious face wiped the smile off his mouth.
“You’re sure this isn’t some knee jerk reaction to everything happening? I don’t want you to feel trapped or think that I meant to pressure you, because—”
Leo kissed her quiet. He kissed her long and deep, holding her head steady as he plundered her mouth. “I don’t feel trapped,” he told her when he finally broke free. “I feel like I’m not so alone anymore. Like I have someone on my team who’ll be there for me the same way I’ll be here for her.”
A ghost of a hopeful smile spread across her face. “I like the sound of that.”
Swallowing back another damn lump in his throat, Leo nodded. “Me too.”
Right before they finally fell asleep, spooned together, Leo couldn’t remember why he’d been so opposed to falling in love. Then he realized it was because he hadn’t yet met Kim.
The next morning entailed a lot of outstanding, celebratory sex. They packed up their few bags, collected the last of Stella’s things to take to The Marion and headed out. They’d spend the first half of the day with Megan and take the plane back late in the afternoon.
In a black form-fitting skirt, a loose coral blouse that draped over her curves and her stilettos giving her an extra four inches, Kim looked as if she was ready for a board meeting. She drove him crazy because all he wanted was to strip her of the clothes and bury himself deep inside her.
Her sly smile indicated she knew exactly where his thoughts were as she shook her head. “You’re insatiable.”
He gave her his movie
star smile. “Takes one to know one.”
“You are so full of shit,” she said, laughing, her eyes bright and playful. “Do you always quote lines from your movies, because you said the exact same thing to Julie Fraser in Dangerous Race.”
“First of all, it was Mac who said it to Trace. And I only repeat them if they’re if good lines and if they apply.” He lifted an eyebrow. “It applied.”
They made it to The Institute and Leo managed to keep his hands to himself, although it was close. What he really wanted was another ten or twenty hours in bed with Kim and a bowl of ice cream.
If Megan had liked Kim yesterday, she absolutely fell in love with her today. Walking across the manicured grounds, they held hands, giggled and talked like they’d known each other forever. Leo had never seen Megan act that way with anyone. True, he wasn’t around as much as he should be and he’d never brought someone to meet her. Megan might be mentally challenged, but she was bright enough to understand this was a first. That alone held significance.
Though the bruising on Megan’s face still looked as if she’d gone a few rounds with Mayweather, his sister didn’t complain or seem uncomfortable.
After spending an hour in the art room, Kim excused herself to go to the ladies room and Megan waved Leo over. Stella’s tail twitched happily across Megan’s leg as she stroked the cat’s soft fur. “Will you bring Kim every time from now on. I like her.” Megan’s hopeful gaze met his.
“I’ll ask her.” Leo crouched to Megan’s level. “But I’m not sure she’ll be able to visit you when I can.”
Megan’s smile dimmed. “Oh. But you’ll ask her, okay? Because I want to see her like I see you.” She cocked her head, her hands never stilling over Stella’s fur. “I think you should keep her, Leo.”
Leo held back a smile and matched Megan’s serious face. “You do, huh? You like her that much?” He took the chair next to her that Kim had vacated.
Nodding adamantly, Megan looked around and leaned closer. “I think she’s perfect,” she whispered. “She’s so pretty and smart. She can add all sorts of huge numbers in her head? She doesn’t even need to use her fingers and toes.”
Leo stroked Stella’s rump, and the cat just rubbed against Megan as if she’d made her choice of preferred sibling. “Yeah, she is pretty smart,” he agreed.
“It’s good to be friends with smart people,” Megan advised.
Leo nodded stoically. “Very smart thinking, Megs. I’ll remember that.”
She nodded too. “And I really get to keep Stella?” she asked, her eyes back to hopeful.
“Absolutely. I worked it out with Mr. Kaminsky. Stella gets to stay. You just have to remember to give her food, water and a lot of love.”
Megan jumped up, careful to hold Stella as she wrapped the other arm around his neck. “I will, Leo. I promise. Thank you, thank you. This is the best present ever and it’s not even my birthday or Christmas even.”
Kim found them in the same hug a minute later. “Can I get in on this party?” She stood off to the side, glancing between the two of them.
“What do you think, Megs? Should we let her in?” Leo never imagined his heart could be so full. He not only had Megan to care for, but now he had Kim and a baby on the way. Staggering responsibility for a confessed bachelor, but he couldn’t wait to prove he could handle the challenge.
“Yes! Yes!” Megan opened up and motioned Kim forward. The three of them shared their first family huddle.
Leo wasn’t sure how he was going to tell Megan about the baby, but he’d have to eventually. He’d be here at least two more times before Kim gave birth, so he’d save it for another visit.
He spent one of the best days of his life with Megan and Kim, playing around in the art room, walking the grounds, and watching Stella frolic with Megan in the grass. Considering all hell was about to break loose when he got back to L.A. and faced the fallout, he managed to make the best of their time together.
He didn’t expect the lump in his throat when he said good-bye to Megan and Stella. Watching his little sister holding that damn cat made him think that maybe Megan wouldn’t be as alone as he always pictured. A few of the nurses stood out front with her and waved good-bye and Leo and Kim got in the limo and headed to the airport.
Kim patted his thigh. “You did good leaving Stella. One of the nurses has a good vet and she’s going to make sure Stella gets regular checkups, including getting her stitches out in a few days. It’s all set with Howard. Those two will be great for each other.”
Leo linked their fingers. “I think so too. I also happen to think the same about us.” He loved her smile, loved the way she looked at him with love and a whole lot of desire. “I can’t wait to get you alone in that plane,” he murmured, leaning in to give her a soft kiss. He wanted to kiss her for hours. Wanted to see her lips swollen and pink like last night when she couldn’t keep her mouth off him.
“You can’t possibly be talking about a mile high club. Leo, you’re scandalous.” Her deadpan delivery made him smile.
“I try, babe. I really try.” Though they were joking, the truth of the matter hurt. He’d been scandalous most of his life to keep this one secret and now it had blown up in his face. This could kill his movie before it ever got out. It could very well end his career if the public saw him as a monster and his whole purpose in being successful was to keep Megan in the place where she thrived the most. Would the public see it that way? Probably not. Not that he gave a rat’s ass what the public thought, with the exception that public opinion could make him or break him.
“Quit thinking about it,” Kim said in his ear. She pulled back and met his gaze. “Everything’s going to be fine. Sara’s going to make sure of it. I’m going to make sure of it.” The sincerity in her eyes gave him a ray of hope. Kim always made him feel better.
“I should have never let you go home two months ago.” The truth of that statement hit him like a brick. “I should’ve dragged you out of LAX, taken you home and locked you in my basement.”
“Yes, but then you’d have moved into the new place which doesn’t have a basement and you’d have nowhere to keep me and—”
Leo shut her up with a kiss.
The plane ride home turned out to be much more adventurous than the East Coast leg. Kim loved every second of being introduced to the mile high club. Leo showed her the back of the plane where a gorgeous suite held a bed and bathroom. The walls were painted in desert tan and a rich brown comforter stretched across the bed. She’d barely gotten through the door when he’d closed it and pushed her against it. He had her skirt hiked up and her thong on the floor before she’d had time to process the seduction. But then he’d slowed things down. She loved the way he took his time kissing and touching every inch of her before giving them both what they needed.
Kim cleaned up in the bathroom afterward and noticed a little bit of spotting. It wasn’t bad, and she knew from all the reading she’d done that it wasn’t abnormal to spot. But with the additional cramping knotting her stomach, all she wanted to do was cuddle up in bed and sleep for a week. That would have to wait for a little longer.
Leo and she hadn’t talked about the serious stuff yet. The couple stuff. Admitting they loved each other seemed like the biggest hurdle and now they had to face the media and the scrutiny that would come with Leo’s decision to keep Megan at The Marion.
From the bit of poking around she did during their visit, it looked like a class-A establishment. The facility catered to the mentally and physically challenged alike. Many of the residents—like Megan—dealt with seizure disorders and needed constant medical supervision. People would argue that Leo had the money to hire people in house and keep Megan under his same roof, but half the time Leo was out of town or out of the country making movies, and he couldn’t manage Megan’s healthcare workers from long distance. He admitted that he didn’t trust his privacy would stay intact with one, two or more live-in healthcare workers rattling around in his place.
/> Kim understood his reasoning, especially after meeting Megan. Aside from her slow, low pitch voice, she had the inquisitiveness of a second grader. She was happy and the staff at The Marion all seemed to know her and love her. Whether they kept a special eye out for her because she was Leo’s sister or because Megan was just a special girl, Kim didn’t know, or care. She just liked what she saw when Megan gave them the tour.
So, yeah, they had a lot to tackle before they squared away their relationship, but at least they were on the right road.
Leo leaned on his elbow, picked up her hand and linked their fingers. Kim took her gaze off the setting sun as they chased it in the sky. “What are you concentrating so hard on over there?”
“Damage control.” At her words, his expression sobered. “When you address the media about this, I’ll be right behind you. Everyone’s going to want to know who I am, right? They already have that picture of us together in the parking lot at LAX from the last time, so seeing me again will cause speculation. I come forward, answer a few questions, including the fact that I got your sister’s seal of approval at our visit. And I’ll explain how much Megan loves her home and needs her home for the best possible care. And boom. In a few sentences, I take the speculation and drama out of the situation and we leave everyone with their thumbs up their asses. How’s that sound?”
“Sounds like you’ve added another reason why I love you.” His eyes shone into hers with something she hadn’t seen before. A little bit of wonder mixed with some mischief.
“You have that devious look in your eyes. What?”
“Just thinking about the future. Us. As soon as we land, I want you to get your things together and bring them back to my place.”
She hadn’t even considered that, but it made sense. Hopefully, Wilson wouldn’t be too bent out of shape after waiting for her. “Maybe my driver’s license showed up while we were gone. We can stop at the hotel, grab my stuff and head to your place if that works.”
