He smiled back, tilted his head, and squinted. Such deep concentration. She’d better get serious too.
One-Mississippi, Two-Mississippi, Three-Mississippi. Her mind drifted from the count, intended to keep her focused. Instead the color of Leo’s eyes grabbed her attention. Four-Mississippi. Dark as toffee. She loved toffee. Five-Mississippi. She studied them more closely. They glistened from the flickering candlelight, changing color like a hypnotic kaleidoscope. Shades of browned butter, sweet as warm caramel. God she wanted something sweet to eat now. Warm and welcoming eyes. Calmness rushed her, leaving a relaxed trail in its wake.
He shifted. His bare foot slid on top of hers and massaged the skin beneath her thin socks with his toes. He softened his eyes with such suggestive insinuation that she squirmed in her seat as her desire flared. Damn him.
He grinned, almost devilish. The slow movements of his toes performed a decadent game of footsie, even more daring than his first attempts. She wanted to scream “rule-breaker” but then she’d be doing the same!
Concentrate. Concentrate. Concentrate.
She finally pulled her leg away, proud of herself for not once losing her focus. She forced her face into serious submission and his grin slipped away. She again got lost in his gaze, an unexpectedly more comfortable place than when they’d started.
Seconds ticked. The state of staring became more natural. A blanket of silence covered the room. Small sounds magnified. Leo’s breath. The crackle of the fire. Raindrops brushing the sides of the house. A masterpiece playing just for them. His soulful gazed etched into hers. So deep. So bottomless. Beautiful eyes. No longer the eyes of a man but holding the innocence of the boy Leo once was, vulnerable and yet so brave.
The quiet way he’d spoken earlier about being raised by an addict elicited a swift brush of sadness inside her chest. Seconds later it disappeared with her study of the strong man he’d become. A sweet man who’d admitted tonight that he’d fallen for her…and her dog. A smile tugged at her lips thinking of how cute the two of them were together.
She studied his face more closely. The scar near his temple. The downward slope of his thick brows. A crease formed between them as his eyes skipped over her face; then he frowned. The whites of his eyes glistened and Adam’s apple rolled. Her heart ached to know what made him sad. Unexpected tears stung at the back of her eyes and his face blurred.
Part of her wanted to pull him into a hug. The other part mourned for herself, over the sad state of past relationships and love, never fully given or received.
He blinked and his eyes scoured her face. A stare reaching deep inside her chest and drawing her to a place physically close to him, despite the lack of touching.
The buzzer on his phone sounded. Neither one of them moved at first; then Leo slowly lifted his hand, cupped her cheek, and swept his thumb across her lower lip. She closed her eyes and kissed his palm, her heart full in a way she’d never experienced.
She looked up. “What’d you think?”
“Powerful,” Leo said, his voice quiet, husky. He cleared his throat. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was more than I’d asked for. What about you?”
“Once I got over the awkwardness of it, the whole thing was actually nice. I’ve never looked at someone so carefully.”
He nodded and shifted his hand to the back of her neck, massaging slowly. “Not only did I see more of you, but I noticed more about myself. Guess I got a little emotional for a minute.”
“Want to talk about it?” She took his hand and squeezed.
“It came from too many things. A life of lost control, I think.” His forehead furrowed and concentration marked his face. “Only the more I stared into your eyes, the less I hurt. Does that make sense?”
“Yes. The same thing happened to me.”
A wounded expression flashed in his eyes. “You should know, I never wanted to fall in love again. The pain that can come with it…it was just too hard. But you—you make me want to love again.”
The words filled her heart. “I understand. Me, too.”
Bella’s collar jingled. Rose glanced over just as she rolled onto her back, legs up in the air, eyes shut tight.
She laughed. “You’re sure it’s not Bella causing these strong emotions? You two seem pretty close.”
He cast a smile at the dog then wrapped his arms around Rose and drew her close. “I’m pretty sure it’s ninety-nine percent you.”
Leo kissed her on the corner of her mouth, moved to her lower lip then to her throat, his breath leaving a warm imprint on her skin. Their lips entangled, slow at first, then Leo deepened his hold and explored. The soft grain of his unshaven shadow brushed her cheeks, and she inhaled his clean, soapy scent.
Stretching out on the sofa, they coiled around each other getting lost in kisses so deep she forgot everything else around her. He slipped his hands beneath her shirt, his fingertips grazing her sensitive skin, every inch of her so desperate for attention that she instantly dissolved in his arms.
She wanted more of him, as much as he’d give. Easing her onto her back, he lifted himself above her. Each kiss demanded more. She pressed her palms to his chest, traveled his broad shoulders then massaged the hard planes of his back. His hand inched along her torso, then he swept his thumb beneath her breast and groaned into her mouth. Only when her lungs burned did she lean back and draw in a deep breath. Leo studied her with desire that sent a shiver straight to her belly.
He whispered, “You’re no longer facing this alone. I’ll be at your side.”
Isolation she’d always accepted in her life ripped apart at the seams, making her fall completely under his spell.
Chapter 22
Rose squinted as she woke, blinded by the bright morning sun streaming through a crack in the den curtains. Leo snored gently in her ear, his body mingled with hers so they could fit together on the sofa. The refrigerator hummed in the next room, so power had been restored. Most likely after three a.m., the last time they woke and reached for each other. Rose savored every delicious memory, unlike any relationship from her past.
Last night Leo had roused her heart. Rose couldn’t even recall when it had fallen asleep, but she wanted to hold onto this wonderful feeling.
Bella stood and stretched. No doubt her hungry stomach was telling her it was past food o’clock. Rose carefully maneuvered off the sofa so she didn’t wake Leo, grabbed her clothes off the floor, and got dressed in the hallway near the kitchen. Bella ambled out, casting an “it’s about time” glance. The dog followed Rose to the kitchen. After she slipped on a pair of a flip-flops left near the back door, she quietly urged Bella outside.
Wet grass tickled Rose’s toes and an unseasonable chill hung in the air from yesterday’s storm. Several downed tree branches showed proof of nature’s wild ride. Bella sniffed the ground as though she didn’t have a care in the world. “Hurry up, Bells. You know what to do. Then we eat.”
The dog’s ears lifted at the magic word, and her sniffing took on a more serious manner.
Sticking her hands into the warm pockets of her jeans, Rose wished she were still in the warm spot near Leo’s side. Even in her dreams last night, they were together. Playing games. Laughing. Getting crazy lost in each other’s eyes. Then she’d wake, and find herself wrapped in his arms. This handsome, smart, and complex man. Someone who understood her, and who she hoped to get closer to.
Bella finished and trotted back to Rose, a “what’s next” gleam in her eyes.
“Good girl. Do you wanna eat?”
Her ears lifted and she galloped to the back door.
Ten minutes later, Bella ate her kibbles as the coffee pot rattled on the stove and bacon sizzled in an iron skillet.
“Morning.” Leo walked in. His eyes were sleepy and both hair and clothes creased.
She flipped the bacon. “Coffee’ll be done soon.”
He went to the cabinet and removed two mugs then turned on the co
unter radio, adjusting it to a news station.
He came up behind her, slipped his arms around her waist, and gently pressed his lips to the back of her neck. “Smells good in here.”
“It’ll be done in a few minutes.”
“Great.” He patted her bottom as he moved to a cabinet and removed some plates.
The weather report warned of another possible storm today. News at the top of the hour started. Rose flipped the bacon, listening with half an ear to the first story. The next one started and she paused.
The FBI is searching for wife of Senator John Richardson. Evidence uncovered by the bureau shows illegal campaign donations found in the senator’s campaign accounts were made by Rose Richardson, the senator’s wife.
Fear rippled through Rose. The report continued. She listened, despite her body going numb and her brief happiness suddenly drowning in hopelessness.
Federal investigators have tried to reach Ms. Richardson, also known to many as Dr. Rose from her column in Sophisticate magazine. At this time, she has not been reachable for comment. In other news, the Treasury Department today reports…
Rose removed the bacon, only half-aware of her moving body. Her head spun, skin heated.
Leo came to her side, removed the fork from her hand, and pushed away the hot pan. He held her tight, but it didn’t stop her from trembling. She buried her face against his shirt and cried. As he rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head, she stopped thinking about her old problems. She had a new one. Involving Leo in this charade was innocent at the start, but now that he knew, staying here was just plain wrong.
Tears spilled harder and faster. Leo didn’t say a word. Right now, being in his arms was the only thing keeping her from falling apart.
“Should I find another place to stay?” she managed to say between breaths.
“You’d better not.”
She looked up. “I can’t drag you into this mess any further. We’re probably breaking some laws standing here right now and talking about this. You’re harboring a criminal.”
He wiped some wetness from her cheek with his index finger. “Please. Let me help you. Am I going to have to steal your money to get you to stay?” He grinned, even though his worry remained obvious.
“No.” She sniffed and managed to almost smile. “You won’t have to.”
Dropping her head against his chest, she sank against his body and wished she could stay just like this forever.
* * * *
Leo pushed aside his plate and for several minutes tried to concentrate on the newspaper. Rose sat next to him reading another section of the Times, no longer upset but quiet.
He reached over, took her hand, and gave it a squeeze. “How are you feeling?”
She glanced up from the magazine section. “Better. This was bound to happen. I suppose hearing my biggest concern on the radio just hit harder than I thought it would.”
“Your reaction was justified. Want to talk more about it?”
She shook her head, smiled gently. “No. I want to enjoy this lovely quiet Sunday morning…with you.” She squeezed his hand back and let go. “Want more coffee?”
“Sure.”
She poured them each another cup then returned to her reading.
But Leo still couldn’t concentrate. After hearing the FBI was now looking for her, the reality of their situation burned like acid on Leo’s heart. The FBI wanted her and he knew where they could find her.
The legalities of this single fact made his head throb. How much did they know about her? Would she let him talk to the PI she’d hired? Was it wrong that he didn’t care about his silence over her whereabouts?
Last night she’d shown him she was a strong woman. Behind the fearlessness, though, he sensed she still needed something—or maybe just simply someone. A trunk full of problems had been dragged with her to Northbridge. The single fact fueled Leo’s drive to make her problems vanish.
If he didn’t, he could lose Rose.
She might run. Taking flight when the going got tough had helped her survive. Maybe she’d changed. Her confession suggested so. But what if she hadn’t? He inwardly shuddered and tried not to consider the possibility.
Rose’s toes tickled near his ankle. He looked up. She kept reading and appeared to be pretending she hadn’t noticed him looking. She slid lower into the seat and her foot moved higher up his calf to his knee where she slowly kneaded her toes, her playful touch making him want to fly off the chair and take her right on the table.
“I guess you are feeling better.” He grabbed her leg and dragged both her and the chair closer.
The newspaper dropped to the floor and she laughed. “Can I help you?”
Massaging her foot, he asked, “You think teasing me is funny?”
“Funny? That wasn’t at all what I was going for.” She wiggled her toes in his hands. “Mmmm. A foot rub. Perfect foreplay for what I had in mind.” She arched a brow.
“Oh? I’d like to hear what you have in mind.” He secured her foot on his lap, holding it down with one hand and smoothing the bottom with the thumb of his other.
“The big plans are actually for my landlord. He can be a curmudgeonly fellow, but has a very sweet side.”
“Curmudgeonly?”
“At times. Anyway, there’s a problem in my apartment.”
“Forget your landlord. I’m filling in today.” He slipped his hand along her thigh until he reached the top. His fingertips grazed, going everywhere but where he was certain she wanted him to go. She shut her eyes, shifted in the seat, and inhaled sharply. Leo’s desire soared. “What seems to be your problem?”
Her ivory cheeks now flushed with a pink hue. “Let me show you.” She quickly pulled her foot away and stood. Moving to his side, she straddled his lap and he cupped her backside. As she shifted against his hardness, she combed her fingers through his hair and watched him with a fiery gaze. It shifted into an unexpected grin. “I hope you brought your tools.”
He groaned. “Please tell me you didn’t just say that.”
Amidst her laughter, he drew her to him, kissed her hard and deep. No, he’d never get enough of her.
Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
Bella howled.
Rose’s body tensed in his arms. “You don’t think it’s the FBI, do you?”
“Relax. It’s a Sunday morning. Probably a holy roller.” Leo patted her bottom and winked. “Hold that thought.”
She got off him and planted a kiss on his lips. “You know I will.”
By the time he reached the door, Bella was there, sniffing at the crack and growling. Just as Leo reached for the handle, it jiggled, the lock turned, and the door sprung open.
Everett stood on the other side. Leo froze. He hadn’t seen his brother since his wife’s funeral.
The dog howled again. Everett now had a few gray hairs near his temples blended with his faded blond coloring. Leo had never seen him in glasses, but he wore a stylish pair: black rims on the top, rimless on the bottom, upping the urbane air Everett usually carried. They only enhanced his classically handsome face, stirring some of the old jealousy Leo had whenever they met women together.
“Surprise,” Everett said, in his usual dry-witted, acerbic tone. “Aren’t you going to invite me into my own house?”
Finally. The long-awaited confrontation. “A call would’ve been nice.”
The dog swarmed around Everett’s legs. He cast an annoyed glance and ignored the animal. “You always did hate surprises.” He sniffed the air. “Coffee. Thank God. I knew you’d have some going.”
Leo clenched his fist as he shut the door. Everett seized immediate control the second he entered any setting. He paused at the den doorway and looked inside. Leo thought about the blankets, used wine glasses, and plates scattered about the room from last night.
“You have company?” He continued straight to the kitchen, Leo not far behind.
“Well, hello.”
Everett’s tone carried a surprised ring. “Who would’ve thought Leo would have a visitor plus a dog? He’s such a loner.”
Leo entered just as Rose stood and extend a hand. “Hello. Emma Morris. The dog’s mine.”
Everett took her in from head to toe. “Ah, yes. My renter.”
She cut a nervous glance to Leo.
He spotted her eyeglasses on the counter. Silly as he thought they were, he walked over and picked them up, nonchalantly passing them to Rose.
She slipped them on and stiffly smiled. “Thanks. I was looking for these. I’d better get my day started.” She turned to Everett. “Nice to meet you.”
She hurried down the hall calling for Bella, who glanced at Leo but then followed Rose. Leo watched them disappear, taking all the good air away from the room and leaving only the bad.
Everett, a once reasonable kid, was now a bad adult, filled with rage and power he loved to exert over others. The apartment door clicked shut and Leo wished he were on the other side of it, too.
Leo filled a mug with coffee and placed it on the table. “Does Mallory know you’re in the States?”
“No.” Everett took off his sports jacket. He tossed it over a chair as he looked around the room. “Nobody knows. I plan to call her. After we talk.” He sat and lifted the mug to his lips. “Thanks. Long flight. Jesus, this place looks even older than I remembered.”
“It’s the same as we grew up in. A little weathered, but always feels like home to me.”
Everett’s gaze met Leo’s. “How’s the tenant? I see you two are”—he paused then flashed a dirty little grin—“getting along.”
“Why did you ignore my message that I was staying at the house?”
“Retribution, dear brother. Are you going to deny you were the one who scared the last tenant away?”
“Well…”
“Come on. I haven’t forgotten what we used to do to our aunt.” Everett chuckled. Not a sinister laugh, but one of amusement that made Leo remember better times. “I can’t believe you’re still pulling that stunt out of your hat now.”
Bella Luna Page 22
