“You don’t even know me.”
He chuckled. His soul knew her. “How am I supposed to get better acquainted with you if you keep trying to push me off on other women?”
His ability to observe people made him so very good at running the business. One of the many reasons he remained the Leo prime. Now he let the thoughts of him with other women sink in. She paused on the statement and forced the wine down with a gulp. The way she bit her lip and furrowed her brow told him she didn’t like the image of another woman one bit. But, unlike the other women he had been with, and others of his pride she doubted herself.
“I’d like very much to become better acquainted.” She might not understand her reactions, but her lioness strengthened and called to her mate.
“Shall we stroll?”
“Not very far in these shoes.” She leaned over the marble railing. “And not at all on the rocky beach below. I wish I could say I’m graceful enough to pull off such a feat, but a broken ankle would be guaranteed.”
“We can’t have that.” He stood up, placing his white napkin on the back of his chair. “I’ll be right back.”
When he entered the kitchen via a door on the end of the veranda, everyone stopped and stared at him. Only the swish of the dishwasher cut the silence.
“Is something wrong?” Malina demanded, mid-whisk.
“No, everything is perfect. Can someone run up to Ms. Vidal’s room? Her current footwear is not conducive to a stroll.”
“Translated: he can’t romance her with a slow walk on the beach.” Argus winked.
“Would you prefer I send her back to her rooms so I can finish my work for tomorrow?” Let them joke, but the alternative no one wanted.
“No! Naya, run up to her room, please.” Malina hit her brother’s arm. “I can’t imagine waiting another year for her to agree. Don’t listen to the bonehead here.”
“I’ll hold dessert. We discovered from her social media she loves crème brûlée.”
“You hacked into her social media account?” Aghast, he turned. He expected espionage from his betas, not from his omega cousin.
“No. I made a friend request, and she accepted. Leon, sometimes there are easier ways to go about things than covert operations.”
His young cousin walked a fine line, reining him in while encouraging his behavior. “Well done.”
With a pair of new flip-flops in his hands he returned to the veranda. Standing in the rays of the setting sun, Kalista leaned against the rail, looking out on the sea. Breathe. Take it slow. Her hair reminded him of spun gold. When she turned and graced him with a smile, all his blood shot to his cock. He closed the distance to squat before her and lift her foot, fighting every urge to run a finger up her leg, he undid the ankle strap of her dainty sandal. After replacing the high-heeled shoe with the flat one, he repeated it with her other foot.
“Shall we?” He offered her his arm and reveled in her soft touch on his skin. “So, tell me what would you like to see?”
“I guess there isn’t time to see anything far off.” The disappointment in her voice thrilled him. She wanted to explore his home.
“There is all weekend to see the island.” He led her down to the small beach below. With a human visiting, shifting had to be restricted. Tomorrow, he would deal with the logistics of keeping her out of areas where his people would want to run free, to let their lions out. For many of those coming, the island offered their only chance to be free of the dangers of the human world.
The Zodiac Slayers from ancient Greek times still sought to destroy them. These Slayers, the Foniás, were both blessed with abilities from the gods and cursed. Foniás could only hunt the zodiacs during the month of their sign. So the island became both safe haven and a time of release. A month of letting their lions out. He couldn’t in good faith prohibit any of them their freedom because of his mate’s ignorance of their kind.
“I can’t imagine hosting so many people for one dinner, let alone a month.”
“Can I tell you a secret? I do the least amount of work.”
“I don’t believe you.”
He paused when they reached the beach. “No, it's true. For eleven months a year I work harder than anyone else in the family. I don’t expect anyone to do anything I won’t do. But, for the upcoming month I still have a business to run, and those on the island have all their usual jobs plus dealing with scores of others.”
“One could say the same of you.”
“All I do is show up to the events, greet the guests, and act like the head of the family.” He didn’t add he also dealt with pride disputes because she wouldn’t understand yet. “But everyone from housekeeping to the kitchen, the dock workers to the groundskeepers, now have to deal with four times the work.”
“Well, when you put it like that.”
“Exactly. But I treat them all to something special at the end of the month.”
“Like what?” She leaned against him to shake a pebble from her sandal.
“Last year, the teens and their families spent a week in Orlando at the theme parks. The young adults went to Las Vegas, and the elders took a cruise around the Mediterranean because, as they said, why would they go anywhere else.”
“All at once.”
“It makes for a quiet island for one week a year.”
“And you stay here.”
“All by my lonesome.” He palmed her cheek and contained his roar when she moved into his touch. How he longed for a week alone, just the two of them, naked and free to make love wherever and whenever the need took them. “There is something here between us. You feel it, too. Would you consider coming here that week, when it’s just me?”
Her eyes opened wide. “I don’t know. I…”
“I don’t need an answer now. Just something to think about.”
She stepped back. “I feel like things are moving too fast.”
Fast? Every instinct within him screamed to claim her in twenty-four hours. The moon would move into Leo tomorrow night, and he could seal the mating bond a few days later. If he didn’t get her to agree in the next thirty days, he would have to wait a year. He dropped his hand and would have stepped back, but she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. The act, both clumsy and sexy as hell, caught him off guard. Running his fingers into her hair, he held her in place as he took control of the kiss, tasting her, and wanting more.
She moaned, gripping his shoulders, and met his kisses with an intensity of her own. His lion purred with satisfaction. He needed to pull back, needed to keep control but reaffirm his openness to all advances on her part. He belonged to her. One more deep kiss and he pulled away, but then she licked her lips, and he lost all self-control. He lowered his head again with a growl.
When she pressed her body close to him, her breast pushed against his chest and he could not hide the evidence of his arousal. He couldn’t remember the last time he had gotten laid, but never had any encounter made this much of an impression on him. Pulling back, he spun her around so they could watch the sun disappear into the sea. Wrapping his arm around her, he dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder. “Wow.”
“Wow, indeed.” She rested her head on his chest. Every alpha protective nerve in his body screamed—mine.
He turned his face up to the house where every windows’ curtain moved. “We are being watched.”
She turned her head to look at him. “What?”
“I didn’t want you to think I knew something and didn’t share it with you.” He guided her back to the steps. “Let’s get you inside before I kiss you again.”
Chapter Three
Leo is Born Leader
Breakfast and lunch passed, and still no sign of Leonidas. The evening before, he led Kalista through an empty hallway to her rooms. He’d laid a chaste kiss, nothing at all like the one they had shared on the beach, atop her forehead and bid her sweet dreams. Sweet. Holy hell, there had been nothing sweet about her dreams. They had been raw and erotic. She’d a
wakened in a hot sweat twice.
Helena rapped at her door far too early. When Kalista managed to stumble to open it, she had been greeted with a squeal and a slew of thanks. “You did it. I mean, of course you did, but so soon.”
Yawning, she backed up, shocked to find coffee, tea, and juice on the table on her balcony. “How?”
“Oh, they snuck in about thirty minutes ago. No one knew what you liked, so it’s all there. Breakfast is served buffet-style downstairs, but if you prefer, they’ll bring you a tray.”
“No I don’t need to be waited on hand and foot. Let me jump in the shower.” She paused to pour a cup of coffee before heading into the bathroom, leaving the door cracked so she could converse with the teen. “So, what has you so wound up?”
“Oh my goddess. It’s so exciting. I can’t even…okay, I can, but I can’t.” She squealed again. The door opened, and the teen stood holding up a paper while Kalista reached for a towel. “He signed it.”
Helena shook so much Kalista couldn’t see anything but black and blue writing. “He signed what?”
“My F.I.T. papers. I’m taking a quick summer course in August after the festival and then, if I still like it, I can apply next year.” The girl spun around with her paper to her chest. Kalista took the opening to jump in the shower. “I knew you could convince him but, wow, in one night. He is saying yes to everyone. Normally we get a sarcastic comment and a ‘I will think about it.’”
“Perhaps he is embarrassed everyone watched us last night.” She added, under her breath, “I know I am.”
“Are you kidding me?” Helena stood outside the walk-in shower. “I have never seen anything so romantic. Like something out of a movie.”
She had hoped when she came down to breakfast he would have come out to say good morning. Instead, the room quieted as she entered, but then the diners greeted her with warmth and the conversations started again. People came, ate, and left. Some took their breakfast with them, but it appeared everyone in the family ate together or at least came together to get their food.
Returning from a trek around the villa, a scream rent the air. She raced in the direction of the sound and found a three-year-old with skinned knees, scuffed palms, and a cut on the forehead bleeding. The young mother tried to look over his injuries and calm the child all at once.
“Oh, poor guy. Can I check his wounds?” she said, praying the woman spoke English.
“Ms. Vidal.” The mother tried to smile but failed.
“I’m a nurse.” She sat on the ground at the little boy’s side. “Hey, big guy. Can I take a peek?” Lifting her gaze to his mother, she asked, “What’s his name?”
“Augie.”
“Hi, Augie. My name’s Kali.”
The little boy’s cries lowered in volume as he nodded at her.
“I need a first aid kit and some ice packs,” Kali said to no one in particular in a calm voice.
The mother ran inside and, within seconds, a half dozen people surrounded her, but her attention stayed on the boy. She pressed a gauze pad to his forehead, assessing him. When the mom came back with ice packs, Kali offered her a grin. “It’s okay, Mom. It looks far worse than it is. I don’t think he even needs stitches.”
After only a few moments, she rocked Augie on her lap as she held the pressure on the head wound while the little boy played with the charm bracelet she wore.
The crowd parted to admit Leo to her side. “Hey, champ. Those feet get tangled up on you again?” Leo asked squatting.
Sticking his thumb in his mouth, the little boy nodded.
Leo brushed a stray hair from her eyes. “What do you need? Can we move you into the house where it’s cooler?”
“No, he’s finally calm.” She kissed the top of his downy head. “I don’t want to get him going again. We can just sit here for a bit, right, Augie?”
The little boy gave her a tearful smile, and she gave him a little squeeze in return.
“You can’t be comfortable on these flagstones.”
“I’ll survive.” She replaced the gauze with a new one to absorb the seeping blood then offered his mom a reassuring wink. “Head wounds always seem worse than they are.”
When Augie turned and reached for his mother, she let him go. “Hold the pressure, so I can clean up the other wounds.”
Ten minutes later, the little boy was all bandaged up and ready to take on the world. Leo helped Kalista up. “You are covered in blood.”
The beautiful silk blouse was blotched and stained. “Oh no.”
“We can get you another shirt. We can’t get another Augie.” He guided her toward the house with a hand on her lower back.
His words were winners, the kind to cement him into her heart. As they reached the stairs, she turned, hesitant. “I think I can find my way back and change, you don’t need to escort me.”
“What if I want to?”
“Don’t you have work to do?”
“You’ll soon learn I always have work to do. But the same files on my desk five minutes ago will be on my desk when I get back.”
“With how many more added?”
“A good question.” He increased the pressure on her lower back, urging her up the stairs, and a slight shiver ran through her spine. “But if I don’t take a break, we’ll all feel it.”
“So what are you planning to do when we reach my room?”
She could have laughed at the way his brows furrowed. “Honestly, I’ve no idea. Perhaps we should go for a swim. It’s the hottest part of the day and about the time I try to get some laps in.”
“Well, don’t let me stop you.” No way in hell would she be getting into a bathing suit with him yet.
“Please swim with me. I have a conference call in”—he glanced at his watch—“a little over and hour.”
“And the only place we can spend this next hour is in your swimming pool.”
“My bed is available, but I thought you might think it too soon.”
She stopped. “No. Definitely not your bed.”
“Yours?”
“Give me ten minutes to get ready, and we’ll swim.”
“That was entirely too easy.”
She gaped at him. “You tricked me!” She couldn’t be too angry. She wanted to spend the rest of the day making love to the man before her, but something primal within her warned she would forever be altered in ways she could not comprehend. So, she’d swim.
Chuckling, he leaned in and lifted her chin so her lips closed then brushed them with his. “See you in ten.”
As she turned into her room, Helena came out of the closet and Kalista jumped back.
Not acknowledging her fright, Helena held out a hand. “Give me the blouse and I’ll see if I can’t get those stains out. Your bathing suit and a cover-up are in the bathroom. Do you want me to apply some sunscreen or would you rather Leo do it?”
Images of him slathering her with tropical-scented lotion had her clenching her thighs tight. “Would you?”
“Oh, and you’ll need a hat. This sun is unforgiving, and your skin is not prepared for its onslaught.” Why Kalista thought the other woman would turn and give her privacy at this point she had no idea, so, resigned she stripped the light-pink blouse off and handed it over. Helena examined the fabric. “Augie is all rough and tumble. We love him, but he can be a running disaster.”
“How many children are on the island?”
“There are five under five. Five between six and ten.”
“I’m surprised I didn’t see more this morning.” Kalista went into the bathroom to change but left the door ajar because she had learnt already a closed door seemed to be the surefire way for Helena to come in.
“They eat in the nursery,” the teen called to her.
Kalista shimmied into the one-piece Van Gogh-inspired bathing suit. She steeled herself before checking the mirror. When she did, she viewed a woman with serious curves, but the suit did an amazing job, lifting and hiding her flaws. She couldn’t hide
her hips and thighs, but she didn’t feel like a beached whale, either.
“Many on this island would kill for your curves.”
“Do you ever knock?”
“Oops sorry.” Her rap echoed in the bathroom. “I have to get a picture of this outfit, too.”
“Absolutely not.” She might feel okay about heading out to the pool with a man who made his sexual attraction to her obvious, but she drew the line at a picture of her that might be seen by a bunch of fashionistas who perpetuated the stereotype thin was the only beauty. “Any other outfit. Not this one.”
“But?”
“I believe Kalista said no.” Leo’s voice wafted into the room.
Helena wagged her eyebrows at Kalista before pulling her out of the bathroom. “When you see her, you’ll understand why I want a picture.”
“No.” She planted her feet when her eyes locked with Leo’s. His golden eyes glowed like molten metal. She stumbled back, feeling like his prey.
His slow appraisal took her breath away and, when he stepped forward, Helena squeaked and ran, closing the door behind her. “Nothing like leaving me alone in the lions den.”
“What did you say?” Leo eyed her suspiciously. “We had better head where there are other people.”
Gnawing on her lower lip, she wondered why she felt bereft at his sudden change of tack. “Let me get my cover-up and hat.”
“Do you have to?”
As she lifted the cover-up, the sunscreen fell on the counter in the en suite. “Shoot.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” When she reentered the room he stood by the bed with her hat. “Helena was going to…”
He waited for her to continue but eventually encouraged. “Going to?”
“Apply the sunscreen.”
His closed his eyes and reached for the sunscreen. “Turn around.”
She turned her back to him and pulled her hair over one shoulder. Every hormone on her body rose to active alert. Sudden desire to push him onto the bed behind them and have her way with him overwhelmed her, and he hadn’t even touched her yet.
Her Billionaire Lion: A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance: Leo Page 3
