Blush: A Strangers-to-Lovers Romance

by Rachel De Lune

  “So, you have them? Secrets?” My mind was fighting to keep up and not be derailed by his version of beautiful.

  “Let’s work on getting to know each other first before we move on to the S-word.”

  “I like words beginning with S, especially around you. No secrets necessary.” My sassy comment had the desired effect and lifted the intensity between us. God, I needed to be careful. I sensed I could get sucked right in by Leo and not even realise I was in the eye of the storm.

  “Didn’t you have work to do?” he asked with a grin, stepping away from me.

  It’s what I needed—the distance. But I also regretted being in an open and very public spot with Leo for the second time in as many weeks, and not being able to act on impulse. God, this boy could make me blush with the thoughts he conjured in my mind.

  I turned and carried on walking until we passed through the silhouettes of the bare trees and out the other side where the pagoda stood. We passed the evergreens, and I stood before the towering structure.

  The impressive building was the perfect distraction for my racing heart, and I let my eyes take it all in, the familiarity calming the beat of my heart. Leo stayed close beside me; I could sense him, milling about. I pulled a small, square notepad from my bag and my propelling pencil. A few quick lines christened the blank page and took the form of the pagoda before me. I added in some of my own interpretations, drawing from the patterns of the roof forms and the decoration and linear lines. With brief and bold strokes, my own pattern emerged, and I could see the direction of the magazine piece I was looking for. I’d need to speak to one of my freelancers, but the funky patterns were what I’d focus the piece on, giving colour and style to the missing feature.

  Feeling accomplished, I looked up and scanned the area for Leo. For those few moments, lost in thought and what was emerging on the page, I’d forgotten about him. It was rare for me ever to bring someone here. Even Sawyer and Belle didn’t want to endure the acres of walks, although I struggled to see why. The cherry blossom conjured a picturesque fairy-tale scene in spring, especially as the petals began to fall. And the rose gardens created such a sweet smell—it was heady. I’d designed the flowers inked on my arm while I sat in these gardens.

  Still puzzling over Leo’s disappearing act, I headed towards the pagoda. As I got closer, he appeared from the other side.

  “It’s closed.”

  “I know.”

  “I bet you can see for miles at the top.”

  “Actually, I don’t know. I’ve never been to the top. Heights aren’t my thing.” His lips twitched up at the revelation, and I realised I’d just given him another piece of information about me. With Leo, these details tumbled free so easily, like a flower blooming, revealing each petal in turn.

  “It looks like you’ve got what you needed?” Leo nodded to the notebook in my hand. “Are you an artist?”

  “Close. I’m the owner and editor of a magazine. So, a creative might be more of an accurate description.”

  “Wow. That sounds pretty impressive. Would I know the magazine?” I didn’t want to insult Leo by saying no, but I highly doubted he’d be on my subscription list.

  “It’s more of an online subscription edition: lifestyle, fashion, beauty. Although we will be running a piece on self-defence or rather women empowerment.”

  “The trip to the gym?”

  “Mm-hm. All in the name of research.”

  I let the silence grow between us, and the more it built, the thicker the tension became. Those sparks in his eyes were fiery and potent, cutting through the cool air of the winter morning.

  “Did you want to show me any more of the gardens?” Leo’s voice was smooth and rich and didn’t sound like he wanted to look around.

  “We could head back, but that would be the end of our date.” I looked up, knowing that I was playing coy again. If I was honest with myself, I didn’t want the date to finish, but we weren’t at the stage of… whatever this was, to simply be content with one another yet. At least, I wasn’t. I needed to find a defence against Leo.

  “I don’t want to end our date. I like spending time with you, Astrid, and right now, all I want is to know more about you. Whatever little detail or insight you want to give, I want to know.” He closed the gap between us and reached for one of my hands. Heat flared at his touch, and I watched his eyes for the same reaction I was having.

  Those honey eyes of his darkened, the specs of gold growing sinful and full of desire.

  A bed. That’s where this was leading, and we both knew it. All the talk of secrets and mysteries only made for good foreplay.

  “My place?” I offered in a small voice.

  “Lead the way.” He kept his hand in mine as I turned and headed to the closest exit to get us back to my apartment.

  Much like visiting the gardens, there weren’t many guys I took back home. It was my space, and I was precious about it. But I seemed to have forgotten that with Leo.

  By the time we arrived back to my apartment, my heart was hammering in my chest. Leo had held my hand the entire way home, but the conversation was non-existent. As if right then, we didn’t need words at all. The anticipation built, the closer we got. I already knew we were explosive together—the time at the gym proved that, and I had to wonder just what we could do now we had time.

  “This is me.” I opened up the door and let him in. Leo walked past me, but his eyes followed me as he went inside. He reminded me of a predator—stalking his prey. And boy, did that do things to my body.

  He didn’t stray far and stopped where the apartment opened out into the open-plan layout.

  “I don’t do this often, Leo.”

  “You don’t owe me an explanation.” He turned to face me, taking my hands in his. The gesture was kind, and sweet, and contradicted everything my body was screaming at me.

  “But I find myself offering one to you anyway.” I kissed the edge of his lips, almost provoking him, the stubble of his beard tickling my lips. He knew what we were here for.

  “Astrid.” My name sounded like a plea, as I continued to plant kisses on his lips and face.

  “Yes.” My arms came up to wrap around his neck. And that did it.

  He struck so fast that I caught my breath. He picked me up and pushed me back against the wall as he kissed me with a passion that was so hot, I could have melted on the spot.

  His hands were everywhere, pulling at fabric and buttons and desperate to find my skin. I attacked him in return, wanting to do the same. Our race was fast and frantic, and I was down to my underwear before I could get Leo out of his jeans.

  “I’m not going to fuck you against another wall, Astrid,” he mouthed against my throat as he bit and licked at my pulse.

  “Bedroom,” I panted.

  He lifted me and paced to the closest open door.

  “Next one.”

  With a little manoeuvring, he reached my room, and Leo tossed me onto the bed like I weighed nothing. Before I could even right myself, he covered my body with his, and heat exploded over my skin at his touch.

  My mind and my body were warring—my body wanted to go fast. That needy, desperate yearning had started to grow, and all Leo would have to do is touch me to light me up. But my head wanted to savour this. Explore, take my time, and enjoy every second.

  But this wasn’t about what I wanted—Leo was licking my stomach and testing if my nerves could take all of his attention. Every inch of me was screaming from the exploration he’d lavished over me, and he’d not gone anywhere near the one spot that was crying the hardest.

  My hands traced down his muscular back, and I scored the dips and rolls with my nails, as I pulled him closer to me. He felt so strong. That kind of thing had never been a turn on for me before. But Leo broke all of my walls and all of my rules.

  “I’m so fucking hard for you, Astrid.” As if proving his point, he lifted away to shove his jeans off. The vision of Leo, kneeling over me, every muscle on his body for
me to see, including his very hard cock, would be one I wouldn’t forget for a while.

  I hooked my thumbs into my knickers and wriggled out of them before widening my legs for him.

  “Jesus.” Leo closed his eyes for a second before lying down between my legs and positioning himself at my entrance.

  There was nothing soft about the way he took me. He pushed inside and didn’t miss a beat, jutting against me, and hitting that spot that sent me into a frenzy.

  Heat engulfed me, and our bodies slid together from the sweat, but instead of keeping my eyes closed this time, I forced them open. I wanted to see him come apart. His eyes had morphed into bronzed spheres that were sexy as hell.

  We fell into a delicious rhythm as if we were meant to be together—our bodies naturally tuned to one another. The race to the edge eased, and we got lost in the sheer pleasure of each other. Hands and lips, legs and tongues, the intensity only grew until desperation took over.

  “I need… Leo…”

  “Yes, yes…”

  I detonated around him. My muscles shook from the violence of it until I couldn’t move. My eyes were sleepy, my body utterly spent, but I’d never felt better.

  “Next time, we’re going to take things slowly.” Leo collapsed against me. I could feel the pulse of his heart beating in time to my own. God, the chemistry between us was off the charts. And on top of that, I really liked him. The meeting, the first time at the gym; these weren’t coincidences. Leo had tripped warning bells left and right, but I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face at the thought of what this could be.

  9

  Leo

  I didn’t want to move. My body was exhausted and my eyes so heavy I couldn’t fight them any longer. Astrid’s body had wrapped around mine, and it was the best feeling in the world.

  “Do you have to get to work?” I pushed the words out.

  “No. Right now, I don’t think I could move if I wanted.”

  “Good.” Astrid’s arm was across my hip, and I pulled it around my waist and interlinked our fingers. “Do you feel this?” I asked. My tiredness had dissolved any wall of pride or concern at making a fool out of myself. And right now, I wanted to make sure this wasn’t just a one-sided experience.

  “I do.”

  “I think we’re pretty fucking great together. Even if this is only our second date.”

  “Hmm-hmm.” Astrid’s breathing slowed, and she snuggled in closer to me, so I gave up the fight to stay conscious and let my body rest.

  I awoke with a start, fighting the sheet that covered my body. I was freezing.

  “Are you okay?” Astrid’s voice broke through the fog of my nightmare, and I remembered where I was. That, in itself, helped to cut the hollow feeling that lingered in my chest.

  “Yeah. Fine. Just disorientated.” She was standing and getting dressed. “I’d better get going.” I had no idea what time it was, but that dream had rattled me, and I needed to clear my mind properly.

  “I can make you a tea? We only dozed for about half an hour.”

  “I should leave you to work. And I need to grab a proper sleep.” I worked at finding my clothes and shoving them back on.

  Astrid led me to the door, but now I was thinking clearer, I didn’t want to leave her.

  “I meant what I said. Next time, we take things slowly.” I smiled at her and cupped her face in my hands. She looked fresh and relaxed and so fucking beautiful it hurt. The stark contrast between her and the memory haunting me couldn’t have been more black and white.

  “That’s fine by me, Leo.” She ran her hands through my hair and kissed me hard.

  This wasn’t just two people having fun. Not to me.

  I was fucking crazy about her.

  She was smart, independent, and sexy as sin, both inside and outside the bedroom.

  On the way home, my mind ran over all the things I wanted to do with her. Like understand why she didn’t drink a regular coffee, or ask about her magazine, and study her tattoos and trace every line on her skin. But I knew I’d get distracted by her sheer beauty—hell, I wanted to get to know every inch of her, ink or not. She had got under my skin, sure as if she’d inked herself there.

  I stumbled back to the apartment, ready to collapse on the sofa until I remembered it wasn’t my sofa to collapse on. I’d have to drag my dead-on-my-feet arse to the bedroom instead. If I wanted to stay in London, I had to think about options that didn’t involve living with my uncle.

  And I had to do something about those nightmares. Letting Astrid see the darkness that lingered wasn’t on the top of my list of things to do with her.

  See you again soon? No more mornings, though. Leo

  We still hadn’t covered many topics of conversation. We seemed to have a physical connection that overtook us when we were together, which I wasn’t complaining about. So, what I did for a living or further details about our lives were slow to emerge—something I wanted to put right as soon as possible, despite Astrid’s odd question rule. I crashed onto the bed and let out an audible groan at the relief. I needed to sleep, and preferably for ten hours straight.

  Not happening.

  It seemed that all my wishes had been used up with Astrid.

  “Leo? Come on, Leo, wake up.”

  “What?” I moaned into my pillow.

  “It’s past six, and we haven’t covered our plan of attack.”

  “What?” I repeated, annoyed that Uncle Eric had decided whatever he wanted was more important than letting me sleep.

  “We have another date, and I need my wingman. Going solo isn’t for me. I need you to work your magic.”

  “It’s my night off,” I rolled over, “and I wasn’t planning on going back to the bar I spent all my other nights at.”

  “I’ll switch the shifts. Come on. Up and dressed. I need you looking your best if you’re setting the ground for me.”

  “Uncle Eric, I’m sorry, but no. I’ve hardly slept, and I’m not going to drop everything when you snap your fingers.”

  He took a step back, alarmed at my tone it seemed. Funny, as I thought I’d been polite.

  “See, I don’t seem to remember our conversation in the same way. I suggest you revisit your thoughts and get ready. Of course, if you don’t want to join me, we can also revisit our arrangement, here.” He put his hands out, indicating the room I was currently staying in.

  Fucking bastard.

  I stood up, now awake and fucking fuming at the nerve of my uncle.

  “Just so I know the score, are you going to hold this over my head whenever it’s convenient for you?” The rush of anger raced through my bloodstream, waking up more than just my bone-tired body.

  “All my arrangements are to my advantage, Leo. This one with you is no exception. I thought we had an understanding?” He gazed at me, smiling as if this was all a fucking game to him.

  “I thought we did, too.”

  “And what do you intend to do about it?” he challenged, standing there in his fucking suit looking smug. It made me reconsider everything I’d given up back home. That rush of adrenaline that always hit before a fight seemed really attractive until the vision of Maddison’s body blacked out everything—a warning I needed to listen to.

  It crippled me inside and extinguished any fight I had in me, but I held the stare Uncle Eric kept on me and answered his challenge. “Nothing. Give me half an hour. But, if you’re really serious about this, you’re about two hours early.” I walked over to him and squared off before slamming the door shut in his face.

  No way I was going to be at his beck-and-call whenever he wanted to try and pick up some girl. But unless I could find a new job that paid enough to afford a place in London, my options were limited. I fucking hated it.

  I spent the next couple of hours going over any plan I could think of to get me out from under Uncle Eric. He was family, and on the surface, everything looked great. But now I could see what he was really after— a puppet to do his bidding when he chose
.

  My savings were pretty meagre, and the money I earned from playing bouncer wasn’t exactly replenishing that fund. The temptation to reach out to see what Zuri could offer took seed and looked a lot more appealing when you needed a cash injection.

  Hell, fighting was all I’d done, and although I promised myself I’d walk away, right now, it was hard not to fall back to it, regardless of the outcome I’d endured last time around.

  Hey! So I’ve been thinking that maybe you could take me to dinner now? Astrid

  Astrid’s message pushed all the other shit to the back of my mind.

  Finally. What made you change your mind?

  Oh, nothing much. But I have an ulterior motive, Leo. Be warned. This time, you’ll be the one doing more of the talking. Somehow you’re still a mystery to me.

  You were the one who didn’t want to play twenty questions.

  And while I hold true to that decision, I can’t deny I want you to fill in the blanks for me.

  Ask me anything you want. At dinner.

  Deal.

  I thought about what Uncle Eric had said and finally found something to my advantage. This little show tonight would give me Friday night free to take Astrid out. That alone made what I was about to put up with so much easier.

  Friday night. I’ll pick you up. Leo

  My choice of where we go?

  Lady’s choice.

  I waited for the next message, but it didn’t come.

  So, I got on with the farce of tonight, knowing that Friday I’d get to see Astrid again.

  Shirt, suit, shoes–I got ready to the timeline I dictated and then fetched dear-old Eric.

  “You’re ready, I see.”

  “Yes, and this is costing you my Friday shift.”