Page 26 of Starting Back
“What did you tell her?”
“Nothing. She said she hoped I was too busy and satisfied to read and reply.” I held his gaze as I took a sip from my water bottle.
“Satisfied, huh?” He clicked his tongue with his teeth, the smolder in his eyes kicking up my pulse. I couldn’t add “naked” to that since we already had trouble keeping our hands off each other. The power of suggestion was unneeded and dangerous.
“I’m supposed to come home with a good story for both Nicole and my sister-in-law.”
“No pressure,” Leo huffed, a smile pulling at his lips.
“Trust me, I have plenty to tell already.” I stilled when his brows jumped. “I mean… God, here I go again.” I groaned and dropped my head into my hands.
“Stop,” he said, wrapping his hand around my ankle before he skimmed it up my calf. His light touch soothed me even when it shot straight to my core.
“I didn’t tell Nicole much about you other than how we met and that we had plans today. Peyton, my sister-in-law, is the one who usually drags things out of me. She knows more, but I didn’t tell her everything either.”
Leo nodded, still running his hand up and down my calf, skimming my knee as he inched higher.
“Mostly, we talked about what you said. Having someone’s undivided attention is something new to me—too new—and I didn’t and still don’t know how to handle it. But I’m trying. Because it’s nice.”
A slow grin spread across Leo’s face.
“Really nice,” I whispered as I leaned forward to graze my fingers over his stubbled chin. “You’re raising my standards by a lot, which is going to suck when I land back in New York,” I joked, but he didn’t laugh. Goose bumps trailed down my back when he cupped my neck.
He brushed my lips with a light, lingering kiss that kicked up my heart rate. “I only have a little time to give you a good story.”
I fell back with Leo on top of me, not caring who was on the other end of the beach or how fast this was all going. As I melted into the sand, it all seemed too right to worry about what should or shouldn’t be.
“So then, we need to make this count.”
TEN
LEO
“Can I ask you something?” Kristina squinted at me from across the table.
“I told you, you can ask me anything. That’s the whole idea for today. I’m an open book.”
“I see,” she said, pursing her lips as she bit into a coconut shrimp, my eyes following her mouth and tongue as they had all damn day. The beach had started to fill up after an hour, putting a halt to where we were headed as we lay tangled up in each other on the sand.
Every part of me wanted to be near her or on her, and it was becoming near impossible to think about anything else. I’d hoped a lunch break would help me recalibrate my brain.
“It’s a little personal, so you can still feel free to tell me to mind my own business, but why do you move around so much?”
My beer bottle stilled right before I took a long pull. I brought it to my lips, gulping a long swig before setting it back down.
“I haven’t moved in a while. I’ve actually been in Florida longer than any other place I’ve lived since I left New York.”
“Hmm” was all she said as she traced along the rim of her cocktail glass.
“That sounded like a loaded ‘hmm,’” I said, leaning back in my chair as I searched her gaze. “Any reason why you’re asking?”
“Well, you didn’t answer my question. You said something earlier about Florida being good for thetime being. Do you have plans to move again?”
I shrugged. “Right now, no. I’ve only lived in a few places.”
“How many?” she asked, lifting a brow.
“I don’t know, four, maybe five. I’m not a nomad if that’s what you’re thinking.”
