Page 10 of Loving the CEO

We stepped forward. There were only four people in front of us. I was going to suggest to Maddox and Gabe to hunt down employees from Café Du Monde for their hotel's restaurant back in Boston. They were very efficient.

I zeroed in on Tory, feeling protective of her right now. Hell, I always did.

After she'd shared everything with me, I could understand her reaction when she'd burst out of the hotel like that.

“How many beignets?” I asked when our turn came.

“Normally, I'd say one is enough, but this is a three-beignet type of meltdown.”

When our turn came, we ordered three beignets for her and three for me, plus two bottles of water. Then I stepped to the side so the lady behind us in line could place her order, thanking her for lightening up our day.

"Where do you want to eat?" I asked.

"Let's sit along the river."

"Sure."

We walked at a leisurely pace, then sat down on the concrete at the edge of the Mississippi. I took out the beignets, putting them between us.

She closed her eyes before taking a bite. I was transported back to our days in college days. “Oh, I missed these so much.”

“Tory? Want to talk about it?”

“I’m overwhelmed,” she admitted, “but it does feel much easier to talk right now. I know one thing for sure: I’m not going back to the hotel.”

“Do you have everything you need from there? I could get the rest of your things for you. Whatever you want to do, I’ll help."

"You'd literally drive the getaway car, huh?"

"I'm your man for anything."

We both smiled, and I knew she remembered the first time I’d told her that. Second year of college, she’d needed to make a quick escape from a party. I helped.

"Bet you didn't think that you'd have to be my proverbial getaway driver on the eve of my wedding, huh?"

"Where do you want to go?" I asked, moving on to my second beignet.

She'd already finished all three when she answered. "Walter and I live in a house in the Marigny. I don't want to see anyone back at the hotel, so maybe we should go there," she said, then added, "Actually, I don't even want to be at the house either, but all my things are there."

"Then let's do the following. We'll go to the house, you'll grab your stuff, and then we'll go somewhere else. A different hotel."

"Thanks, Leo," she murmured, coming closer to me.

I realized a second before she leaned in that she wanted another hug. I was ready this time, putting an arm around her lower back and the other on the back of her head.

“We've got this,” I assured her.

Why did she have to smell so delicious? The cinnamon and apples comforted me.

Get your shit together, Leo. This is your best friend. She's distraught. She needs your help. Stop fantasizing about her body.

That wasn’t possible, though. Not when she pressed herself even closer to me and I realized she wasn't wearing a bra. I took in a deep breath through my nose, trying to ignore my thoughts. It didn't help for jack shit.

"Want me to book a hotel?” I asked.

"Let's just go. I want to pack. We'll see after that."

"Ready when you are.”

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