Page 80 of Loving the CEO

"Leave it to me."

"Why?"

"Because it's going to be easier."

"Thanks.” I sighed. “Starting over is not easy."

Leo's gaze darkened. He moved his hand up from my ass back to my waist. "Do you miss him?"

"Hell no!" I exclaimed. "That's not what I meant when I said it's difficult. It's all the rest that's a bit weird. Changing cities when you're in college or fresh out of it is somehow way easier than starting anew later in life."

"Well, you know what? You're in luck. When we met in college, it was just me, Nick, and Maddox. But now you can add, like, fifty more Whitleys to the mix." He pushed my hair out of my eyes. "When do you want to move in?"

"Hello? Tonight," I said.

He jerked his head back slightly. "You already packed?"

I nodded vigorously. "Yes, after we got home last night. I figured there's no reason to postpone things. I’ve been procrastinating like a queen with the unpacking anyway, so I didn't have a lot to pack."

He swallowed hard. "Then it would have made more sense for me to pick you up from home with the bags."

I spun around a few times, waving my arms. "I was too excited to get my keys to think straight. But luckily, a certain sexy realtor convinced me to only move a few blocks away."

"I'm such a genius. It takes all of three minutes to drive from one place to the other, ten to walk."

"You checked the distance?”

He grinned. “Hell yes!"

“That’s oddly endearing.” I placed my lips straight over his, then kissed down his chin and went to my favorite place: his Adam's apple. He sucked in a deep breath as I teased it with my mouth. Then I buried my face in his neck, and he wrapped his arms around me.

I’d never felt as safe as in this moment—this loved—not even one day in my life. How was that even possible? And how was I going to fare once things between Leo and I went back to friendship? I knew he wasn't the type to settle down.

So why even think about it?said a voice in the back of my head.

The truth was, I couldn't help myself.

"Let's go back to the house. I'll make you dinner and then bring you over with your luggage."

I raised a brow. "You found me this place, and now you want to cook dinner? You’re definitely trying to seduce me tonight."

He looked down at me and wiggled his eyebrows. "Of course. After all, we need to christen the bed, don't we?"

I smirked. "Yes, we do."

***

Leo

It was late by the time I left Tory’s apartment that night. On the way home, I texted Meredith.

Leo: Call me when you can talk. I need to ask you for a favor.

I liked all of my brothers' girls, but Meredith and I were closest. Possibly because she took a liking to me after I found her and Cade the house of their dreams. He'd even proposed there.

I'd been shell-shocked but happy for them. Even though I’d tried hard, I couldn't put myself in his shoes. I couldn't understand how he'dmet Meredith and decided to spend the rest of his life with her in the span of a few months. I didn’t even know how he decided to move in with her.

Bizarrely, I was now starting to figure out where he was coming from.

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