Page 29 of Loving the CEO

"You’re still cold?" Leo asked.

"A bit." It wasn't completely a lie. I wasn't feeling warm, but I wasn't shuddering because of the weather. It was because my senses were going haywire.

The bar was pretty full when we arrived. A few men wore suits, but most people were dressed casually. The music was rhythmic and inviting. Quite a few people were dancing, so we wouldn’t stand out at all.

“Drinks or dancing first?” Leo asked.

“Drinks.” I felt a bit shy suddenly.

What's gotten into you, Tory? Since when do you need liquid courage to dance with your best friend?

Well... since the veil has somehow lifted from my eyes, and I can see that he's the hottest man on earth.

The reason didn't matter. Drinks were welcome at any time.

They had a lot of bartenders behind the counter, so it took no time at all to get someone's attention.

"Shots again?" Leo asked with a wink.

"Let's go for a cocktail. We had shots yesterday," I added for the bartender’s sake.

He seemed on the verge of laughter. We probably sounded like silly college students. I ordered a daiquiri, and Leo got a gin and tonic.

"Your drink looks amazing." Mine was delicious, and I wasn't usually a gin girl, but for some reason, Leo's was tempting.

He grinned. "You want to taste it, don't you?"

"I’d love to. You're welcome to try mine too."

"That pink thing? No way."

I rolled my eyes. "You think you'll be less manly if you drink something pink? I don't think your manhood is in any danger."

"No, I just know how it tastes, and it's exactly as pink as it looks. But you're welcome to try my gin."

I grabbed another straw and put it in his glass, sipping slowly. "I love, love, love this. This is going to be my second drink."

"Easy there. Let's see how you feel after one drink. You never were good with cocktails."

Him remembering that detail caught me off guard—again. Our gazes met, and something passed between us. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, though.

We’d always been close in college, but this was different. Maybe I was just on edge after all that celibacy before the wedding. In hindsight, thank God Walter insisted we do that, since he was fooling around with God only knew how many women. He could have given me an STD if we hadn’t. Dumping him helped me dodge a bullet in more ways than one.

"Ready to dance when you are," Leo said.

Was I imagining it, or was his voice lower? Seductive, even.

"Sure."

"Let’s leave our drinks here." He pointed at a table farther away from the counter. We could hold our drinks and dance, but I preferred to have my hands free.

Already thinking about feeling him up, huh? This is going to be interesting.

The music was slower now but very inviting. As soon as I put my drink down, I started swaying my shoulders and my hips.

I closed my eyes and moved to the rhythm, feeling so light for some reason. I didn't know if it was because I'd had a few sips of alcohol or because Leo was right behind me.

I moved a bit closer to him and heard his sharp intake of breath. Still, I didn't open my eyes. I was just following my instincts. Then I felt one of his large, strong hands on my waist.

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