Page 61 of Loving the CEO

"That was not what I was going to fucking say. Can't you tell that I'm losing my mind at the thought of anyone even looking at you?"

All my muscles felt soft all of a sudden.

"Leo...," I murmured.

"I'll be at the airport to pick you up when you come back."

"Thanks." Silence hung between us for a few seconds. "Do you want to talk? Last night, we didn't..."

"What we did was much better than talking, wasn't it?"

There was that seductive voice again. I shimmied in my seat.

"I’ll need that coffee before I can string two sentences together without sounding like a total caveman."

"I do like that side of you, though."

He laughed, and that throaty sound filled me with pride and joy. Then an announcement resounded through the airport.

"Boarding is starting," I told him.

"See? Not enough time for me to get my shit together. Have a safe flight. Stay safe in New Orleans too. And send me your return flight details."

"Okay."

"And Tory?"

"Yeah?" I held my breath.

"Last night was fucking amazing."

My face exploded into a grin. "I completely agree."

I disconnected the call and hurried forward so I could be one of the first ones to board. I didn't let myself worry about anything—not what this would mean for our friendship or where it could even possibly lead. At dinner yesterday, it had become crystal clear that Leo and I wanted completely different things. He’d said so himself—he wanted his life in five years to look exactly the same as it did now.

And I... well, I wanted different things. But even knowing that, I was still on cloud nine, and nothing was going to make me descend from that happy place. For once, I was just going to enjoy myself. I wouldn’t allow our intimacy to affect our friendship. After this ended, as it probably would, our friendship would still last forever. We were adults. We could do this.

***

The plane hit more turbulence than I’d ever experienced in my life. I was lucky I didn't order anything to eat because everyone else who didthrew up. Still, by the time I walked out into the New Orleans sunshine, I felt downright queasy.

"Welcome back!" Debbie exclaimed.

"You didn't have to pick me up, you know," I told her for the hundredth time.

"Come on, it's the first time I'm seeing my bestie since she became a runaway bride. I want as much time as possible with you. And what was that about canceling the date?"

"Did you do it?" I asked.

"Yes, because that's what you wanted. But I demand an explanation."

I grinned at her. "You'll get one. Let's just go to the car first, though."

She looked at me intently and then said, "Holy shit, you got some."

I jerked my head back. "What? How... I mean, how could you tell?” Was it written on my forehead?

"The sly way you looked down when I said I want an explanation. You almost blushed. You got yourself a hunk in Boston and didn't tell me anything. When did you meet him? What exactly did he do? Was he good at it?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

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