Page 30 of Desire

I lean out of the car and press a kiss to Leo’s lips.

“Thank you for standing up to him. I’ve never actually seen him so flustered as when he walked out of the building.”

“It’s ok. His arguments were useless. I know you too well, and I told him just that. I can’t forget all your little tells even after fourteen years. Eighteen years is a long time to learn them all in the first place.”

“My tells?” I inquire, not sure what he means.

“He said that you were lying to me. I made it clear to him that every time you lie, you twist your hair around your finger. When you told me about him, you didn’t do that.”

Leo’s comments warm my heart.

“I remember you pointing that out to me when we were younger. I’d lied to my mama about us going to your house when we were actually sneaking to the park to climb trees.”

“Yep, you twisted your hair the entire time as you spoke to her. It was so funny. I was trying not to laugh. I think she knew it was a lie as well, but she didn’t call us on it. She knew that together we were safe.”

“Are we together now, Leo?” I pause after my words. Leo and I haven’t put a name to what is happening between us. We’ve kept it to ourselves, but I think it’s time to call it what it is, a relationship. “Leo, I think we need to go public about us. I want to tell Izzy so it doesn’t come as a shock to her. Especially if Simon is going to start coming after you as well. If you defended me as much as I think you probably did, then he’s going to suspect something is going on, and it could cause more trouble if we keep quiet.”

“I agree completely. I’ll tell Leah tomorrow, and she’ll announce it through the show’s press. I’ll get her to say we knew each other as children but grew apart due to circumstances. Our worlds have come back together, thanks to the show, and feelings have been reignited.”

“They definitely have,” I respond as Leo kisses me again. “Will you come back to my house? I want to fetch Izzy and tell her first.”

“Of course. I’m not leaving you on your own while Simon is in New Orleans. I’ll drive your car. Mine will be fine here overnight.”

“Agreed.”

Leo helps me get fully into the passenger side of the car and comes around to the driver’s side. I give him the keys, and he starts the car but doesn’t pull away.

“Are you going to tell Izzy about Simon being in the city?”

I shake my head.

“No, unless he contacts us again. I don’t want to worry her. She doesn’t want anything to do with him, no matter how many times I ask, and I’m not going to force it. She’s sensible. If she sees him, she’ll tell me, and in the meantime until I can talk to my lawyer and confirm Simon is back in LA, we won’t let her out of our sight.”

Chapter 16

Leo

“We’re here,” I inform Elise as I pull the car into the parking spot.

She’s not let Izzy out of her sight the last few days, but we received word yesterday that Simon is back in Hollywood, so Elise agreed to a date with me as long as Lucas and Natalie looked after Izzy. I’ve no doubt she’ll be safe. With Lucas and Issac both protecting her, she’s safer than if she’d been locked in a room and wrapped in cotton wool.

Elise looks out of the window.

“What is it?”

The bland building in front of us doesn’t look much, but I know when she steps inside it will become a vibrant jazz venue with the added bonus of booths offering everything Louisiana has to offer with its mixed culture. The Jazz and Craft Festival has been a long standing event in the city for many years now, and I’ve always wanted to go, but I’ve never had the chance. I didn’t realize how much I missed the city I grew up in until I returned here. I’ve been to a lot of places in Europe, but nothing feels like home to me as much as New Orleans with its welcoming and vibrant, colorful nature.

“You’ll see when you get inside.”

Elise looks skeptical, and I don’t blame her.

“I’m not into dodgy strip clubs.”

“Damn,”—I slap my thigh—“and here was I hoping to get you drunk and up on a pole in just your panties.”

Her eyes go wide with horror.

“Joke.”

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