Page 5 of Stolen

“A restaurant and a café.” Leo closed the fridge. “I don’t know if the staff is around, since they’re probably snowed in somewhere, too, but yeah. There should be a lot more food options over there.”

“Good to know.”

“Right?” Leo beamed. “So, what do you think? Do you think we’re good to go?”

“Sure. As long as no one gets too overeager in any of the kitchens.”

“I mean, we’re living with a bunch of athletes. They’re probably going to tear through all the protein, but there’s a good chance they’ll leave the bread alone.” Leo chuckled. “But yeah. We can start divvying up stuff if it comes to that.”

There was a moment of silence between us.

Leo leaned toward me. “Are you always like this?”

“Always like what?”

“A little off-putting. A little hard to get to know,” Leo replied. “Or is that just a defense mechanism? Bradley rarely speaks and you rarely laugh. Or smile.”

“I laugh all the time.”

“Got it. You just don’t think I’m funny.” Leo grinned.

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to say it. The whole not laughing thing pretty much sealed the deal.” Leo grinned again. “But hey, that’s fine with me. You don’t have to think I’m hilarious. You just have to, I don’t know, respect me?”

“Why’d you make that sound like a question?”

“Uh, because you’re intimidating?” Leo admitted. “I don’t know if anyone’s ever told you that before. Your whole vibe is very… intense.”

“And you don’t like it?”

“I didn’t say that.” Leo quoted me from earlier, a smile still playing on his lips. There was another moment of silence between us before he added, “Do you want to see my favorite place? In this whole lodge?”

“Your favorite place is this bar?”We were in yet another lounge-like area, although this one seemed less like a lobby and more like an old-fashioned drawing room. Leo was tending bar, pulling down a few bottles before he set them down against the marble countertop.

“Yeah, I should probably expand on that.” He laughed before he motioned for me to have a seat at the bar. “It’s not my favorite place because of the drinks. You can get drinks anywhere.”

“Then, why is it your favorite place?” I asked, taking a seat in front of him.

“It’s because people tend to loosen up when they feel safe, warm. Back when I was in college, I used to work at this dive bar. Completely below board, by the way. I think they just pretended they didn’t know I wasn’t quite twenty-one yet, until I was.”

“And you liked it? Tending bar?”

“I liked meeting all kinds of people. I liked talking to people I never would’ve talked to in a million, billion years if I’d stayed in my college bubble.” Leo held up a finger before he asked, “What are you in the mood for?”

“Pretty sure it’s barely eight in the morning, Leo.”

“Un-huh. A White Russian, it is.” Leo pulled out a small glass from behind the counter, before filling it halfway with milk. He then slid it over to me. “Virgin, of course.”

I couldn’t help it. I cracked a smile as I took the drink into my grip.

“Oh, my God. Did I just get you to laugh?” Leo gasped. “Is that all it takes? A little bar humor?”

“I wouldn’t necessarily call that a laugh?—”

“A win is a win!” Leo pumped a fist into the air. “I’ll take whatever I can get.”

He then poured himself a small glass of water, before he took a few sips. For a moment, I was able to get a glimpse of the real Leo, the one hiding behind the confident façade. He was just as beautiful without the mask he wore for others, the one he seemed to be wearing for me, too.

---