Page 69 of Stolen

“Because I realized something yesterday.” He shook his head as he spoke. “I realized that what we’ve been doing has been nice and all, but?—”

“But?”

“But I don’t think you’re interested in trying something different.” Leo’s voice was low. “I don’t think you’re interested in—I don’t even know if you’re ready for?—”

“A boyfriend. That’s the word you’re trying to get to, right?” I suggested. “You don’t think I’m ready to have a boyfriend.”

“Right.”

“But that’s what you want us to be? Boyfriends?”

“I… don’t know.” Leo blew out a heavy breath. “All I know is that I don’t want it to be something completely off the table. I can understand if you’re not ready because we haven’t known each other long enough, but what happens if I get that job in Roanoke, and we keep hooking up for years and years and then one day you tell me to stop calling you because you’ve got a new man in your life? I don’t think I can take that kind of heartbreak all over again?—”

“Why can’t we take it one day at a time?” I pressed. “You’re so lost in the future, Leo, that you can’t even see what’s right in front of you.” I casually climbed over the bar, not stopping until I was standing in front of him. “Look, I can’t say that I’m going to be the perfect boyfriend. I mean, I’ll barely know what I’m doing,since I’ve never been in anything serious before. But you know what I do know?”

“What?”

“I know that I fucking hate it when you look at me like I’m just another one of your clients. I hate it when you fake a smile at me or give me that perfect PR personality.” I took another step closer to Leo. “That’s not you. At least, not the real you. Not the version of you I’ve been holding in my arms, one way or another, every night since we met.”

“Jacob—”

“Will you come to my bedroom tonight?” I cut him off with the question, letting it linger between us.

Leo looked away from me again, everything about him seeming hesitant. “I don’t know if—what happens if we?—”

“Even if you’re completely done with me, you could still consider this the very last time?” I pressed a soft kiss against Leo’s forehead. “Come to bed with me, baby. Just one last time. That’s all.”

“I don’t want you to hurt me, Jacob,” Leo murmured. “You have no idea how much you could hurt me.”

“Hey,” I said, placing Leo’s chin in my hand, forcing him to turn back toward me. “I would never hurt you, Leo. Not on purpose. You have to know that by now.”

“Sometimes, I feel like I don’t know anything.”

“You know me. And you know you.” I brought my hand down to his, slowly intertwining our fingers. “And you know how good it feels when we’re together. How good it feels when you’re completely giving yourself over to me.”

“How good it feels when you’re…” Leo’s words trailed off, his cheeks turning red yet again.

“Come to bed with me, Leo,” I asked for a second time. “Please.”

Leo subtly nodded his head.

“But just once. That’s it. And that’s all.”

Mine.Mine. Mine.

It was all I could think as I watched Leo step into my bedroom, his arms folded across his chest. He was always such a vision to look at, but tonight in particular, he looked so gorgeous it almost hurt to look at him. He was a painting come to life, a muse who’d somehow escaped the frames, with his tight black t-shirt and jeans that hugged him in all the right places.

He was the only man, woman, person that I’d ever wanted with this kind of intensity, everything in me aching to touch him, claim him, make him mine.

“The guys did pretty good today, didn’t they?” He started the conversation with a smile. “Better than I think anyone expected.”

“Yeah, I’m surprised no one threatened us with a lawsuit for working them so hard outside of their usual training,” I joked. “They kind of seem like the type.”

“Keith, especially,” Leo joked right back. “I swear, he has his lawyer on speed dial.”

Leo’s smile suddenly faded away. “I saw you two talking, while we were getting the snow cleared.”

“What can I say?” I shrugged. “Keith’s still an asshole, but I think we had a breakthrough. Even though, he did try to kick my ass last night?—”

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