Page 45 of Loving Leo

The ominous voice note from my mother is sitting on my phone. I don’t know if I even want to listen to it.

I may just delete it.

That’s what Selena would tell me to do.

But for some reason, I leave it on there, letting it torture me slowly. I’ve never been very good at defying my parents. She’s the rebel. Not me.

By the time I’m off to meet Leo, I’m running late,my hair a mess, my shirt wrinkled from twisting it around my finger. I took my tie off entirely. I don’t even know if my fly is zipped.

I glance down and check it as I walk into the small cafe. Thankfully it’s zipped shut, no dick to be seen. I smile to myself thinking about how Leo wouldn’t even care if it was down. He wouldn’t be embarrassed by my disheveled appearance and tell me I’ll never get anywhere in life because of it. To go change and make myself more presentable.

I glance around the quaint place. It’s quiet in here, an odd time to be eating or meeting for drinks. But I see Leo and Asher almost immediately, tucked together in the corner, their lips turned up as they laugh, their hands on the drinks in front of them.

When I approach, they turn to look at me and I see Leo’s cheeks flush in appreciation as Asher cocks his head and analyzes me.

It makes me nervous, my hand running through my messy hair as I fumble with my chair. I feel a bit of shame for not making sure I look immaculate before meeting his friend—but maybe I like getting a little messy. Maybe that’s why I’m so damn drawn to Leo. I don’t have to worry about things like that all the time. He just lets me be who I am in that moment.

“Hey, sorry I’m late.”

“It’s okay,” Leo says and then waves his hand around Asher’s face. “This is Ash. Asher. My roommate. I’ve told you about him.”

“Hey there,” he says and extends his hand. I take it and he squeezes a little too roughly, making me wince.

Leo rolls his eyes as he swats at Asher with a menu.

“Leave him alone. We’re just friends,” he says and then mouths an apology to me.

I swallow and take a seat, picking up the menu from the sticky table and glancing down at it. Although I’m not sure I like those words coming from Leo.Just friends. Does that mean Asher is jealous of the two of us? Does Leo need him to think we’re just friends? I mean, I know we are, in a way, but are they?

“You look frazzled,” Leo whispers. “Are you okay?”

I really need to get it together. “Just a long day,” I reply as I glance down at the menu again. “Maybe I’ll have that early drink.”

“Oh you can totally do that. I’m doing that,” Leo replies and then grins at me, almost as if he knows something secret about me. Which, technically he does.

He knows all the secrets. Like the fact that I enjoy him getting on his knees and sucking my cock.

“Why does he look like that?” Asher asks about me.

Leo blushes. I see it on his cheeks and my heart flutters. It’s far too adorable. He just shrugs and looks over his menu, but I can feel Asher’s eyes on me. “I was just thinking about your roommate. Seems Leo makes me smile,” I answer honestly.

Leo’s eyes widen and Asher cocks an eyebrow at me.

“I like making you…” Leo looks slightly coy, “Smile.”

Asher rolls his eyes at that innuendo and snorts. “Be more subtle. Honestly, I don’t need more of an imagination than I already have.” But then he grins. He doesn’t look at all jealous. He doesn’t look disturbed by the way Leo sayssmileas if it actually meanscome my brains out.

“Um, so Leo says you’re just roommates?” I blurt out. “You two…you haven’t…” Jesus, be more ridiculous why don’t you Heath.

They both laugh, but it isn’t cruel and mocking. They obviously think the idea is absolutely silly. Probably more so with how I delivered it versus what I was actually asking.

Asher answers quickly, “No. Nothing between us. Anything with him would be like fucking a brother and that’s not my thing. Never dabbled in extreme taboo.”

Leo chuckles at that, tossing a sugar packet at his friend. “Yeah, Heath. We’re roommates. And friends. Never more than that.” He holds my eyes now, his gaze serious like he wants me to know that. Like heneedsme to know that.

I hate that I’m a weak man, needing to know this in order to breathe easy, but I did. I don’t like the idea of Leo collaborating withanyone else and I don’t like the idea of him and his roommate being anything more than just friends.

A weird possession of him settles somewhere in my chest. I haven’t known him very long, but I still feel like I have.

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