Page 91 of Loving Leo

I can do neither.

I just want to avoid it all until the night is over, but unfortunately that doesn’t happen. Heath manages to catch me when I’m taking a break, his hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunched slightly.

“Hey,” he says softly and I peer over my shoulder at him and manage a small smile.

“Hey.”

“I meant to come over earlier, but I got stuck.”

I peer up at him. “With her.”

“Yeah. Fuck, Leo. I’m really sorry about all of this. I didn’t know you’d be here and you’ve seen me at my worst.” He lowers his voice and leans forward slightly. “They make me worse.”

My chest clenches at that admission. “I don’t think you’re worse.”

I roll my lips between my teeth after uttering that and then just stand there and drink him in.

“I just want to kiss you,” he whispers.

The way his gaze moves down to my lips makes my cheeks pinken and I shift on my feet.

“I don’t think you should do that here. They may see. But just know that I’d like that. Very much.”

He nods and meets my stare, still standing a horribly far distance away.

He lets out a relieved breath, but then sucks it back in when I ask, “That was her huh? Lana?”

His head hangs. “Yeah. She won’t leave me alone.”

I shift on my feet again, peering over his shoulder to look at his parents and his ex who are speaking to one another several yards away.

“You should probably get back to them.”

“I’d rather run away with you instead.”

He grins at me and his hand reaches out slightly before falling back to his side.

I miss his touch, can feel the absence of him. It’s only a day, but still. I don’t like him having to hide. It’s a horrible thing to be someone you’re not, to pretend.

To put on a mask for so many years.

“I should go.”

“You should.”

He sighs and turns to leave, his steps faltering, making me deflate slightly as he continues to walk away from me. I can’t help but watch him go and that’s where the mistake is made.

Lana catches me watching him and I know she sees it in my eyes.

The yearning, the desire. The connection I have with him.

Her lips turn down and her arms fold across her chest.

Fuck, I need to leave before she confronts me. I’m a terrible liar.

I don’t want to ruin this for him.

“Who are you, really?”Heath’s mom asks me, catching me off guard twenty minutes later. The tray of drinks wobbles in my hand and I blink over at her, not answering. “How do you really know my kids?”

---