Page 66 of Leo

“Leo?” The sleep husky voice awakened such a turmoil inside him that he could not respond for a second. “You’re back.”

“Yes. Go back to sleep. I did not mean to wake you,” he said curtly.

“I am fine. I was baking and decorating the tree. I started three days ago, with Elly – Mrs. Elliot assisting me and I finally got it finished. What do you think?”

Tearing his eyes away from the enticing and fetching picture she made, he glanced at the tree and pretended to be studying it. “You should not have gone to any trouble.”

Sherrian felt her heart taking a dive.

“It’s no trouble.” She cleared her throat and pushed off the covers. “Are you hungry? I made pies and…”

“I ate at the club.” He stiffened when she came towards him and refused to show any reaction.

“How about something to drink?”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He lashed out. He could smell her lingering perfume or body wash and the gnawing inside him was getting worse. “Is that what we are doing now? Pretending that the argument a week ago did not happen?

Well, it damn well did and you trying to force food down my throat and decorating a damn tree, which by the way looks like it is about to topple from all the decorations, does not change the fact that you do not want my baby.

I am tired and not in the mood to be humored, so whatever the hell game you are playing, I am not buying it.” He turned on his heels and strode from the room, leaving her standing there.

She had expected that. Or something like it but hearing the bitterness and anger in his deep voice had staggered her.

She had felt a shift, felt something that had her opening her eyes and when she saw him standing there, words could not express her joy. She was going to fix this. He was here now, and she was going to have to find a way to get through to him before it was too late.

Chapter 15

He wasn’t in their bedroom. She had expected that as well, but it hurt just the same to realize that he was avoiding her.

Taking a deep breath, she marched over to the adjoining door and shoved it open, just in time to see him walking out of the bathroom. A towel was slung low on his hips and the water was still glistening on the hairs of his chest. He lifted a hand to drag it through his damp hair, when he caught sight of her.

“Don’t you know when to back the hell off. I am not in the mood.”

His voice was icy with displeasure, but she was not going to allow that to stop her.

“I want to apologize…”

“That is not going to work. I need to be alone...,” he stopped when she marched over and stood in front of him. “Don’t!”

He went rigid when she placed her hands on his chest, her head drifting back to gaze at him. The sight of those limpid pools of dark brown eyes combined with her touch was weakening him. “I know you do not like me very much right now and I admit that I hate what I said to you. But I want to show you that I have changed my mind.”

His muscles jerked.

“Why is that?”

“I made a knee-jerk comment about the pregnancy. I was blindsided and certainly was not looking forward to being a mother, at least not yet.” Her fingers curled into the hairs. “I am asking you to forgive me…” She jolted slightly when he gripped her wrists as if to push her away.

“I need time.” He told her harshly. “Just give me time to think…”

“No!” Dragging her hands away, she quickly gripped the edges of the towel and untied the knot.

“Stop!” He hissed out a breath as she curled her fingers around his hardening flesh. His hands landed on her shoulders, and he was still fighting the magnetic pull, when she zeroed in on his other weakness.

Bending her head, she caught a nipple between her teeth and started sucking on the flesh. If that was not enough to drive him to utter madness, she was using her thumb to massage the reddened tip, spreading the moisture over the flesh.

His control – thin at best, simply broke. His limbs felt like liquid and his blood was boiling, he had spent a week away from her, determined to get her out of his head. Coming home to see her curled up on the sofa made him realize how futile his efforts had been. Now all he could feel was a need so intense, he was being swallowed by it.

Dragging off the thin silk robe, he fisted his fingers in her hair and dragged her head up. Seizing her lips, he devoured her mouth. She melted against him, her slender body molding itselfto his. The feel of her, the potency of her nipples rubbing on his chest, shattered him even more.

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