Page 29 of Burning Bridges

“Do you want to spend the night with me?” he asks, sounding a little hurt I might be considering going home.

“Yes,” I answer honestly. Right now, I want more than anything to spend the night with him. I don’t want this to end. I’m just scared about what the consequences will be tomorrow.

“Then that’s what we will do. If it’s my brothers you're worried about, they're both at work,” he tells me, like it should ease my mind, but I hadn’t even considered them.

“That’s good,” I agree, not able to tell him what I’m really thinking. I don’t even understand what I’m feeling. That I’m falling for him all over again because he has done one nice thing for me, that’s crazy.

He pulls into his estate, and the security guard on the gate notices him and opens the gate for Leo to pull his car through. He heads right for the garage and parks next to a line-up of other expensive-looking cars. I would like to say he has so many because he lives with his two brothers, but I already know these will all be his. He closes the rolling door behind him, locking us in. I swallow hard, trying to get all the shit in my head under control so I don’t lose my nerve and I can do what I came here for.

He kills the engine and turns to face me. “Last night was about what I wanted. Tonight, you tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you.”

“Why are you being so nice to me? It’s a little unnerving.”

The glare my comment earns me makes me wish I didn’t say it, but sometimes I can’t stop the words from tumbling out, even though I know I should. “I can stop if you would prefer?” he snaps.

I take his hand, trying to calm him again. “No, I’m just confused.” He drops his head to kiss me. I’m swept away with him in a moment of passion that feels so right. I would be crazy not to enjoy this while it lasts. The chemistry between us is so intense. I will never experience anything like this again, I’m sure of it.

He pulls away from me and hops out of the car, taking my overnight bag and returning to open my door. “Stop overthinking it, Piper. Just enjoy yourself tonight, I know I will. Tomorrow we can go back to hating each other.”

I offer him a small smile because I don’t know what else to do. It’s not hating him I’m worried about. It’s the other feelings that are creeping up inside of me. The strange flutter of excitement I get just at the way he looks at me. What is that? It’s not hatred anymore, it’s something so much scarier. And I know I’m not going to want it to end.

Chapter 17

LEO

Ishowherthroughto my wing of the house, walking quickly past the front portion where my brothers reside. We share a kitchen and living room, but I have my own space back here. Two bedrooms, living room, home office, and a courtyard with a jacuzzi. They wanted the front of the house because that’s where the pool and gym are, and it suited me just fine. If I had my way, I would have blindfolded Piper so she had no idea where anything was in this place, but after how it went last night, I couldn’t bring myself to do it to her.

“You have a grand piano?” she gushes, and I knew she would. It’s much like the one in her home. She’s a very talented pianist herself, and I have heard her play on many occasions. Not that she knew I was there in the dark of night when she should have been sleeping. But I was, and every song she plays sounds so haunted. I felt them right through to my core. I think that’s why taking her to a performance was my choice for tonight. I knew what it would mean to her.

She slides a hand over the glossy black top. “It’s beautiful.”

“It is.” I’m not exactly sure what possessed me to purchase it in the first place. I can’t play a note, but deep down I know it’s because it reminded me of her. And maybe I had hoped that one day she would have the chance to play it for me. Not with me outside of her house listening in, but right here in front of me. “Why don’t you play something for me?”

“Really?” She looks surprised but excited that I would want her to.

“I know you're itching to. She's been tuned but never played. Show me what she can do.”

She glides onto the bench, flicking her long silky dress to the side and opening the top so she can get her fingers on the keys. I swallow the lump in my throat. The sight of her in that slinky dress with the low back, ready to play, is the sexiest thing I have ever seen.

Her fingers dance along the keys as she plays a rendition of Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven straight from memory. Listening to her play, it’s easy to get swept away in the fantasy of what we could be. In the emotion that swirls between us whenever we’re close. Everything about her brings my soul to life, and my body is buzzing with energy, with the need to get my hands on her skin. But I wait patiently for her to finish the song, knowing this melody will stay with me long after she's done playing. It normally does for days.

The song comes to an end, and instead of turning around back to face me, she sits staring at the keys, like she is lost in the emotion of it all. Or maybe she’s not ready to face the reality of what is building between us.

I take my suit jacket off, placing it on the armchair and crossing the room to join her. I move her hair away from her neck so I can bend down and kiss her, running my hand down her back as I do. She pushes into me, like my touch is exactly what she needs. I couldn’t have waited a second longer myself.

She pulls back so she can move her body around slowly to face me, and my hands go to her face, cupping her chin so she’s looking up at me, her big brown eyes filled with so much emotion.

She licks her lips. “Leo.”

I cut her off, kissing her. I don’t know what she was about to say, but I have a feeling that she was going to tell me she can’t stay, and I won’t let her leave. Not now when she's already here with me. I need to have her again. So, I don’t give her the chance to back out. I kiss her with everything I have, letting my lips convince her she should stay with me tonight. That she should let me worship her body the way she deserves.

Her body softens into mine. As we kiss, I lift her, sitting her on the edge of the piano lid so I can get my hands on her better. Dropping her dress's thin straps down over each shoulder, I expose her breasts. I kiss my way down her neck and cleavage, running my hands over her smooth skin and cupping her heavy breasts. Her skin is creamy and smooth, and her nipples are hard, begging me to play with them.

“What do you want, Piper?” I ask, running my thumbs over her nipples. I’m not making the same mistakes I did with her last night. Tonight, she has to tell me what she wants.

She looks down at me through long dark lashes. “Last night you took me away from all the stuff I have going on in my head. Take me back there. Distract me from it all, Leo,” she requests, looking so tortured. It wasn’t what I was expecting her to say, but I’m here for it. I don’t know half the stuff she has going on, but I want to be the one to take away her pain, let her escape her demons, even if it is just for tonight.

“I’m here for you, Princess. I can be whatever kind of distraction you want me to be,” I say, not even recognizing my own voice. When I’m with her like this, I’m a different person.

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