Page 62 of Sass

I huffed in disbelief. “Try again.” I locked eyes, and our physical proximity, his heat, the feel of his muscles moving under my palm—it all threw my brain right back into bed with him on that Sunday morning. The walls around my heart wobbled. The man was killing me.

“No, not avoiding,” he said the words carefully, his eyes steady on mine. “Giving you space. That’s all. You were crystal clear. It was a one-time thing, and I didn’t want to spook you by hanging around all puppy-eyed.”

The corner of my mouth quirked up and a knot unfurled in my stomach. “Puppy-eyed?” I arched a brow.

He shrugged. “I told you, I like you. But you’ve made no secret of the fact you’re not interested in more from me. I was trying to be respectful. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure you’d even notice. And if you did, then you’d be... relieved.”

Dammit.The perfect fucking answer. “Well, I did... notice,” I huffed. “I was... worried about you.” I winced. “There, I said it. Friends, remember?”

His turn to raise a brow. “You were worried about me?”

I scowled. “Don’t look at me like that. Friends worry.” I flicked a dismissive hand. “With the family meeting and all that. I wondered if you’d heard anything. I was concerned, that’s all.” It wasn’t a lie. It was far worse than that. It was hideously and undeniably true. I’d been angsting over the whole Leon grief and family things from the minute I’d left him Sunday and I hadn’t fucking stopped.

“Oh.” His grey eyes turned wary. “Well, thanks, but I’m okay. My mother did call, as it happened, and everything went well. They’re going ahead with the tree thing.” His nose wrinkled. “They want me there, and I said I’d think about it. They don’t want me to go through the day on my own and offered, once again, to come to the cemetery with me.”

I perked up. “Well, that’s good, right? A compromise?”

He sighed. “I told them no. If I was going to the accident site on my own, I’d go to the cemetery alone.”

What?That sounded an awful lot like the stamping of feet, but I kept my mouth shut.

“I don’t want them there if they don’t really want to be.” His eyes glistened. “If it upsets them.”

“But—”

“No.” His expression hardened. “It’smydecision. I’ve had texts from everyone wanting me to talk, and I will. But I’m not ready yet. My parents are coming to lunch next Saturday. We’ll talk then.”

I swallowed several responses, deciding to let it go. What the fuck did I know about how actual functioning families worked, anyway?

Silence filled the space between us, but it was gentle rather than awkward. Leon brushed the back of his fingers across my cheek, and I couldn’t suppress the soft moan that escaped my lips or the way I leaned into his touch and his thumb traced my jaw. “Do you regret telling me about your family... about James?” His voice was full of concern.

“No.” I marvelled at the admission. “I should, but for some reason, I’m okay with it.”And God help me, I was.

A slow smile spread over Leon’s face, softening all those worry lines he carried. “Good. Because I don’t regret sharing with you, either. But I’m just wondering if there’s another reason you came to see me today?” His eyes danced.

I moved closer, sliding my hand around his neck. “I can’t stop thinking about Sunday.”About you.“We were on fire, right? Tinder to flame.” I pulled him down, the heat of his body searing my skin right through the fabric of my clothes, his rain-fresh scent washing over me in waves of arousal.

“Chris—”

“You asked if I had another reason for coming?” I interrupted with a soft smile. “And this is my answer. Kiss me.”

“What are you—”

“Just fucking kiss me.”

He stared for just a second, and then a smile broke over his face. “Then you better come here, baby.” His arms circled my waist, pulling me close, tight enough to feel the hard swell of his cock against my stomach.

I fought a smile at the endearment, telling myself it wasn’t what I was there for, but when Leon’s mouth covered mine and his hot demanding tongue slid between my lips, a wanton growl I didn’t know I was capable of issued forth from my throat. We grappled for a few moments, fighting for control, but then I found my back against the wall and... oh yeah, I could get down with that.

Leon kicked the door shut with his foot and I jumped at the crack that split the room. “We shouldn’t be doing this.” I tore his T-shirt from his trousers so I could get my hands on his skin, groaning shamelessly at the first touch, like he was the drug I’d been missing.

“You’re right, we shouldn’t.” He gasped as I tweaked the piercing in his nipple.

“But maybe just one more time, okay?” There was a desperation to my voice, like I was trying to convince myself, and I prayed Leon missed it.

“Absolutely. Just once mo—” He moaned as I palmed his solid dick. “Oh fuck.”

“We could always stop.” I squeezed, and he bucked forward.

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