Page 74 of Sass

“Maybe.” I flicked my hair dramatically and pulled the lamb chops from the microwave. “I’llraisethe matter in due course.”

He laughed. “You do that. I do love a good hard root veg—”

“Oh my god.” I aimed my chef’s knife his way.

“Okay, okay.” He raised his palms. “I’ll talk.”

And so he did. He talked for an hour as I cooked and while we ate. Things had gone better than he’d expected, which was a relief to my frazzled nerves, but my heart broke a little as he talked about his parents’ contact with the woman who’d been driving the car when Caitlyn was killed. It clearly shocked him. And I could tell he still wasn’t sure of his reasoning about not wanting his family with him at Caitlyn’s grave, but I’d back him for having the right to do it his way. Lord knew, I didn’t have my own shit together enough to judge anyone else on theirs.

But as exhaustion crept into his eyes and his words began to falter, I got to my feet and kissed him into silence. “Enough.” I walked our plates to the sink and then held out my hand. “Come on, I know exactly what you need.”

His expression perked up.

“Notthat.” I rolled my eyes in response to his heated look. “This ismuchbetter.”

He leaned his head over my shoulder to whisper in my ear. “Now you’re just lying. There isn’t anything better than you.”

I blinked and my heart did a silly flip-flop thing that should’ve made me throw up in my mouth for its sheer sappiness factor alone. But I rallied admirably and ignoring the way Leon’s hot breath made me shiver, I tucked his hand behind my back and led him into the hallway. “As flattering as that is—” I cut him a quick look. “—I’m not exactly enamoured with the idea of you falling asleep on my dick, which seems the most likely outcome of any hanky-panky we engage in.”

He laughed. “Hanky-panky, huh?”

I pulled him into the apartment’s oversized bathroom, flicked on the fairy lights I’d strung across the ceiling, and smiled as he blinked in wonder.

“Wow.”

I stood at his side, remembering seeing the space for the first time, twelve months before. “It’s great, right?”

The four-by-four metre bathroom held two sinks, an ancient but supremely workable bath big enough for two, maybe more, a large-screened shower which was also big enough for two if you didn’t mind snuggling under the single head, and a floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the city lights and was well hidden from nosy neighbours.

Leon wandered across to the window and hummed appreciatively, the glass fogging from his warm breath. “Pretty impressive bathroom for a one-bedroom apartment,” he commented, turning to face me.

“Glad you like it.” I set to lighting the million or so candles I’d placed around the room. “This is apparently one of the few original bathrooms left in the building, so they decided to keep it as it was. To be honest, it’s what sold me on the apartment. I love art deco, but I love a good soak even more.”

He grinned slyly. “Is that right?”

“Pervert.” I flicked him on the forehead as I passed by to light the candles on the windowsill.

He laughed and the sound bounced around the room and chased the last of my worries away. He pulled me in for a quick kiss. “With you? Always. But I can see you soaking in that with a cocktail in hand and Christina on repeat.”

I snorted and wriggled free of his hold so I could finish with the candles. “It’s like you know me or something.”

“Andthatexplains a lot.” He waved his hand to the fifteen or so colognes staggered in neat lines on the vanity. “You always smell delicious, but it’s different every day.”

He liked how I smelled? I almost fucking blushed. It was those little things that got to me. “That’s because when I had zero money, I collected all the free samples I could from the department stores. And when I finally had some spare cash, I realised I still liked switching things around.”

He snagged me around the waist and pulled me close. “Stand still for a second, will you?” He ran his nose up my neck and into my hair, making me shiver. “Mmm, so good. And I like that it changes. I like that I never know what it’ll be each day, and I can’t wait to find out. It’s intriguing and unpredictable... a lot like you. A scent for every mood. But I’ve learned a thing or two these last couple of years.”

I rested in his arms. It felt good. “Like what?”

“Like the fact you wear the citrus ones when you’re feeling up.”

I jerked back and stared up at him. “How did you—”

“And the one that smells like amber is for when you’re pissy about something.”

I swallowed hard.

“The spicy lemon one is for when you’re cruising, although for that same reason, it doesn’t rank high on my personal favourites.”

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