Page 67 of The Mayor and the Mystery Man

Twenty-four hours ago, I was mostly straight. But after two vigorous rounds of lovemaking, I was a big ole question mark—and a fan of anal sex.

Charred logs sat in the fireplace, remains of last night. I sat up in bed and watched birds buzzing around a nest in the tree outside the window. The house was quiet, peaceful. And I was alone.

WherewasLeo?

I pushed my way through the comforter until I put both feet on the cool hardwood floor. My shirt hung off a chair in the corner. My underwear bunched in a ball between the bed and nightstand. Scenes from last night flashed in my head and put a smile on my face.

But then I remembered I was alone, and my bedmate was nowhere to be found.

“Leo?” I said to the empty room. I checked the en suite bathroom. No sign of him.

After relieving myself and splashing cold water on my face, I pulled open his dresser and put on a pair of charcoal gray boxers, so I didn’t have to walk through the house naked.

When I opened the door, I heard the faint buzz of breakfast downstairs. The warm smell of toasted bagels and freshly-brewed coffee traveled up my nose. My stomach rumbled with hunger. I hadn’t eaten since Mitch’s booth at Applefest. Last night qualified as a workout, and daddy needed to replenish his calories.

I went to my bedroom and slipped on a sweatshirt and shorts. I tiptoed down the stairs, my heart racing as I got closer to seeing Leo.

“Morning.” Leo smiled at me from above his iPad. He was decked out in full running gear. His black T-shirt was soaked with sweat, and he had that post-run glow glimmering on his cheeks. I was a little taken aback he ran alone.

“Good morning.”

“Bagels are in.” He pointed to the toaster, all levers down. “Did you want cream cheese or butter on it?”

“Since when do you know me to put anything but whipped cream cheese on my bagel?”

“After last night, all bets are off.” He pulled open the fridge door and removed the familiar tub of cream cheese.

“You went running this morning,” I said.

The bagel halves popped violently out of the toaster as if they were on pogo sticks. Leo went to work schmearing them up.

“I didn’t want to wake you.”

“You wake me every other morning whether I want to or not.”

“This morning felt…different.” He opened his mouth as if he were about to say more. Instead, he put his attention on the bagel. “I figured you’d want to sleep.”

He had a point. I’d been getting up early naturally over the past few days, but I was out like a light until the sun came up this morning. Still, it would’ve been nice to go running with him. Did sex have to change everything?

“I wasn’t sure if you’d be up for running. I didn’t want to wake you. You looked so peaceful, fast asleep. I was tempted to stay in bed with you.” A warm smile stretched across his lips.

“Lie.”

“Truth.” He tossed the bagel on a plate and slid it across the island my way.

“Did I hog all the blanket? My exes said I hog the blanket.”

“Oh, yeah. There was a point in the middle of the night when you turned over and took everything with you.”

I smacked a hand to my forehead. “You should’ve pulled them back.”

“I tried, but you got tangled in them in a way I’ve literally never seen before.” He drank his smoothie from the blender.

“You could’ve woken me.”

“I didn’t know where you were. You were sucked into your blanket cocoon.” Leo waved it off. “It reminded me of that time we shared that motel room at the Grand Canyon.”

“Oh, God. That place.” The Canyon Inn. Home of the used damp towels, perpetually dripping sink, and the allegedly king-size bed that could barely fit two grown adults.

---