Page 90 of Ride the Wave

He eventually draws back to smile down at me. I bring my eyes up to meet his, my poor brain dizzy from his greeting and still scrambling to make sense of his being here at all.

He dips his head once more to gently brush his lips against mine, soft, careful and inviting, like he’s had a shot of what he’s been craving and he can relax now: the calm after the storm. Or in the case of that kiss, the calm after a fucking frenzied tornado.

‘What are you doing here?’ I say breathlessly, only just realising that I’m clinging to handfuls of his shirt. I don’t even remember actioning my hands to do that. ‘You’re meant to be at a dinner.’

‘I told them I had somewhere else I needed to be,’ he tells me, his fingers sweeping back a lock of hair that’s fallen loose of my bun, probably because a moment ago, he was tugging on it, teasing it from the hairband.

‘Seriously?’

‘I wanted to see you,’ he admits, pressing his forehead against mine. ‘Is that okay?’

Fuck yes.

‘Sure,’ I say quietly, hoping he can’t hear my heart beating at a hundred miles an hour. I run my hands up and down his torso, making sure he’s really here standing in front of me and this isn’t a dream. ‘Although I feel bad you had to cancel your plans.’

‘I feel bad that I interrupted yours,’ he says, lifting his head so his eyes can drift down to my towel. ‘Not that bad. Kind of seems as though I dropped by at a good time.’

I laugh, self-consciousness suddenly getting the better of me as I glance over his shoulder out at the empty corridor. I’d been so caught up in the kiss, I hadn’t thought about neighbours passing by.

‘Maybe you should come in so we can close the door,’ I suggest.

He agrees, stepping back to pick the bag up and come in, while I shut the door.

Placing his things down on the kitchen counter, he surveys the spacious lounge.

‘It’s not bad, I’ll give José that,’ he remarks.

‘He does haveexcellenttaste.’

When Leo shoots me a look, I’m ready to greet it with an impish grin.

‘So I should probably go put some clothes on,’ I note, gesturing to the bedroom. ‘There’s iced tea in the fridge if you want some? Sorry, I don’t have much else. If I’d known you were coming over, I would have—’

He holds up one hand to stop me and passes me the bouquet from the other.

‘I’ve got all that covered,’ he says. ‘Here. These are for you.’

‘They’re beautiful, thank you.’ I admire them, breathing in their sweet scent, their paper wrapping crinkling in my grasp. ‘Why did you get me flowers?’

‘Because,’ he begins, and there’s an ever-so-slight waver to his voice, like maybe he’s nervous about something, ‘I thought tonight could be our very first date.’

I frown at him, half-smiling in confusion. ‘What? Like, aproperdate?’

‘Yeah, London,’ he says, the corners of his lips tilting upwards. ‘If we’re doing this, we’re not doing it half-arsed.’

I’m too stunned to speak for a moment. One moment, I had a free evening ahead of me, soaking in a bath with my book, and the next, I’m being handed flowers at the introduction to a surprise date with one of the sexiest, sweetest men I’ve ever met. Maybethesexiest and sweetest man I’ve ever met.

My brain is finding it hard to compute this turn of events.

‘But… Leo, wecan’tgo on a date,’ I say regretfully, looking at him as though he’s forgotten what’s going on here and who I am. ‘If people saw us… We’re meant to be keeping this a secret. Lying low. I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to go out for dinner somewhere.’

‘I know. That’s why I’ve brought dinner here,’ he says, nodding to the bag. ‘I hope you like Italian food; there’s a great little place in the village. I got a selection of the menu; I wasn’t sure what you liked.’

I stare at him.

‘While you go get dressed, I’ll get dinner set out on the balcony,’ he continues when I don’t say anything. ‘Take your time; don’t rush or anything. We can always heat up the food in the oven if we need to.’

He gives me a strange look as I continue to stay mute, my lips parted, a tingling feeling spreading out from my heart down through every vein, warming my body.

---