Page 43 of Arranged with Twins
15
Sienna
Iwake in Leo’s bed to find him watching me, propped up on one elbow with an expression I can’t quite read. For a moment I forget where I am or why my body feels so deliciously sore.
“Good morning.” His voice carries a roughness that sends warmth through me despite my sleepy confusion.
“You stayed.” The words come out before I can stop them, tinged with surprise that feels more vulnerable than I intended.
“I stayed? It is my bed.” He sounds confused.
I lick my lips. “I’m just surprised to see you still in bed at,” I glance at the clock, “Almost nine a.m.”
“I didn’t feel like moving yet.” He reaches out to brush a strand of hair from my face, and the gesture is so tender it makes my chest flutter. “How are you feeling?”
I take inventory of my body, noting the pleasant ache between my thighs and the way my skin still hums from his touch. “Different,” I say honestly, “But good different.”
“Good.” He leans down to press a soft kiss to my forehead, and I marvel at this gentler version of the man who usually approaches everything like a military operation.
In his kitchen an hour later, I sit at the marble island wearing one of his shirts while he moves around preparing breakfast with surprising competence. The domestic scene feels surreal after months of careful distance and formal interactions.
“I didn’t know you could cook.” I watch him flip eggs with practiced ease, noting how the simple task transforms him into someone more approachable.
“It’s a survival skill. Depending on others for basic needs creates vulnerabilities.” He plates the eggs alongside perfectly toasted bread and fresh fruit. “I usually just have coffee and whatever’s convenient.”
“Yet here you are, making me breakfast.” I accept the plate he slides across the counter, touched by the effort despite his casual explanation.
“Here I am.” His smile is small but genuine, and I feel something shift between us that has nothing to do with contracts or family obligations. “You and the babies need nourishment.”
I take a bite of the eggs and make an appreciative sound that makes his eyes darken slightly. “These are really good. Where did you learn to cook like this?”
“Trial and error, mostly. Vincent’s housekeeper tried to teach me some basics when I was staying with your family, but I was moreinterested in learning how to handle the unique… disputes in my line of business and read financial reports.” Leo settles onto the stool beside me with his own plate. “It seemed more practical at the time.”
The mention of that period makes me study his profile as he eats. “What was it like? Living with us after your parents died?”
He’s quiet for so long I wonder if he’s going to answer. When he finally speaks, his voice carries a weight I haven’t heard before. “Confusing. Your parents were kind to me, but I was drowning in grief and rage. I wanted revenge more than comfort.”
“Did you get it? The revenge?”
“Eventually.” The single word holds volumes of violence I’m probably better off not understanding. “It didn’t bring them back, but it made the world feel balanced again.”
I reach for his hand without thinking, threading our fingers together. “I’m sorry you had to go through that alone.”
“I wasn’t completely alone.” He looks down at our joined hands with something like wonder. “Vincent made sure I had what I needed to survive and rebuild. Katherine insisted I join family dinners even when I preferred to eat in my room. I taught you to play chess.”
I nod, remembering that. “I wasn’t very good.”
“No, you weren’t, but you tried hard.” His thumb traces across my knuckles. “You also made me laugh for the first time after they died, though I can’t remember what you said.”
The revelation makes my throat constrict with unexpected emotion. “I’m glad we could help, even a little.”
“You did more than help.” He brings our joined hands to his lips and presses a soft kiss to my fingers. “You reminded me that not everything in the world was dark.”
The moment stretches between us, heavy with shared history and present possibility. When Leo’s phone buzzes against the counter, breaking the spell, I almost protest the interruption.
“Ilya,” he says after glancing at the screen. “I need to check on one of our shipping operations today. Come with me?”
The invitation surprises me. Leo has been careful to keep me separate from his business affairs, protecting me from direct exposure to his world. “Are you sure that’s safe?”
